Difficulty getting tank team stable.

[Dom]

I'm having an odd problem with heating my 125 gallon (145 total volume with sump).

I have 3 heaters totaling 525 watts. They are connected to a generic temperature controller which I constructed myself and has worked fine over the last 8 years.

What I am noticing is this:

1. Temperature is set to 76 degrees.
2. Temperature drops to 75.6 degrees and the temperature controller indicator light shows the controller's heating side has turned on.
3. All three heaters in the tank are lit, but the temperature continues to drop.
4. If I remove the heaters from the controller and plug them directly into an AC outlet, the temperature will begin rising.
5. Then I can plug the heaters back in the controller and they will continue to heat up the tank to the set temp.

So why is there enough wattage when connected directly to AC to heat the tank, but when plugged into the controller, it continues to drop?

(If a moderator can correct the title, it is supposed to be "Temp" and not "team".

 

[Dan_P]

I'm having an odd problem with heating my 125 gallon (145 total volume with sump).

I have 3 heaters totaling 525 watts. They are connected to a generic temperature controller which I constructed myself and has worked fine over the last 8 years.

What I am noticing is this:

1. Temperature is set to 76 degrees.
2. Temperature drops to 75.6 degrees and the temperature controller indicator light shows the controller's heating side has turned on.
3. All three heaters in the tank are lit, but the temperature continues to drop.
4. If I remove the heaters from the controller and plug them directly into an AC outlet, the temperature will begin rising.
5. Then I can plug the heaters back in the controller and they will continue to heat up the tank to the set temp.

So why is there enough wattage when connected directly to AC to heat the tank, but when plugged into the controller, it continues to drop?

(If a moderator can correct the title, it is supposed to be "Temp" and not "team".

Are you measuring a voltage when the indicator light is “on”? I assume the light might just mean that the controller wants there to be voltage but something is not turning on.

 

[Dom]

Are you measuring a voltage when the indicator light is “on”? I assume the light might just mean that the controller wants there to be voltage but something is not turning on.

Yes... I thought about that but haven't checked. I assumed that since the indicator on the controller for heat was lit and that the heaters themselves have come on, that voltage was okay.

Unless, there is enough voltage to illuminate the indicator lights on the heaters but not enough to drive them...

 

[Dom]

And as a follow up, the voltage at the controller for the heaters is 117.5 volts.

 

[Dan_P]

And as a follow up, the voltage at the controller for the heaters is 117.5 volts.

Now that’s a nice mystery

 

[nuxx]

Toss them on an APEX?

What I did with my heaters.