Perfect, but I think I'll runem with a 50 gallon res and a 2hp chiller (two exchangers on one chiller, flip flopped like my new room will be)
Thanks for the heads up! R+ for you
Ice Boxes...?
- Thread starter PoopyTeaBags
- Start date
Perfect, but I think I'll runem with a 50 gallon res and a 2hp chiller (two exchangers on one chiller, flip flopped like my new room will be)
Thanks for the heads up! R+ for you
Congrats Befri, you using those iceboxes on your hoods or just as a room air conditioner? Did the ice boxes come with any BTU rating info on em? Oh, and how big is your chiller? I was just shopping for some 2HP units to use as part of a homemade water-cooled AC (that way I can install it, no HVAC guy or freon needed.
)I have a 1/2 hp chiller...and there is no BTU rating on these ICE boxes..but the core is about 2" thick....pretty beefy..I will be using instead of a A/C....trying to lower my energy cost...is what my drive is. I have currently a 15M BTU a/c(window mounts style)..I'm in a basement already if I need to run it..and I live in desert heat temps..in the summer. So its about 90-105F daily..through the summer...and 60's at night. I already have the lights on at night...so trying to keep the heat down as possible....
I'm thinking that I will start with 40 gal rez and see what happens..I have a MAG 18 to push the water through the chiller to the ice boxes returning to the rez...is how I'm going to plumbs this.
another thing is that I have found a 1HP chiller...used...and I'm going to buy it if this 1/2hp doesn't work. I have the 1/2hp already from my reef tank...so to save cost...I will try this first.
I'm thinking that I will start with 40 gal rez and see what happens..I have a MAG 18 to push the water through the chiller to the ice boxes returning to the rez...is how I'm going to plumbs this.
another thing is that I have found a 1HP chiller...used...and I'm going to buy it if this 1/2hp doesn't work. I have the 1/2hp already from my reef tank...so to save cost...I will try this first.
Hey that's cool, I like your style! I am thinking about getting two of those 3 fan/3 coil heat exchangers posted above, I bet one of them with that 1HP chiller would kick ass! Lower power usage than AC, no freon (no HVAC tech) no vacuum pumps, and probably quieter to boot. Diggin this whole water cooling thing!
JustanotherDave
Member
That's not the case unfortunately...they are quite loud. If I had to run one quietly I'd use a boxed blower, 2000-3000cfm, three 12" ducts from the cooler to the box (these would just be passive intakes)...then point the blower output as need. It would be very quiet then
That's not the case unfortunately...they are quite loud. If I had to run one quietly I'd use a boxed blower, 2000-3000cfm, three 12" ducts from the cooler to the box (these would just be passive intakes)...then point the blower output as need. It would be very quiet then
The noise thing is very good to know, I was thinking of the chiller sitting outside as being quieter than an AC compressor, but I see excelair has some new steath mini split now. But boy are they pricey, and use lots of juice.
Hmm, I don't think I follow you on the 12" ducts to the box, you mean the heat exchanger box? Doesn't that have fans already built in? If I'm bypassing those I think I'd want to just find the bare heat exchanger and use those individually.
I'd wish I could use a Vortex or something quiet as the fan. Hmm, maybe I can build a sealed plywood box as a heat exchanger with the aluminum radiator inside and a 12" speed controlled Vortex as the fan (inside the box and sound insulated)
Should be quieter, and probably lots cheaper than the noisy commercial exchanger. What do you think JustanotherDave?
D
dongle69
Is there a good online source for 1 or 2 hp chillers?
I found the heat exchanger that is the right size for my room, I just need to find the appropriate water chiller.
http://www.progressive-growth.com/proddetail.php?prod=heatexlb2f
JustanotherDave
Member
Nice...you are indeed pickin' up what I am layin' down Bro! Try to make your own or negotiate a purchase of one without the fans. The fans are the one and only source of noise...but they are the loud kind. If memory serves...the stock fans are rated around 800cfm each...which is why I'd use a 2-3000cfm blower for the 3fan model. Yes...an inline fan stuck on each hole of the cooler would be a clean install...but more coin.
The coils are modified units...the same as what's used in walk in fridges/freezers...all they've done is add a digi thermometer and garden hose fittings in/out of the coils.
Get that coil piece and you're in DIY land
Well here's an article on water cooling written by the dude at Hydro Innovations (the Ice BOx/ HydroGen guy) http://www.hydroinnovations.com/Stephen_Keen.pdf
and here is their site that sells chillers from 1HP to 250HP http://www.icehousedistribution.com/
Let us know what you end up with!
Nice...you are indeed pickin' up what I am layin' down Bro! Try to make your own or negotiate a purchase of one without the fans. The fans are the one and only source of noise...but they are the loud kind. If memory serves...the stock fans are rated around 800cfm each...which is why I'd use a 2-3000cfm blower for the 3fan model. Yes...an inline fan stuck on each hole of the cooler would be a clean install...but more coin.
The coils are modified units...the same as what's used in walk in fridges/freezers...all they've done is add a digi thermometer and garden hose fittings in/out of the coils.
Get that coil piece and you're in DIY land
Sweet, thanks again man, I shall call you the water-cooling guru!
D
dongle69
Damn, I just found out that a 2hp water chiller is not only $2,650, but it is 11 amps at 240v.
Plus the heat exchanger for $1,100 which is 4.2 amps at 120v.
Plus pumps...
I thought the water cooled combo would save me on my power bill, but it looks like it takes more power and costs more upfront vs a decent split a/c.
I see a nice 2 ton ductless mini split a/c for around $1,300 that uses less than 10 amps at 240v.
Is there something that I'm not seeing here?
Is the whole water cooling thing only worthwhile if you have a free, unlimited source of cold water?
I need 24,000 btu of cooling for my room...
Plus the heat exchanger for $1,100 which is 4.2 amps at 120v.
Plus pumps...
I thought the water cooled combo would save me on my power bill, but it looks like it takes more power and costs more upfront vs a decent split a/c.
I see a nice 2 ton ductless mini split a/c for around $1,300 that uses less than 10 amps at 240v.
Is there something that I'm not seeing here?
Is the whole water cooling thing only worthwhile if you have a free, unlimited source of cold water?
I need 24,000 btu of cooling for my room...
Hmm, I think that the chiller (coupled with a 50-100G res) would run less often than an AC compressor, as it has a bank of cold water to work with. Only when that water got above say, 70* would you kick your chiller back on, but the other advantage is that when it's less than 70* outside (ambient) your chiller would probably never have to run! It just exchanges the heat as it's pumped through it. I think Justanotherdave had some good tips, but I'm going to try building my own heat exchanger and fan combo, and just have to buy the chiller and lines. No HVAC guy coming to my place to pump/charge lines is nice, and according to the article posted above water-cooled AC is more efficient than air-cooled, so yes I'm hoping that it runs quite a bit less.
what lazyman said... in evaporative water cooling you only need to cool the water about 5 degrees. So the chillers do not run that often. They use these units in industrial refrigeration and at liquor store's with huge walk in fridges. It is the most economical solution to cool anything above 50* F
D
dongle69
My area has an average temperature of 55 degrees over the course of a year.
Rarely gets over 70 degrees on the hottest summer day.
I run my lights at night.
I wonder if I could get away with a reservoir outside with no chiller?
Rarely gets over 70 degrees on the hottest summer day.
I run my lights at night.
I wonder if I could get away with a reservoir outside with no chiller?
