Hi there from Chicago

[callingcolleen1]

Your going to most likely need that bigger 1500 watt just to get you threw the coldest of cold or bad things could happen. Things could freeze too hard and then skimmer could get damaged by too much ice. Get that 1500 watt back in just for exteme cold and then you can switch to smaller one once the extreme cold spell is over!

 

[haver79]

Welcome to the forum. Bitter cold spell here in Iowa too.

 

[teeemkay]

I gave up on the 100 watt one and put the new 1500 watt one into the pond a little while ago. It's a balmy 18 degrees here--much easier to work outside in that temperature than the sub-zero we had all week.

 

[mtpond]

I used a 1500 watt heater last year and my electric bill was outrageous! My electric bill was over 100.00 more a month then the previous winters when I didn't use it. Not using it this year unless I absolutely have to.

 

[mtpond]

Oh and by the way welcome!

 

[teeemkay]

Thanks. I woke up this morning and surprise, surprise, the pond was completely ice-free. The air temperature has risen close to 32 degrees today. I unplugged the 1500 watt for now and I'll keep an eye on things.

 

[j.w]

Always nice to wake up ice free and a plus to be able to turn off the power sucking de-icers.

 

[teeemkay]

Shoot...I wonder if the new de-icer died a death. It snowed last night and now it seems frozen in place. The 100 watt one is doing its job, so you would think the 1500 watt one would have no issues, either...maybe the snow/ice damaged it. I'll check it again at lunch--it's nice living 10 minutes from work.

 

[sissy]

Are they on the same circuit breaker .You could overload a breaker and burn it out .I actually had to replace a breaker in one of my breaker boxes because it was loose in it's socket and kept tripping .

 

[teeemkay]

Good question... I don't think they are but I'll check out the electrical too when I stop home later.

 

[teeemkay]

None of the breakers in the box tripped (there are 3 labeled Pond in the box). I poured a bucket of hot water over the ice to free up the 1500 watt deicer so it's floating freely now. The 100 watt one has done fine--it has a nice hole melted in the ice to allow for air exchange. The previous owners said they used to have TWO of those high watt deicers in the pond and the falls running and never tripped a breaker. I could test the heater on a different outlet elsewhere and see if it kicks on.

 

[sissy]

Even outlets can go bad and also turn off breaker all the way and then back on sometimes it sticks and looks like it is on .How many amps is each breaker .Breakers do get old and worn and like i said loose .My house kept tripping a breaker from day one on a new house and it was the new breaker .it was loose and defective .A defective breaker sometimes will overheat and not switch all the way off .

 

[teeemkay]

From the quick glance I had at them I think they were 100amps. I'll do some experimenting when I get home from work later. We have an outlet tester somewhere (one of those little light up ones).

 

[sissy]

most are 15 or 20 amps and your amps coming into the house can be any where from 100 to 200 amps .60 amp ones for heaters or more and 30 and 40's for dryers and electric ranges .My service has 3 boxes for circuit breakers and one is 200 amps and other in basement is 100 amps and on different lines coming in .I have an all electric house no other utilities available here

 

[snoozer]

if it is plugged into a GFCI outlet be sure that hasn't tripped. The rain would cause me issues sometimes so maybe snow got in and melted with the little sun we saw recently and tripped it.