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Heating a open top tank

dipper
dipper Member Posts: 1
Hello all ( new here) question please I have a open top tank I need to keep at 90 degrees I’m wanting to put in a heating element with a thermostat I have a hot water heater in my shop now and I’m wanting to know can I just unplug it and use the power cord to run the element I’m putting into my tank

Comments

  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 23,090
    That's a little vague... what power is the water heater? What power is the heating element in your tank? Is this a fixed installation (requires a hard connection -- no plugs -- according to code) or does the heater in the tank float around, like a stock tank heater?
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
  • hot_rod
    hot_rod Member Posts: 21,975
    You can buy immersion elements that hook over the side of open tanks. A larger version of the travel coffee mug heater elements.

    Or some stock tank deicers as Jamie mentioned.
    Bob "hot rod" Rohr
    trainer for Caleffi NA
    Living the hydronic dream
  • Aidan (UK)
    Aidan (UK) Member Posts: 290
    dipper said:

    Hello all ( new here) question please I have a open top tank I need to keep at 90 degrees I’m wanting to put in a heating element with a thermostat I have a hot water heater in my shop now and I’m wanting to know can I just unplug it and use the power cord to run the element I’m putting into my tank

    Why do you want to do that? There may be a better way of achieving your purpose.

    90 deg F (32 degC ) is a nearly ideal temperature for cultivating legionella ( or any other random bacteria) in your tank. Also, immersion heater thermostats can fail by arc-welding themselves closed (permanently on) and the water may boil. If it's a plastic tank, it may soften and collapse, releasing a boiling waterfall. That has happened.
  • SuperTech
    SuperTech Member Posts: 2,134
    If you really want to do this just go to the pet supply store and buy a heater for a large aquarium.