0.5HP chiller for 3 footer

[dominik]

Bro, Thinking of getting a 0.5 HP chiller to replace mine ever running 1/10 CL300 chiller. It is for my 3 footer. It is good to use oversize chiller for the tank just like using oversize skimmer? What are the pros and cons? Thanks

[lyz77]

The pros is that it will chill down your tank faster and the cons is the power consumption! Hving an over-rated chiller does not necessarily means more cost saving and it depends on how long you gonna price even between the cost of your chiller and the monthly electrical bill!

Wht's the chiller brand and cost u r looking at?

[cowgum]

IMO An over-rated chiller cost more but brings saving in terms of running cost. It would also last longer as it is not running all the time. The temperature would also be more stable. When you talk about 1/2HP there is an even larger gap in performance since some brands use R22 which is super cold compared to normal R134a. I have seen the titanium coil of a chiller running on R22 icing almost imediately if not running with water.

[dominik]

i might be getting a second hand pac coo chiller from derek. Not sure it is running on R22 or R134a.

[May&Bruce]

Also, dont forgtet about the noise. A 1/2 HP chiller make quite a bit of noise - too much to have in your living room, unless you have it tucked away in a soundproof (and ventilated) cabinet.

[dominik]

Also, dont forgtet about the noise. A 1/2 HP chiller make quite a bit of noise - too much to have in your living room, unless you have it tucked away in a soundproof (and ventilated) cabinet.

will take note of that. My tank is beside the window facing my front door. the noise should ne mininal. now need to build up vit m before buying.

[ckkoon]

I have been using a 0.5hp pac coo chiller running on R22 for my 5ft tank for almost 2 years with not a single problem. I must say i'm a satisfied customer and derek provides great after sales service as well.

[Nickel]

IMO An over-rated chiller cost more but brings saving in terms of running cost. It would also last longer as it is not running all the time. The temperature would also be more stable. When you talk about 1/2HP there is an even larger gap in performance since some brands use R22 which is super cold compared to normal R134a. I have seen the titanium coil of a chiller running on R22 icing almost imediately if not running with water.

I still cannot figure out how an overrated chiller can save on cost of electricity.

My view is that, though I agree that bigger capacity chiller brings down temperature at faster rate, but consuming higher power in the shorter period of time it is running, the rise in temperature (when chiller is off) is identical to whatever size of chiller used as the chiller is off and is only dependent on the very same content of the tank and the ambient temperature.

For example, the same tank will take the same amount of time to raise from 25 degrees to 27 degrees irregardless of chiller as it will be off during this period of time. Hence the chiller stop time should be same.

In fact, if you extrapolate and plot a chart of the chiller's start/stop frequency over a day, you will find that the chiller actually runs more frequently, ie, shorter run time to chill from 27 to 25 degrees, same period of chiller off time for temperature to rise from 25 to 27 degrees, then chiller start again. These more frequent start/stop cycle will expedite chiller worn-out.

I can agree it is good to just 1 size over-rate the chiller, but overly oversized will have reverse effect.

I am still trying to figure out the justification of 'overrate chiller save cost in long run'. Kindly advise if my understanding above is not correct.

BTW, I used a 0.5HP for my 5 footer+sump and 1/6HP for 3 footer.