"dennis@home" wrote in message
web.com...

On 07/09/2016 15:09, Andrew Mawson wrote:

I am making a cylindrical nickel plating tank as I find that the bucket
I usually use often isn't deep enough - currently need to plate some 27"
shafts. So I've made up a 30" length of 160 mm underground drain with a
stop end at the lower end. Shape is ideal as I can drop a tank bubbler
in the bottom for agitation and the entire length of the shaft will be
agitated. However although I've been using fish tank heaters in a
plastic bucket, and they've survived the occasional 'total immersion',
in this tank they will be well under the surface. It occurs to me that
they might not stand up to this treatment - any opinions?

(I have a fall back plan to slip a suitable diameter plastic tube over
the cable and top 1" of the 'test tube' that they are built in, secured
with a plastic clip but I'd like to avoid it as the plastic tube will be
relatively inflexible and tend to knock over the vessel)

These are the heaters I'm using:


http://tinyurl.com/fish-tank-heater

They should be fine, I have had similar submerged for years.

However why not use an immersion heater and run it at reduced power.
They are about the correct length and more robust.

Because:

a/ they are metallic so would contaminate the plating

b/ too high power - these are 100's watts not kW

c/too bulky

....otherwise ideal, but thanks for the suggestion

Andrew