# Another Hydor Heater Failure...



## Claire

I've read some threads about people's Hydor external heaters failing soon after they got them. Thought I dodged the bullet of the dodgy line as I've had mine a few years and had no issues. However I went away for a long weekend there - came back yesterday to find that the heater had jammed on and had my tank water at 42oC. Everything dead including 2 rare plecos that I paid a bomb for. Even a lot of the plants are badly melted from the heat. Was actual disgusting like. Came in the front door and could immediately smell it - the water was like milk from all the cooking bodies. Sickened me.
Anyways, what I'm really wondering is if anyone got anything out of Hydor through their heaters failing? I have just written to them using the form on their website but don't know if I'll get any sort of compensation. I'm not really interested in a replacement heater from them as unsurprisingly, I seem to have lost all confidence in their product… Kinda tempted to take the hydor external off the nano tank now too.


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## Alan Fluxion

You're kidding, I'm so glad I didn't buy it... I was 99% set and decided but the tetra took a dump and I had to hold back


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## Ryan Thang To

Oh no that sucks. I never had one fail but I know how you feel, when I came home to find out I gas all my fish 

I hope they will get back to you and even sort out your losses


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## Andy Thurston

I read somewhere that hydor had stopped making them because of this fault and if i owned one it would have been removed from the tank and used to warm water for waterchanges


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## Claire

I even took a picture as it's something I hope to never see again. This was after I drained the tank and took out the dead fish, so it may have even been a degree or 2 warmer before I started.



That's interesting Andy. They're still being sold though so they're obviously not that concerned! I have a couple of cheap spare heaters that I can use to take them off the tanks. I would have understood if it had been a £10 chinese heater that had gone awol - then it would only have been myself to blame - but when you spend near £50 on a heater you expect it to be better.

Don't really know what to do now with the tank. I'd had an itching to go marine previously (eek), but this has knocked my 
confidence a bit. Might end up with just a jack dempsy or something lol. Or goldfish! Don't need a heater for them


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## NC10

Sorry to hear that Claire 

I'd always recommend getting an STC-1000 regardless of what heater you use. Great little bit of kit and for the sake of £10-£15 would prevent things like this from happening.


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## Alan Fluxion

NC10 said:


> STC-1000


 oh that's nifty, and pretty cheap too... wonder if I can find one in Poland


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## NC10

Alan Fluxion said:


> oh that's nifty, and pretty cheap too... wonder if I can find one in Poland



If you can't get one locally, you can just order direct from China on eBay. Cheaper, but obviously takes a week or so to arrive.


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## stu_

That sucks
I got lucky in that mine failed to heat.
After several months they sent a replacement.
The impression i got was that they moved manufacturers and that faults started occurring,to a previously excellent product.
Apparently the fault has now been resolved,though i can neither confirm or deny this.


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## EnderUK

NC10 said:


> Sorry to hear that Claire
> I'd always recommend getting an STC-1000 regardless of what heater you use. Great little bit of kit and for the sake of £10-£15 would prevent things like this from happening.


 previous temp controllers I've seen have been quite expensive. 8 quid from China I think I'll be buying one. Just need to figure out were the hell I'm going to put it.


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## roadmaster

Have a 400watt and 300watt HYDOR THEO heaters that have been running for five years.
When I bought them the ad  said.."lifetime warranty".I notice they don't offer this warranty any longer.


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## Ryan Thang To

roadmaster said:


> Have a 400watt and 300watt HYDOR THEO heaters that have been running for five years.
> When I bought them the ad  said.."lifetime warranty".I notice they don't offer this warranty any longer.


I didn't know they made 400w


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## Lindy

Can this not happen with any heater? It once happened to me about 20years ago. Came back from a nightclub to find 3 floating piranhas.  Managed to resuscitate 2 but one died. Not what I'd planned on doing at 4am. Sorry you lost your fish. Thinking of taking of my inline now....

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk


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## roadmaster

legytt said:


> I didn't know they made 400w



Yep,they offer 400watt heaters.


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## Alje

How do you resuscitate a Piranha?


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## Lindy

Holding it in cooler water and moving it about while wearing killer shoes and wearing clothes your mother doesn't approve of.


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## Alje

Nah sorry I don't understand, on behalf of all the boys can we have some pictures


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## Lindy

Did you miss the bit about it being 20yrs ago? They didn't have mobile phones you could take pictures with then to document your every move and thank the gods for that! 

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk


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## Claire

stu_ said:


> That sucks
> I got lucky in that mine failed to heat.
> After several months they sent a replacement.
> The impression i got was that they moved manufacturers and that faults started occurring,to a previously excellent product.
> Apparently the fault has now been resolved,though i can neither confirm or deny this.



I got mine about 4-5 years ago so thought I'd avoided all this carry on. The other one I have is slightly newer, so don't know what to think now :/ Meh.

I'd seen those controllers before and thought that since I was using an expensive heater that I wouldn't need one! Going to order 5 now for all the tanks… Sheesh.



ldcgroomer said:


> Holding it in cooler water and moving it about while wearing killer shoes and wearing clothes your mother doesn't approve of.


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## Greenfinger2

Hi Claire, Sorry for your loss  Big thank you on the heads up


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## GHNelson

Hi Crew
I know sometime £$ are hard to accumulate.
Eheim produce filters with a heater included....don't see why all the filter manufactures don't go down this route.
I've never had one fail yet from Eheim....they are more expensive but they do have their + points.
Fluval did a nice filter G6 (Huge Price £300.00) or something....shame they didn't think outside just filtration ..box?
I will not purchase a external filter from a company (other than Eheim) until they produce a filter with a decent reliable integrated heater now.
Never lost any fish/inhabitants using any Eheim heated filter ever and i have been using them for at least 8 years to my memory?
Cheers
hoggie


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## NC10

@hogan53 - Nearly all heaters are notoriously unreliable, wether reading way off the actual temp or sticking on. Doing a quick google search on any make will soon bring problem threads up. Some of us just have to count ourselves lucky.

Integrated heaters won't solve any issues a regular heater could get, but would surely make things even more complicated, increasing the chance and/or expense if anything were to go wrong. Things need to be kept simple.

I've already mentioned the STC which solves nearly every problem associated with heaters.


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## Tim Harrison

What a mare...Mine started to leak...so being inquisitive I opened it up, and the thermostat sensors are just wires with soldered ends shoved in to the heating element and held in place with grease. If they aren't placed in all the way the temp reading can be many degrees higher than the actual heater setting. And I'm guessing that during cleaning etc they can eventually work loose and boil your tank...


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## sciencefiction

NC10 said:


> Nearly all heaters are notoriously unreliable, wether reading way off the actual temp or sticking on.
> Doing a quick google search on any make will soon bring problem threads up.



Yes, but at least they don't cost £50 a heater. Honestly, if your home electric heater failed like that stuck in the on position and causing some sort of problem or your gas heater exploded so often you wouldn't be so forgiving of heaters. Can't they just make reliable aquarium heaters....For that price I'd expect it to cook the dinner for me 

I personally use the cheap internal ones as I prefer everything on a separate line so there's one fail at a time. With two leaking filters and a filter I forgot to shut the valves off letting it run dry for I don't know how long,  I'd hate to think what would happen.

I had a problem once with one failing heater totally as in not turning on anymore, rather than overheating the tank. If anything, I use heaters slightly underpowered for the size of the tank and never two heaters in one tank as the possibility of cooking the fish is greater. I'd rather deal with colder water than cooking the fish because at certain times of the year here the water just won't go below certain temps.
In the old years they only sold heaters without thermostat where I lived and I often forgot to switch them off and cooked many fish those days.
That's really awful Claire. Really sorry for your fish. Poor things.


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## Tim Harrison

I think that's just one reason some aquarists are keeping tanks without heaters these days...this article in PFK is quite interesting...http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/content.php?sid=5351


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## GHNelson

@NC1O
Maybe Eheim should incorporate this device...a STC what ever it is....... into its filter to make them even more reliable.
Actually some Eheim filters are more versatile than you think they have 2 separate power inputs.
1 for the heater.
1 for the filter.
So if the heater fails...you can disconnect it and use the filter.
I think Eheims can only be heated to a Maximum of 36 degrees....then shutdown.
hoggie


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## Tim Harrison

seems very sensible...


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## NC10

Having 2 plugs doesn't help though if the heater sticks on. Obviously if you're actually there and notice it it does, but if Claire had have been there she'd have simply taken out the plug out of hers. Not really versatile just providing a plug for filtration and one for heating. That's just the same as having a filter and a heater.

Also, saying it only heats to 36 then shuts down is irrelevant. When a heaters stuck on it's obviously because it's thermostat or at least some sort of wiring has gone wrong. If the eheim stuck on, it's stuck on. It wouldn't recognise the fact it should only go to 36.


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## aliclarke86

I have had 2 hydors fail in the last 12 months lucky both failed to heat. But have gone back to my trusty old jager the trusty hunter 

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk


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## Greenfinger2

Troi said:


> I think that's just one reason some aquarists are keeping tanks without heaters these days...this article in PFK is quite interesting...http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/content.php?sid=5351



Hi Troi, Well it fooled me   Cool looking tank too  Sorry about the pun i could not help myself


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## GHNelson

NC10
What i was trying to point out is that the Eheim range of filters with the integrated heaters are more reliable in my opinion ....you pay your money and take your choice.
Scapers would be better using the £50.00 they spend on a Hydor 200/300 and use towards a Eheim.
Of course any heater can stick in the on position be it in the filter or out.
Never experienced that with a Eheim........yet.
Cheers
hoggie


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## ian_m

My mate has one of these and has had numerous temperature control problems, luckily no fish deaths, but did run at 32C for ages. Issue was the temperature control knob on the side of the older style ones is extremely easy to knock, especially whilst doing tank maintenance, and alter the tank temperature. He insulation taped over the temperature knob, later moving to self amalgamating tape to stop the knob being knocked.

I know it may not be your problem at 40C.


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## Tim Harrison

I've had that problem a couple of times. Now I'm extra careful to check and reset after cleaning.


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## Stu Worrall

makes me nervous about mine now as ive been running it since 2009 but it has always been taped up so the dial cant move.

I might get one of those controllers mentioned above to regulate it.  Sorry to hear about your plant and fish losses Claire


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## Mr. Teapot

stuworrall said:


> I might get one of those controllers mentioned above to regulate it



Yep, got me worried too! Went out at lunchtime and bagged one… just have to work out the wiring. Do you have the controller set to a higher temperature or lower than the heater?


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## NC10

You set the controller to exactly what you want the temp to be. You then run the heater set at a slightly higher temp so the internal thermostat doesn't start interfering. Just leave the 0.3 difference as it is.


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## Julian

NC10 said:


> Sorry to hear that Claire
> 
> I'd always recommend getting an STC-1000 regardless of what heater you use. Great little bit of kit and for the sake of £10-£15 would prevent things like this from happening.


How do you wire up the Hydor heater to this control unit? Is it just a case of taking the plug off and putting the wires into the 'heating' sockets?


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## NC10

Julian said:


> How do you wire up the Hydor heater to this control unit? Is it just a case of taking the plug off and putting the wires into the 'heating' sockets?



Basically yes, but the actual unit doesn't supply power, so it's not just a case of putting the heater in the heater terminals. You'll need a couple of connector blocks of some sort. One wire from the heater goes in to the heater terminal, with the other wire being connected straight to the connector block and to the plug/power.

Have a google search and you'll find plenty of diagrams.

Edit: Like this. Obviously heating though, not cooling.


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## Julian

NC10 said:


> Basically yes, but the actual unit doesn't supply power, so it's not just a case of putting the heater in the heater terminals. You'll need a couple of connector blocks of some sort. One wire from the heater goes in to the heater terminal, with the other wire being connected straight to the connector block and to the plug/power.
> 
> Have a google search and you'll find plenty of diagrams.


Thanks, what about a sensor? Does it come with one or do you have to buy one for it?


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## NC10

Yes all comes ready to go with temperature probe. All you need is a bit of wire and connector blocks. You might need a plug as well, depending on if the heater has a removable one or the pre moulded type thing.


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## Stu Worrall

Mr. Teapot said:


> Yep, got me worried too! Went out at lunchtime and bagged one… just have to work out the wiring. Do you have the controller set to a higher temperature or lower than the heater?


which shop was yours from mr t?


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## Mr. Teapot

stuworrall said:


> which shop was yours from mr t?



In my panic I ended up walking to Charterhouse at lunchtime (2x as expensive as ebay) £25ish.

Having a quick look online at wiring this thing up - anyone with knowledge of not killing themselves mixing water and electric, is this correct:


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## NC10

Yes but I'd just run the brown wire between the power supply and heating, directly to the connector block instead of doubling up in the STC terminals.

Check the diagram on the previous page, it's the simplest I've seen without having wires trailing all over making it look more complicated than it is


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## Julian

Mr. Teapot said:


> In my panic I ended up walking to Charterhouse at lunchtime (2x as expensive as ebay) £25ish.
> 
> Having a quick look online at wiring this thing up - anyone with knowledge of not killing themselves mixing water and electric, is this correct:


Looks good to me but, I'd honestly get a refund and buy Hydor's own thermostat for £33:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HYDOR-HYD...6?pt=UK_Pet_Supplies_Fish&hash=item2ecb14ce10


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## Mr. Teapot

Thanks guys, always good to check first!


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## PedroB

That's a nightmare to get home to... I hope Hydor at least gives you compensation for the proce of the heater, but compensating for the fish/plants/distress they put you through would be the right thing to do.


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## Claire

Not heard back from them yet… Not exactly falling over themselves to get in touch lol.

Definitely wasn't a case of a knocked dial on the heater as the way the tank was set up, the heater was down the back and you could only get to it if you pulled the shelves out that are beside the tank. 

Quite tempted to go down the wet pet route of something like a GT or a JD with this tank. Or just sell it and put a pot plant in the space haha. It's an old juwel vision that was scratched to hell before I even got it so not exactly a top dollar tank


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## daizeUK

Hydor externals got pulled from the UK market for a few months and then recently reappeared and now the prices have gone up.  I heard a rumour that Hydor had pulled the stock while they fixed a fault so I guess that means the new models might be more reliable.  That's just a rumour though so I don't know for sure, does anybody?


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## aliclarke86

Its a real shame. I hear all these people using them for years with no problem. I had 2 fail in the last 18 months. Maybe they skimped on the build quality when demand got higher?

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## Nathaniel Whiteside

aliclarke86 said:


> Its a real shame. I hear all these people using them for years with no problem. I had 2 fail in the last 18 months. Maybe they skimped on the build quality when demand got higher?
> 
> Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk



Did yours 'stick on' or just stop working Al?


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## aliclarke86

Thankfully both of mine failed to heat

Sent from my GT-P7310 using Tapatalk


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## Nathaniel Whiteside

aliclarke86 said:


> Thankfully both of mine failed to heat
> 
> Sent from my GT-P7310 using Tapatalk



I saw mine did the same. 

I tried my best to clean the internal sleeve of the heater and it seemed to do a job like.
Back working again. 

Strange lol


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## aliclarke86

Oh really. I will have to have a look into that.

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## Claire

Hey guys, I have ordered one of the  STC 1000 controllers from ebay, now looking at heaters. I'm thinking of running 2 cheap heaters in parallel into the unit. If one fails and overheats, the controller will switch it off, and if one fails and under heats, the other heater will be on for longer to heat the tank as directed by the controller, but should hold tank temperature until I can get a spare heater in.
Looking to go marine with this tank now so definitely want the temperature to be reliable, so thanks for the controller recommendation. Probably will have some stuff up for sale soon to help fund the new project. Will most certainly be selling at least one other tank, t5 luminaires and maybe some co2 stuff too.[DOUBLEPOST=1404129685][/DOUBLEPOST]I have also heard back from hydor asking for the product model, batch number and some pictures of the heater in situ to prove it was installed upright as instructed. Apparently I may also have to send the heater away for testing.


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## sciencefiction

It's funny that aquarium manufacturers get away with so much stuff when their electrical devices fail and damage your property.
If you get a laptop that burns your table due to overheating you'd be setup for a big claim because it's dangerous to your safety and consider that the table is dead, not a live fish though I agree the table can go on fire and burn you too. But water and failed electrics sounds even worse when used per manufacturers specifications.

I'd kindly ask them to give you reimbursement for your losses.  If you've used the device as it should have been used, you have a claim but they won't do anything unless you threaten with a solicitor. I am only saying if you want to go ahead with it. They will want to test the heater of course so you'll have to send it to them.


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## Mr. Teapot

Claire said:


> Looking to go marine with this tank


Marine plants I hope… It would be great to see a journal on UKAPS with a salty flavour.


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## Claire

Well I'm planning lots of corals, but it will be slowly stocked as everything is more expensive on the salty side! Although I've managed to pick up some second hand gear at a reasonable price so that's good.
I can put some pictures in the photos section once I get up and running


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## Mr. Teapot

Claire said:


> I can put some pictures in the photos section once I get up and running


Hey, that would be brilliant! I think we all have a itch we want to scratch when it comes to a marine tank. I'd love to give it a go in the future - a simple island/outcrop with one coral type. Loads of hard work and always on the edge of complete disaster from what I understand.


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## Claire

Hahaha something like that  Although it's not much more work than the high tech tanks in all honesty - just need to test for a few more things, since corals use magnesium and calcium to grow and phosphate causes algae


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## Claire

An update on this, hydor now have my heater away for testing and also have a list of my stock that I lost. They also offered me an internal 300w heater as a replacement free of charge, but it's not really necessary since their last heater killed everything in the tank so I don't really have a requirement for a heater at the moment… lol. Will see what their "engineers" come back with


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## Nathaniel Whiteside

Claire said:


> An update on this, hydor now have my heater away for testing and also have a list of my stock that I lost. They also offered me an internal 300w heater as a replacement free of charge, but it's not really necessary since their last heater killed everything in the tank so I don't really have a requirement for a heater at the moment… lol. Will see what their "engineers" come back with



Thats good progress I suppose. I hope you added 10x Zebra plecos


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## NC10

@Claire - I know it's not much consolation to you now, but that looks like pretty good customer service, at least they're looking into it. Will be interesting to see the outcome anyway. Just take the heater whether you use it or not, you can always sell it on. 

@Nathaniel Whiteside - Don't be silly, she didn't just have 10 zebras, she had 5 breeding pairs


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## Claire

Hahaha don't forget my discus…


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## Claire

Well this was a long time ago! Have FINALLY got resolution with Hydor over the matter after sending the heater to Italy for an obviously vigorous testing taking over 3 months haha. But have now been offered £100 in compensation and free equipment from them to the value of £100. I am no longer in freshwater having moved to the salty dark side, but may get some koralia pumps and a controller to replace my ageing newaves.
Just thought I would update you all as even though it took a while (a LOOONG while) I did get something out of them which gives them credibility in my eyes. Some companies would have shrugged their shoulders as it was out of warranty and said "tough luck"!
I don't know how the external heaters are going these days - there was a faulty batch came out a few months ago that wouldn't heat, but I hope that's been resolved now? Doubt I'm going to be getting heaters off them anyways though haha. Once bitten twice shy and all that… 

Forgot to say I'm now running 2 eheim jagers off of an STC-1000 - no corners getting cut on the marine tank.
Since there was a little interest in the subject, here are a couple of shots of the tank now (I'm saying "the tank" like it's the same one, but it actually grew a little bit in between times…  )


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## Mark Livermore

Well that looks pretty amazing!


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## daizeUK

Claire said:


> Well this was a long time ago! Have FINALLY got resolution with Hydor over the matter after sending the heater to Italy for an obviously vigorous testing taking over 3 months haha. But have now been offered £100 in compensation and free equipment from them to the value of £100. I am no longer in freshwater having moved to the salty dark side, but may get some koralia pumps and a controller to replace my ageing newaves.
> Just thought I would update you all as even though it took a while (a LOOONG while) I did get something out of them which gives them credibility in my eyes. Some companies would have shrugged their shoulders as it was out of warranty and said "tough luck"!



Thanks for letting us know, good to know how it got resolved!

and... gorgeous pics!


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## kirk

Troi said:


> What a mare...Mine started to leak...so being inquisitive I opened it up, and the thermostat sensors are just wires with soldered ends shoved in to the heating element and held in place with grease. If they aren't placed in all the way the temp reading can be many degrees higher than the actual heater setting. And I'm guessing that during cleaning etc they can eventually work loose and boil your tank...


  I've done the same as mine was leaking, the grease you saw I think is thermal paste(I only know this as I've repaired the ylod on the ps3 rather than bin it).  I put our hydor back together fixed the leak but then it wouldn't heat took it apart now it's sensing the temp again so I think I may need some paste maybe? Hydors in a tuppaware tub wait for me to be bothered.   can't stand this one in the tank it's hurting my eyes.


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## kirk

I've put mine back together now, it's working better than when I first got it before it leaked.  So if anyone's ever leaks if you or someone you know or you can use silicone and a screw driver.... Don't throw it away. I also found the intermittent problem, it was a bad solder joint from the sensor wire.


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## cheekycharly

I have had issues with these heater also. My first one was probably 4years old when it overheated at night and left me with fish soup killing 99% of my livestock. I had about 12 Gold Laser Cory's which died first as they had less oxygen at the bottom. The cost of them alone to me was more than the tank itself.

I replaced it with another in Nov 2019 and it has just packed in heating three weeks ago. I have it unplugged now and the original Juwel heater inside the aquarium. 

I have emailed Hydor twice about it over the past two weeks and I haven't heard back from them once. How long was it before they came back to any of you?

Thanks


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## Nick72

That was a serious bump - think it gave me concussion


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## becks

I ordered a JBL in-line Heater and temperature controller. Personally, a temperature controller is a must imo for any heater.


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## cheekycharly

Looking at the JBL it's the same heater as the Chinese one which is similar to the Hydor. Any bets the Chinese firm makes them for JBL/Hydor or whoever the buyer. They even use the same plastic mould for the heater housing. The only one I can see that looks different is the ISTA one.


Still haven't heard back from Hydor. Have they gone bust?


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## Wookii

becks said:


> I ordered a JBL in-line Heater and temperature controller. Personally, a temperature controller is a must imo for any heater.



Agree completely - it always amazes me that people willingly risk potentially hundreds of pounds worth of livestock to a pennies-in-the-pound cheapo thermostat built into the average heater.


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