Fluval E300 Heater

[COMPNOR]

So Fluval E300 heater.... 125 gallon tank. In use for about a month. Mounted 45 degrees with the bottom towards the intake of a Fluval FX6. Ambient room temperature is about 72 degrees. The E300 shows 77.5, my little thermometer attached to the tank shows 78ish(probably closer to 79), and a thermometer with the probe I drop in the water shows 78ish, so I'm sure the water is close to where it should be.  I do have a Eheim Jager 300W Heater at the other end.  

 

But for the last couple of days it has been flashing between 77.5 and LF, which my understanding is Low Flow. No other errors. I've searched the net and have an open ticket with Fluval, but thought I try here.

 

I'm not getting the LF. The FX6 is open all the way, and from the sound of the output it sure sounds like good flow. So should I be worried? Any more troubleshooting I can do?

 

[Sleepy]

I personally find that “feature” annoying I run sponge filters almost exclusively and see it all the time as long as the temperature is steady should be fine I run 3-4 of those at a time.

[DaveSamsell]

I have the E200 & often observe the "LF" error.  The plastic housing on those heaters are quite impressive; perhaps even too good, lol.  

From what I read, it's a common complaint, but it's a 'smart' heater in that the sensor is indeed experiencing low flow, for whatever reason.

I have mine close to an AquaClear 110 & still get the error code, intermittently.

Seems to show the error more if the room temperature is starting to creep up a bit.  

When my room temperature is lower, the error is hardly ever there.

My question for Fluval would be:  At what flow rate are the sensors calibrated to indicate?

I like the heater.  It does work well.  Would I purchase another one?  Perhaps.

[Gabriel]

Try to put an airstone  under your heating so the bubble hit it on the way up should fix your problem

[Dandy Pearl]

The heaters are not calibrated for 'flow' per see. I'm not a fluval engineer, but I am an engineer. there is obviously a temperature sensor in the device or it wouldn't work. There are also electronics in there to drive the temperature indicator and control the heating element.

My suspicion is there are 'smarts' built in where the heater knows how much heat it is putting out maybe by measuring the current supplied to the element by some means, and measuring the temperature. If the heater is supplying a low amount of current and detecting a high temp, this could trigger the Low Flow.

I like @gabriel 's suggestion. The air stone should create actual flow which intern generates better heat transfer from the heater into the water, which you want any way when the heater is 'on'.

I don't think you will get any traction from the manufacturer with your ticket.

Good Luck!

[COMPNOR]

Thanks all for the suggestions and comments.  Ambient room temperature does seem to be a factor from another post I found, and I did notice it more when the furnace kicked on.  I might give the air stone a try too.  

And yes, I don't expect much from Fluval.  But figured I'd try all paths.

 

Thanks again.

[FrostiesFishes]

I have some of those I got on sale. The temp is almost always off what the display Shows and always shows low flow and I have some tanks that are bubbling! I’m Still looking for that magic heater. 

Edited October 24, 2020 by FrostiesFishes

[COMPNOR]

Just an update. I stuck an air stone under the heater and it took care of the LF problem.  Now I'll have to figure out a permanent solution.  I guess if I had done my due diligence I would have known to place it by the output instead of the intake.  That would have taken care of it.  Oh well.  

[LiamW]

On 10/22/2020 at 5:34 AM, COMPNOR said:

So Fluval E300 heater.... 125 gallon tank. In use for about a month. Mounted 45 degrees with the bottom towards the intake of a Fluval FX6. Ambient room temperature is about 72 degrees. The E300 shows 77.5, my little thermometer attached to the tank shows 78ish(probably closer to 79), and a thermometer with the probe I drop in the water shows 78ish, so I'm sure the water is close to where it should be.  I do have a Eheim Jager 300W Heater at the other end.  

 

But for the last couple of days it has been flashing between 77.5 and LF, which my understanding is Low Flow. No other errors. I've searched the net and have an open ticket with Fluval, but thought I try here.

 

I'm not getting the LF. The FX6 is open all the way, and from the sound of the output it sure sounds like good flow. So should I be worried? Any more troubleshooting I can do?

 

sup man, sorry to revive an old thread but im kinda in a similar situation here 

my thermostat says that the temperature in the tank is higher than in the room... It's about 75 in the ohuse and about 3-4 higher in the tank 

dont know what to do 

[Solidus1833]

On 10/21/2020 at 7:22 PM, Gabriel said:

Try to put an airstone  under your heating so the bubble hit it on the way up should fix your problem

This is exactly how I get around the LF sensor issues. In my 72g I have two E-Series and a ziss air-diffuser inbetween them behind the DriftWood. Works like a charm. Also, I've noticed the E-Series temps are generally within 1-2Deg difference than the temperature probe I trust. So I set them to 78F or 77F. The E-series generally tries to keep the temps within 1.5 of the setting you choose. 

[COMPNOR]

13 hours ago, LiamW said:

sup man, sorry to revive an old thread but im kinda in a similar situation here 

my thermostat says that the temperature in the tank is higher than in the room... It's about 75 in the ohuse and about 3-4 higher in the tank 

dont know what to do 

What temperature are you shooting for with your heater?  Room temp? If the top of your heater is angled towards your output, I would try that.