Drip Cord & Water Drippage

[MarieBettaMom]

I tried doing a forum search on "drip cord" and got nothing in the search results. Very odd. I guess this must be an extremely lame question then...

I just noticed a little pool of water on our hardwood floor behind the table and near the power strip. Eeks!

Then I was looking at the paperwork that came with the heater I got George (the one I installed yesterday) and it mentioned something about a drip cord. OH! I guess water is dripping down the cord, leaving a puddle on the floor.

The weird thing is that I don't think this had been happening since last Tuesday (when I first brought George home). I don't think the problem is the heater cord, because it is the filter cord that is wet. I can see bits of water along the cord, and it collects at the bottom ... but I don't remember it being wet last week.

So I tried setting up that drip cord "U" and tying the cord to the leg of the table. The cord runs down from the filter, forms a "U", goes back up, gets tied to the leg of the table, and then runs back down to the power strip on the floor. Well that's fine and all, except that the water still collects at the bottom of the "U". I've placed a towel on the floor. Is there any way to prevent water dripping down the cord?

Since I hadn't noticed the problem last week, and the only change was yesterday when I installed the heater, I am guessing that the water level in the tank may have something to do with it? The water level has increased about 1 cm higher. But the water level isn't at the very top edge of the tank. I'm not sure why the water feels compelled to go up and out via the power cord. Do you think the water level is causing this problem?

[Twistersmom]

Good question.
I really have never seen or felt any water going up my power cord from the heater and running down it.
I always thought the reason behind a drip cord was to have you power supply or power strip off the floor so if you spill water or you tank leaks, you do not have to worry about being eletrocuted. I have all of my power strips hanging a few feet off the floor.

[Clarke]

Could just be a random splash getting it wet.

The only way I could think of that would prevent water getting on the floor is to take a thick rubberband and a sponge. Wrap the sponge near the top of the cord with the rubberband. It should soak up the water if there's any water sliding down. And then you just remove the sponge and squeeze the excess water if it really is dripping down the cord.

[onekatietwo]

Yeah, is it constant? It might have just gotten wet once and then puddled on the floor but is now fine.

The only other possibilities that I can think of at the moment are that that water is condensing on the lid/hood/whatever and then dripping onto the cord which runs down the cord and makes the puddle
OR some kind of freak physics think managed to create kind of siphon/wicking thing with your cord. If that's the case, drying the entire cord off really well with a towel should stop it. But that seems like a long shot. I'd check for dripping condensation.

[onekatietwo]

Oh, also, maybe some detailed pictures of the set up could allow some of the forum's sleuths to offer some ideas and then some advice? I'm sure it is a solvable issue once you figure out where the water is coming from.

[MarieBettaMom]

Ooooh, I think you're onto something there. When I lift the filter hood, there is definitely water condensation underneath, and I can see how water can drip onto the filter's cord. The filter cord has a "trench" running along it which (makes me think it further) encourages the water to drip down the cord.

Oddly, the submersible heater has a cord running up and out at the same place and this heater cord does not have water on it.

I've rearranged things a little bit and now have a "belt & suspenders" setup with THREE "U"s to catch drips. Yeah, it's overkill, since only one "U" is needed.

I'll try to post photos of my setup...

[MarieBettaMom]

Okeedokee, let's see if I can figure out how to add photos to a post...

I think attaching the photo will make it appear in the post?

FIRST PHOTO (sorry about reflection from window blinds)

Right now I've got the cords coming out the left/back of the filter hood. It comes down and forms a "U" (held in place with scotch tape, left of where George's tail is), then the continues down under the table. I've placed a towel behind the tank to catch water drips from this 1st "U".


SECOND PHOTO (please excuse post-it flags on wall, my 4 yr old went wild)

Under the table, above the middle shelf, you can see my 2nd "U". The cord comes down from above, makes a "U", comes back up and is tied to the table leg to hold it in place.

Then the cord continues down towards the floor and creates a 3rd "U" near the bottom shelf, and then comes back up to the outlet on the wall. The drippy filter cord is connected to the outlet on the wall. (The heater cord which isn't drippy is connected to the power strip on the floor)

THIRD PHOTO

This shows a top-down view from the back of the tank. You can see the cord coming out of the filter, forming a "U" (held by scotch tape) and continuing down behind the table. Water drips from the bottom of the "U" onto the towel I've placed underneath it.


I must say the tank looked better before, when I did not have a towel behind it. I guess this is why people put pretty picture backings on the back of tanks, so you don't see stuff like that.

I have a couple of close-up photos of George over here, along with pics of what I think are the start of a bubble nest?

George is hyper active today. Did someone spike his pellets?

[froglady]

Ive had problems with cords dripping water. mine was a porblem with the filter chamber. but seeems to work ok now. I someitmes put a cloth around the cords ro sop up the dripping water.