Is BIG really good??

[Tanggy]

But on the other hand, if got to move house, it's always better to rent a lorry than to get a van. van will take too many trips!! ke ke..

forgive my example!!

[Achilles Tang]

LOL! Okie... I see your point.

Someone should do a controlled experiment on chillers. I wonder if Dr Chill will volunteer his range of chillers!

[Tanggy]

Well like they say, there only one way to find out, try it for yourself!! Ha ha... well if his willing, I'll be the first to volunteer! ke ke.... does not make economic sense for me to buy one and try!! ke ke....

[Achilles Tang]

I feel the 'C' word coming out!.........C H E A P O !!!!!!!!!!

[Tanggy]

Excuse... me..... but spending 1.8k on a chiller just to see whether it is cheaper to run when I just bought a teco is not my ideal of being generous.

If that's cheapo, would rather be a cheapo than to waste the money just to prove a point on a experiment.

Cos better a cheapo than a moron with where to spend his money!!

Got better place to spend my money leh

Like corals, fish, more corals, or just spend on galfriend!! ke ke....

[Tanggy]

Think that money can get a good skimmer... hm..... come to think of it, I do need a good skimmer....

[Achilles Tang]

Oh.. you bought a Teco chiller? I thought you just said you didn't have one?

[Tanggy]

Think I misguided in my previous post. Me running a 0.5HP now. Okay for now la. Jus meant that did not make sense to buy another one and try.

[weileong]

Hiya so many discussion

To tell the truth my first chiller was a TECO TW6 which is the newer model of the RA680 which is also a 0.5hp.

Temp is set at 25degs and HY set at 2 degs so compressor will turn on when temp reaches 28 degs and stops when it reach 25 degs. Due to the lack of decimal point, the compressor actually works between 28.1 and 25.9 so you're going for a drop of 2.2 degs.

When the lights comes on the chiller had to run non-stop for the whole duration of the light period, it had only hold the temp at 27 degs, only after the lights off it has to run an additional 4 hrs before the temp reaches 25 degs.

In this case I estimated the chiller to be running like 20 hrs a day. Based on this, it is not enough power right?

Another factor is that my chiller is not in the cabinet and in fact the exhaust is pointing into the kitchen which has quite okie ventilation so it is not drawing in warm air.

Based on this, should I buy another 0.5hp reef relief/titanium chiller??

So I got the 1.25hp Titanium and run time is around 10hrs which is half that of the TECO.

Before that Dr Chill T-loan me one 0.5hp Reef Relief for one week. I did not really go measure it's run time like what I did for the 1.25hp titanium. However I do notice that it is able to pull the temp down to 25 degs (set point 25 degs, HY 2 degs) and run time is definately lesser than 20hrs.

After few suggestion at the review thread.

I've installed a ball valve for the 1260 and tune such that the temp difference between the input/output water from the chiller is 2degs. Before that it is 1degs.

Raise the MH higher (5") from 3".

All these made no difference to the chilling time.

This morning I've done the following:

I've shifted the my MH until it is 5" from the water surface, turn off my skimmer and return pump so now the only return is from the 1260 via the chiller.

Will monitor the chilling time today but I seriously doubt it will cut the chilling time from 4 hrs down to 2 hrs during lights off.

With all those reports of running time. I wonder if anyone really go log down the actual running time, meaning sit in front of the chiller and see it run, use video to record, webcam to photograph when the temp reading changes or just estimation??? Because the initital temp drop can take quite a while if you're returning back to the main tank.

[Tanggy]

hmm...... 20 hrs?? I know of people running 1/4hp for a tank your size leh..... have you tried locating the source of your heat?? something is definitely heating up your water.

Well did not watch it all the time la. but have been tracking when I sit infront and notice it runs for 2hr+ with all lights on. set it to 25deg. when temp reach 26, chiller kicks in and takes 2hr+ to cool by 1deg with all lights on. Then notice it stop for 2hrs then runs again. That why my caculation is estimated base on a all lights on all time basis (worst case) and I have estimated it will be around 12hrs-14hrs if all lights are on all the time per day.

Thus the reason for this thread. Cos was wondering if yours take 10hrs and even if mine runs 14hrs, I still svae tons of electricity. Thus wanted to get more stats from bros here.

[weileong]

if I am not wrong, RA680 don't show decimal place so if you set temp to 25 and HY as 1 degs then actually compressor will turn in at 26.1 degs and stop at 25.1

Please correct me if I am wrong, that is why usually they set HY as 2 degs so it cuts in at 27.1 and turns off at 25.1.

[weileong]

I find all these review and discussion very useful. If not I will still be running the chiller with all those heat loads and end up paying electrical bills thru the nose.

I now highly suspect the heat source is caused by my Atman AT-106 return pump that I am using. It is now off. In fact the Oceanfree 9000 pump using on my skimmer is also off so there is no submersed pump now. Only heat source is thru heat exchange with the ambient, 2x36W PL and the 1260 (run externally) which is running the chiller.

With the 2 submersed pumps running at around 12 midnight this morning it takes abt 1 hrs 50mins for the temp to raise from 25.0 to 25.1degs.

The temp today is very very cooling but then last night should be colder right?

Right now it is already 2 hrs since the compressor has turn off and the temp is still 24.8 degs. Will need to note the total time it takes to raise 0.1degs and we'll know if I got the culprit.

I know the oceanfree 9000 is not the main culprit because last night I tried to turn it off and it didn't make a difference.

[Tanzy]

There is an option for the RA680 to switch to decimel point display.

[Tanggy]

I suspect that pump do contribute a lot to the temp of a tank. That's why I left the return pump outside when designing my new tank layout. Will need to get a 1250 to place outside for the chiller pump outside soon. cos I still have a few pump in the water. Chiller pump, skimmer pump and 2 powerheads in main tank.

Ya the ra680 start when the input temp reach 26.1 and stops at 25.1. That's is what I prefer. I prefer the chiller to cool the water within a 1deg range. Not sure why some people put it to start at 28 and stop at 25 or something like that.

My ideal is to maintain the water temp to a min deviation. Imagine if you home aircon start when the temp is 28 then cool it to 25 then wait for it to climb to 28 again. would you feel confortable?? I prefer it to run slightly more often but shorter period then to run less often but for long period.

[Tanggy]

There is an option for the RA680 to switch to decimel point display.

Is there?? how??

[weileong]

Compressor turns on and off too many times will reduce the lifespan of the compressor as well as consume more electricty

I sort of agree with you too.

That is why I set mine to HY 1.5 degs.

Also if I let the compressor run too long like say 10 hrs at one go then confirm my house become suana liao, no need $$$ to go health center.

[reef2]

u may also wan to add a few fans to blow at the water surface/mh. i have 5 fans blowing when the mhs are on. it helps

[weisoon]

weileong

Don't know if this helps.....

http://www.jbjlighting.com/prod_chiller_size.asp.

Cheers

[weileong]

what???? they recommended a 1/3hp ???

Judging from the way the 0.5hp TECO runs, I think the 1/3hp is going to run 24hrs a day turning my place into a desert.

Actually still don't feel as hot as the desert cos it goes up to 42degs in the day and 38degs at night, that's during summer in Arizona

[Achilles Tang]

Most chillers including Teco are not specifically made for the tropics.

Dr Chill told me that the US/European brands of chillers' compressors and the condensor coils are made much smaller because the target market is the european market where the air is often cooler and drier, making heat exchange much easier.

It does make sense to me because car manufacturers often have to 'tropicalise' their continental cars eg. bigger engine fans etc. or they will break down faster due to the tropical heat

Perhaps, that explains why the local chillers/asian brands are usually bigger and heavier because the components are over-sized?

[Tanggy]

But for them, they use it just for summer and they summer temp can reach above 40deg.

No offence to anyone but in this case he is the seller, obectivity is in question. Like never trust the LFS on all the advise they give you. Not cos they lying but just that their judement can be clouded by other factors and it is very hard to be objective. Just about every site I go to tell me not to believe someone who has something to sell you. No offence.

[Yellow Tang]

Hi all,

Like to share what I have seen on different types of chiller available in the market. What are the factors affecting chiller efficiency.

Ventilation - chiller must be well ventilated.

Chiller heat exchanger - cannot be too small, if too small, how big your compressor is also no use. Compressor, condenser coil, condenser coil fan, filter drier and TEV, usually the air con company will recommend, so getting all this no problem. Its the heat exchanger that plays an important part to the chilling efficiency. Its better to have a bigger heat exchanger than a small one.

The chiller pump - cannot be too slow or too fast, if your tank volume is 600 litres, 1000 litres per hour is sufficient already. If water flow rate is too fast, water is not even being chilled when going into chiller and got to make its way back to sump tank.

Heat exchange of heat exchanger - The amount of time water stay in the heat exchanger for heat exchange also plays a part, water needs to travel across the cooling coil in the heat exchanger for maximum chilling before coming out from the outlet. Therefore, the inlet and outlet of heat exchanger should be situated at opposite ends to make sure water actually travels across the heat exchanger coil. Most of the chiller brands use this theory, excepts a few brands.....

Insulation - Insulation of all chilled piping and heat exchanger, if chilled piping and heat exchanger not insulated, efficiency will drop, if temperature set too low, even condensation occurs.

Conclusion, even if you have two different brand 0.5HP chiller, both will perform differently, depends on the above mentioned.

0.5HP chiller with good heat exchanger, ventilation and correct pump flow rate can chill down a 800 litres tank easily.

Just wondering those who are using 1.25HP chiller to chill their giant tank, how big is actually the chiller? I have seen 1.25 chiller compressor, its very big in size, about the size of a single window unit air con or maybe bigger. I'm curious because so many uses 1.25 HP chiller, where do you guys place your chiller? Just wondering a single window unit air con can cool down a room, is it a must to use 1.25HP to chill down a 6ft or 7ft tank?

[Tanzy]

Yell Tang,

Thanks for the breakdown.

Lotsa light + lotsa pumps = lotsa heat. Lesser chillers can't keep up.

Chiller is on the floor one foot away from the tank with hot air vented away from it.