Finnex Heater

[untamed]

I purchased a 500W titanium heater from Finnex (model TH-500). This heater requires separate temperature contol system. It has no built in thermostat.

While this heater looks very well made, it died exactly 15 days past it's 6 month warranty period.

Needless to say, I am not impressed. Further...emails to Finnex customer service generates no reply. I will not purchase a Finnex heater again, and don't recommend them.

[untamed]

Update: So I was determined NOT to purchase another heater from Finnex, so I ordered a couple from Jalli.

What a dope I am! Upon receipt of the Jalli titanium heaters it is beyond obvious that they are the exact same heater...from the same factory, with the same packaging and instructions, except with "Jalli" substituted for "Finnex" everywhere. I don't expect the Jalli heater to perform any better than the Finnex did.

Finnex calls the heater a TH-500...Jalli calls it the HT-500...real original. Maybe Jalli will return my email when their heater fails. I suppose I'm probably going to find out.

[Tom R]

Hi Brad

Thanks for the heads up on yet another deceitful manufacturer. I use the WON heaters from OA that also require a controller. I have had mine for a couple of years now with no problems.

Are there any markings on the heaters them self? If not then maybe over the next few weeks the original heater could be accidentally returned the the wrong manufacturer on warranty. After all you have purchased 3 from the same manufacture without knowing.

Tom R

[Delphinus]

So the heater tube itself just fails to get hot? Ie. I assume the external controller must be OK. :neutral: I'm just puzzled as to what there is in the tube that can fail, it must be a connection or something that breaks?

Have you considered one of these? (Aquamedic 500W).
http://oceanaquatics.com/store/product/2061/AquaMedic-500W-Heater-Element/

I have no idea if it's OEM too though (or whatever the term is when one company rebrands another company's product as their own).

[untamed]

I looked at the Aquamedic heaters, but I had concerns that the heating element doesn't have any kind of spacer that would prevent it from directly touching the side of my sump. My sump is PE, not acrylic and I suspect it has a lower melting point than acrylic. I won't be betting on suction cups for anything that important!

Melting a hole in my sump would be...well...bad.

As for who actually makes the heater...I assume that neither brand actually controls the manufacture, which is in China.

[Midknight]

Hey Brad,

If they are the same heater you could try and swap the parts.
See what is defective, the heater or the control.

[Jason McK]

The Aquamedic do have spacers that was better than the Finnex. The Suction cups actually stay on.
I had the same issue as you Brad. I went with the Aquamedic but it's only been a few weeks

J

[untamed]

Hey Brad,

If they are the same heater you could try and swap the parts.
See what is defective, the heater or the control.

These heaters don't have a control. Plug them in, they go on...or in this case, they don't.

The Aquamedic do have spacers that was better than the Finnex. The Suction cups actually stay on.
I had the same issue as you Brad. I went with the Aquamedic but it's only been a few weeks

J

Suction cups are a non-starter. No way. Besides, they won't stick to PE, the surface isn't smooth enough.

[i2ik]

I have to agree to this too. I have a 800W heater from Finnex and it failed after 6 months too! I bought 2 for my system, using the other one which is controlled by a Medusa Temperature Controller. I had 2 WON before that failed on me and crash my tank. I also dont dont expect this new finnex to last either. Next will be an Aqua-Medic for sure!

[kwirky]

I had 3/3 WON heaters fail on me. and I've had 1/3 stealth heaters fail which are supposed to be "good". I'm just not satisfied with heaters in general. You'd think SOME manufacturer would have done this right already. Aquariums have been in houses for what? 50 years?

[Veng68]

I still run 12+ year old visitherm heaters (10 years in use)............ no failures.

Cheers,
Vic[veng68]