Building a Water Chiller...Would this work?

[Remailer]

Ok, I am wanting to build a water chiller. I am in the Computer repair business and i have worked with water cooled systems before. Now, The way i see it is these systems can cool a 100+ degree Processer then it should be able to drop the temp by just a few deg. in my DWC system by installing and running it. Now, i dont know if it would work so i thought you guys could throw the idea around and see what we can all come up with.

Would this work?


With a 2 water pumps and a 120mm Silent fan connected.

Hmmmm......

 

[DeadlyFoez]

how big is your dwc system? buckets and gallons? As you already know, it wont bring the temp below ambient temp unless you use a peltier element. But there are already a peltier things out there called IceProbe, but from what I've heard is that they aint that great. It would take 1 or 2 of them for one bucket so I've heard.

If you have a res, you can cut a hole on the side or in the lid and have a pc fan blow across the top of the nutes and vent out. They call it a swamp cooler. And from what people say about it is it helps a lot with keeping temps down, but never below ambient.

 

[Remailer]

DeadlyFoez

I did a little google research ( Do you Google? ) and this is what i came up with on the ICEprobe

Ulf notes that one IceProbe will cool 10 gallons of water about 6°F, 20 gallons about 3°F, and 40 gallons about 1.5°F in a standard glass aquarium. Insulation can dramatically improve cooling differentials. In a fully insulated aquarium, one IceProbe can actually cool 10 gallons of water about 20°F below ambient.

I have a 18 gallon DWC with no Res.

 

[Guest]

DeadlyFoez is correct; w/o a Peltier thermoelectric (TE) junction or something, you won't be able to bring it below ambient. And the IceProbe does suck. I've used both the IceProbe and a home-made version of multiple Peltier TE's mounted on copper coils powered by an ATX power supply. I forgot who it was here that has the DIY water chiller using a water cooler guide, but that's probably your best bet at cooling your DWC reservoir. Those water coolers can be had for ~ $100, whereas multiple Peltier TE's, a power supply, heatsinks and fans and so on can easily run more than that after shipping (or even before). And it's not as effective or efficient as a compressor based cooling system.

Edit: I can see you're not in the mood to spend lots of bucks on a nice water chiller, but that radiator design you describe is just going to be a waste of money and will just cause problems down the road, like if stuff gets clogged in the radiator pipes!

If you do go with a real chiller, I've noticed that 1/10 HP's aren't a very good choice since they're only slightly cheaper than 1/4 HP's. I've seen most 1/10's go for $400, and 1/4's go for $500.

 

[cadillachydro]

Or you can do what ive recommended before and buy a used waterfountain off ebay, gut it, and used the chiller from that.

 

[The Dopest]

here i am, lol check my sig for the DIY chiller. personally i wouldnt waste time or money on an ice probe, the radiator idea i tried to an extent. i used a heater core from a chevy and attached a fan. it brought temps down a degree or two but nothing to write home about in my experience.

gl which ever route you choose

 

[DeadlyFoez]

Ouch, especially where it would be inside ur growing area, it would probably bring ur nutrient temps up with the heat from ur light radiating onto it.

 

[imnotcrazy]

Yeah that radiator idea would only work if your rez temps were 10-20F+ above ambient. It wouldn't do much for a rez close to or at ambient temps, unless you had a cold, remote location for it where ambient was much cooler than your grow room.

 

[Pipedream]

OK, here's the thing about your radiator-type idea. It can and will work, but you need to do one more thing......

As mentioned, if you pump your bath thru the coils, and have a fan blowing thru it, you can drop your temps to ambient level or very close to it. However, if you add one more small piece to the puzzle, you can drop them a good bit more.

You'll need to stand your radiator in a tub with an inch or two of plain water in it. Then take the smallest water pump you can buy and set it up so that it picks up the water and brings it to the top of the coils and it runs/drips down the outside surface of the colis back into the tub. Now as the fan blows across the coils a small amount of water will evaporate which in itself is a cooling process. This will drop the surface temps well below ambient level and remove that much more heat from your nute bath.

This method of cooling has been used for many years on all types of internal combustion engines and large office building cooling towers. To simulate and experience the effect, try this.... Wet a washcloth and let it sit on a counter till it reaches ambient temps. Now take a temp reading with your thermometer, or place it on your forehead. Next, open the cloth and quickly swing it around for 30 seconds. Now read the temp again and/or place it on your forehead. You'll be amazed at the difference.

 

[Remailer]

OK i see what yall are saying. Now seeing as how I keep my place at 72-75 deg. What is the ideal temp of the water? i think i read it was 72 deg. and over was bad. This true?

The Dopest - I'm looking at it now. Thanks.

Pipedream - Like your idea

 

[Guest]

68-72F is the optimal range. I'm having troubles with temp myself right now. However, I've got a bid going on ebay for a cooler like The_Dopest made right now......that means stay off my frickin cooler on ebay so I can afford the dang thing, lol! One more day till auction ends.....back off! hehe!! After that, you can all go get one!

 

[The Dopest]

lmao ^ there is plenty to go around, check local water bottling plants or garage sales. my only problem so far was keeping it from gettin too cold. it has a manual thermostat i have had to adjust it again, once i put the insulation between it and the res. and again two weeks later when the ambient temps dropped a few deg. not alot of trouble and 65 probably wouldnt hurt but i like to try and stay to the numbers.

oh and the radiator idea, you cant use one with copper guts it should be aluminum or stainless, somethin about the nutes...

 

[Remailer]

Stoned2Death - You have been out bid. Better hurry and get on ebay. LOL

ok So here is my next question. What hapens when the temp goes below 68?

 

[Guest]

Well, that was about dirty as fuck!

 

[Guest]

Dude....plain and simple, you are the sorriest piece of shit I have ever heard of in my life. Worthless cock sucker....thanks for stealing my fucking shit in the last 2 seconds of the auction asshole. I hope your whole fucking grow blows up in your fucking face. That is so fucking wrong it's not even funny dude. If we were standing side by side, you would have no fucking teeth right now homeboy. I don't believe the audacity you have to go and fuck someone over who specifically stated they were doing all they could to afford something like this.

You sir, are a fucking asshole. I sat and watched the auction so I would be sure to get it, and your sorry fucking ass slides in with 2 seconds and literally steals the fucking auction so I can't bid against you. Karma will repay your sorry ass ten times over.

YOU KNEW EXACTLY WHAT YOU WERE DOING, and for that I have no respect for your ass. I don't even know what else to say. I hope you're fucking happy shitwad. Say what you want, but that was fucking WRONG dude. I'm pissed beyond belief. So much for a kind cannabis community of people helping each other. Helping you FUCK me. FUCK YOU!

 

[Guest]

FUCKING ASSHOLE!

 

[The Dopest]

damn S2D, I hate someone did that to ya. like you said though karma is a mother, maybe the thing wont work and there will be no refunds...anyway, gl in the future and be sure not to advertise a good deal untill after you get it

 

[Guest]

Yup....literally the last two seconds of the auction too. Nah, that wasn't purposely underhanded. pff! Thanks for the positive vibes Dopest.

 

[Remailer]

One more day till auction ends.....back off! hehe!! After that, you can all go get one!

DooD i assure you I had NOTHING to do with that. You can check on ebay Sorry you feel that way i was just joking.... I never even got on ebay to look at them yet.

 

[Remailer]

the question did not get answered... so if someone can help out thanks.

What happens if the water is below 68 Deg. ??