Chiller

Rollingman · #1 04/10/2002, 03:41 PM

Does anyone have an idea for a DIY chiller or know of a place on the internet that sells them?

honeybee · #2 04/10/2002, 07:04 PM

Hi,

I use a freshwater heat sink instead of a chiller. Conditions required for setup tend to limit its use on other systems but if it would work for you the operation costs are very low.

Frank

ol'reefer · #3 04/10/2002, 07:09 PM

Most DIY Chillers I have seen utilize a dorm fridge, teflon tubing, a container for water and a pump. Just do a Google search on DIY Chiller.

cuda6872 · #4 04/12/2002, 12:53 AM

Buy one of those small freezers. (2-3 cubic ft.) Drill 2 holes in the door close to the hinges. Buy some vinyl tubing, enough to run from your sump into the freezer, coil up inside, & back to the return pump for the main tank. Object is to run a slower flow of water into the freezer to cool it. The more tubing you have coiled inside the freezer, the longer time it has the be cooled. Using a small powerhead or water pump with a very low flow to draw water from the sump & pump it into the freezer & back out. Best bet is to use a used freezer so you won't have that fear of breaking something that is brand new. Hope this helps

Honeybee...What is a freshwater heatsink? I've never seen one. Any places on the web sell them?

honeybee · #5 04/13/2002, 03:12 PM

Mike,

A heat sink is any cool location such as a basement, root cellar, wine cellar, maybe a crawl space. You need at least a 5 degree differential between the desired tank temperature and the sink temp. A freshwater container (metal is best) that is at least two to three times the gallon capacity of your total salt system. The heat exchange tubing can be anything that is salt/invertebrate safe. Glass would be good but it can be can be expensive and difficult to work. I use PVC. I have been using the DIY system for the past ten years.

Frank

portelli · #6 04/22/2002, 03:15 PM

I thought about makeing a chiller like the iceprobe but with a bigger TEC. The problem I'm having is how to get the cool part into the water.

GROSSR · #7 04/22/2002, 10:17 PM

Search the forums before going with the refridge idea. I read about this 2-3 years ago. Last summer I almost did it. I read a few posts about heat exchange, basically I read that the little refridge can't keep up with the warm water. Some guy who understand this stuff made it clear, at least to me, that the refridge idea won't work as well as we all expect.

Search and read before spending the time and money on the DIY project.

Good luck