chillers

[SkyCatcher]

Hi,

Can anyone share any experience on the use of chillers. I want/need to put
one on a large (2000L) tank and have no previous experience of installing or
operating these.

thanks,

sky

[Mark Elliott]

I've got one on a 100 gal reef with 500w of Halides.

A couple of (obvious points)

1.. They kick out A LOT OF HEAT (think lots and then double it or more - I mean lots of heat) - think very carefully where you are going to site the chiller because you won't get to keep any friends if you end up exhausting all the waste heat into your living room!
2.. The make a load of noise (even the "silent" ones) - see above.
3.. Most need quite a bit of room around them.
Now some less obvious points.
1.. At least once a year you'll have to disconnect it and flush out the chiller - so you'll have to carry it to a drain and attach a garden hose - make sure you can lift the chiller without doing yourself an injury.
2.. You'll need a pump to circulate the water through the chiller - Overdo the pump capacity and throttle it back if necessary.
3.. Be careful how you sort out the piping to install the thing - see above. You'll have to site it away from your tank and you'll need to disconnect it. If a hose comes lose you'll have a flood so be careful.
Other than that (and the expense, of course). I'm happy with mine.

Cheers.


Mark


"SkyCatcher" > wrote in message ...
> Hi,
>
> Can anyone share any experience on the use of chillers. I want/need to put
> one on a large (2000L) tank and have no previous experience of installing or
> operating these.
>
> thanks,
>
> sky
>
>

[SkyCatcher]

Mark,

Brill reply - exacxtly the sort of practical info I was after.

thanks
"Mark Elliott" > wrote in message .. .
I've got one on a 100 gal reef with 500w of Halides.

A couple of (obvious points)

1.. They kick out A LOT OF HEAT (think lots and then double it or more - I mean lots of heat) - think very carefully where you are going to site the chiller because you won't get to keep any friends if you end up exhausting all the waste heat into your living room!
2.. The make a load of noise (even the "silent" ones) - see above.
3.. Most need quite a bit of room around them.
Now some less obvious points.
1.. At least once a year you'll have to disconnect it and flush out the chiller - so you'll have to carry it to a drain and attach a garden hose - make sure you can lift the chiller without doing yourself an injury.
2.. You'll need a pump to circulate the water through the chiller - Overdo the pump capacity and throttle it back if necessary.
3.. Be careful how you sort out the piping to install the thing - see above. You'll have to site it away from your tank and you'll need to disconnect it. If a hose comes lose you'll have a flood so be careful.
Other than that (and the expense, of course). I'm happy with mine.

Cheers.


Mark


"SkyCatcher" > wrote in message ...
> Hi,
>
> Can anyone share any experience on the use of chillers. I want/need to put
> one on a large (2000L) tank and have no previous experience of installing or
> operating these.
>
> thanks,
>
> sky
>
>

[Mark Elliott]

Thanks.

One other thing - as with any electrical appliance that switches on and off at random like a fridge there's chance it will interfere with other electrical stuff like your TV of HiFi.

I'm told that a competent electrician can fix that sort of thing.


Mark
"SkyCatcher" > wrote in message ...
Mark,

Brill reply - exacxtly the sort of practical info I was after.

thanks
"Mark Elliott" > wrote in message .. .
I've got one on a 100 gal reef with 500w of Halides.

A couple of (obvious points)

1.. They kick out A LOT OF HEAT (think lots and then double it or more - I mean lots of heat) - think very carefully where you are going to site the chiller because you won't get to keep any friends if you end up exhausting all the waste heat into your living room!
2.. The make a load of noise (even the "silent" ones) - see above.
3.. Most need quite a bit of room around them.
Now some less obvious points.
1.. At least once a year you'll have to disconnect it and flush out the chiller - so you'll have to carry it to a drain and attach a garden hose - make sure you can lift the chiller without doing yourself an injury.
2.. You'll need a pump to circulate the water through the chiller - Overdo the pump capacity and throttle it back if necessary.
3.. Be careful how you sort out the piping to install the thing - see above. You'll have to site it away from your tank and you'll need to disconnect it. If a hose comes lose you'll have a flood so be careful.
Other than that (and the expense, of course). I'm happy with mine.

Cheers.


Mark


"SkyCatcher" > wrote in message ...
> Hi,
>
> Can anyone share any experience on the use of chillers. I want/need to put
> one on a large (2000L) tank and have no previous experience of installing or
> operating these.
>
> thanks,
>
> sky
>
>