Heater Cord Siphoning Water!?

2432 Views 21 Replies 9 Participants Last post by Teebo, Aug 15, 2017

Teebo

Discussion Starter · Apr 22, 2017 (Edited)

4

Okay this is totally bizarre, I found a puddle on the floor under my tank that has apparently been going on for a while as it ruined the floor. Just enough for me to think it was purely evaporation. I have a rimless topless tank that I keep the water level very high on, water is making it up above the water line, over the edge and following the cord down where it leaves the cord on my drip loop (yes I actually have one, for this reason). I do not understand this or how to stop it, if you look closely you can see in the blue circle how the water is following the cord up above the water surface but it stops at the white deposit and the area in the green circle is dry. Where it seems to me making its way down is on the bottom of the cord pictured, the side resting on the tank. The cord feels dry its just a tiny amount in the crevice isolating the wire leads. I pulled the cord up an inch higher than the rim of the tank and it still leaked down! Do I have to completely dry the crevice to break the siphon? Can something be done to prevent this? I used to run an in-line Hydor heater but I did not like it so I went back to hiding a heater behind some stem plants in the tank. My next plan is to build a sump and leave a heater down there instead but I will be presented with the same challenge unless I keep the level of the sump lower. Suggestions?

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coldmantis

· #2 · Apr 22, 2017

is that those walmart heaters? I think tetra, I had the same thing happened to me a few times. Just clean in the grooves very well and lower your water level. I'm guessing some leaves or snails went to high and that started the small siphon.

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Teebo

Discussion Starter · #3 · Apr 22, 2017

Thank you, yes you are correct it is a Walmart Tetra heater. I will clean and dry the groove hmm...maybe a dot of silicone on the groove at the bend will prevent it?

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Darkblade48

· #4 · Apr 22, 2017

It is probably a bit of capillary action due to the design of the electrical cord. This then is just enough to overcome the "bend" and start a siphon, which allows water to flow downwards (which is why you have a drip loop!). If you put a dot of silicone where you mentioned, it should prevent the water from going up further.

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PlantedRich

· #5 · Apr 23, 2017

Hummmm! A siphon formed on an open surface?
Not sure I can buy that idea. When I look at the area circled in green, I see mineral deposits from water drying there. I do not see a steady flow of water which has to be maintained to keep a siphon working.
What I might think is there is a tiny leak in another spot like the tubing. This leak may drip on the cord before reaching the floor, making it appear that the cord is the leak. Not at all sure of that without looking at where things lie.
But I have never seen a siphon work when it was able to draw air. One sure way to break a siphon is to let a little air in as air is drawn in much easier than water.
I would look very carefully for a tubing leak.

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Darkblade48

· #6 · Apr 23, 2017

PlantedRich said:
Hummmm! A siphon formed on an open surface?

My thoughts were that something like this could happen (at least I hypothesize, maybe someone can test?

)

Imagine a straw inserted into a glass of water. Naturally, the water will go into the straw and be approximately the same height as the water in the glass. There is a bit of additional capillary action near the edges of the straw, due to water tension.

If the glass is very nearly full, and the straw has a bend just near the lip of the glass, it is possible that a small siphon can start, and continue pulling water over the edge.

PlantedRich

· #7 · Apr 23, 2017

Darkblade48 said:
My thoughts were that something like this could happen (at least I hypothesize, maybe someone can test? )

Imagine a straw inserted into a glass of water. Naturally, the water will go into the straw and be approximately the same height as the water in the glass. There is a bit of additional capillary action near the edges of the straw, due to water tension.

If the glass is very nearly full, and the straw has a bend just near the lip of the glass, it is possible that a small siphon can start, and continue pulling water over the edge.

I can agree with this in a straw as no air can enter from the outside. However if we even have a tiny hole in the straw, the siphon fails. In the situation described we have total airspace around the path for the water.
As a test one could try to drink through a straw with a tiny hole in it?
I see no way for the siphon to work on an open surface. Capillary action might make moisture rise to near the top but I see no way for it to form a siphon to pull more.

Dman911

· #8 · Apr 23, 2017

I would go with silicone like you stated and as the brill cream ad once said "a little dab will do ya".

Dan

[email protected]

· #9 · Apr 23, 2017

Keep the cord up and away from the edge of the glass .I have had this happen with both my heater and the air line for my sponge filter

Teebo

Discussion Starter · #10 · Apr 23, 2017

PlantedRich said:
Hummmm! A siphon formed on an open surface?
Not sure I can buy that idea. When I look at the area circled in green, I see mineral deposits from water drying there. I do not see a steady flow of water which has to be maintained to keep a siphon working.
What I might think is there is a tiny leak in another spot like the tubing. This leak may drip on the cord before reaching the floor, making it appear that the cord is the leak. Not at all sure of that without looking at where things lie.
But I have never seen a siphon work when it was able to draw air. One sure way to break a siphon is to let a little air in as air is drawn in much easier than water.
I would look very carefully for a tubing leak.

If you READ I said its wet on the bottom of the cord resting on the tank not the top where the deposits are. It is, indeed, definitely without a doubt, coming from the power cord and not the tube or another leak.

Dman911

· #11 · Apr 23, 2017

Whats your tank temp? I'm curious because if it a bit warmer than your ambient temp which more than likely it is, could it simply be condensation from your tank water evaporating? Just a thought.

Dan

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[email protected]

· #12 · Apr 23, 2017

UGH . Its basic Physics .Water meniscus , Move the cord away from the edge and it will stop .

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Teebo

Discussion Starter · #13 · Apr 23, 2017

This is not condensation, but good thinking.

Move the cord away from the edge? Where am I suppose to move the cord to? It has to go over the edge to exit the tank...please elaborate on what you mean.

[email protected]

· #14 · Apr 24, 2017

Sorry for the late response .Just use a cable tie , tie it to the top or your return or intake plumbing

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jetnphx

· #15 · Apr 24, 2017

The grove in the cord is fairly small, capillary action draws the water up the cord. On my SunSun wavemakers are wet about 3/4" up the cord. In your case it goes up past the rim and then drips down. Algae and scale build up only make it worse. As noted, a bead of silicone or petroleum jelly around the cord should stop it.

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lksdrinker

· #16 · Apr 25, 2017

[email protected] said:
Keep the cord up and away from the edge of the glass .I have had this happen with both my heater and the air line for my sponge filter

[email protected] said:
Sorry for the late response .Just use a cable tie , tie it to the top or your return or intake plumbing

Whats behind/above the tank? If its up against the wall you could use something like a pushpin and a binder clip to hold the cord above the height of the tank.

Teebo

Discussion Starter · #17 · Apr 25, 2017

lksdrinker said:
Whats behind/above the tank? If its up against the wall you could use something like a pushpin and a binder clip to hold the cord above the height of the tank.

It has a gap from the wall due to the stand feet, I will simply silicone the wire. Suspending it will be cosmetically an eyesore. I am in the process of converting this tank to an iwagumi so the cosmetics will be of high importance.

GrampsGrunge

· #18 · Apr 25, 2017

Remind me not to buy those Tetra heaters.

Old school heaters like the AquaClear 700 series, 25 and 50 watt Compacts on the other hand.

https://www.amazon.com/AquaClear-A701-25W-Compact-Supplies/dp/B000MNJMNQ

The AC have a cord that is not divided, it's a uniform, un-creased oval cross section. I've been using these heaters for ages, and they. just. work.

The old turquoise Ebo-Jaegers and an old Italian made series of aquarium heaters also have this cord shape, as do the more modern Insten and Zacro heaters sold through Amazon.

Just some option suggestions in case you decide to splurge on a new heater purchase. :wink2:

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Teebo

Discussion Starter · #19 · Apr 25, 2017

GrampsGrunge said:
Remind me not to buy those Tetra heaters.

Old school heaters like the AquaClear 700 series, 25 and 50 watt Compacts on the other hand.

https://www.amazon.com/AquaClear-A701-25W-Compact-Supplies/dp/B000MNJMNQ

The AC have a cord that is not divided, it's a uniform, un-creased oval cross section. I've been using these heaters for ages, and they. just. work.

The old turquoise Ebo-Jaegers and an old Italian made series of aquarium heaters also have this cord shape, as do the more modern Insten and Zacro heaters sold through Amazon.

Just some option suggestions in case you decide to splurge on a new heater purchase. :wink2:

Very helpful post, I thank you!

Teebo

Discussion Starter · #20 · Aug 14, 2017

2

This worked out great by the way, but will forever change what I look for when shopping for a heater or any piece of electronic equipment for that matter such as power heads.

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