A consumer association in Singapore has highlighted poor quality aquarium equipment in a trial which saw 10 out of 12 pumps fail.
According to Channelnewsasia.com, the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE) tested a dozen aquarium water pumps from nine manufacturers. Most of these were top-mounted pumps designed to form part of a filter that is incorporated into the hood of the aquarium, but the test also included one hang-on pump and one submersible powerhead-like pump.
All 10 of the top-mounted pumps failed at least one of the tests, and every one of these failed to pass the test for moisture resistance, the report claims.
PFK reported in September 2003 that these top-mounted pumps had been responsible for 26 fires in Singapore alone, and Channelnewsasia.com now claims that defective top-mounted pumps are causing three or four fires every month.
The report says that water seeping into the pump results in short circuiting which causes the pump to overheat, and they recommend not buying any product containing a top-mounted pump unless it has been tested and certified safe.
Many top-mounted pumps are being sold in aquarium kits in the UK but PFK has not yet heard of any fires caused by their use.