The best made plans of mice and men . . . .
Last fall I noticed the usual increase in heater related problems, so I decided to try and improve my setup. I have two external containers that are part of the system: a refugium and a sump. Since I believe that one of the major contributors to heater failure is its constant turning on and off, I figured that, if I separated the heater elements from the sensors, I would reduce the problem. So, I put the sensors in the sump and the heaters in the refugium to test things out. Surprisingly, things worked exactly as I had hoped – with the heaters staying on longer and then staying off longer. After ensuring everything was working well, I went out for the afternoon. Probably the moment I started the car, the main circulation pump stopped. Yes, that’s right: sensors in cold water keeping the heaters on, while the heaters, in now hot water, just keep on heating, and no water moving between them. When I got home, the water in the refugium was so hot I could not put my hands into it until I put in large quantities of ice from the refrigerator. I do not think the former inhabitants would have called it a refuge after that.