WTB: Chiller

Kinetic

Active member
Just wondering if anyone has a chiller locally that is for sale? I am considering getting one just in case it's needed. CA is known to be hot as hell during the summer... I'd like to have a chiller just in case.

Those drop in ones look more promising, since there aren't any tubes to fall off and drain the tank.
 
drop ins are notoriously ineffecient. I wouldn't waste my money on one and honestly most likely wouldn't even accept one that was given to me, as to run it would cost more in the long run than to just buy a decent chiller.

EDIT: Depending on how our budget holds out, I may be selling our chiller and replacing it with a Deltec EcoCooler, but that is a big "if" for this year... most likely won't happen until next year on that purchase :)
 
that's interesting. I'll look into the inline chillers.

any brands you guys would recommend that's a decent price, doesn't need to be too powerful, and reliable?

what kind of maintenance needs to be done on these guys?
 
I use a 1/5 hp drop-in on my 90. I've been fine with its performance, although it usually only gets used 1-2 weeks out of the year. I've never used an in-line chiller, so I don't know any difference.
 
Why would an inline be more efficient? It just puts the heat exchanging element inside the chiller as opposed to in your sump.... :confused:
 
The titanium manifolds have a much larger surface area for contact with the water in an inline versus the drop ins. More surface area equates to more efficient, which means less money spent on electricity to achieve the same draw down.


Just do some searching online for reviews and "expert opinions", the last time I checked, albeit over a year ago, I could not find a single "expert" that recommended a drop in over an inline.
 
i think it has similar principles as a heater, where an inline heater may be more efficient than just our regular heaters... though our regular heaters are already so efficient that those inline ones don't add enough efficiency to be worthwhile.

*shrug*
 
I guess I'd just think that the manufacturer of the chiller would make the heat exchanger large enough to utilize the full power of the chiller. Surface area seems like it'd just be a matter of wether it cooled a little bit of water a LOT, or a lot of water a little. In either situation you get the same amount of thermal energy transfer. I don't really know. I don't use a chiller, but I was just curious. anyway.. not to sidetrack the thread. sorry.
 
I use a JBJ 1/10 HP on my 58 and it works great. Had it on my tank when I was in Texas too and believe me summers are hot there. I would think somerhing similar would be more then enough for an 82.
 
I'm actually good for either type of chiller.

that one is 1/4 hp, a bit too hefty for me. good price though. thanks for the headsup!
 
For an 82 you might be able to use a 1/6hp in line but I would use a 1/4hp in line. I remember seeing a few at All About Fish in Pleasant Hill. I don't remember ther pricing but I recall it was pretty good.
 
you also have to figure you need to feed an inline chiller with an extra pump, off a closed loop or off a return pump.

just something to think about.
 
my sump etc will be in a very cool basement, but just want a 1/10 just in case. My system will be about 170g total water volume, though I only need to bring down the temp maybe 5 degrees at most.
 
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