Stainless Steel Alloy Question

[tripstank]

Does anyone know if SS Alloy 316 is good for salt? I have heard that 316L is, but I do not know the difference between the two. Any inout would be great!

 

[reefnetworth]

the "L" stands for leaded mat'l. 300 series S.S. (303,316 etc.) are non-magnetic and has silicone in it so, it want rust. im a journeyman machinist (23 yrs.) ive never heard of any "L" series in stainless. CRS (12L14) is leaded Cold Rolled Steel. its used in mass quantites for production parts. mainly due to the cheap price per pound and easy machining capabilities. though it cant be hardened it can be carburized (hard outside, soft inside) up to 0.025-0.030" thickness. REEF-ON!!!

 

[03LightningSVT]

I personally would stay away from anything metallic being directly exposed to saltwater in your tank. It may take awhile but eventually corrosion will set in. The only exception is titanium. Now to respond to your question about 316 and 316L - If I remember correct, 316L Stainless Steel has almost the same properties as 316, except that it has a lower carbon content and has better welding capabilities. My guess, in this case, is that the "L" means low carbon - NOT LEAD. Do a Google search on 316L Stainless Steel and get your information direct from the stainless manufacturers.

 

[chipmaker]

The "L" behind the alloy designation stands for Low Carbon, it has nothing to do with lead. Stainless is non ferrous, so lead is not used. There can be a K or there can be an N as well and each stands for low phosphorous or nitrogen .......316 L or just 316 for yur use would be imaterial as its all to do itiwh its physical strengthproperties and welding ability....its corrosion properties are the same. Lots of stainless steels are suitable, and its not so much the stainless that papears to rust as it is the surface contamination from when it was made. All stainless will show what wappears to be rust or corrosion, but its not. Unless the stainless was passivated after manufacturing it, or fabricating the item, it will exhibit signs of rust.......Passivation is the chemical process of cleaning any transfer of material from fsabricating tools or process of the surface of teh stainless. Passivated eliminates any rust potential. Take a piec eof stainless steel and use a stainless steelwire brush and brush it really good. Then take a carbon steel wire brush and brush another area well.....place outside and see what area gets rusty looking..the section brushed with the carbon steel brush will as it transfered carbon steel particles to the stainless steels surface.....Same thing that happens when drilling, turning, machininig, forming etc..It needs to be pasivated........Best corrosion resistent stuff is 17-4PH stainless steel, but its pretty darn pricey.

 

[tripstank]

So what would you recommend the best way to pasivate some small lenghts of 316? I will not be turning and of the tubes, simply cutting them with an abrasive chop saw. Also, all is said and done, do you think it will hold up to the salt well? My next option is titanium tube, which is both hard to find, to work with, and of course machine.

 

[Karl K]

I'm going to guess this is for a chiller?

 

[tripstank]

Yuppper, I am trying to figure out how to make an affordable radiating stack or coil to place in the duct work of my houses' central air system.

 

[Karl K]

Let me know what you find out. I'm working on a freon based chiller for a friends tank. I need to find out if the SS tubing will work okay.

He's running a 90g reef with a 30g? sump and a 10g fuge.

I've got a 1/4 Ton condensing unit that we will pun on his balcony, I'll build a chiller barrel with a coil made of suitable metal inside and just have to run the refrigeration lines between the two. We should be able to hide them quite easily.

I get all sorts of used refrigeration equipment from work. Being an HVAC tech, I can also repair, builld and charge these systems.

Kind of handy.

(I always have my beer cold)

 

[tripstank]

I saw chiller barrels the other day, but I forget where, I think I typed in Stainless Steel Heat Exchangers into a google search and found a few that were refrigerant ready. Even if you don't buy one, maybe you can look to them for design purposes.


What are you going to make the barrel out of?

 

[tripstank]

Ohh yeah, would you know of any heat transferring paint?

 

[1BADCFH]

I am very new to this whole thing but I had to agree with "Chipmaker" obvious knowing about 304L & 316L having low carbon and having more nickle too. I wish that there would be absolutley no questions about using Stainless Steel because where I work is nothing but that!!!!! Comp. Fitts,pipe, tubing, valves, sanitary fittings, and all that good stuff! Selling all over from Phelps Dodge to Intel, and looking at our prices to the public, SS is not that expensive compared to Hastalloy and Titanium<---wow! I work at a place called Piping Alloys in Phx Az, and we have a branch in Kansas and Oklahoma too! I also was wondering the quickest way to get a tank setup? Iv'e heard raw shrimp helps? Is that a bunch of crap?

 

[tedu]

Source for barrel heat exchangers:
http://www.sw-wilson.com/prod04.htm

 

[RicGio]

The 1/3 HP titanium barrel alone is 250$. Then you need a compressor,a condenser, an expansion device,a controller...etc. Even if you use this...how much are you really saving? "Store bought" 1/3 HP chillers are going for $600. Is saving $ 200 worth the agravation?

UNLESS maybe a window unit can be modified and used with this heat exchanger, but then you're still out $350 bucks.

I hope all you "tinkerers" are CFC certified. (Montreal protocol ringing any bells here?) If not I could use the $5,000 reward for turning you in to buy a great setup . LOL.

 

[tedu]

There IS another thread somewhere on RC about using this heat exchanger with a window unit remotely (outside).
You are absolutely correct, it's not a simple build and it requires skills / tools that aren't common DIY.
But getting the heat/noise out of the house would be worth the effort from my perspective.