Is a chiller just as efficient if placed outside?

[Reefjunkee]

I was wondering if I placed My chiller outside will it affect the efficiency during really hot days during the summer?

 

[Fish4Me2]

I asked JBJ Arctica's customer support if a 1 HP chiller would cool my 75G reef by 5 degrees while located in my garage. The summer garage temperatures would be in the 120's. Their response was that the chiller would not be capable of cooling my tank in an environment that hot. They strongly recommended against it.

 

[Reefjunkee]

WOW a 1hp on a 75.A LOT overkill dont You think?Thanks for the answer though.I think a 1/4H would be more than enough on a 75.

 

[mlb75]

I think the problem is that they are all rated for degree's from ambient. So if the chiller is is rated for 40 degrees on a 75 gallon and the chillers ambient is 120 then maybe it would bring the tank to 80 but from my experience they loose efficiency quickly as the ambient goes up...

One thing I've wanted to try is to plumb one into the crawl space under a house, that normally doesn't get anywhere near that hot.

 

[reefscape15]

Yes it would be more efficient if you had the condenser placed outside. The theory behind refrigeration is taking heat away from a space, not adding cold. If you are taking the heat from your tank and expelling it into a 75 degree condenser, the heat would be able to escape more efficiently than if you were expelling the heat into a 90 degree condenser. Place the condensing unit in the coolest place possible for maximum heat removal. (I used to be an RSES [Refrigeration Service Engineers Society] member)