tetra pond de-icer

[rav]

we are using a Tetra Pond de-icer. used all last season and this season about 2 months in it is tripping the GFCI. I unplugged it reset the GFCI, plugged it in and it tripped.
anyone else have this happen or know what the cause could be (maybe its the brand?)
we take the heater out in the spring and put in the shed until fall.

 

[toddnbecka]

Sounds like a short in the de-icer, naturally after the warranty has expired...

 

[Koikid88]

Mine is still kicking.
Except my pump burned out the other day, somehow a leaf got into the intake and tangled in the propeller.
Figures it's just after boxing week, when all the pumps were %50 off. Now they're back to spring prices.... sigh


If you're anywhere around here, my pond would have only been frozen for 1 day so far! Middle of January in Canada!?!? It was plus 5 today!

 

[rav]

called Tetra today and they said to ship it back and they will replace it, only problem is getting it out! its in the lower right hand corner of the picture. the snow fence is to keep the dogs from accidental getting into the pond.
do you thinks its worth sending back or is there a "better" heater out there? I read some on-line reviews and this seemed to be problem for others

 

[toddnbecka]

There are similar heaters sold for livestock water troughs, usually much less $$ than anything pond or aquarium-related. Figure the cost of shipping compared to the cost of replacing, and how critical is it anyway? I put a heater in my backyard pond for several years to keep the rosy reds alive over the winter. The the heater died, or actually the outdoor outlet it was plugged into, and I didn't bother fixing it. The fish survived w/out it, something else killed then off in the late spring a couple years ago, and the water lilies don't seem to miss it either.

 

[rav]

I decided to ship it back and will put the replacement "on the shelf" in case the pump goes out and I need a quick temporary solution to keeping a hole in the ice.
I got it out of the pond and there was some water in it. put it all in a bag and its off to Tetra. I will seal the replacement with silicon or ? that should help with the water. last year the pump kept the ice from forming around it and hopefully will continue to do the same this year.