Question about pond breather

[cas]

I am using a pond breather this winter. Because I just wanted to be safe, I also have an aerator running. Everything seemed fine when I checked last Sunday. Temps went into the single digits during the week and the hole kept open by the aerator closed up. No problem I think because the pond breather is in the pond. So I check the pond today and the pond breather is not running. Ice is in the tube of the pond breather. Hmmmmm. So I check the plug.. it's plugged in... so I wiggle it just to feel like I did something. I go into the house and boil a pot of water. Come out with the water and the pond breather is running.

Question I have is if the plug was loose and wiggling it fixed it, how was there ice in the tube? One plug controls both the pump and the heating element. So how did the pump push water up into the tube to freeze, and the heating element not work? The temps are in the 20's now, so I don't think the ice in the tube thawed on it's own. I believe the heating element is working now. Any ideas?

 

[MitchM]

Is your breather heating element tight against the upper tube?
If you look at my breathers, I have nylon zip ties holding the heating strip tight against the upper tube.
Is the electrical connection protected from moisture getting in? You wiggling it may have something to do with the problem.

 

[sissy]

are the prongs of the power cord fitting tight in the outlet .I have a pump like that ,sometimes I have to pull the prongs out a little to make them fit tight .Sometimes also outlets get worn out or wires come loose inside .I always tape my wires tight to the screws inside the outlets and switch's .A good electrician always does this and it is important if the wires are connected by screws inside them

 

[cas]

Is your breather heating element tight against the upper tube?
If you look at my breathers, I have nylon zip ties holding the heating strip tight against the upper tube.
Is the electrical connection protected from moisture getting in?

I thought the heating element was against the tube, but I will check again tomorrow. I will go and look at your picture again too.

Yes the electrical connection is protected by a cover, and yes the plug fits very tightly into to the socket. I wiggled it because since the pond breather was frozen in the pond there was nothing else to move. (ha - sounds real scientific, doesn't it.)

I am thinking it is something with the heating element because how did the pump push water up the tube to be frozen if the plug was the problem. Is there anything else I should check with the heating element? Should I screw the top off and do anything?

 

[MitchM]

I guess you could have a defective unit, as in, the heating element isn't working at all.
The warmer water and your mild temperatures shouldn't cause any ice to form in the upper tube.
I didn't see any ice in my breathers until the temperature was below -15f and there was a strong wind.

 

[sissy]

wasn't your first one defective or was that someone else

 

[cas]

That was someone else sissy.

 

[cas]

Pond breather still running and it got into the teens last night.... hmmmm.... Is there anyway that the top of the pond breather could kink the heating element? I can't get close enough to look at it with it frozen in the pond. Ha - maybe in a few days it will be unfrozen and I can check.

 

[MitchM]

If it's still running, then I wouldn't worry about it untlil like you say in a couple of days you can safely investigate.

 

[Tula]

wasn't your first one defective or was that someone else

That was me. My first one broke, last winter. Foster's and Smith were so nice about providing me a refund, but they didn't have another one to replace it with.

I bought another for this winter and so far it's working perfectly. I'm also running a small aerator and my de-icer....slightly superstitious, I guess - ha ha!

 

[sissy]

I just have my pond heater which i am going to turn off and my laguna aerator .So far the winter has been so mild that this storm was scary

 

[morewater]

Is your breather heating element tight against the upper tube?
If you look at my breathers, I have nylon zip ties holding the heating strip tight against the upper tube.
Is the electrical connection protected from moisture getting in? You wiggling it may have something to do with the problem.

Yup, the zip ties to hold the heating cord against the tube is definitely the way to go, Mitch.