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Heating Water Changes


Hemali
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This may be a dumb question, but does the wattage matter if I'm just getting the heater to heat the bucket of water to do water changes? I'm asking because I've read high wattage heaters get hot quick and am worried it might shatter being in such cold water with a quick change in temp when it heats up. 😅

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I would treat it the same as a heater in an aquarium, the more on/off cycles it goes through the harder it is on the components. I have used larger heaters for reservoirs in outdoor conditions that are fairly cold. I always get the coated metal ones so that they cannot shatter, and didn't burn any of them in two winters of running.

Just and idea: It may be more efficient to boil water and pour in to get up to temp though 

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@Hemali I assume you aren't using tap water where you can adjust the temp going into your tank.

What is the largest temperature difference between the tank and the water you are refilling with?

If this is only a few degrees, and you have done only about a 25% water change, the difference in temp wouldn't be a problem.

If you provide a little more info, we can help you at better.

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5 hours ago, Hemali said:

I'm just getting the heater to heat the bucket of water

Maybe a general purpose immersion heater for that? One that looks like a big metal spiral? Heats up quick, no danger of shattering. No temperature control though. 

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I am using tap but this apartment has really old piping I think. When I compared the parameters of warm water from the tap to cold water they were really different. For example the warm water had really really high ph. Is this normal?

Ive heard old pipes can leach more into the water when its hot water. Our water also comes out brown for the first bit (I think its rust or something. It stains the tube where it drips from  

Edited by Hemali
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21 hours ago, Hemali said:

I'm asking because I've read high wattage heaters get hot quick and am worried it might shatter being in such cold water with a quick change in temp when it heats up. 

I'd imagine that a heater's ability to get hot too quickly could be hampered by it being surrounded by cold water, meaning there might not be thermal shock since it's starting out inside the cold medium, rather than  getting blazing hot, and then being suddenly plunged into ice cold water.

I've filled a 40 gallon brute can with well water in my basement and then switched on a Eheim heater sitting at the bottom of that and had no issues.  (Admittedly that is advertised as being shock-resistant). 

No idea what my water temp is straight from the well -- 50s? 60s? No idea. It feels cold. Whatever it is, it's not enough to shock my heater.

Besides that, I think the heating element itself is normally encased in glass and not in direct contact with water, right?  So the element has a thermal barrier of air and glass to buffer it.

 

Edited by tolstoy21
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12 hours ago, Hemali said:

I am using tap but this apartment has really old piping I think. When I compared the parameters of warm water from the tap to cold water they were really different.

Hmmm . . . 

Do you have city or well water?

My well water comes out of the tap closer to 5.0 ph, but after it's been sitting for a while it raises to about 6.8 ish.

I wonder if your hot water sitting in the water heater and being heated has the ability to come to stability, unlike that coming straight from the ground, which could have a higher CO2 content and thus be more acidic until it gasses off.

Edited by tolstoy21
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12 hours ago, Hemali said:

Ive heard old pipes can leach more into the water when its hot water. Our water also comes out brown for the first bit (I think its rust or something. It stains the tube where it drips from  

Water with a low Ph has a tendency to corrode and damage pipes. My water causes my copper pipes to oxidize and stain my white tiles and fixtures bright green like the statue of liberty (it also causes pinhole leaks!) 

I have a specific whole-house filter to neutralize my Ph, and save me from having to do too much plumbing repair!

Edited by tolstoy21
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At first I was using this technique. Using a heater to heat the water in my bucket. I have a 75 gallon tank, it took way to long so I currently boil some water and mix it in my bucket with water from my hose to get the right temp. 

I do however have a small tankless water heater that I will soon be installing my basement along with utility tub over that will drain into our sump well. Winters and hoses don't do well together.

For your case, I would suggest this option, boiling a pot of water to mix with water in the bucket. It will be much faster. But, if you are determined to use a heater, you will be fine. As @tolstoy21 mentions, being in the water before turning the heater on will prevent thermal shock. You would need to operate the heater outside of the water then drop it into the cold water to cause issues.

 

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Most heaters still come with a warning to submerse them for  a few minutes before plugging them in to avoid shattering.  Just like an aquarium, pick a wattage  that is adequate for the container you are using.  A higher wattage will get you there faster, but you will still have to wait until the water comes to temp.

I like the convenience of filling a bucket or buckets with water dropping in the heater and knowing that when I return from work or get up the next morning the water is ready for top offs or changes.

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