Visitherm Stealth Heaters - Don't waste your money

[digital-audiophile]

http://www.marineland.com/products/asi/visi-therm_stealth.asp

I bought two of the 250Watt Visitherm stealth heaters as I was told these are the best things on the market right now.

I was electrocuted by one last week http://canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=34769&highlight=electrocution and then I come I come home tonight to a cold tank, my second heater died sometime during the day. And I was without a backup. Thankfully I have an old aquaclear heater I use in my salt mix pail so I can get a little warmth back into my tank.

I've had these heaters for less than 4 months. The price may be right, but the quality is just not there. Now I need to go drop more money this weekend on a heater that will actually work.

My 2 cents.

[marie]

How does your tank go cold in the summer time? I haven't had my heaters plugged in since may and it's been a cold summer here on the wetcoast

[digital-audiophile]

My tank is down in the basement and it has been cold in Calgary the past week. (my basement is always cool even when we get hot temps) I keep my tank between 78F-80F the temp tonight was 74.6. Had this happened in the winter it could have been worse.

[Puff]

ive had good experiences with the visitherm stealth heaters. i started off with one, now all my tanks run them.

ive dropped them getting out of the car and dropped them in my room and they still work fine.

i guess everyone has different experiences with every piece of equipment though.

[digital-audiophile]

I will say one good thing though. I contacted Marineland and have shipped of my two defunct heaters to them and they are sending me replacements at no charge.

Let's see if these ones last longer?

[spoot]

I just accidentally killed one of mine. Was doing a wc and forgot to unplug, then it exploded when I filled the water back up. I wonder if they warrenty stupidity.

[Puff]

I just accidentally killed one of mine. Was doing a wc and forgot to unplug, then it exploded when I filled the water back up. I wonder if they warrenty stupidity.

that's odd. they're supposed to have an auto shutoff for that exact reason???

[kwirky]

i've had awesome experiences with stealths

I've left them completely out of the water before without realizing it, and they turned off. I've dropped mine as well, and smacked them against the glass, stuff like that. Mine have been almost bullet proof.

I've got about 4 in total, with two still running in my bin of liverock

[digital-audiophile]

Marineland did send me replacements for the ones that stopped working. In the meantime I had a third die on me. I really don't think I am doing anything worg, I've just been cures with bad stealth luck I guess?