BRS Titanium Heaters - Are they any good?

BZOFIQ · Mar 20, 2023

Bought two sets a while back for my new build but now that I revisited the page to check different wattage specs the reviews are painting a bleak picture.

Below are most recent negative reviews (in no particular order) and I am rethinking my approach. I've been a fan of Eheim/Jager but wanted physically smaller heaters to place vertically in my new sump.

Should I just scrap this idea from the get go or risk using these until they crap out.

What's your long term experience and did you have a catastrophic failure?

ShepherdReefer · Mar 20, 2023

For one of our systems, we use the BRS heater, and on the other tank, we use finnex. What I like, I can switch the heater elements every year.

BZOFIQ · Mar 20, 2023

ShepherdReefer said:
For one of our systems, we use the BRS heater, and on the other tank, we use finnex. What I like, I can switch the heater elements every year.

Not sure I follow, but one can do that with any other heater.

Are you saying that you replace them every year regardless if they are working or not?

TheBear78 · Mar 20, 2023

They are re-branded Schego units just like the D-D titanium heaters sold in the UK.
Both the original Schego and D-D units are held in high regard so I don't know why the BRS version would fall down.
I have two of the D-D 350 watt heaters on my tank and I've no complaints regarding their quality. Perhaps time will tell.

thatmanMIKEson · Mar 20, 2023

I use the heaters and have several 300w a couple 600w heaters and they do work pretty good. I keep expecting one to fail knock on wood. Get them on sale that's the only way I'd purchase them , and have a back up, brs is so good with replacing faulty ones if needed its worth trying them out was my thought.

I hate the sticker on it I remove it and clean the element with rubbing alcohol and a paper towel, it will turn the paper towel black.

zoomonster · Mar 20, 2023

If you find a decent heater let me know. Probably been through a trash can full of titanium heaters and controllers and they all suck. My current BRS titanium (well bought 2 600w and one already cooked) might still be good but the BRS controller (think was rebranded Inkbird) almost cooked my tank the other day when apparently the outlet locked on. It was also controlled by Apex but of course the EB832 bit the dust. Actually, just looked it up and go figure BRS discontinued that controller. I had tried those after Finnex, and others, continually failed. The only thing that works is a pair of Eheim Jager glass heaters that I use for water changes etc. Had those for years but think they are only 300w and gigantic glass tubes. Fortunately, I live in Florida and don't need heat all that often. Might try the Helio controller and element next.

BZOFIQ · Mar 20, 2023

zoomonster said:
If you find a decent heater let me know. Probably been through a trash can full of titanium heaters and controllers and they all suck. My current BRS titanium (well bought 2 600w and one already cooked) might still be good but the BRS controller (think was rebranded Inkbird) almost cooked my tank the other day when apparently the outlet locked on. It was also controlled by Apex but of course the EB832 bit the dust. Actually, just looked it up and go figure BRS discontinued that controller. I had tried those after Finnex, and others, continually failed. The only thing that works is a pair of Eheim Jager glass heaters that I use for water changes etc. Had those for years but think they are only 300w and gigantic glass tubes. Fortunately, I live in Florida and don't need heat all that often. Might try the Helio controller and element next.

LOL.

Helio is just way too expensive and not in the budget and I've seen people complain about them too if I recall correctly.

I too am happy with longevity of the Eheim but the 300W appears to be about 3 feet long

zoomonster · Mar 20, 2023

BZOFIQ said:
LOL.

Helio is just way too expensive and not in the budget and I've seen people complain about them too if I recall correctly.

I too am happy with longevity of the Eheim but the 300W appears to be about 3 feet long

Yeah now I see why BRS has them on sale. They have a new and improved model Helio PTC Smart Heater I just sprung for. Nice that it includes the magnetic heater holder. Long warranty too so we'll see how these work out.

Reefer1978 · Mar 20, 2023

I've been using them since release, and haven't run into any issues. But, it all comes down to luck I guess, sometimes everything fails.

Kellie in CA · Mar 20, 2023

Once I figured out how to properly set my Ink Bird controller, I haven't had any issue with my BRS heater.

Reefer1978 · Mar 20, 2023

Helio controller looks the same as Finnex but in a different box. Finnex one has failed me in the past (the controller).

October Sky · Mar 20, 2023

I realize you post a snippet of the reviews, but I went in depth about a year ago, and those things are a total game of high stakes Russian Routlette.

I have to over size my heater, as my tank is in my basement which is unheated. I got a used Cobalt here and it's served me wonderfully (on a Ink Bird).

thatmanMIKEson · Mar 20, 2023

October Sky said:
I realize you post a snippet of the reviews, but I went in depth about a year ago, and those things are a total game of high stakes Russian Routlette.

I have to over size my heater, as my tank is in my basement which is unheated. I got a used Cobalt here and it's served me wonderfully (on a Ink Bird).

In depth about what?

DIYreefer · Mar 20, 2023

I bought 3 of them about 5 years ago. 2 of the three had quite a bit of stray voltage (like it would zap you pretty good if you touched the water) straight out of the packaging. I threw them out and went back to Jager heaters. I understand that being glass, the Jagers could break, but I've never had that happen after many years of using them.

KStatefan · Mar 21, 2023

I have a few of them had one go bad and they replaced it.

NormanB · Mar 21, 2023

Well, almost 3.5 years into 2 300W titaniums for BRS and so far so good.

BZOFIQ · Mar 21, 2023

Reefer1978 said:
I've been using them since release, and haven't run into any issues. But, it all comes down to luck I guess, sometimes everything fails.

Decided to mix, 2 of each BRS and Eheim.

BZOFIQ · Mar 22, 2023

BZOFIQ said:
Decided to mix, 2 of each BRS and Eheim.

So the 2 x 150W eheims were just calibrated, they are running at 134Watts & 140Watts respectively as measured by KIll-A-Watt. You'd think by now these companies would have figured out to come closer to stated values.

JRSE7EN · Mar 23, 2023

I had 2 BRS titanium heaters fail on me. They replaced the first one with another failure so just went straight to the old reliable eheims that I've used for years with no issues.

BZOFIQ · Mar 23, 2023

JRSE7EN said:
I had 2 BRS titanium heaters fail on me. They replaced the first one with another failure so just went straight to the old reliable eheims that I've used for years with no issues.

So re Eheims... and I've always been a fan.

Bought 2 x 150W (size constrains) from Amazon (cheaper than BRS) and they are both are actually ~130 Watts.

I am yet to test BRS to see how close they are to rated power.

One of the 2 brand new eheims is so off that even with calibration all the way to the end it's still way off. I will just have to set it lower for safety cutoff.