DIY chiller is it possible?

[bsagecko]

ok i have a 90g system that is over heating....i cant afford a chiller and replacing pumps is going to take me at least a month....

I have a friend who use to build/ repair AC systems for 30+ years

i was wondering if i could use a refrigerent to cool the water cycling through a glass condenser tube with the refridregent around the tube that the water was running through?


anyone have plans that worked for this?

 

[kgross]

I'm not sure what you are planning, but a good hvac guy and build a diy chiller. Get a small/med AC unit, disconnect the evaporator and hook it up to a heat exchanger. Or use freshwater on your evaporator and a heat exchanger to cool your salt from the fresh water.

 

[drstupid]

two totally-ghetto-but-who-cares ideas i've read here on rc:

- throw a whole bunch of 1/2" tubing into the AC duct closest to your sump (or tank), hook a powerhead up to it and drain it back where it came from.

- do the same thing but try to be cleaner, put the tubing in your big brute mix container. you'll be using the tank water to heat the mix water, and the mix water to cool the tank water.

 

[dixonjk]

I have been thinking about running stainless or tygon tubing in my airhandler. I would rather have a small seperate unit oh! A decent chiller is about $600 it seems. Thats about the same price as the outdoor portion of my 1.5 ton heatpump. So the price does not add up to me!

 

[MeuserReef]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11879131#post11879131 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kgross
I'm not sure what you are planning, but a good hvac guy and build a diy chiller. Get a small/med AC unit, disconnect the evaporator and hook it up to a heat exchanger.

This is exactly how I made my 1/2 HP chiller. It works great and has been in service for almost 5 months now. I have the evaporator (heat exchanger) inside and the condenser unit outside. This allows all of the excess heat from my tank to be pumped directly outside, rather than into my living room.

BTW, I used 1/2" OD Titanium for the heat exchanger.

 

[MeuserReef]

dixonjk,

Where 'bouts in Charlotte are you? Im a native Charlottean. I have been in Houston since 2005.


This is my avatar during "the season" LOL