Looking for advice on DIY chiller
- Thread starter danno14
- Start date
I dunno...and don't exactly want to find out- I have a 1/2hp chiller that's been running 24/7 up until now, keeping the system at 79-80. I left the temp on the chiller alone and turned the loop controller to 77 with a one degree swing. Just checked and it's at 78. My wife says she did not notice the chiller cycle on at all today (82f outside), but in fairness she probably wouldn't have.
As a note of reference: yesterday the temp in the house at 5:30 was 72f. The AC was set to come on at 75f. By 6:20, with the AC running but not keeping up, the temp at the thermostat was 79f. The solar gain from the east-facing windows is massive...(new windows on order).
As a note of reference: yesterday the temp in the house at 5:30 was 72f. The AC was set to come on at 75f. By 6:20, with the AC running but not keeping up, the temp at the thermostat was 79f. The solar gain from the east-facing windows is massive...(new windows on order).
Sooo.... at long last I have the pipes in the ground. Just a little "mission creep" happened. I figured "if I have to have a trench from the house to the lake, I might as well add power for the boat cover, a new waterline for the boatlift, a better drain line for the roof drain, and what the heck- a new sprinkler system for the lower yard! @#$@%#&*^%!!! this chiller loop has become expensive!
Of course with the money I will be saving, the whole shebang will be paid for in 90-100 years!
Not really, it should be MUCH sooner than that
Anyway, some pics:
view toward the house
View toward the lake
da pipe inna trench
I have insulated the line as it returns from the lake and anywhere the pipe is less than two feet below ground.
With the house AC off and the cooling loop running today, it held nicely between 77f and 78f. (The interior house temp was at 85f.) I have the pump on a controller set to a 1 degree swing right now and will probably extend that to 4 deg. The total power used to keep it there since 2:00 yesterday afternoon was .26kwh as measured by a kill-a-watt. The controller itself uses 1w when not running the pump and the combined is 38w with the pump running.
The pipe will be covered tomorrow and this project will (I believe) be complete. The windows for the whole house were delivered today, so it looks like that's next
By my measure the cooling loop is a success!
D
Of course with the money I will be saving, the whole shebang will be paid for in 90-100 years!
Not really, it should be MUCH sooner than that
Anyway, some pics:
view toward the house
View toward the lake
da pipe inna trench
I have insulated the line as it returns from the lake and anywhere the pipe is less than two feet below ground.
With the house AC off and the cooling loop running today, it held nicely between 77f and 78f. (The interior house temp was at 85f.) I have the pump on a controller set to a 1 degree swing right now and will probably extend that to 4 deg. The total power used to keep it there since 2:00 yesterday afternoon was .26kwh as measured by a kill-a-watt. The controller itself uses 1w when not running the pump and the combined is 38w with the pump running.
The pipe will be covered tomorrow and this project will (I believe) be complete. The windows for the whole house were delivered today, so it looks like that's next
By my measure the cooling loop is a success!
D
Harry_Fish
In Memoriam
Very Interesting.
I like how you did the TI loops in the sump so you could
use other materials in the other coils.
I don't have a Lake close but wonder how this would work
being buried deep in the ground (Central NY Here).
It would seem if I could get into the ground water it would work well.
Did you use anti-freeze for the liquid in the lines?
Thank you
I like how you did the TI loops in the sump so you could
use other materials in the other coils.
I don't have a Lake close but wonder how this would work
being buried deep in the ground (Central NY Here).
It would seem if I could get into the ground water it would work well.
Did you use anti-freeze for the liquid in the lines?
Thank you
K' Family Reef
New member
is there any possibility of leakage into the sump from the chiller?
iow how sure/secure are the fittings for the titanium coils
iow how sure/secure are the fittings for the titanium coils
"how sure/secure are the fittings for the titanium coils"
I used McMaster-Carr sourced fittings that are a higher grade than found elsewhere: "51055K19
Moisture-Resistant Acetal Push-to-Connect Adapter for 3/8" Tube OD X 1/2" NPTF Male Pipe". The inner parts are stainless, and the acetal does not absorb moisture. After I fit the tubing, I epoxied the tube/connector interface as well.
I still have what I would consider a "healthy level of concern", and monitor the loop level closely for any drop. D
I used McMaster-Carr sourced fittings that are a higher grade than found elsewhere: "51055K19
Moisture-Resistant Acetal Push-to-Connect Adapter for 3/8" Tube OD X 1/2" NPTF Male Pipe". The inner parts are stainless, and the acetal does not absorb moisture. After I fit the tubing, I epoxied the tube/connector interface as well.
I still have what I would consider a "healthy level of concern", and monitor the loop level closely for any drop. D
K' Family Reef
New member
have you considered isolating the fittings
into their own 'space'... out of (and away) from contact w/ the water in the sump...
what if there was ever a leak
(however slim the chances may be ???)... personally wouldnt want to take that chance... would think there might be an easy way to separate the titanium fittings from contact w/ the water... so that in the event of a leak (from the fittings) the loop water would not go into the sump... and/or redesigning the titanium coil w/ that intent in mind.
that way there is peace of mind
in that ever so slight chance of something going wrong then atleast there is a 'system' in place to deal w/ it...
am no engineer
but would think that (realistically) the chance of those fittings leaking is a very real possibility and NOT one i would have wanted to overlook.
regards
into their own 'space'... out of (and away) from contact w/ the water in the sump...
what if there was ever a leak
(however slim the chances may be ???)... personally wouldnt want to take that chance... would think there might be an easy way to separate the titanium fittings from contact w/ the water... so that in the event of a leak (from the fittings) the loop water would not go into the sump... and/or redesigning the titanium coil w/ that intent in mind.
that way there is peace of mind
in that ever so slight chance of something going wrong then atleast there is a 'system' in place to deal w/ it...
am no engineer
but would think that (realistically) the chance of those fittings leaking is a very real possibility and NOT one i would have wanted to overlook.
regards
I had originaly intended to have the fittings above water and isolated from the sump (so as not to drip into it), but the limits of bending the Ti and space required for 4 loops precluded it. Soooooo, I over-engineered the fitting/manifold assembly, pressure tested it to 120psi, and called it "good enough". Cross your fingers for me
whitesquall
Member
wher could we get Ti tubing??
whitesquall
Member
wher could we get Ti tubing??
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