DIY chiller

[matts125]

I just wanted to know how many of you have attempted/successfully made a DIY chiller?
My father and I are in the process of one.

Just looking to any others with possible input..

Matt

 

[Krish]

Never tried one before Matt, but I was given a link to some plans on how to build one before. Do you have something to go by or just brainstorming something? If you'd like, I can try and dig up that link for you if it would help any. I think I know the thread it was posted on. Let me know...

 

[Krish]

BTW...Just incase you wanted that link, I looked it up and the site to the link no onger exists. Sorry man...

 

[DonW]

I just wanted to know how many of you have attempted/successfully made a DIY chiller?
My father and I are in the process of one.

Just looking to any others with possible input..

Matt

What do you want to know? Their a pretty simple device as long as you have a good understanding of ac or refrigeration.

Don

 

[matts125]

well I have all the parts out of a freezer, (brand new parts, compressor condensor and dryer)

what do I have to use for the conduct with the water titanium?

any pictures of DIY chillers would be great too..

Matt

 

[jsmkmavity]

is it an r-12 or r-22 refrigerant compressor? the most difficult part will be figuring out how much tube length/contact time between the refrigerant tubing and the water tubing. too much contact can freeze the water. you want decent flow rates for the water so the return water isnt too much colder than the tank water, which will also help with the freezing problem and deposit buildup.

 

[DonW]

well I have all the parts out of a freezer, (brand new parts, compressor condensor and dryer)

what do I have to use for the conduct with the water titanium?

any pictures of DIY chillers would be great too..

Matt

Yup ti. Go to ebay and search titanium heat exchanger. Make sure your sitting down they are expensive. What hp is compressor?

Don

 

[matts125]

wow! 300 bucks for the exchanger...

could you use another type of tubing and get it powder coated?

Matt

 

[coil1002]

I built my own. That’s what I do I am a refrigeration tech. You can also use the epoxy evaporators they us on the lobster tank chillers they are tube in tube so the copper never comes in contact with the water. I got mine from an account of ours they are relitivly cheap wholesale about $75 dollars and they come with the evap and case all you do is pipe it in.

I used a r-134a embraco compressor for the condensing coil I cut one to fit out of an old ac unit we replaced at work the swaged the edges and welded in the 90's

 

[coil1002]

wow! 300 bucks for the exchanger...

could you use another type of tubing and get it powder coated?

Matt

You can use a copper aluminum evaporator and encase it in resin it cuts down the efficiency a bit but it does work especially for an immersion evaps. Stainless will work as well I do believe. We use them in food grade apps like flash freeze containers like what they use for slurpee machines

 

[reeftank1]

Matt,

I just took my aqua-logic in to a place in tacoma - Absolute appliances I believe and he has worked on several reef applications and said he was considering building them. I supect he can get any parts for you locally if he doesn't have something at his shop.

HTH

 

[DonW]

I built my own. That’s what I do I am a refrigeration tech. You can also use the epoxy evaporators they us on the lobster tank chillers they are tube in tube so the copper never comes in contact with the water. I got mine from an account of ours they are relitivly cheap wholesale about $75 dollars and they come with the evap and case all you do is pipe it in.

I used a r-134a embraco compressor for the condensing coil I cut one to fit out of an old ac unit we replaced at work the swaged the edges and welded in the 90's

These look like a good option at first glance. I bought what I thought was a nice one for $80. I ran it in a bucket for 60 days with a mag24 at the end of 60 days there was copper in the water, enough to be detect by a test kit.
There are enough solids is sw to make it like very fine sand paper causing errosion.

Don

 

[matts125]

Don you make a good point, I just dont think it is worth the chance of getting copper to bleed into the water, this would be a disaster in a reef..

Matt

 

[coil1002]

These look like a good option at first glance. I bought what I thought was a nice one for $80. I ran it in a bucket for 60 days with a mag24 at the end of 60 days there was copper in the water, enough to be detect by a test kit.
There are enough solids is sw to make it like very fine sand paper causing errosion.

Don

Don what eroded resin or the epoxy evaporator? when I say encase in resin I mean in case not a thin coating an actual inch thick block all the way around the evaporator with the suction line coming out the top. I do have to agree though any chance of copper in the reef I would not feel safe if it where me.

As for the epoxy evaporators used for lobster tank chillers there is no way the salt water would come in contact with the copper they are not coated they are tube in tube the water runs through the evaporator in pvc they have been used for years with no problems and a hell of a lot cheaper then titanium.

You do not want copper in a lobster tank either remember the chiller has to be food grade quality since it cools food.

 

[DonW]

Don what eroded resin or the epoxy evaporator? when I say encase in resin I mean in case not a thin coating an actual inch thick block all the way around the evaporator with the suction line coming out the top. I do have to agree though any chance of copper in the reef I would not feel safe if it where me.

As for the epoxy evaporators used for lobster tank chillers there is no way the salt water would come in contact with the copper they are not coated they are tube in tube the water runs through the evaporator in pvc they have been used for years with no problems and a hell of a lot cheaper then titanium.

You do not want copper in a lobster tank either remember the chiller has to be food grade quality since it cools food.

A little copper in a lobtser tank would be no big deal at all. Just like it is not a issue in a fish only tank or our household plumbing. The lobsters are not going to be around all that long anyways. I think your talking about a shell and tube heat exchanger. With a shell and tube exchanger the water is circulated through the shell. I would probably compare a epoxy exchanger to a powerhead or internal pump. If youve been in this hobby for a while youve probably been shocked by leaking epoxy shell. All metal expands an contracts as its heated and cooled and all plastic becomes brittle when exposed to salt water, even our acrylic tanks.
IMO Ti is the only way to go even if it is more expensive. I would also have to think that if the other less expensive options were viable that the manufaurers would be using them. Sure would make it easier and many times more profitable to sell chillers.

Don

 

[coil1002]

sheesh

well I tell ya you can spend the money on the titanium but I used to work on close to 3 to 4 hundred chillers a year before I moved out here from California last year, a lot of those are on reef tanks and I would have to say 50 % of them had the same evaporator as the one I am using. You can not expect a company offering a lower end ($200 range) chiller to use a titanium heat exchanger it’s not economically feasible. No they use the same design I am using.

This conversation has prompted me to build yet another chiller Picture 1 is the whole housing this cost me $44.96 picture 2 is the evaporator as you can see the filter dryer is included as well as the cap tube being pre measured you will have to match the evaporator to the compressor it takes out a lot of guess work. In a bigger chiller I would install 2 thermostatic expansion valves and a reversing valve so it could also be used to heat the tank but this case is too small.

Picture three is the compressor I am using it is an Aspera 1/6th hp 134-a compressor wholesales for about $32 comes with start components.

Picture 4 is the control I will be using I may not use this and just allow the second stage of my Ranco to control the chiller but I am not sure yet. It wholesales for $60 hence why I may not use it I want this project to be cheap. I want to prove it does not have to be expensive to work correctly. That is a mis-conception in this hobby. If you are willing to learn and listen you can build just about anything for your tank on the cheap.

As for the condenser I need to pick it up it is free to me because I build it out of old coils (hence my user name) and the fan will be a 3 watt ge motor with blade should cost $16.

I will keep you updated on the progress and don any time you want you can come over and test for copper you probably will not find any.

There are too many chillers out there with this design for that to be a problem. I have been working in refrigeration for over ten years now I know a thing or two about chiller design. All though they are usually 12 times bigger then the one I am building they serve the same purpose

 

[DonW]

What make and model is the heat exchanger. For $70 I'll test it.

Don

 

[coil1002]

No clue this was given to me by an account next time I go by there I will ask. How ever with out a c-38 license I do not think they will sell it to you. They deal with licensed wholesale accounts only. I am lucky I go through my companies and pay cash.

 

[DonW]

No clue this was given to me by an account next time I go by there I will ask. How ever with out a c-38 license I do not think they will sell it to you. They deal with licensed wholesale accounts only. I am lucky I go through my companies and pay cash.

It looks like a fresh water chiller already, just like the the one my buddy uses on his planted aquariums. Are you repairing a non working unit? I see the capilary tube in the case.
I need to dig up some pics of his truly diy chiller. Its a freestanding geo metro ac system with huge stainless shell in tube heat exchanger. Runs on a 1hp 1750 rpm motor and uses a chevy one wire alternator to power the compressor clutch and condenser fan. Amazingly simple, only draws 6amps.


Don

 

[coil1002]

They come with the cap tube set up and it is not a fresh water chiller the company that makes these does so for lobster tanks like I have stated before. If you look at the second picture in my post you can see the underside of the evap they all come like this hence the reason why you have to match the evap to the compressor

Damn I would love to see pictures of that chiller that is diy at its finest. What I do is not really diy I just build the things I am lucky I get to buy all the parts and put it together. There are not too many hobbyists with a vacuum pump, recovery, refrigerant scale, and gauges. Not to mention the ability to buy refrigerant I am always very grateful I work in the trade I do it allows for some pretty fun projects.

I will run saltwater though this system for 60 days prior to hooking it up to a tank and test for copper I doubt I will find any but better safe then sorry I will heed your warning.