My Chiller Setup **Lots of pictures**
- Thread starter ReefRelated
- Start date
MeuserReef
Welcome to the next level
LOL. Nothing like the old 3 1/2 year wake-up bump! Split chillers are awesome, but only "DIY" if the right skillset and tool kit can be brought to the project.
vic8361
Member
trying to find some one to help me out on this one. I contacted a guy who works on chillers all the time but he didn't sound to interested.
Maybe it's to labor intence and didn't have the time to spend on my project.
Vic
I am the original builder of the unit this thread was started on. It's not that labor intensive depending on how the line set has to be run but it seems most a/c guys are scared to think outside of the box. For any halfway decent a/c tech this should be an easy task. Time consuming so it may cost you. I have built and installed several of these systems and have it down to 6-8 hours by myself. First couple times would take a bit longer and make it more labor intensive. I don't build them anymore so mods don't think I am trying to drum up business.
If you found a chiller guy in Ny I would say he's making $35/hour working for someone else. If he is really experienced it may be more. He may feel like it's a waste of time because your not going to want to pay him $500 minimum to build this thing and then come back for a warranty repair. That is why I stopped it just isn't worth $200 labor or less like fish people in my area are willing to pay.
If you find a regular a/c tech he should be more than capable of building this. I will try to answer any questions I can for him or her. I was pretty new in the field and I don't think I had ever touched a chiller in my life before building this one.
If they look funny when you tell them chiller tell them it's just like and air conditioner except it's a water conditioner. Same principals.
If you found a chiller guy in Ny I would say he's making $35/hour working for someone else. If he is really experienced it may be more. He may feel like it's a waste of time because your not going to want to pay him $500 minimum to build this thing and then come back for a warranty repair. That is why I stopped it just isn't worth $200 labor or less like fish people in my area are willing to pay.
If you find a regular a/c tech he should be more than capable of building this. I will try to answer any questions I can for him or her. I was pretty new in the field and I don't think I had ever touched a chiller in my life before building this one.
If they look funny when you tell them chiller tell them it's just like and air conditioner except it's a water conditioner. Same principals.
d5omino714
New member
hey guys so i have a dumb question and then a not so dumb one..LOL... why can’t i see any of the pictures in this thread? Seems to happen all the time for me. Do i need to buy an upgraded membership or something to see pics?
Also i contacted Aqua logic today to ask about their TI-Heat-X and i was given a bit of a run around... very odd... my design calls for a drop in X-er as I’m not very keen on the shell and tube setup .. Reason being I’m going for an ecosystem type setup.. I’m using vortex non-traumatic pumps so I’m expecting a considerable about of fauna and other life in the water... if i go pumping it though a shell and tube I’m very concerned I’d be shocking them to death as it’s not uncommon for the Delta-T across a typical heat exchanger to be 20 deg f... that would almost certainly kill anything i pump through it... plus I’m also concerned about not being able to get to the coils periodically to clean them... with a drop in (like this : http://www.aqualogicinc.com/products/heat_exchangers/Titanium-Heat-Exchanger-Titanium-Direct-Immersion.htm ) i could clean easily and also the delta t is more easily controlled and will be greatest in the immediate vicinity of the coils.. Which will have all kinds of random “turbulent” flow so it shouldn’t be an issue.. It will be more of a gradual cooling than a BOOM kind of a cool from the shell and tube..
To make a long story short.. even though the link clearly states these things are compatible with Freon they fed me some bull about not wanting to sell it to folks using Freon as it takes considerable knowledge and skill to make it work right... anyway after a bit of back and forth i said 'listen man do you wanna sell me a product or not? I’m not holding you to anything, and what i do with it really isn’t your concern, I’d be more than happy to sign a release or warranty or something so you guys don’t have to worry about me coming back to you saying it’s not working....i’d even make it non-refundable if you’d like "
Anyway the sales guy was trying to sell me a $1200 package!!he was talking the 3/4 HP model here: ( http://www.aquaticeco.com/subcategories/2964/Aqua-Logic-Chiller-Barrel-Packages/aqualogic/0) I’m like are you kidding me! I’m trying to do a DIY chiller and you want to sell me an insane kit that isn’t even what i want???? So i was wondering if you guys know of any other place i could get coils like these... everyone in several threads like these say it SHOULD be in the area of around $200-$400 US... but the guy balked when i said that.. So I’m wondering if maybe the data is old and the price has gone way up since or what.. also if you guys could just share your thoughts in general i would love it... I’m in lake worth Florida btw in case that helps ... there are lots of salt water places around here the hobby is really huge down here...
Also i contacted Aqua logic today to ask about their TI-Heat-X and i was given a bit of a run around... very odd... my design calls for a drop in X-er as I’m not very keen on the shell and tube setup .. Reason being I’m going for an ecosystem type setup.. I’m using vortex non-traumatic pumps so I’m expecting a considerable about of fauna and other life in the water... if i go pumping it though a shell and tube I’m very concerned I’d be shocking them to death as it’s not uncommon for the Delta-T across a typical heat exchanger to be 20 deg f... that would almost certainly kill anything i pump through it... plus I’m also concerned about not being able to get to the coils periodically to clean them... with a drop in (like this : http://www.aqualogicinc.com/products/heat_exchangers/Titanium-Heat-Exchanger-Titanium-Direct-Immersion.htm ) i could clean easily and also the delta t is more easily controlled and will be greatest in the immediate vicinity of the coils.. Which will have all kinds of random “turbulent” flow so it shouldn’t be an issue.. It will be more of a gradual cooling than a BOOM kind of a cool from the shell and tube..
To make a long story short.. even though the link clearly states these things are compatible with Freon they fed me some bull about not wanting to sell it to folks using Freon as it takes considerable knowledge and skill to make it work right... anyway after a bit of back and forth i said 'listen man do you wanna sell me a product or not? I’m not holding you to anything, and what i do with it really isn’t your concern, I’d be more than happy to sign a release or warranty or something so you guys don’t have to worry about me coming back to you saying it’s not working....i’d even make it non-refundable if you’d like "
Anyway the sales guy was trying to sell me a $1200 package!!he was talking the 3/4 HP model here: ( http://www.aquaticeco.com/subcategories/2964/Aqua-Logic-Chiller-Barrel-Packages/aqualogic/0) I’m like are you kidding me! I’m trying to do a DIY chiller and you want to sell me an insane kit that isn’t even what i want???? So i was wondering if you guys know of any other place i could get coils like these... everyone in several threads like these say it SHOULD be in the area of around $200-$400 US... but the guy balked when i said that.. So I’m wondering if maybe the data is old and the price has gone way up since or what.. also if you guys could just share your thoughts in general i would love it... I’m in lake worth Florida btw in case that helps ... there are lots of salt water places around here the hobby is really huge down here...
Gotta run so this will be fast.
Tony posted this and was kicked off reef central way back in the day. He moved the pic links so rc couldn't benefit from his pics plus another site owner took his pics and claimed it was his own and he built the chiller. Amazing what people will do.
Water is much more efficient than air when it comes to heat transfer. You will only have about 2 degrees across the coil. Most likely.
Tony posted this and was kicked off reef central way back in the day. He moved the pic links so rc couldn't benefit from his pics plus another site owner took his pics and claimed it was his own and he built the chiller. Amazing what people will do.
Water is much more efficient than air when it comes to heat transfer. You will only have about 2 degrees across the coil. Most likely.
d5omino714
New member
Hey Rob thanks for your response. when you have a little more time if you can expand a bit on your answer i would love to read your thoughts. Id like to compare notes and just in general make sure im not completely off in left field! LOL
Thanks!
Joey
Thanks!
Joey
Not sure what part you want to expand on but even on 200+ton chillers I work on, you only have 2-3 degrees temperature difference from the water going into the chiller barrell as the water coming out of it. Same goes for aquarium chillers in most cases. I have tested this by putting sensors on both and it has been 1-2 degrees. At least on the units I tested. It has only been a few.
About cleaning the evaporator coil you could saw the end of the barrell off that is factory installed and glue on a threaded pvc cap assembly. Whatever they call it. you could drain it and remove the cap to clean.
You should have so much life in your sump you will want to kill some of it. I would run a filter sock to keep this in check. I still have plenty of life in my sump and I always use a sock. Clean is good sometimes. Much less pump problems and I still have baby trocus snails in my sump I have to put in the display from time to time.
I buy coils that I use from S & W wilson. They are in ny and hard to understand but the product works well.
If the price is right you could always take the shell off the coil and put it into the sump. I would seal any brass or copper with some sort of epoxy to keep corrosion to a minimum. You might have to experiment with it in different places in your sump with gauges hooked up to make sure your in a good spot and flow is good. I don't see it any differently than a drop in.
About cleaning the evaporator coil you could saw the end of the barrell off that is factory installed and glue on a threaded pvc cap assembly. Whatever they call it. you could drain it and remove the cap to clean.
You should have so much life in your sump you will want to kill some of it. I would run a filter sock to keep this in check. I still have plenty of life in my sump and I always use a sock. Clean is good sometimes. Much less pump problems and I still have baby trocus snails in my sump I have to put in the display from time to time.
I buy coils that I use from S & W wilson. They are in ny and hard to understand but the product works well.
If the price is right you could always take the shell off the coil and put it into the sump. I would seal any brass or copper with some sort of epoxy to keep corrosion to a minimum. You might have to experiment with it in different places in your sump with gauges hooked up to make sure your in a good spot and flow is good. I don't see it any differently than a drop in.
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