Ask your chiller related issues here

[ihavtats29]

I am a Hvac/r service tech with 13 years in the business, for the last 3 years ive been repairing chillers for the local reefing comunity , if your having and issues with your chiller i will be glad to help ,

jim

[Misos Anthropos]

I have what may be a silly question.

Do they make an all plastic radiator for some application that would be safe to use in a reef tank?

While reading one of the other threads I got curious and searched for "plastic radiator" and all I came up with was auto applications. And they all have aluminum cores. Maybe some other industry needs a radiator thats non metallic?

[ihavtats29]

not that i am aware of they use aluminum for the ability to exchange heat , they do coat some with a thin layer of plastic for harsh enviroments but nothing i know of or would trust in a reef tank

jim

[ihavtats29]

please post your issues here and not by PM , that way someone can read thru the thread and find the answer

thanks

[ihavtats29]

last time you PM'd your chiller?

not much to do to a chiller to keep it running correctly here are 2 things you should allways perform to your chiller to keep it operating correctly

1) clean filter as often as once a month

2) blow out the condencer coil every 6 months

[TheH]

How do you blow out the condenser coil?

[kilze1]

Hi my name is Beth. Pretty new to reef keeping. I have a nano artica chiller that stopped pumping or the pump stopped pumping. I cleaned up the pump and reversed the flow through the chiller as was suggested in the manual. I then hooked it back up the correct way and turned it on and thought everything was perfect. I had my temp set on 77 degrees. It didn't shutoff at 77 and continued chilling without an alarm until the tank sat at 65 degrees for a whole day and stuff started dying. Can I fix this problem or should I get a new chiller?? Very pricey would like to fix just don't know what I'm doing or even looking at if I open it up.

Thanks for reading

Beth K

[ihavtats29]

How do you blow out the condenser coil?

a can of compressed air will do fine on small coils , but if the coil is badly impacted more preasure will be needed , they make a compressed air cylender that you can refill at any air pump

[ihavtats29]

Hi my name is Beth. Pretty new to reef keeping. I have a nano artica chiller that stopped pumping or the pump stopped pumping. I cleaned up the pump and reversed the flow through the chiller as was suggested in the manual. I then hooked it back up the correct way and turned it on and thought everything was perfect. I had my temp set on 77 degrees. It didn't shutoff at 77 and continued chilling without an alarm until the tank sat at 65 degrees for a whole day and stuff started dying. Can I fix this problem or should I get a new chiller?? Very pricey would like to fix just don't know what I'm doing or even looking at if I open it up.

Thanks for reading

Beth K

did the the chiller work right before the flow was reversed? if so return it to the way it was and see if that works , there could be trash on the thermistor you could try to rise out the chiller with ro water. if tat does not work it could be a t-stat issue .that type of chiller does not have a very acurate thermostat , it is a dial controled stat, the digital ones will be more acurate, i would try to raise the temp on the t-stat untill you get the setting /temp where you want it, also the t-stat may be sticking or going out.if thats the case the stat will need to be replaced, the JBJ chiller you have has a 2 year warrenty , if not expired i would have them take care of the issue.a replacement factory stat you would be able to get from JBJ. if the stat cannot be replaced i would set it to the closest setting you can get it to hold stable and get a reef controler and a hd dc4 to control the temp, another option would be to find someone in the HVAC industry or if you or someone you know is mechanicly inclined , the Johnson controls A419 refridgeration controler will run operate the chiller , you will need to get some heat shrink tubing to seal the thermistor probe. if it gets to that point i will help you wire and program the controler , a replacement factory stat you would be able to get from JBJ

hope this helps if any more questions feel free to ask

jim

[Fifth0vodka]

I have a Pacific Coast C-0500 unit that I am trying to troubleshoot. The unit wont get any cooler that 2-3 degrees below ambient temp, and when I run the unit with waterflow (~1100gph) it actually heats the water up. I opened the unit, removed all the water, and ran it just to try the static test. The fan works, but the coils don't cool. Not sure if I should feel them cooling, or if it should be room temp. No warranty on this unit, it was bought at least 2 years ago, but just attempted the install this week.

Is it low on refrigerant? Or is the compressor bad? Any suggestions? and thanks for your help in advance.

[Maivortex]

What do you think about the quality of this chiller?
http://www.horticulturesource.com/hydrofarm-activeaqua-chiller-1-4-hp-p6397/?osCsid=7989f0af3f9cb351b4c2667cda359622

[wrimda]

Hello, I bought a used JBJ Arctica 1/4 hp chiller last weekend for my 120 gal reef tank. Seems to work great but, if I set the temp at 78 the tank temp goes from 79 to 77 deg back and forth all day( maybe twice a day). Is there a way to get the chiller to come on or shut down in 1/2 deg increments?
I would think that this would put stress on the fish or coral.
Thank you in advance

[ThaNgBOm321]

Quote:
Originally Posted by TheH View Post
How do you blow out the condenser coil?
a can of compressed air will do fine on small coils , but if the coil is badly impacted more preasure will be needed , they make a compressed air cylender that you can refill at any air pump


in case you didn't know, the condenser is the coil gives off the heat that has been taken away from the water. In a home split system, it would be the unit outside with the fan.

[BFG]

Hello fellow chiller user!

If you have a problem with the chiller that keep switching on and off all the time, a good fix is to have an external temperature probe modification done to your chiller. Normally, a chiller will monitor the water temperature inside itself but this is a flaw. While the water in the chiller compartment may reach the desired temperature, the tank water might have a different temperature reading altogether, which is always higher than the one in the chiller.

Having an external temperature sensor located in the sump, it will measure the water temperature of the tank instead of the water in the chiller. This is a more accurate temperature reading as it is the aim of the chiller to cool the water in the tank as oppose to chilling the water in the chiller compartment.

The issue with chiller turning off and on is that sometimes folks bought the wrong pump, either it is under powered or too powerful. An under powered pump will cause the water in the chiller compartment to be chilled faster and while the water in the chiller compartment reaches the desired temperature,the chiller will switch off for a moment until that compartment is replaced by more water which is always at a higher temperature than in the chiller compartment and the chiller will switch on again.

An over powered pump will continue to push water into the chiller but due to the higher water flow, the chiller would have less contact time to chill the water making it longer to chill the tank water.

But, by having an external temperature sensor in the sump, the chiller is chilling the whole tank water volume. When this sensor reaches the desired temperature, the chiller will switch off it's chilling process for quite a time while the total water temperature naturally rises due to other factor such as heat from pumps and such. From this perspective, this is a better option of chilling the tank water. This is how I have mine configured to.


Hope this helps!

[ihavtats29]

sorry im out of town and realy dont have acess to a computer i will answer all your questions when i get back , sorry for any delays

[wrimda]

Thanks BFG,

I think that the external temp probe would be a great addition.
But I still have the same problem in that if the chiller can cool the tank 2 degrees in say for example 1 hr, and the tank rises 2 degrees in say 4 hrs during the day with lights on I still have the temp in the tank going from 79 to 77, twice during the day.

I would think that I would have 2 options
1. Resize the chiller smaller, to not cool as fast?
2. or, I was hoping to reconfigure the temp setting in the chiller to come on
at .5 deg above set point, and shut off .5 below set point?

Maybe we are better off without the chiller, where the tank went from 77
to 81 once a day?

[trag]

What do you think about the quality of this chiller?
http://www.horticulturesource.com/hydrofarm-activeaqua-chiller-1-4-hp-p6397/?osCsid=7989f0af3f9cb351b4c2667cda359622

I wonder what the heat exchanger/cooling coil in this chiller is made out of. The ones made for aquariums are typically titanium to prevent corrosion and toxicity issues. Because the chiller you linked to is intended for hydroponics, it may have an aluminum or even copper heat exchanger.

[BFG]

Thanks BFG,

I think that the external temp probe would be a great addition.
But I still have the same problem in that if the chiller can cool the tank 2 degrees in say for example 1 hr, and the tank rises 2 degrees in say 4 hrs during the day with lights on I still have the temp in the tank going from 79 to 77, twice during the day.

I would think that I would have 2 options
1. Resize the chiller smaller, to not cool as fast?
2. or, I was hoping to reconfigure the temp setting in the chiller to come on
at .5 deg above set point, and shut off .5 below set point?

Maybe we are better off without the chiller, where the tank went from 77
to 81 once a day?

Twice a day is really good in my opinion. Mine switch on every 2 1/2 hr and took 25 minute to bring down 1 degree celsius, from 26 degree celsius to 25 degree celsius.

[tegee]

I have a 1/3hp JBJ chiller on a 180-gl. sps tank. It takes a long time (sometimes 3 hrs) to take the temp. down 2-degrees. I had a local HVAC repair person thoroughly clean the condenser and heat exchanger; both of which were very dirty and now they are spotless. I hook it up yesterday and it still takes a very long time to come down 2-degrees.

I performed a static test on it last night and it takes about 20-minutes to come down about 2-degrees and then does not come down anymore than say from 77 to maybe 75.8 degrees.

Do you know what the problem might be from here? Can it be the compressor? He said the freon should be fine and that there were no signs of leaks? He did not want to test for freon because he stated he would have to pierce the system to test???

Can someone please chime in and let me know what my next step should be? Can I replace a compressor or is it cost prohibitive???

Thanks in advance for any help......

[ihavtats29]

What do you think about the quality of this chiller?
http://www.horticulturesource.com/hydrofarm-activeaqua-chiller-1-4-hp-p6397/?osCsid=7989f0af3f9cb351b4c2667cda359622

im not sure what to think of it they claim its freon free, freon is a name brand of refridgerant distributed by carrier, so im pertty sure it still uses a cfc or hcfc refridgerant or its a ammonia system, either way its not designed for the reef aquaria and may have a copper tubed heat exchanger, i would not get it with out further info from the manufacture

[ihavtats29]

Quote:
Originally Posted by TheH View Post
How do you blow out the condenser coil?
a can of compressed air will do fine on small coils , but if the coil is badly impacted more preasure will be needed , they make a compressed air cylender that you can refill at any air pump


in case you didn't know, the condenser is the coil gives off the heat that has been taken away from the water. In a home split system, it would be the unit outside with the fan.

that is not correct . basic refridgeration 101 the condencer coil does exactly what it says, the compressor , compersses a lolw pressure cool gas into a high pressure hot gas it then moves to the condencer coil that converts the hot gas to a warm liquid it movesot the evaporator coil frist going thru a expansion devise changing the warm liquid to a saturated vapor in the evaporator coil the air or water flowing across the coil is where you get you cooling from

[A Reef Scene]

Can you increase the cooling of the chiller by adding a larger flow thorugh coil or would just make the system not work as hard to pull the temp downn.

[ihavtats29]

Can you increase the cooling of the chiller by adding a larger flow thorugh coil or would just make the system not work as hard to pull the temp downn.

too much flow will not allow the temp of the water to change as it is needed, you should use the amount of flow recomended by the manufacture for your chiller not exceeding thier specs

[ihavtats29]

Hello fellow chiller user!

If you have a problem with the chiller that keep switching on and off all the time, a good fix is to have an external temperature probe modification done to your chiller. Normally, a chiller will monitor the water temperature inside itself but this is a flaw. While the water in the chiller compartment may reach the desired temperature, the tank water might have a different temperature reading altogether, which is always higher than the one in the chiller.

Having an external temperature sensor located in the sump, it will measure the water temperature of the tank instead of the water in the chiller. This is a more accurate temperature reading as it is the aim of the chiller to cool the water in the tank as oppose to chilling the water in the chiller compartment.

The issue with chiller turning off and on is that sometimes folks bought the wrong pump, either it is under powered or too powerful. An under powered pump will cause the water in the chiller compartment to be chilled faster and while the water in the chiller compartment reaches the desired temperature,the chiller will switch off for a moment until that compartment is replaced by more water which is always at a higher temperature than in the chiller compartment and the chiller will switch on again.

An over powered pump will continue to push water into the chiller but due to the higher water flow, the chiller would have less contact time to chill the water making it longer to chill the tank water.

But, by having an external temperature sensor in the sump, the chiller is chilling the whole tank water volume. When this sensor reaches the desired temperature, the chiller will switch off it's chilling process for quite a time while the total water temperature naturally rises due to other factor such as heat from pumps and such. From this perspective, this is a better option of chilling the tank water. This is how I have mine configured to.


Hope this helps!

Good answer , the only issue with a remote temp sensor is that if your pump fails the chiller will keep chilling and will freeze the water in the heat exchanger causing the exchanger to crack, if you put a remote sensor on the system you should add a flow switch in the entering water line with a low voltage relay and transformer controling the mainpower keeping the chiller from running with out a pump, about a additional $40 that will save you from having to replace your chiller due to a cracked exchanger

[ihavtats29]

Thanks BFG,

I think that the external temp probe would be a great addition.
But I still have the same problem in that if the chiller can cool the tank 2 degrees in say for example 1 hr, and the tank rises 2 degrees in say 4 hrs during the day with lights on I still have the temp in the tank going from 79 to 77, twice during the day.

I would think that I would have 2 options
1. Resize the chiller smaller, to not cool as fast?
2. or, I was hoping to reconfigure the temp setting in the chiller to come on
at .5 deg above set point, and shut off .5 below set point?

Maybe we are better off without the chiller, where the tank went from 77
to 81 once a day?

the temp diferential of your controler is programed by the manufacture for a +/- 1 degree diferantial a smaller chiller will do the same depending on the controler used , research your chiller purchases with the manufacture before buying a new one to see if you can control it the way you want it. you may not even need a chiller try a clip on desk fan for your sump , it keeps my 60 gal at a stable 78 and is plugged in my lighting timer to come on when my lights do

[ihavtats29]

I have a 1/3hp JBJ chiller on a 180-gl. sps tank. It takes a long time (sometimes 3 hrs) to take the temp. down 2-degrees. I had a local HVAC repair person thoroughly clean the condenser and heat exchanger; both of which were very dirty and now they are spotless. I hook it up yesterday and it still takes a very long time to come down 2-degrees.

I performed a static test on it last night and it takes about 20-minutes to come down about 2-degrees and then does not come down anymore than say from 77 to maybe 75.8 degrees.

Do you know what the problem might be from here? Can it be the compressor? He said the freon should be fine and that there were no signs of leaks? He did not want to test for freon because he stated he would have to pierce the system to test???

Can someone please chime in and let me know what my next step should be? Can I replace a compressor or is it cost prohibitive???

Thanks in advance for any help......

it could be the location of the chiller if the chiller is under the stand you could be recirculating the hot air off the condencer coil ( stacking air). try setting it outside the stand. when you put a chiller under a stand it should be in its own sealed compartment with a cut out the size of the coil up against the cut out and a 4'' cooling fan blowing into the compartment , also a min of 4'' off the wall, if the chiller does not have good cool air flow it will not be able to cool correctly, depending on the chiller and if its american or a jap made compressor and btu's and amp drawn can be closely matched then the compressor can be replaced cost effective not at all, unless you can do it your self it would most likely cost as much as a new chiller or more ,

[tegee]

ihavtats29...........

What are your thoughts on this???

I have a 1/3hp JBJ chiller on a 180-gl. sps tank. It takes a long time (sometimes 3 hrs) to take the temp. down 2-degrees. I had a local HVAC repair person thoroughly clean the condenser and heat exchanger; both of which were very dirty and now they are spotless. I hook it up yesterday and it still takes a very long time to come down 2-degrees.

I performed a static test on it last night and it takes about 20-minutes to come down about 2-degrees and then does not come down anymore than say from 77 to maybe 75.8 degrees.

Do you know what the problem might be from here? Can it be the compressor? He said the freon should be fine and that there were no signs of leaks? He did not want to test for freon because he stated he would have to pierce the system to test???

Can someone please chime in and let me know what my next step should be? Can I replace a compressor or is it cost prohibitive???

Thanks in advance for any help......

[ihavtats29]

either what i posted above or there is a leak some where in the system , most leaks will be found at the flare connections going into the heat exchanger, the compressor can be check by amp draw getting close to the rated running amps also feel the suction line on the compressor commoni from the heat exchanger it will be insulated and should get cold when running located near the top on the side of the compressor, carefull not to grab the discharge line going to the condencer coil for it will be HOT, if the suction line is not getting cold there is most likely a refridgerant leak, slim odds that the compressor is not pumping

[cee]

What are typical high and low pressures in the system?

[ihavtats29]

it depends on the type of refridgerant and load the chiller is under along with ambiant temps, an average r-22 system would have a low/ suction preasure around 65psi and the high/ discharge/liquid line preasure between 175 and 225

[BFG]

Good answer , the only issue with a remote temp sensor is that if your pump fails the chiller will keep chilling and will freeze the water in the heat exchanger causing the exchanger to crack, if you put a remote sensor on the system you should add a flow switch in the entering water line with a low voltage relay and transformer controling the mainpower keeping the chiller from running with out a pump, about a additional $40 that will save you from having to replace your chiller due to a cracked exchanger

Yup, the pump is the only factor that could failed and that is avoidable by using a work horse pump like an Eheim pump. As for the float switch, I'm not a technical wizard by trade so I can't fiddle with stuff I'm not familiar with. The modification was done by my air-con technician. I have since upgraded to a Mitsubishi air-con compressor with rubber coated coil in the sump together with an external temperature probe. The worry of the chiller freezing is over with this upgrade but still the achilles heel is still in the pump.

[ihavtats29]

not a float switch a flow switsh , it sences water flow thru the pipe gong into the chiler, basicly its a pvc t that is inline that has a no/nc switch with a paddle on it when the water passes over the paddle it closes the switch and allows the chiller to run when water flow is lost the switch will turn off the chiller, it is what is used on all comercial chillers and boilers as a main safty

[tegee]

ok ihavtats.......first THANK you very much for your help so far.

Here is the deal with my jbj 1/3hp chiller. When a perform a static test the temp now drops pretty quickly from 79 to 62 degrees in about 5-minutes. The compressor feels cool to the touch and the suction line into the compressor is also noticeably cool, while the outlet tubing to the condenser is hot as you described. All good signs I would assume. I do want to note that I had a local HVAC guy thoroughly clean the condenser and heat exchange, so we are good there.

Ok, now to the good stuff. I let the chiller completely cool down from the morning static tests. I have now lights on, only my 3-external pumps running, etc. Had the chiller kick on at 79 degrees and now the chiller has been running for 30-minutes and it is still running at 79 degrees. The compressor is now very hot to the touch and the suction line is only slightly cool to the touch not very cold like it was during the static tests. I am going to say that it will take at least 2-hours to cool down 2-degrees.

BTW: I pulled the chiller out into open area by adding 4'+ feet of 3/4" tubing so it is not stacking its own heat, which was a great suggestions. Although not in a closet or under stand, it was definitely in tight quarters.

What do you think can be the problem? Is this chiller simply under rated for a 200-gl. sps tank. The HVAC guy told me that if the compressor gets too hot (overworked) there is a safety type switch that trips the compressor so it does not overheat. Can that be happening. I have a Blueline recirculating pump hook up that is rated for 1200-gls/hr and when I did the RC head loss calculations it states that it is only pumping about ~500-gls./hr with all the ells, ballvalves, etc.

Please advise as to what I should check next........MANY THANKS again for all your help to date.

[checkx1]

Any insight on good quality chillers and ones to avoid. Looking to get one for total water
volume of 60g.

[BFG]

Tegee, what is directly behind the chiller now? There should be about a couple of feet or more behind the chiller so the hot air could dissipate. If you place it right near a wall, the heat might also be recycled back into the chiller. You could raise the chiller and place near the window so that the hot air is vented outside.


Checkx1, chiller from China are cheap and ok in my book, had used them before, only that they should have an external temperature probe modification done on them. I had one WITHOUT the modification and it over worked and broke down. A friend of mine has the same model WITH the modification done and is still running nearly a year now. My upgraded air-con compressor chiller is also modded with the external temperature probe. As long as you take care of the chiller by giving it space to vent hot air away from it and regular maintenance on the condenser/heat exchanger, you might have a worry free chiller for a few years and if they broke down, replacing one isn't going to break the bank. Arctica and Teco are a good brand but you need to check for their after sales service.

1 thing I remembered now is to check for stray current from the mod. The technician doing the modification might not do a good job so checking this is absolutely important. Mine is free from stray current in the water.

[ThaNgBOm321]

that is not correct . basic refridgeration 101 the condencer coil does exactly what it says, the compressor , compersses a lolw pressure cool gas into a high pressure hot gas it then moves to the condencer coil that converts the hot gas to a warm liquid it movesot the evaporator coil frist going thru a expansion devise changing the warm liquid to a saturated vapor in the evaporator coil the air or water flowing across the coil is where you get you cooling from



heh, your right, I was just plotting things down before i had the change to reread by thermal dynamic. Good thing someone knows what they are doing. (happen to be type 3 universal myself but i suck at it)

YzGyz

[ihavtats29]

ok ihavtats.......first THANK you very much for your help so far.

Here is the deal with my jbj 1/3hp chiller. When a perform a static test the temp now drops pretty quickly from 79 to 62 degrees in about 5-minutes. The compressor feels cool to the touch and the suction line into the compressor is also noticeably cool, while the outlet tubing to the condenser is hot as you described. All good signs I would assume. I do want to note that I had a local HVAC guy thoroughly clean the condenser and heat exchange, so we are good there.

Ok, now to the good stuff. I let the chiller completely cool down from the morning static tests. I have now lights on, only my 3-external pumps running, etc. Had the chiller kick on at 79 degrees and now the chiller has been running for 30-minutes and it is still running at 79 degrees. The compressor is now very hot to the touch and the suction line is only slightly cool to the touch not very cold like it was during the static tests. I am going to say that it will take at least 2-hours to cool down 2-degrees.

BTW: I pulled the chiller out into open area by adding 4'+ feet of 3/4" tubing so it is not stacking its own heat, which was a great suggestions. Although not in a closet or under stand, it was definitely in tight quarters.

What do you think can be the problem? Is this chiller simply under rated for a 200-gl. sps tank. The HVAC guy told me that if the compressor gets too hot (overworked) there is a safety type switch that trips the compressor so it does not overheat. Can that be happening. I have a Blueline recirculating pump hook up that is rated for 1200-gls/hr and when I did the RC head loss calculations it states that it is only pumping about ~500-gls./hr with all the ells, ballvalves, etc.

Please advise as to what I should check next........MANY THANKS again for all your help to date.

the safty the tech was refering to is thermal protection if it over heats is cuts off the common leg of power to the compressor untill it cools down enough, if that were the issue the compressor would not run, with coils clean and plenty of breathing room its not a over heating issue , it seems to me there is nothing wrong with the chiller but maybe too much heat load for it to handle. 1/3 hp chiller = 1/3 ton = 4,000 BTU
1 hp /ton = 12,000 btu's
you can calculate you btu heat out put by getting your total wattage of your equipment ballasts , pumps , heaters exct.... multiply that # by 3.5

then your lighting in wattage total x 4.25

add the 2 totals together that is the amount btu's your tank is putting off

for example if your lighting were 800 watts and the total of the rest of your equipment were 520 watts
800x4.25= 3400 btu's
520x3.5= 1820 btu's
totals 5220 btu's

you would need a 1/2 hp or 1/2 ton chiller to handle the load

[ihavtats29]

Any insight on good quality chillers and ones to avoid. Looking to get one for total water
volume of 60g.

to be honest current makes a decent chiller for the cost, well the dont make it they just put thier name on it, trade winds can be costly but a a bit higher in quality, just make sure you get a chiller (if you need one) that will handle the load that is put on it

[tegee]

Thank you very much for all your help.....I think you may be right. I am on the borderline for a 1/2hp. I ran some quick math using your equations and I came up with 3825 in lighting demands and 1330 in pump wattage demands. That totals ~5155 btu's; falling into the 1/2hp and/or 1/2 ton catagory. Well at least the good news is that nothing is wrong with the chiller and it has been professionally service, so I can safely see if someone can use it locally. Now I am off to spending some serious $$$ on a 1/2hp which is the bad news. Gosh, I hate this hobby sometimes.....lol.

Thanks again and I will post if something should change along the way. But your professional help is greatly appreciated......

[ihavtats29]

not a problem

[tegee]

Yep, just plugged in a 1/3hp Teco and that could not keep up either. Looks like I need to place an order tomorrow AM for a 1/2hp; what a bummer!

[BFG]

I do not know how your climate is at your place but where I live, the advice to follow is to buy a chiller 1 step up than what you'll need. Just in case you get hot weather for a prolong time. So if you need a 1/2hp chiller, get the 1hp ones instead. The chiller would have extra power to weather the hot months without straining or over worked. This is the advice that was handed down to me from other chiller user in my country. We do get hot weather a few month in the year.

Hope this helps!

[tegee]

That's the problem. There is no real tweener hp chiller. It goes from 1/2hp right to 1hp with very little to choose from in the 3/4hp category.

[ihavtats29]

your in NY dude i grew up in buffalo you max in the low 90's with a occasional freakish 95+ lol a 1/2 should do ya but if conserned and no a/c in your house like i grew up in you mite need the 1 hp

[tegee]

Yea, close to NYC....not quite the Buffalo cool breeze:-).

Looking at the Tradewinds 1/2hp compact unit IL-49-S. States it does 4900 btu at 8amps with 1"inlet/outlet. Apparently their btu numbers are spot on and not overstated. Did quite a bit of homework and you go over 1/3hp, these chillers really shine.

Is that what you and others feel is a good bet? Their Super 1/2hp will probably be overkill for my application??? JBJ's 1/2hp states 6000 btu, but I have heard is not actual. So the jury is still out until I pull the plug and purchase.

[dahenley]

I have a Pacific coast 1/2 hp chiller. i picked it up used with no warranties, and i took it home and checked it over, and everything looks great. I plugged it in with no water running through it to make sure the pump and condencer works. it turned on and started cooling.

next i hooked up a pump with a bucket of water to flush and to check for leaks before i put it in the house.

everything looked good, but the tempature gauge was set at 73 deg (for trial purposes) and the water was reading 75 deg. so i figured it would turn on a run for a bit. i walked away for a few minutes and came back to a reading in the low 60's.

i am mechanically inclined, so fixing isnt a problem, but i need some dirrection.
I am guessing there is a thermal swich that turns the chiller on and off, but dont know where to look. Can you give me some insite on where to look, or what to look for?

the chiller is a
Pacific Coast
C-0500
110-115v

[grosse schlumpf]

my tank is 1010 gal. It has a surface area of about 38 square feet of surface area. i guess the average room temp with lights on will be about 78 degrees. I would like to keep the water at 74. There is a sump area connected to the system. what is the preferred size of chiller?

[ihavtats29]

I have a Pacific coast 1/2 hp chiller. i picked it up used with no warranties, and i took it home and checked it over, and everything looks great. I plugged it in with no water running through it to make sure the pump and condencer works. it turned on and started cooling.

next i hooked up a pump with a bucket of water to flush and to check for leaks before i put it in the house.

everything looked good, but the tempature gauge was set at 73 deg (for trial purposes) and the water was reading 75 deg. so i figured it would turn on a run for a bit. i walked away for a few minutes and came back to a reading in the low 60's.

i am mechanically inclined, so fixing isnt a problem, but i need some dirrection.
I am guessing there is a thermal swich that turns the chiller on and off, but dont know where to look. Can you give me some insite on where to look, or what to look for?

the chiller is a
Pacific Coast
C-0500
110-115v

the thermistor is located in the heat exchanger, just to make sure you do have a pump pumping water into the chiller? it sounds like there is no water flow going thru the heat exchanger. you can check the accuracy of the thermistor by checking your tank water temp with a lab grade thermometer to the temp reading on the chiller with the chiller not calling for cooling

[ihavtats29]

my tank is 1010 gal. It has a surface area of about 38 square feet of surface area. i guess the average room temp with lights on will be about 78 degrees. I would like to keep the water at 74. There is a sump area connected to the system. what is the preferred size of chiller?

you can calculate you but heat load by getting your total wattage of your equipment ballasts , pumps , heaters exct.... multiply that # by 3.5

then your lighting in wattage total x 4.25

add the 2 totals together that is the amount btu's your tank is putting off

for example if your lighting were 800 watts and the total of the rest of your equipment were 520 watts
800x4.25= 3400 btu's
520x3.5= 1820 btu's
totals 5220 btu's that would require a 1/2 ton/hp chiller

there are 12000 btu's per ton/hp of refridgeration
do your research on the chillers you are looking at and get one that just exceeeds the btu's you require most manufactures will round up the btu's

hope this helps

[dahenley]

I hooked a pump to the chiller and it works great. It just doesn't quit cooling. The digital gauge reads exactly what the bucket temperature is. I'm asking what makes the chiller quit working so it doesn't freeze my tank.

[ihavtats29]

the controler makes it quit cooling you have to set it to your desired temp if the controler is not shutting it off it may be bad

[ihavtats29]

it could be a bad controler that is what shuts off the chiller, you can contact pacific coast and see what a new one is prob in the $150 range since they are shipped from china. another alternitive would be to use a Johnson controls model 419-A refridgeration controler it is more adjustable than the factory units and runs around $50 , you will have to water proof the thermistor it comes with , it can be done with heat shrink tubing.
first contact pacific coast they have a support line and a tech support line that can help you figure out if the controler is bad or not, and recheck your set point

[autodave]

I have a JBJ Artica 1/3 HP ..Do you know if the temp gauge ever needs to be calibrated?

[Xgame2k]

What to do when your chiller stops chilling? I just bought a chiller, but it's not chilling.

[BFG]

What to do when your chiller stops chilling? I just bought a chiller, but it's not chilling.

Hey, sounds like it rhyme.:) How did you connect the chiller to the tank?

[Xgame2k]

The way the directions show. It's an in-line aqualogic and it might have been sitting for 4 months.

[BFG]

http://www.aqualogicinc.com/water-chillers.htm

Which model? Did you inform the manufacturer of this condition? Kinda weird that it would stop working.

[Xgame2k]

Delta Star 1hp. It runs, just not cooling.

[ihavtats29]

I have a JBJ Artica 1/3 HP ..Do you know if the temp gauge ever needs to be calibrated?

it should not need to be if its giving a false reading. but it it were you would need to replace the thermistor i dont believe the factory controlers commonly used can be adjusted

[ihavtats29]

What to do when your chiller stops chilling? I just bought a chiller, but it's not chilling.

if connected correctly and not too much flow thru the chiller there may be a refridgerant issue, since it is new i would contact the manufacture and go thru thier check list and sequence of tests to see what the issue is being that its under warranty

[Xgame2k]

It has about 8 months on it. Should the refridgerant be replaced or what?

[ihavtats29]

ok its not under warranty, first make sure the condenser fan motor comes on with the compressor ,it is most likely dirty too clean the condenser coil , brush off any caked up dust then blow out with compressed air, also clean the air filter it should be removable with a few screws and wash out under the sink let dry then reinstall. most of the time a dirty coil and filter will be the main reason a chiller will quit cooling

[bumpbailey]

I have a JBJ 1/3hp CHiller on my 180. It has completely shut down and will not restart. My ATO Shut down on me a week ago and my water level got low. THis is when the chiller shut down. Water was still being pumped through the chiller but I am not sure how much and for how long....not more than 4 or 5 hours. Could this have cased the fuse to blow? Or am I possibly looking at some other kind of damage?

[tegee]

I believe there is a fuse located directly above the power cord in the rear of the chiller. Give that a look....HTH

[ihavtats29]

check the fuse , if its blown there could be a few things that caused it, a lock up / grounded fan motor or compressor , or a dead short/ground , overheating compressor will blow the fuse , over amping from a dirty condencer coil can do the same, your ato will not cause your fuse to blow. before you change the fuse make sure the condencer fan spins freely , and check for and shorts /discolored or burnt wiring, and check for any grounds. to check compressor for grounds remove electrical cover from compressor, remove all wires from compressor terminals and from each of the terminals with a multi meter set on continuity or ohms to any of the copper tubing on the compressor , a reading of OL or 0.00 is what you want , do the same with the fan motor , be sure to make a diagram of what wire went where,if no grounds are found , replace the fuse and start the unit , check for the fan operation, and compressor comming on , with a amp meter you can check the total drawn amps of the compressor off all 3 wires that connect to the compressor terminals add together and divide by 3 it should not be higher than the listed rla # on the compressor tag the fan should only pull about .3 amps , if the compressor is hummin for a few seconds and then stops you may have a bad capasitor or locked up compressor replace the capasitor and start relay the start relay is on the compressor terminals a plastic piece with a coil in it , if that does not get the compressor to run it is locked up and you mite as well get a new chiller it will cost less than replacing the compressor, if the fan hums and will not turn or has a hard time turning it will be bad and need to be replaced

[hardiel]

OK. Since you offered here I go with my question:

I have a AQUA LOGIC 1/4 HP In-Line Aquarium Chiller with RANCO Digital Temperature Controller and a MAG 5 pump (500 gph). The tank is a 100G with a sump ( IDK, maybe 20?).

I have the controller to kick in when the tank reaches 78. I have it at +-2 degrees and it takes a couple of hours to go down these 2 degrees. I have the probe in the display tank and the in/out in the sump. Then I have a MAG 9 as a return pump. The chiller gets awful hot so I put a fan on the front to try to help.

Here comes the stupid calculaltion of the week: the water output reads 79. The input reads 80. So if the tank has 100G and the MAG 5 pumps 500 g/h it should take like 15 minutes to go down 1 degree right? Anyway,...

Questions:

1. Is it normal that takes that long?.
2. Is normal that gets that hot?
3. Is the fan helping?
4. Can this chiller be recharged with new gas? It's the old model.

EDIT: Forgot the bad news. I live in S Florida and I have MH (500W)

Here is the pic
http://imgur.com/tT5Hhl.jpg

[ihavtats29]

first blow out the condenser coil with compressed air or nitrogen, that will make a big diferance. expecialy since you are only getting a 1 degree drop from the chiller, you can also throtle back the amount of flow thru the chiller, the slower the flow the more drop you will get, and your calculation sounds good but it dont work that way, it all depends on the amount of flow heat load and tank size and room temp, a fan is a great improvement preventing the chillerfrom stacking the heat it puts off also check the condencer fan blade for buildup of dust it will lower the amount of cfm's the fan would normaly put out, and yes the chiller can be recharged but it should not need to be refridgerand does not go bad or get old . the only reason to recharge it woiuld be if there was a leak in the system. it most likely uses r-22

[hardiel]

thanks. You are a great asset in this forum. Great info. I finally opened it up and the coil nor the fan don't look too dusty. I found out that what gets boiling hot is the compressor. What doesn't look that good is this coil thing in the picture (IDK what that is).

I don't have a compressor at home. I found a place in craiglist in Ft Lauderdale (FL) that services them. I'll talk to them Tuesday an see how much they charge for blowing it and, if necessary charging gas.
http://imgur.com/hRSkkl.jpg

[ihavtats29]

if the compressor is getting realy hot it needs to be cleaned. that coil is your liquid line is just thin copper tubing that has oxidation nothing to worry about, you should blow out your chiller coil 2 times a year maybe more depending how dusty you house is and how much the chiller runs, all it takes is a thin layer of dust to change the heat displacemeny of the coil , also you can clean your heat exchanger with a 50/50 mix of r/o and viniger fill a 5 gal bucket and pump the mix thru the chiller back to the bucket over night , calcium buildup will keep the chiller from chilling ,

[autodave]

Jim -I have a JBJ Artica 1/3 hp,For some reason the temp controller started to fluctuate up and down (non-stop)and wont hold a consistent temp.Any ideas what could be wrong?I have not used it in a few years but was working great after a few weeks when I got it set back up

[ihavtats29]

Jim -I have a JBJ Artica 1/3 hp,For some reason the temp controller started to fluctuate up and down (non-stop)and wont hold a consistent temp.Any ideas what could be wrong?I have not used it in a few years but was working great after a few weeks when I got it set back up

check the temp probe take it out of the heatexchanger and clean it by soaking it in vinager and cleaning with a firm toothbrush get it clean and it should start reading corrrectly agian , if problem continues you may need a new probe

[dahenley]

what switch makes the compressor turn on and off? say the chiller comes on and keeps cooling the water, past the set point. (the digital thermomitor reads correctly, but the chiller never shuts off.)

[autodave]

Thanks -Yea-I was on thier website and they recommended to back flush with vinegar every 6 months -I've never done it since I got it

[tegee]

Backflushing the heat exchanger as well as keeping the condenser free of link and dust is critical to proper operation of a chiller. Unfortunately I had to learn the hard way. Now I am on a regular cleaning schedule.

[ihavtats29]

what switch makes the compressor turn on and off? say the chiller comes on and keeps cooling the water, past the set point. (the digital thermomitor reads correctly, but the chiller never shuts off.)

there is a micro switch in the controler that calls for the compressor to come on , you can either replace the controler or use a reef controler with a hd-4 power module to control the chiller , you can get the factory controler by calling the manufacture

[dahenley]

there is a micro switch in the controller that calls for the compressor to come on , you can either replace the controller or use a reef controller with a hd-4 power module to control the chiller , you can get the factory controller by calling the manufacture

cool, thank you.

is there a mercury switch or coil (like in older thermostats) or is it all electronic now a days?

is there a possibility to crack it open and see if something is oxidized or rusted or if electronic, i guess there is no real fix without replacing?

[richierich2000]

I have a old chiller and the heat exchanger is bust. I will have to unhook it to make a new one how can I recharge it

[autodave]

Dang-did a backflush and was working great w/a 5gallon bucket-temp holding steady-then I hooked it back up to my tank and temp started to bounce again.Should I put a new temp probe on?

[ihavtats29]

cool, thank you.

is there a mercury switch or coil (like in older thermostats) or is it all electronic now a days?

is there a possibility to crack it open and see if something is oxidized or rusted or if electronic, i guess there is no real fix without replacing?

no merc everything is electronic now. ithe relay is pretty small and soldered to a pc board i dont believe it can be serviced

[ihavtats29]

I have a old chiller and the heat exchanger is bust. I will have to unhook it to make a new one how can I recharge it

ifd the exchanger is cracked you can get a drill or dremel with w small drill bit and score the crack or cracks the fill the grove with superglue gel , ive repaired many this way , the best and correct way to recharge the system would be to first replace the liquid line dryer, leak check with compressed dry nitrogen only !!! about 150 psi will be good , then bleed out the nitrogen and pull a vaccum for a hr or so the weigh in the correct charge of refridgerant . you can allways get it down to where you just need the vaccum and charge and get a hvac tech to do it for you

[ihavtats29]

Dang-did a backflush and was working great w/a 5gallon bucket-temp holding steady-then I hooked it back up to my tank and temp started to bounce again.Should I put a new temp probe on?

id pull the probe from the heat exchanger first check for any deposits, if its good and clean i would change it

[Jacob Sellers]

What is the best way to vent a chiller that has to be located under at stand. Cutting a vent in side of the tank the size of the exhaust and butting the chiller up to the vent or building a box around the back of the chiller and running duct vent out the side of the stand. the box/duct option is appealing because it requires a smaller hole to be cut in the side of my stand. My stand by the way is quite large. thanks.

[iaJim]

I have a Universal Marine Industries chiller that I've had for over ten years. It's run perfectly for a long time, but I noticed that I hadn't heard it running today. upon inspection, I found that the controller dial on the front of the unit clicks on and off, but the compressor doesn't start.

Is repair out of the question? Don't know what other info to give you.

[ihavtats29]

What is the best way to vent a chiller that has to be located under at stand. Cutting a vent in side of the tank the size of the exhaust and butting the chiller up to the vent or building a box around the back of the chiller and running duct vent out the side of the stand. the box/duct option is appealing because it requires a smaller hole to be cut in the side of my stand. My stand by the way is quite large. thanks.

the best way is tohave the chiller in its own compartment open in the back so the warm comdencer air can excape freely but divided from the sump and other equip , a couple cooling fans to push cool air into the compartment

[ihavtats29]

I have a Universal Marine Industries chiller that I've had for over ten years. It's run perfectly for a long time, but I noticed that I hadn't heard it running today. upon inspection, I found that the controller dial on the front of the unit clicks on and off, but the compressor doesn't start.

Is repair out of the question? Don't know what other info to give you.

first check the fuse, then the capasitor , start relay and external overload , these 3 things are not expensive to replace and can be bought at and hvac supply house or on the internet , i would only replace the unit if the compressor was shot

[iaJim]

first check the fuse, then the capasitor , start relay and external overload , these 3 things are not expensive to replace and can be bought at and hvac supply house or on the internet , i would only replace the unit if the compressor was shot

Is this something that any refrigeration repair person or HVAC person could do? I would have no idea what to look for other than the fuse.

[Jacob Sellers]

the best way is tohave the chiller in its own compartment open in the back so the warm comdencer air can excape freely but divided from the sump and other equip , a couple cooling fans to push cool air into the compartment

Thanks.

[iaJim]

first check the fuse, then the capasitor , start relay and external overload , these 3 things are not expensive to replace and can be bought at and hvac supply house or on the internet , i would only replace the unit if the compressor was shot

I opened up the Universal Marine chiller and found that the controller unit that is permanently mounted to the perforated masonite end panel has a plug in it that has the compressor plugged into it. It's a standard plug. I unplugged the compressor from the controller and plugged it into an extension cord and the compressor went right on. Is there any reason that I can't just control the compressor with the Aquacontroller Jr. controls? I have been doing that anyway and have just considered the controller on the chiller a failsafe.

[ari5736]

last time you PM'd your chiller?

not much to do to a chiller to keep it running correctly here are 2 things you should allways perform to your chiller to keep it operating correctly

1) clean filter as often as once a month

2) blow out the condencer coil every 6 months


What do the filter and condencer coil look like?

[ihavtats29]

Is this something that any refrigeration repair person or HVAC person could do? I would have no idea what to look for other than the fuse.

yes they would have no proble checking those items and makeing the repairs

[ihavtats29]

I opened up the Universal Marine chiller and found that the controller unit that is permanently mounted to the perforated masonite end panel has a plug in it that has the compressor plugged into it. It's a standard plug. I unplugged the compressor from the controller and plugged it into an extension cord and the compressor went right on. Is there any reason that I can't just control the compressor with the Aquacontroller Jr. controls? I have been doing that anyway and have just considered the controller on the chiller a failsafe.

that is perfact i have a chiller running on the same unit you will be fine with that controler

[ihavtats29]

What do the filter and condencer coil look like?

the condencer coil is at the back of the unit looks like metal fins, the filter is located behind the fron cover of the unit and unscrews and can be washed out with a water hose or in the sink , let dry before reinstalling

[kevoo901]

hey jim, richard at memfish told me to reach out to you, i think im having some issure with my chiller, please give me a called 846-6255

[TheH]

kevoo901, you can just private-message him you don't have to put your personal information up here unless your are okay with it.

[kevoo901]

ok thanks, i tried to private-message him and the system wouldn't let me, i think cause this was my 1st time using it

[ihavtats29]

ok thanks, i tried to private-message him and the system wouldn't let me, i think cause this was my 1st time using it

PM recieved and replied to

[craps_dealer]

I purchased a Pacific Coast CL-600 1/4 HP In-Line Chiller with digital thermostat and temperature control from a fellow RCer. When I bought it he said it had only been used 4 months. I hooked it up last summer and used it for about 3 months then it started clicking. It would start up when the Temp got above the set point but it is not chilling at all and just keeps running. The fan is just blowing room temp air, not pulling any heat out of the exchanger. I had a friend that is in the HVAC ad he said he could not see what was wrong with it. I can hear the comp trying to kick on, it clicks and you can see lights flicker so I know it is trying to draw amps but nothing. Any ideas?

[craps_dealer]

Bump:)

[slickmin]

question, would i be able to put my chiller in the window as i would with a ac. my chiller blow hot *** air into the room couzin the temp of the tank to go up couzin the chiller to stay on all day..

[scaryperson27]

I purchased a Pacific Coast CL-600 1/4 HP In-Line Chiller with digital thermostat and temperature control from a fellow RCer. When I bought it he said it had only been used 4 months. I hooked it up last summer and used it for about 3 months then it started clicking. It would start up when the Temp got above the set point but it is not chilling at all and just keeps running. The fan is just blowing room temp air, not pulling any heat out of the exchanger. I had a friend that is in the HVAC ad he said he could not see what was wrong with it. I can hear the comp trying to kick on, it clicks and you can see lights flicker so I know it is trying to draw amps but nothing. Any ideas?

I am no professional, but it sounds like the piston inside the compressor is having issues. It's seems sounds like it isn't pushing the refrigerant at all. Where exactly is the clicking coming from? Have you figured out if it is coming from the compressor? They don't make those compressors like they used to.

[ihavtats29]

I purchased a Pacific Coast CL-600 1/4 HP In-Line Chiller with digital thermostat and temperature control from a fellow RCer. When I bought it he said it had only been used 4 months. I hooked it up last summer and used it for about 3 months then it started clicking. It would start up when the Temp got above the set point but it is not chilling at all and just keeps running. The fan is just blowing room temp air, not pulling any heat out of the exchanger. I had a friend that is in the HVAC ad he said he could not see what was wrong with it. I can hear the comp trying to kick on, it clicks and you can see lights flicker so I know it is trying to draw amps but nothing. Any ideas?

cloud be a few things , 1 low refridgerant charge 2 compressor not pumping 3 or the compressor is not comming on via bad overload , capasitor, relay or the compressor is locked up

[ihavtats29]

question, would i be able to put my chiller in the window as i would with a ac. my chiller blow hot *** air into the room couzin the temp of the tank to go up couzin the chiller to stay on all day..

sounds like you have the tank in a small room with no air flow or the chiller is too small for the heat load of the tank its self , and yes the chiller can be exausted out of the room as long as you keep the chiller level and secured properly

[au01st]

I recently got a good deal on a Via Aqua Polar Bear CC-50 chiller because it's throwing an error code "EL", which apparently means that the temperature sensor probe needs to be replaced.

I have been unsuccessful in locating this part, so I was wondering if there was a way I could plug the probe port and bypass the sensor since I can control the chiller with my Reefkeeper.

Is there a suitable replacement probe or recommended method of completing this repair?

[ihavtats29]

the probe is nothing but a thermistor you just need to know what ohm's its rated at, you can contact the manufacture to get a probe or if you have a kele in your area the can most likely match one up for you but it will need to be sealed with shrink wrap tubing,

you can bypass the the controler by removing the compressor from the controler and having the compressor wired directly to the plug , and have the chiller pluged into your hd dc-4 module on your reefkeeper. the only issue is that the chiller will not have any freeze protection , it would only freeze if your pump stopped working and the chiller lost its flow thru it . otherwise it will work just fine

[cherubfish pair]

a Johnson controls model 419-A refridgeration controler it is more adjustable than the factory units and runs around $50 , you will have to water proof the thermistor it comes with , it can be done with heat shrink tubing.
Where can I get one of these?

[cherubfish pair]

Where can I get one of these?
I should say: where can I find out more about them?

[au01st]

the probe is nothing but a thermistor you just need to know what ohm's its rated at, you can contact the manufacture to get a probe or if you have a kele in your area the can most likely match one up for you but it will need to be sealed with shrink wrap tubing,

you can bypass the the controler by removing the compressor from the controler and having the compressor wired directly to the plug , and have the chiller pluged into your hd dc-4 module on your reefkeeper. the only issue is that the chiller will not have any freeze protection , it would only freeze if your pump stopped working and the chiller lost its flow thru it . otherwise it will work just fine

Well finally got in touch with the manufacturer and it took them a week to process my order, but my new temp probe supposedly shipped today.

Another issue is, when I took the chiller cover off to see how to replace that part, I noticed a capacitor with connections that seemed iffy. I've been unable to locate that capacitor. Figured you might have more resources than me for finding parts.

The info on it reads
CBB61
180V.AC
50/60 Hz
17uf

It has 2 prongs with leads running to the chiller's control board.


Thanks for the help, BTW. Another question, if I want to plug the chiller into the PC-4 with my controller, can I set the chiller's temp a bit below what I want, then have my controller handle the power running to the unit?

[TheH]

I would do it the other way around, and have the controller only turn off power to the chiller when the temperature gets too low. That way the chiller temp sensor is primary and your controller is secondary.

[au01st]

Ok, only reason I like the controller is I can set the precision to a tenth of a degree, where the chiller only offers settings in whole degrees. I haven't had it running yet, so I'm not familiar with how it cycles and its range. I'd like it to turn on at 79 and off at 78, but I'll have to see how I can adjust it. And of course I'll have to take into account that the temp sensor on the chiller might not be the same as my controller's.

I'll see if I can set the chiller for 78, and have my controller shut it off at 77.5, does that sound reasonable?

[TheH]

I think it really depends on how quickly the chiller is cooling your tank and how quickly it heats back up. If it takes something like 5 minutes to cool your tank from 78->77.5 and then only 10 minutes for it to heat back up, this could cycle the chiller too quickly.

This is what I meant about using your chiller's internal controller first though, they will probably have a minimum offset (maybe 2F) and that is what they think is a reasonable minimum for the chiller.

[ihavtats29]

Well finally got in touch with the manufacturer and it took them a week to process my order, but my new temp probe supposedly shipped today.

Another issue is, when I took the chiller cover off to see how to replace that part, I noticed a capacitor with connections that seemed iffy. I've been unable to locate that capacitor. Figured you might have more resources than me for finding parts.

The info on it reads
CBB61
180V.AC
50/60 Hz
17uf

It has 2 prongs with leads running to the chiller's control board.


Thanks for the help, BTW. Another question, if I want to plug the chiller into the PC-4 with my controller, can I set the chiller's temp a bit below what I want, then have my controller handle the power running to the unit?

its just a 17 mfd capasitor with a 180v rating a 220 or 370 v rated cap will work fine it just needs to be 17 mfd

[ihavtats29]

Where can I get one of these?

you can get the controler online or at any hvac supply shop

for more info just web search johnson controls a419 you can bring up the pdf file

cgproducts.johnsoncontrols.com/CAT_PDF/1927385.pdf

[au01st]

Alright, got the probe in, and the chiller turns on like it's supposed to. Problem: it doesn't cool water and the compressor gets really hot. I'm suspecting that it needs to be recharged, is this something an a/c repair guy can do and what should I expect to pay?

[ihavtats29]

any a/c tech can fix it . blow out the condencer coil and make sure the condencer fan motor it running, you should feel warm air come out of the back of the chiller . if you dont and the fan is running and the coil is clean then you definatly have a refridgerant leak

[au01st]

The fan is running, but the air coming out the back is cool.

Unfortunately, there is no port for me to add R134a like an automobile. Do I need to have them put a valve on the high and low side, or just the high?

http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w257/au01st/Chiller.jpg

[ihavtats29]

they will need to put a port on both sides. make sure they do not use piercing valves, they will leak. tell them to use a sweat in type of valve, and to leak check the system and repair the leak, the refridgerant charge will be listed on the data plate. also have them replace the dryer/ strainer located in your pic on the left side of the condencer coil

[rwb500]

hello,

I just bought an old-looking Current Prime 1/10hp model on here. The owner said it was working but it does not appear to be. After being plugged in its designed to sit for a few minutes and then begin chilling. Well I can tell when its supposed to start chilling because the "cool" light goes from flashing to solid and the fan turns on, but the compressor does not turn on. Occasionally i feel/hear what seems like the compressor trying to start itself (a brief rumble/rattle). Once it ran for a few minutes but then stopped again. havent got in going since.

do you have any ideas what this could be about? The item was not packaged with very much cushioning when shipped to me.

[rwb500]

so after a lot of searching i finally found the probable answer in this very thread:

"if the compressor is hummin for a few seconds and then stops you may have a bad capasitor or locked up compressor replace the capasitor and start relay the start relay is on the compressor terminals a plastic piece with a coil in it , if that does not get the compressor to run it is locked up and you mite as well get a new chiller it will cost less than replacing the compressor"

i guess i will work on that.

[rwb500]

what if there is no capacitor? this is only a 1/10HP model.

Can I install a "hard start kit"?

thanks.

[ihavtats29]

there is a capasitor it is made of black plastic and is more likely screwed down to the base near the compressor with 2 wires comming out of it, all 1 ph compressors use a run cap at all times to run , the only reason touse a hard start is if the compressor is on its last legs and is either about to lock up , or the windings are weak , a hard start kit consists of a momentary relay and a start cap , on start up the relay enguages for a very short time from a few seconds to 30 seconds depends on the relay , at that time both capasitors are giving thier stored power to start the compressor after thee relay heats up it disenguages and the compressor runs of the run cap, what you need to do is locate the run cap , and replace it. if your not sure if your looking at the right part in your chiller post a pic of every thing on the base of the chiller and i will point it out for you

[jbrownacu]

I have a 1/3hp JBJ Artica that just 3 days ago popped up E.11 on the display screen. I am trying to search for the error but I'm having no luck.

I removed the electronic plate on the chiller and borrowed a friends to see if it would change anything, but no such luck. He has the same unit.

Any thoughts? I'm going to call JBJ tomorrow about it.

[jbrownacu]

jbj said it was the temp probe and i needed to ship it to them to fix it. they priced it at about $200 to get it there, fix it and get it back. does that seem right? can a hvac person fix it cheaper? can i fix it? :)

[ihavtats29]

if i remember correctly the temp probe plugs into the control board, what you need to do isgo back to your buddys house and disconect the temp probe from his control board. with a digital ohm meter set the meter to kiliohms the will be a k on the digital display. you want to measure the resistance of his temp probe and record the ohmreading and the temp reading. a temp probe is just a thermistor , and there are many places that make them and sell them , i buy mine at Kele associates

here is a link to thier site on the thermistor page of what you will be looking for
you want a encapsulated thermistor with the corrrect ohm rating .

you will also want some heat shrink tubing even though the sensor it sealed the can seep in moisture when submerged . you will seal the thermistor with the heat shrink so every part of the thermistor that is in direct contact with water is covered .

http://www.kele.com/temperature-sensors-and-transmitters/manufacturer/precon/st-r,-st-r_r-series.aspx

[ahmedess]

i m thinking of getting a new chiller for my tank. Will it make a big difference in performance if i run a 60hz chiller on 50 Hz? cause

i have 50Hz electricity where i live and most of the chillers sold online in the US mention operating voltage but they dont specify the frequency, does that mean they are operable on both frequencies or what?

[BrunstuckyJoe]

My buddy has a 1/10 current that seems to be operating...but not chilling...everything has been cleaned and checked...might be a bad temp probe....how do we get a hold of one and how can it be checked?

[cherubfish pair]

I have a 1/15 hp Arctica for my nanotank. Here is a quote from the manual:

*This chiller incorporates a LED ALARM SYSTEM that displays when the water temperature reaches 2F* degrees below the desired set temp. The LED for ALARM on the controller will illuminate at this time.
So if this led comes on, it's ok as long as chiller water is circulating through the system? The circulating pump and the chiller are on the same electrical outlet which means when the pump stops, so does the chiller. In that way I don't have to worry about a cracked exchanger and if the led comes on everything should be ok?

[ihavtats29]

you should be fine as long as water flow stops at the same time as the chiller

[alex93se]

Greetings. I have an old Prime 1/4 HP chiller, that's located in my garage, chilling my 180g tank. It 'sweats' a lot (leaves a small water puddle). Could this be a problem or is it because it's located in a hot garage? Thanks.

[ihavtats29]

poor and loose insulation on the suction lines and the chiller bundle will cause sweating. you can re insulate the suction line comming off the compressor. it sould be as snug as possible the sell it at home depot lowes and any hvac and plumbing supply. the chiller bundle may also need to be reinsulated that insulation is called armor flex it comes in 4x8 sheets and in diferant thickness 3/8'' 1/2'' and 3/4 '' it is applyed with armorflex glue that works like rubber glue .. if your going to reinsulate the bundle and lines remove all the old armor flex from the bundle and suction line . the round armorflex for the suction line will be split in the middle with a adheasive allready applied, the bundle shoul;d be clean and free of as much of the old armor flex as possible the bundle ends should be cut out and make slits for lines that come thru these should be made as 1 piece for each side. apply glue to the bundle directly and glue to the back side of the armorflex. let it tac up and stick it together . it will make a good bond and will not come apart . press down with your hands to make sure there are no air gaps. next the outer wrap of the bundle should be cut also in 1 piece and should be flush with the outside of the end pieces you applied , repete same gluing steps if you mess up and cut it too shord you can add a strip to fill the gap ... i allways cut it a inch too big to avoid that happening. also insulating your water lines going to and from your chiller wont hurt and will increase the efficiantcy of your chil;ler avoiding any cooling loss.

[alex93se]

Thank you very much for the detailed answer. I'll give this a try.

[cherubfish pair]

I would like to drain the water out of my chiller for a few months during some rearranging, how would I do this?

[ihavtats29]

I would like to drain the water out of my chiller for a few months during some rearranging, how would I do this?

you can just pour it out if the chiller is not going to be ran for 24 hrs or more, or you can blow thru the hose to force the water out, i will stress if you turn over the chiller or lay it on its side , do not leave it in that position, only as long as it is needed to get the water out , what happens is the oil in the compressor will migrate to the top of the head internaly and if it is not up righted and let to sit for 24 -48 hrs before starting you can bend the valves and mess up the bearings on the rod , crank and motor, also you can just pump some ro in to the chiller and cap it with 1 piece of hose from port to port , and when you are ready just pump some new sw thru it to clear it out before you hook it back up.

[BFG]

I would like to drain the water out of my chiller for a few months during some rearranging, how would I do this?

I would blow out the water and replace it with clean water and keep it aside. I feel that the internal part MIGHT rust or something due to exposure to air so I kept my spare chiller that way. Just my preference.

[ihavtats29]

there is no way it would rust , if so it would rust during operation . the heat exchanger is made of plastic and titanium,

[samhon]

hi ihavtats29

I have some questions in regards to compressor type chiller.

Currently there are 2 types of coil,

1) rubber insulated copper coil

2) titanium coil

Could anyone enlighten me on the difference between this 2?
I have some conflicting information from the 2 types of coil, one compressor dealer shared with me that titanium coils are problematic and it's hard to replace. He sounded like many people who previously installed titanium coil were running into problems and it could not be rectified. Thus he suggested I use the insulated copper coils

Another dealer suggested that I used the titanium coil as no insulation is required as titanium is reef safe, thus cooling will be faster and more efficient.



really appreciate it

God bless

[ihavtats29]

i would not chance a insulated copper coil in a reef tank. the odds of the titanium ciol defecting is slim, i have had no issues with the titanium coils and feel much safer with them, and as a personal preferance i would not want to take the chance of any kind of copper getting into my system.in the last 5 years ive been repairing chillers for people in my area i have only een 1 that had a issue with the titanium coil leaking refridgerant inside the chiller evap bundle, and yes getting a replacement is dificult. also you will get a the heat exchange from the titanium coil will perform better. so as you can tell i say titanium over rubber and copper

[freeswimmingfis]

So, I bought a used chiller that has a broken fitting.
It is just like this one:
http://www.marinedepot.com/AquaEuroUSA_Mighty_Pro_1_3_HP_Aquarium_Chiller_for_Tanks_up_to_200_Gallons_1_3_HP_Less_with_a_Built_ In_Controller-AquaEuroUSA-ED1117-FICHINTCBC-ED1117-vi.html
It was broken off at the base. The fitting is on the reservoir chamber section and is a molded part of the box that has the cooling coils in it. It broke off flush. It is the threaded fitting that the barb fitting screws onto.
I want to use a tap to make new threads and use a threaded fitting that I will use Weldon 16 or PVC cement to bond it into place.

Another question...this will make the ID 3/4", it was originally 1". Will this reduce performance? Should the smaller one be the input? Does it matter?

Is there an better way to make this repair?

[freeswimmingfis]

Another question:
Should I cut the other side off and tap it the same way, so both sides match the ID size?

[ihavtats29]

i would try the repair first , if it holds and you have no worries with the repait and how it is holding up, then go for it

[freeswimmingfis]

After another inspection, the other side looked a little questionable. So I cut the fitting off, tapped new threads and put new barbed fittings on. I did not use PVC cement or the Weldon 16, but just wrapped the threads with teflon tape. I have been running a Aquaclear 70 power head (it's all I had) for a few hours from a bucket now with no leaks at all. I plugged the chiller in, set the controller for 74. The compresser came on for a few mins, turned off and the display said 74! I checked it with a floating thermeter and it also said 74!!! It has turned on a few times for about 20 seconds when the temp reached 75, then back off at 74.
I would say this was the best $150 I have spent!! Plus the $1.25 for the barbed fittings...
Thats right, $150 for a 1/3 HP Chiller!

[ihavtats29]

npt bad i got a 1/3 hp for free with a cracked exchanger i am almost done refurbishing, congrats on your find

[freeswimmingfis]

npt bad i got a 1/3 hp for free with a cracked exchanger i am almost done refurbishing, congrats on your find

Sounds like you got a better deal than I di, but I am still happy with mine!
So, now how do I bypass the internal controller on this chiller?
It is a AquaEuroUSA Mighty Pro 1/3 HP like this one:
http://www.marinedepot.com/AquaEuroUSA_Mighty_Pro_1_3_HP_Aquarium_Chiller_for_Tanks_up_to_200_Gallons_1_3_HP_Less_with_a_Built_ In_Controller-AquaEuroUSA-ED1117-FICHINTCBC-ED1117-vi.html

Also, I plan to plumb this inline with my Mag 9.5 return pump. I have the Mag 9.5 plugged into a wavemaker that has a feed button which shuts the pump off for feeding. If the pump shuts off for 5 minutes will that cause the chiller to freeze? I also use the feed button when doing water changes. I keep it (and powerheads) off for up to 30 mins while doing the water change. Should I power down the chiller while doing water changes? If I do power down the chiller, do you know if it will save my last setting on the internal controller? I have not tested for that yet.

Thanks for the help on this.
Joe

[ihavtats29]

when powering down i believe the controler defaults, to bypass the controler on any chiller you basicly just wire the compressor up to a plug but you will still want the chiller connected to some sort of controler or it will allways be running, loss of water flow for 5 minutes will not freeze up the chiller, but for a extended length of time it will eventualy freeze

[freeswimmingfis]

3 more questions:
How long is too long for no water to be flowing thru before it will freeze? Do I need to power it down during a water change (30 mins or so)?
Next question...
1 out of every 10 - 12 cycles, when the chiller (compresser/fan) shuts off, there is a noise....kind of a hollow thunk. Almost like a golf ball dropping on a cement floor. Any idea what this could be?
Last one...
The fan was making a low rumble/rattle. I put a few drops of 3 in 1 oil on the shaft on the back of the fan. The noise has stopped and is mostly quiet now. The housing of the fan is kinda warm, not hot, but warm. Is there anything I should worry about? Did I lube to properly?

Other than the abouve issues, it works great. I have it set for 76, it stays at 76!!!

Thanks for all the help,
Joe

[ihavtats29]

the thump could be the location of the piston when the compressor shuts off, yes you oiled it correctlt the housing will be warm that is normal if its chilling correctly then it is running good. i would shut it down if its going to have no flow for more than 5 minutes it wont freeze up that fast but just as a precaution, if you are using the factory controler and thermistor in the factory spot . it will not freeze up at all that is why they put the thermistor in the heat exchanger so when the water temp in the exchanger hits its set point it will shut down

[freeswimmingfis]

OK, thanks. Glad I oiled it right. I am still using the built in controller, but I will just power it down when I do a water change to be safe.
So, is it a bad thing to have the piston in that position? Is there anything I can do to avoid this? Will it damage the compessor?

[nemosworld]

I have a question:
I have a 1/10th chiller cooling my 75 reef in my garage. what i would like to do is extend the exhaust outdoors, in other words i have made a hole in the side of the garage and added two vents, this was setup for a portable ac. but now i want to use one of the vents for the chiller, how can i achieve this? i can't figure out what to use in the back of the chiller to connect the vent. i was thinking of dryer vent, but still need something to go on the back of the unit and out the vent.

[ihavtats29]

OK, thanks. Glad I oiled it right. I am still using the built in controller, but I will just power it down when I do a water change to be safe.
So, is it a bad thing to have the piston in that position? Is there anything I can do to avoid this? Will it damage the compessor?

there is nothing you can do it is a used unit and things wear out , as long as it is doing its job there is nothing to worry about

[ihavtats29]

I have a question:
I have a 1/10th chiller cooling my 75 reef in my garage. what i would like to do is extend the exhaust outdoors, in other words i have made a hole in the side of the garage and added two vents, this was setup for a portable ac. but now i want to use one of the vents for the chiller, how can i achieve this? i can't figure out what to use in the back of the chiller to connect the vent. i was thinking of dryer vent, but still need something to go on the back of the unit and out the vent.

dryer vent will be too restrictive, you will want the the condenser to be able to vent freely i would make a box out of 1x1 and some thin cheap ply make it with a bottom and 3 sides no top needed unless you want a top on it get a 8'' or larger take off like what they ran your a/c duct work off the plenum in your house and run it with some flex with the least amout of turns i would not run it more than 8' total , the takeoff will have a adheasive backing on it, just cut out the box you made where the cond coil would be mount the take off and on the outside of your chiller on the body apply some foam tape around the cond coil to make a seal .

[nemosworld]

thanks for the fast response, if i'm reading correctly, in order to do what you are saying i would have to take the cover off the chiller, correct?

i was thinking of building a box like you described, using the flex to connect to the vent.
what had puzzled me was how i was going to connect the flex to the box. i think i got now. will post results.

[freeswimmingfis]

there is nothing you can do it is a used unit and things wear out , as long as it is doing its job there is nothing to worry about

Thanks....I almost feel better. :lmao:

[ihavtats29]

lol

[mdaac1]

PLEASE HELP>>!!!!!!

I have a fairly new chiller that had been working great until yesterday, I came home to find my tank close to being at 86 degrees. the chiller read a temp of 70 degrees, I tried to manually reset the temperature but it doesn't let me change the temo beyond 70.1 degrees. Are there any fixes for this.? Please help I don't want to see my 5,000 dollar investment get harmed.
:sad1:

[freeswimmingfis]

If it was my tank, the first thing I would do is put a fan or 2 blowing across the water surface in the DT and/or sump. Make sure you didnt have a heater malfunction and keep the lights off untill you get the chiller issues resolved.
Now for an expert to chime in on the chiller probs....
Good luck!

[joashmgn]

So I picked up a chiller from a friend over the weekend... An AquaMedic Hailea HL-380CA 1/2 hp... Problem is that it isn't chilling... I ran it for a couple hours on with low flow (too low in fact) and then changed to another more powerful powerhead which was running for about 24 hrs... The compressor was running for all of this time... Fan blowing as well... Room temperature air though... The temperature display was showing marginal fluctuations in temperature it is actually reading higher than the temp in my display tank...

After reading this thread I opened it up and everything was/is clean... I still used some compressed air to clean whatever little there was on it...

My question is... What's next???
124812
124813

EDIT: Forgot to add that the chiller was sitting unused for quite a while... not sure exactly how long though and i can't seem to reach him to find out... my guess is that it's been unused for maybe even a year...

[ihavtats29]

PLEASE HELP>>!!!!!!

I have a fairly new chiller that had been working great until yesterday, I came home to find my tank close to being at 86 degrees. the chiller read a temp of 70 degrees, I tried to manually reset the temperature but it doesn't let me change the temo beyond 70.1 degrees. Are there any fixes for this.? Please help I don't want to see my 5,000 dollar investment get harmed.
:sad1:

sounds like your temp probe is bad or you are not getting any flow thru your chiller, call the manufacture they will help you diagnose the issue and if still under warrenty fix it for you, for the mean time cheap walmart clip on desk fans work wonders for 10 bucks just clip onto your sump piont it directly at your water and let the evaporative cooling begin , a 10 $ fan kept me from having to run a chiller at all

[ihavtats29]

So I picked up a chiller from a friend over the weekend... An AquaMedic Hailea HL-380CA 1/2 hp... Problem is that it isn't chilling... I ran it for a couple hours on with low flow (too low in fact) and then changed to another more powerful powerhead which was running for about 24 hrs... The compressor was running for all of this time... Fan blowing as well... Room temperature air though... The temperature display was showing marginal fluctuations in temperature it is actually reading higher than the temp in my display tank...

After reading this thread I opened it up and everything was/is clean... I still used some compressed air to clean whatever little there was on it...

My question is... What's next???
124812
124813

EDIT: Forgot to add that the chiller was sitting unused for quite a while... not sure exactly how long though and i can't seem to reach him to find out... my guess is that it's been unused for maybe even a year...

im sorry to tell you its not going to do squat without the heat exchanger and a refridgerant charge looks to me your buddy removed the chillers heatexchanger/bundle doing so blew the refridgerant charge, what you have now is worthless . the dryer and compressor oil is full of moisture, and unless you can find a bundle for this unit , it is useless, also looks like he just cut the copper lines with some dykes

[Pickupman66]

I ahve a current USA 1/3 HP chiller that I got with the system I bought. the Condensor fan kicked the bucket shortly after getting it home and it ran for over an hour without this fan turning. I replaced the motor on it and it worked for about a day, then quit cooling at all. we suspected a leak somewhere as when hooked up to HVAC gauges, it did not read any refrigerant. no leaks were found on the outside visible coils so it is suspected that the evaporator coil burst. this was also evidenced by an oily sheen on the water in the tub it was keeping cool. I tried some 134a leak repair but this did not hold and you can hear the coils hissing when you shut it off and hear bubbles when you put your ear to the outlet of the evap housing. Is this coil repairable? also, when id does run, (i tried running it briefly) you can see the high pressure build and the low drop but then the low drops below zero and the high starts to go down. like the lines are clogged cause of the stop leak. is there anything that can be done or is it a paperweight?

it was replaced with an older 1/4 hp unit that will work for now if I can fix this one.

[ihavtats29]

I ahve a current USA 1/3 HP chiller that I got with the system I bought. the Condensor fan kicked the bucket shortly after getting it home and it ran for over an hour without this fan turning. I replaced the motor on it and it worked for about a day, then quit cooling at all. we suspected a leak somewhere as when hooked up to HVAC gauges, it did not read any refrigerant. no leaks were found on the outside visible coils so it is suspected that the evaporator coil burst. this was also evidenced by an oily sheen on the water in the tub it was keeping cool. I tried some 134a leak repair but this did not hold and you can hear the coils hissing when you shut it off and hear bubbles when you put your ear to the outlet of the evap housing. Is this coil repairable? also, when id does run, (i tried running it briefly) you can see the high pressure build and the low drop but then the low drops below zero and the high starts to go down. like the lines are clogged cause of the stop leak. is there anything that can be done or is it a paperweight?

it was replaced with an older 1/4 hp unit that will work for now if I can fix this one.

its junk , unless you can get the caps of the heatexchanger get new titanium tubing and reseal the caps also you will have to replace the capilary tubing the leak lock most likely stopped it up , replace the dryer and flush the system with a r-11 flush and replace the oil in the compressor

[ebman74]

I bought a Pacific Coast Imports C-0500 1/2hp chiller from another rc member. I just now installed it 7 months after getting it and found the water inlet is broken. The threaded pvc piece and the grey plastic housing arround the coils is cracked. Where can I get parts for these things, is it bassic ac parts that can be purchased? Can this be fixed with pvc glue or weld-on? Any help would be appreciated.

[cherubfish pair]

ihavtats29,

I have a JBJ 1/15 hp chiller. It's accuracy is +/- 1 degree F. I want to control temp with my ReefKeeper Lite to a range of 78 to 80 degrees. The heater is already running on the RKL with a setpoint of 78F and hysteresis of 0.1 My chiller has a dial to set it's temp. What should I set the dial at with the chiller's set point of 80F on the RKL and what should be the hysteresis be? The hysteresis of the RKL runs in increments of tenths of a degree F.

[ihavtats29]

I bought a Pacific Coast Imports C-0500 1/2hp chiller from another rc member. I just now installed it 7 months after getting it and found the water inlet is broken. The threaded pvc piece and the grey plastic housing arround the coils is cracked. Where can I get parts for these things, is it bassic ac parts that can be purchased? Can this be fixed with pvc glue or weld-on? Any help would be appreciated.


cracks can be easily repaired by scoring the crick with a dremel tool the applying superglue gel and let it dry for 24-48 hrs to fully cure, as for the threaded pvc piece a pic would be helpfull

[cherubfish pair]

What's the best way to plumb a chiller? Closed loop in and out of sump? Closed loop in and out of DT? Or inline between the return pump and DT?

[ihavtats29]

there are many ways a chiller can be hooked up to you system , the best way is what suits you the best , i perfer to have the chiller in the system to be hooked up so that is can be removed with out shutting down your whole system, either i a closed loop fasion or t'd off your return line with a shut off valve.

[kmu]

what would be the best way to cool a 240g reef tank in the desert, the room temperature during the day fluctuates between 78 to 90f since its an office and the AC is not turned on 24/7

The office building has a central AC set to 78F during the day and it gets turned off at night, but I have to my advantage that the room (260 square feet) the reef tank would be in has a 17,800 BTUs minisplit AC on the wall that could help during the hot summer.

The temps outside reach 110 during the hot summer season, would it be wise to plumb a large chiller to the outside and would it work?

[ihavtats29]

yes plumbing a large chiller in the system will do the joib, also having your lighting on timers so they are off a hr or 2 before the a/c is off and having a fan or 2 blowing across the sump will also help keep temps down. i would go with the evaporative cooling before purchasing a chiller , i was able to save my self from running a chiller that way

[kmu]

I will probably have all T5 lighting which run very cool, ATI fixture

[ihavtats29]

thats even better, at the lfs i work for they have a 300 gal with 3) 400w halides and in the summer it stays warm in the back and there is no chiller on it just fans bolwing on the water surfaces,

[BeanAnimal]

thats even better, at the lfs i work for they have a 300 gal with 3) 400w halides and in the summer it stays warm in the back and there is no chiller on it just fans bolwing on the water surfaces,

There are too many variables to correlate one environment to another. The fans blowing on the water cool the tank by forcing evaporation. For every gallon evaporated, you get about 8,100 BTUs of cooling. The large tank also has a large thermal mass that helps even out the temperature swings.

1 BTU of heat removed from 1 pound of water will drop its temperature by 1 degree Fahrenheit

So for a 300 gallon tank:
300 gal x 8.5 lb/gal = 2550 pounds of water

For every gallon of water evaporated out of the system you get 8100 BTU / 2550 pounds = 3.17 degrees of pulldown. Thats a pretty darn efficient "chiller" considering that the fans required to effect that 1 gallon of evaporation only consumed a few tenths (hundredths) of a kWh.

[cherubfish pair]

ihavtats29,

I have a JBJ 1/15 hp chiller. It's accuracy is +/- 1 degree F. I want to control temp with my ReefKeeper Lite to a range of 78 to 80 degrees. The heater is already running on the RKL with a setpoint of 78F and hysteresis of 0.1 My chiller has a dial to set it's temp. What should I set the dial at with the chiller's set point of 80F on the RKL and what should be the hysteresis be? The hysteresis of the RKL runs in increments of tenths of a degree F.
bump

[BeanAnimal]

A few thoughts..

There is no need to hold the temperatuer of your aquarium to a tenth of a degree, let alone a full degree.

In asking for .1 degree hysteresis, you are cycling your environmental controls far too often and subjecting them to a tremendous amount of thermal stress. In any case I would not allow the RK to control the chiller other than turning it off in a fail-safe fashion. Set the JBJ thermostat to turn off at 78 degrees and set the RK to turn it off at 76 or 77 degrees so that if the JBJ were ever to stick on, the RK would cut it off.

You do the opposite for the heater. Set the heater to SHUT OFF at 81 or 82 degrees and set the RK to shut it off at 80 degrees. If the RK sticks, your heater will shut itself down.

[ihavtats29]

thats good advice , sorry i missed the post , as BeanAnimal stated the chiller and the heaters thermostats/controls should be set up in a fail safe manner

[theyeg]

What is the charge of a jbj 1/3 hp chiller?

[ihavtats29]

it should be listed on the data plate for the unit. it will list the type of refridgerant and the weight in oz or lbs

[theyeg]

Its 134a and no it dose not have any kind of smount listed on the plate. I thought it had to be there as well? what are typical charges of other 1/3 hp chillers maybe I can play around with it till I am close

[ihavtats29]

what you need to do is charge is under load meaning have water running thru the chiller,aim for a subcooling temp of 5-8 degrees , sub cooling is measured by subtracting the liquid line temp from the temp on the highpreasure guage 134a scale adding more 134a will lower the subcooling temp removing will raise the temp. if your guage does not have a 134a scale on it you can look up 134a preasure charts online or get a preasure chart for a hvac supply house when looking at a preaseur chart find 134a and cross referance the preasure to the temp and subtract that temp from the temp measured on the liquid line using a digital thermometer, you can also contact the manufacture and get the correct weighed in charge from them

[Socals14]

Great stuff ihavetats29!

I too bought a used chiller and have had a problem. The chiller works just fine...cools water and all...except the temp sensor took a crap.

Called the MFG and they said there is no replacement...it is an older Current USA model.

I was considering a Ranco, but have decided to buy a Neptune Apex system and would prefer that control the chiller.

However, I would like to remove the old controller. I know that you previously stated that when you do this, you lose some freeze protection?

I would prefer to just wire the compressor up directly to a plug. If I take a pic of teh wiring can you provide some instructions on what to do?

[ihavtats29]

i will ned a upclose pic of the terminals on the compressor. most of these sensors are a 10k ohm thermistor that can be bought from Kele the only issue with a aftermarket sensor is if it is a type1 or type 2 the diferance is the temp curve of resistance . buying one of each will eliminate this issue and hook 1 at a time to you chiller controler and check the temp to your actual water temp find the thermistor giving the correct trmp reading , be sure to get the sealed sensors for outdoor use and check the probe length they can custom order them for you at what ever length you like.

[renogaw]

having the same issue with an aquaeuro usa chiller--the temperature is reading about 10 degrees too high. hoping to get some manual from the mfr to see if i can calibrate it

[jdemarco]

anyone know where i can find replacement fuse for my CURRENT 1/4 HP chiller. I tried Radio Shack and HomeDepot and some appliance stores and i need 15a 250v but the problem is the physical size i guess...all of the fuses at Radio shack and Home depot dont fit into the sleeve on the chiller even though they have the right specs...I am told a need a (5mil by 20 mil) size fuse...that is the size i guess. I have found 15a 250v but they are bigger in size than what i had. any help suggestions on where to shop would be appreciated...thanks much

[Pickupman66]

so yours is 110 or 220 volt you plug it in? should be 110, so anything rated for at least 110 should work. I didnt know they had a fuse on them. I have a 1/3 one that is junk in the garage, I dont remember seeing it having a fuse. if yours plugs into a standard outlet, it is rated at 110. I dont think they get to 220v until they get to 1hp.

[jdemarco]

Need some help advice on chiller fuse that keeps burning out. My chiller is a Current 1/4 HP chiller which worked flawlessly for me for the past 2 years and i recently had a problem with a stealth heater plugged into the heater port on the chiller. The heater is gone and i have since replaced the 15a 250v fuse that burned out and now everytime i plug the chiller back in even without any heater plugged into the port the chiller temp gauge and lights come back on but after being plugged in for about 5 minutes it blows the chiller fuse. I am not even talking about the chiller coming on to work to chill or heat...i am simply plugging it in and while I am programming it or trying to within about 5 minutes it blows the devices fuse. have you ever seen this before? did the heater ruin something inside the chiller? can i reset it or something? Its been in the same place and plugged into the same electrical outlet for 2 years and never had a problem until my heater failed me. Any thoughts on what i can do to troubleshoot? who can i call to fix this? I took the cover off and nothing is visibly wrong. Any words of wisdom would be appreciated...thanks for reading this post.

[ihavtats29]

sounds like you have a ground or short in either the wiring or control board , it could even be the transformer in the control board, another possibility that the wiring in the compressor shorting out, you can put a new fuse in and check the amp draw of the black wire from the power cord to see if you are exceeding the amp rating of the fuse, loose or corroaded wiring will also cause this issue even the fuse not seated correctly, also check or isolate the outlet in the chiller you had the heater connected to it may be faulty or when the heater failed it messed up or shorted the relay in the control board that controls that outlet ......

[ihavtats29]

also forgot to mention the fuses for most chillers are time delay and some are 650v your best bet is to order one from the manufacture or even call them to get the specs for the fuse.the OEM fuse will have a # on it letters and digits you want to match it

[ihavtats29]

just did a little read up on your chiller

Short cycling
Please allow your chiller to operate for a minimum of 48 hours for it to reach the desired setpoint. If the chiller turns on/off in a repeated cycle, this indicates that:
1. The chiller is over heating.
Ensure that enough air flow is flowing through the chiller. The chiller may need to be moved away from a wall or from underneath the stand to allow proper air flow.
2. The fuse needs to be replaced.
The fuse for this chiller is located in the back of the chiller next to the power cord. Replacement fuses can be purchased locally at a hardware or automotive store.
To remove the fuse, simply unscrew the cap in a counter clockwise and remove fuse from cap. Replace with a new fuse and screw cap back on. Fuse is 250V/15A.

Please Note: This port is to be used with aquarium heaters up to 300 watts only. We ONLY recommend using UL listed aquarium heaters.

[Matco_woody]

I just purchased a CL-600 Chiller from a LFS and I am having issues. I have it plumbed to a 25 gallon test container. I am getting good circulation, LED display is on and set (showing water temp at 80), and internal fan is on. All is good except it is not chilling. I have the temp set at 60 and it has been running for two hours and nothing. There does not seem to be a fuse accessable and the manual I found online offer no help. The compressor is not cycling. Any suggestions?

[iaJim]

Go back to your LFS.

[Matco_woody]

Thank you for the advice.

[ihavtats29]

sorry for the late reply but ive been pretty busy at work being the time of the year i work long hrs ,,,,,, anyway anytine u purchase something from a local store and i does not work return it asap! they should exchange it for a new one as long as it was not used

[expyman]

Ok here it goes.... I have a new 800gallon acrylic fish only tank. Temp is already hitting 85 so i will have to run a chiller. I would like one that the compressor is outside and yes it will have to be chilling in the winter as well... Can i just buy a oceanic 1hp chiller and call an ac company to remove the compressor and install it outside?? or am i better off buying a outdoor ac unit and putting a titanium coil in the sump???? any help is appreciated thanks

[fatoldsun]

Hi Jim/others:
This thread is a huge help but I think I've learned just enough to know I'm probably screwed - lesson is you get what you pay for.... and sorry to be asking in the ‘heat’ of the busty season.
I found what was listed as a 1/3 HP Current drop-in on craigslist for $200. Seemed like a good deal and 1/3 may have been more than I needed if it were in-line but drop ins seemed less efficient from what I could find. Most of what I’ve read on here deal with the in-lines but the mechanics should be pretty similar. I have a 90g with a 40sump and the tank is in a glass sunroom that gets kind of hot in the summer even with the house AC cranking. Plan was to put the chiller in the stand and vent it - there's no way to use that chiller out of the stand b/c the drop-in probe lead is only 5' and the probe itself is too large to slip behind the stand. anyway I wanted to see if/how it worked before I started on the venting mods. When I picked up the chiller it was what I expected - an older unit with a separate Ranco thermostat (I know the newer ones have that built in) but there was NO badge, plate etc... indicating what it was. It looked like a current and I don't think they make that many drop-ins so I took him at his word. Also he plugged it in and standing outside in 90+ degrees it felt like it got cold in my hand so I took it. Set everything up and I got NO cooling. It ran for 48 hours without dropping the temp a degree. I hooked a box fan to the Ranco and evaporative cooling did it in 5 minutes and shut off the fan.
Last night I opened it up and I found it to be pretty clean – it showed its age but that should be fine. No caked on dust, no filter that I could find. Fan worked fine. The compressor was running hot but I assume that’s to be expected. I did notice an area of rust that may have indicated a refrigerant leak – that pic is below. I also took shots of the compressor label and the capacitor label – the compressor shows that it was made by Matsushita/Panasonic in Singapore – Anyone know if that’s consistent with Current products? Capacitor says it’s Mallory (made in USA – same Co. as the ignition systems for cars? Makes sense since it’s a Cap). Any thoughts? Is it worth investing more in this trying to get it fixed? I’m handy (meaning I can do some basic plumbing/sweating and other basic mechanics) but I wouldn’t try and fix the A/C in my car or take apart my fridge and rebuild it so I think recharging and compression testing are over my head and exceed the limits of my tools. Did I just throw away $200 or is there a way to salvage this situation?

Here’s the unit, cover removed
http://i1231.photobucket.com/albums/ee503/dzipin/9484289a.jpg

the evidence of a possible leak
http://i1231.photobucket.com/albums/ee503/dzipin/55e34ccd.jpg

compressor label
http://i1231.photobucket.com/albums/ee503/dzipin/2226a4b8.jpg

[kctango]

I would think that you could have the leak repaired at any a/c repair shop then refill the the system with 134a and test again.

[ihavtats29]

sounds like you have little or no refridgerant in the system. rust spot is not a leak if there was visable leak you would see oil near the leak the rust is from sweating of the refridgerant lines ( normal ) . the leak could be in 1 of 2 places either the valve core under the black plastic cap on the liquid line or on the hose fittings either on the droping coil or near the base unit, i would give the valve core a little push to check for preasure, if there is preasure you mite be able to fix the issue by replacing the valve core in the system and recharging the unit with w proper charge . contact the manufacture for the amount of 134-a that u need. make sure to remove the refridgerand slowly to avoid blowing the oil from the system. recovery of the system is the proper way and can be done by any hvac repair tech. replace the valve core same tech should have some with him and have them put a vaccum on the system and charge the correct weight of refridgerant into the unit. it should then cool correctly
if u find a tech around your area they may do it on the side for you for a good price . and should not take more than a hr to do. you can charge it yourself with a adapter kit for cars pre 134a . i do not suggest using charges with oil in them or stop leak in the they can damage your unit use only a can with refridgerant only in it !

[tastydog]

I just came up on a Oceanic 1/4hp chiller that was setup on a 120g tank. I am going to set it up on my 90g and the return pump I have fits within specs. I noticed that the pump they were using to feed it was much larger than it should have been. They were using a mag 12 to feed it. What should I do to this chiller before I install it?

[Ron Reefman]

Thanks for providing the help that you do here. Even diy people like me can be in over their head when it comes to HVAC.

I bought an Aqua Euro chiller (1 hp model) 6 months ago. The chiller turns on, runs for a minute or two (max) and then shuts off for 3-5 minutes (max). This 'cycling' goes on all day and into the evening. At night the aquarium doesn't need chilling much if at all and by late in the evening the chiller quits cycling. I ran it for a month or so in the house before I moved it outside and it ran fine. Now it is housed in a plastic storage unit. I have opened up both ends of the storage unit for better air flow and even built a 'duct' the size of the exhaust from the back of the chiller to route the warm air outside of the storage unit. By the way, we live in SW Florida and the day time temps currently are running in the low 90s. The chiller and storage unit are up againt the north wall of the house and never get in the direct sun. And I raised the 'roof' of the storage unit to vent out any heat build up in the unit. The chiller is working fine in terms of keeping the aquariums between 78-80 degrees. We have a 180 gallon reef, 85 gallon anemone tank and a 130 gallon sump/refugium. The main sump pump is a 3000gph in water pump that is dead quiet and seems to run quite cool (this pump can run as external as well). The temp in the tanks don’t seem to go up or down at all when the chiller turns on and off. It seems to just hold the temp. The water to the chiller is pulled out of the sump by the 3000gph pump which feeds a manifold and returns to the 180g reef tank. The water in the manifold goes about 35% to the 180g reef, 20% to the 85g anemone tank, 10% to a GFO reactor & nitrate reactor and the balance, 35% (about 1000gph) to the chiller. The display tank and chiller are the first feeds off the manifold and the anemone tank and reactors are further downstream from the chiller. I have tried changing the flow rate to the chiller from much less, maybe 3-400gph all the way up to over 75%, or 2200gph. I had hoped that a higher flow would keep the water in the chiller at a constant temp and stop the cycling, but it had no effect. The lines to the chiller are 12-15' long in each direction (half inside the house and half outside in the shade) and covered with pipe insulation.
Questions:
Is this short cycling bad or hard on the chiller?
If it is harmful, do you have any ideas on what I can do to stop it from short cycling?

Again, thanks,
Ron

[ihavtats29]

there is not much you can do to stop the cycling , from what you are saying is that the chiller is keeping the tanks at temp though out the day. the cycling if the compressor is what is keeping the water at temp when it is reaching its set point it quits chilling, cutting back the flow may only cause it to cycle more , i believe you can try putting a little more flow on the chiller so that it is under more load. doing so should cause it to run longer cycles. you can also set your temp control for a extra 1 or 2 degrees . something else that can be done is putting a delay on make timer on the control er if its even possible then you can add time from 1-5 extra minutes or longer depending on the timer its self. its a simple conection where you are breaking the power from the controler to the compressor and adding this timer and set the delay to where you want it. as for damage to the compressor as long as it is not short cycling every 1 imn to 30 seconds it should not damage the compressor. also being out side make sure you water lines are well insulated individualy keeping the hot out door air from changing the temp of the water before and after it goes thru the chiller and blow out the condencer often.

here is a link to the timer im talking about from a supply store i trust/ i would not go as far as adding it unless you feel it a real need.

http://www.uri.com/is-bin/INTERSHOP.enfinity/WFS/PrcTransaction/en_US/-/USD/ViewCatalog-Browse;sid=4QiBYfRi4Q58wLpvpX6LYOJoAtZq1fgcaJ4=?CatalogCategoryID=xEsKFgIKOQAAAAEtXB4N9LAu&OnlineFlag=1

[567234ta]

Got any pics of the titanium heat exchanger? I would love to build my own chiller setup but the stumbling block is no copper can be in the water. Are there any other metals that are reef safe?

[ihavtats29]

308 grade stainless steal can be used but will not have the heat transfur rate you will need, the heat exchanger its self is just a piece of 1/4'' or 3/8'' titanium subing that is coiled up and inclosed in a plastic container . a piece of 6'' pvc with a cap on 1 side and another cap tapped for the refridgerant lines and in/out water lines to be attached. the titaniun tubing should come thru the cap and flared to a 1/4'' lfare fitting to attach to the liquid and suction lines.

[567234ta]

308 grade stainless steal can be used but will not have the heat transfur rate you will need, the heat exchanger its self is just a piece of 1/4'' or 3/8'' titanium subing that is coiled up and inclosed in a plastic container . a piece of 6'' pvc with a cap on 1 side and another cap tapped for the refridgerant lines and in/out water lines to be attached. the titaniun tubing should come thru the cap and flared to a 1/4'' lfare fitting to attach to the liquid and suction lines.

Thanks for the info, i had built a a few very similar setups for computer cooling, but i think i will just buy a chiller anyways since it will be easier. What type of compressors do the JBJ units have? Does anyone use the Danfoss compressors?
I know they were considered the best when i was doing extreme computer cooling.

[ihavtats29]

ive seen them use diferant brands from japanese to american made depending on the unit to the tonnage of the compressor varies on what one they will use

[ros_sco]

I have a 1/5 HP JBJ Arctica chiller that the compressor will not start without bumping the chiller. The green light that indicates it wants to cool comes on but unless I bump the cabinet nothing happens and the temperature will just keep going up. Bump the cabinet and the chiller starts up and cools down just fine. Any ideas?
Thanks

[ihavtats29]

you have a weak capasitor or a shorted wiring in the comp section , check wiring and loose or corroaded fittings should be replaced . if that dont fix it the capasitor needs to be replaced. if problen still persists a hard start kit will be needed to give the extra boost and will take care if it

[ros_sco]

Thanks for the quick response. All of the wiring was intact , I checked all the connections including detaching and reattaching them. There is no corrosion. I called JBJ today and ordered some parts, a power relay assembly with overload protector. (what the representative called it) Hopefully that is what I need.

[ihavtats29]

Thanks for the quick response. All of the wiring was intact , I checked all the connections including detaching and reattaching them. There is no corrosion. I called JBJ today and ordered some parts, a power relay assembly with overload protector. (what the representative called it) Hopefully that is what I need.

let me know if it worked out , they should have had you replace the capastior with it as well. as a rule of thumb when replaceing the starting components on a single phase motor/ compressor you should replace all of them not just a part or 2 . that what happens when someone is reading the service tips from a book and not having hands on exp

[ros_sco]

The parts that were sent were these. I installed them and my problem hasn't changed.
There are no more external parts on the compressor available to replace that I can see. Is there maybe something wrong with the compressor?

http://webpages.charter.net/rossowsj/Reef/chiller%20parts.JPG

[ihavtats29]

thats the overload on the left and the relay on the right
before you claim the compressor is bad i would replace the capasitor
its a round plastic and about 2.5 to 3 inchs tall mounts on the frame of the unit to the left of the compressor and has 2 wires comming out of it , if the cap is bad it wont start

[JohnM99]

Apologies is this question has already been answered. What I would like to know is - is there a kind of chiller / heating system that can be used in places that hardly ever need chilling? I live in a very temperate place, and maybe a handful of days in a year would I need chilling for my tank - so I just run a fan on a thermostat blowing over my refugium, and heat with an Ebo Jager heater in my sump. This actually works very well most of the time, but has occasionally failed. (Of course this only happens when I am away on holiday - have lost my whole coral collection twice in 8 years this way - once through a dead fan, and once through a plug getting a bit loose) I am toying with the idea of breaking down and rebuilding my system, and was thinking of adding a chiller as insurance. But, if the chiller would rarely come on - and only in July or August on a few occasions - is there a problem with this? Would that impair the chiller, or make it less reliable? Would it still need maintenance during the "off-season" ?

Or should I just forget it and get a 2nd redundant fan organized?

Many thanks for your time.
John

[ros_sco]

Apparently there is no capacitor on this model. I spoke to the JBJ rep again on Monday and discussed the failure to start and since the first try didn't work, it was recommended that I try a new fan motor. The theory given to me was the relay won't give the start signal if the fan doesn't start. I recieved the fan motor and installed it tonight and the very first try I still had to whack the case to get it to start even though the "cool" light lit up. I am into this for $150 and I have gotten nowhere. JBJ has asked that I send it in to get looked at, but paying shipping to and from their shop plus the repair sounds like more than a 4 year old chiller is worth. Is there an aftermarket or add on capacitor I can get to make this thing work, or should I just junk it and get a new one.

This is the inside of the chiller.

http://webpages.charter.net/rossowsj/Reef/IMG_8159%20(Large).JPG

[markster33139]

I have the above chiller, and in the last couple of days I have noticed a potential problem. I have noticed that the compressor fan, will kick on for several minutes, before the compressor turns on. When the preset temperature is reached, sometimes both will shut off, and other times the compressor shuts off, while the fan continues to run for a few minutes. The tank remains cool, and there does not appear to be any operational problems. Does this sound familiar to anyone? Is this the beginning of a potential compressor malfunction? Anyone with experience with chillers please help, I am going on vacation in 5 days, and I really need a quick answer. Thanks.

[ihavtats29]

I have the above chiller, and in the last couple of days I have noticed a potential problem. I have noticed that the compressor fan, will kick on for several minutes, before the compressor turns on. When the preset temperature is reached, sometimes both will shut off, and other times the compressor shuts off, while the fan continues to run for a few minutes. The tank remains cool, and there does not appear to be any operational problems. Does this sound familiar to anyone? Is this the beginning of a potential compressor malfunction? Anyone with experience with chillers please help, I am going on vacation in 5 days, and I really need a quick answer. Thanks.

its a sign of weak starting components and should be replaced the fan and compressor should come on at the same time , what is most likely happening is that the capasitor is weak and is takeing time to build up enough power to kick start the compressor another possible cause would be the potential relay, and last but not least another possible issue could be weak motor windings in the compressor. i would suggest replacing the relay and run capasitor . if that does not fix the issue the problem is mostlikely the motor windings and you can get away with addind a hard start kit to the unit , the make a simple 2 wire kit that directly connects to the run cap for around $20 . start with the factory parts first like i said.

[ihavtats29]

Apologies is this question has already been answered. What I would like to know is - is there a kind of chiller / heating system that can be used in places that hardly ever need chilling? I live in a very temperate place, and maybe a handful of days in a year would I need chilling for my tank - so I just run a fan on a thermostat blowing over my refugium, and heat with an Ebo Jager heater in my sump. This actually works very well most of the time, but has occasionally failed. (Of course this only happens when I am away on holiday - have lost my whole coral collection twice in 8 years this way - once through a dead fan, and once through a plug getting a bit loose) I am toying with the idea of breaking down and rebuilding my system, and was thinking of adding a chiller as insurance. But, if the chiller would rarely come on - and only in July or August on a few occasions - is there a problem with this? Would that impair the chiller, or make it less reliable? Would it still need maintenance during the "off-season" ?

Or should I just forget it and get a 2nd redundant fan organized?

Many thanks for your time.
John

Many chillers on the market have outlets on them for heating control, as for what heater you use i suggest a high quality brand name heater with a built in t-stat as backup, but id a chiller is not needed and fans are doing the job for you on the few hot days you do have i suggest a reef controller like a reefkeeper jr or simular that can control your heater and also bring on the fans and/ or shut down your lights if the tank gets too warm

jim

[ihavtats29]

Apparently there is no capacitor on this model. I spoke to the JBJ rep again on Monday and discussed the failure to start and since the first try didn't work, it was recommended that I try a new fan motor. The theory given to me was the relay won't give the start signal if the fan doesn't start. I recieved the fan motor and installed it tonight and the very first try I still had to whack the case to get it to start even though the "cool" light lit up. I am into this for $150 and I have gotten nowhere. JBJ has asked that I send it in to get looked at, but paying shipping to and from their shop plus the repair sounds like more than a 4 year old chiller is worth. Is there an aftermarket or add on capacitor I can get to make this thing work, or should I just junk it and get a new one.

This is the inside of the chiller.

http://webpages.charter.net/rossowsj/Reef/IMG_8159%20(Large).JPG

in my 12 years in the heating and cooling industry i have never seen a single phase compressor that did not have a capacitor on it. unless they are useing a split phase style motor in the compressors they chose for production. if they are they are not commonly used , what you can do is on the compressor there is a make M# and S# contact the manufacture of the compressor they will be able to tell you for sure if it needs a capacitor or not, as for the fan if you were to look closely at the fan motor wiring that they connect in splices where the crush style wire nuts are. if you were to follow those wires you will see that they also run directly to the compressor. there is no signal sent from a fan motor to the controller.

the fan motor is wired with 2 wires. 1 to common connection and the other to the power connection. A run cap and or a run/start cap can be added to to a slpit phase compressor and would not be to difficult to do.

here is a basic wiring diagram for single phase compressors.

http://www.tpub.com/content/construction/14259/css/14259_294.htm

this may help you

a little lesson on split phase motor circuits

Split Phase Motors have medium starting torque and are normally used for operating fans in the fractional horsepower range. These motors have two motor windings, the start and the run winding which require help so to speak when starting and or running.

These Motors are referred to as split-phase because a single power voltage supply is split between two individual windings, the RUN and the START. Both windings are used in the starting application of these motors, although once the motor reaches three fourths of its rated speed some means of removing the start winding from the circuit must be employed, such as a centrifugal switch.

On start-up, voltage is applied to both the start and run windings of the motor which causes the motor to start to turn. Once the motor reaches 75% of its rated speed, the contacts of the centrifugal switch open, thus removing that start winding from the motor circuit. The starting torque and running efficiency of Split-Phase motors can be enhanced by the addition of a run or start capacitor, or perhaps both.

[markster33139]

Thanks for your help, I will look into replacing those parts.

[Bandomo]

What would be the better choice, allowing the chiller to run utilizing its built-in t-stat, or powering on/off the chiller via my Reefkeeper?

The problem I'm having with my Teco chiller is that the fan continuously stays on even thou the compressor is off. The compressor turns on 4-5 times for roughly 20 minutes throughout the day. The fan on the other hand continuously stays on for 8 hours plus. Is this normal?

Also, the fan is extremely loud so I would like to avoid running it as much as possible. Another issue is dialing the t-stat from the chiller and the t-stat from my reefkeeper to work in unison. Even thou I've calibrate both to read the same temp, one always seems to fall off track. I would love for the Reefkeeper to controller the chiller but I'm worried that constantly switching the chiller on/off can cause some damage. After all, this is not a cheap $35 heater we're talking about. What should I do?

[Gandolfe]

I recently hooked up my chiller that had been sitting for 4 years due to a bad fan. i got the fan working again but the chiller doesn't seem to be working very efficiently.Can it go bad from sitting? Do i need to add freon? it's a 1/3 HP chiller and hooked up to a 125 gallon tank with aproximatley 100 gallons total water volume

[ihavtats29]

I recently hooked up my chiller that had been sitting for 4 years due to a bad fan. i got the fan working again but the chiller doesn't seem to be working very efficiently.Can it go bad from sitting? Do i need to add freon? it's a 1/3 HP chiller and hooked up to a 125 gallon tank with aproximatley 100 gallons total water volume

if you had a leak in the system it may be low look at the valve caps for any oil and under the caps for oil , if there is any kind of oil showing there is a leak and you are low on refrigerant. there can also be some build up of film /mold/ algae inside the heat exchanger from sitting all that time , it can be cleaned out by circulating a some vinegar water thru the system for a few hrs to overnight depending how dirty it is , just use a 5 gal bucket and a decent sized pump to move enough water thru it let the vinegar water drain back into the bucket and just let it run it will eat up and calcium deposits and any other trash inside the exchanger

[ihavtats29]

What would be the better choice, allowing the chiller to run utilizing its built-in t-stat, or powering on/off the chiller via my Reefkeeper?

The problem I'm having with my Teco chiller is that the fan continuously stays on even thou the compressor is off. The compressor turns on 4-5 times for roughly 20 minutes throughout the day. The fan on the other hand continuously stays on for 8 hours plus. Is this normal?

Also, the fan is extremely loud so I would like to avoid running it as much as possible. Another issue is dialing the t-stat from the chiller and the t-stat from my reefkeeper to work in unison. Even thou I've calibrate both to read the same temp, one always seems to fall off track. I would love for the Reefkeeper to controller the chiller but I'm worried that constantly switching the chiller on/off can cause some damage. After all, this is not a cheap $35 heater we're talking about. What should I do?

if the fan is dirty or has any dust or corrosion on the bearing sleeves it will be noisy , the motor can be oiled with some house hold oil that is used for stopping squeaky doors exct... also and build up of dirt on the fan blade will cause noise issues. as for the fan running all the time it depends on the manufacture and how the have the fan wired in, in most models the fan should not be running if the chiller is not calling for cooling , i would contact the manufacture about that and they can tell you for sure.

as for connecting to your reef keeper it will be ok you will have to set the chillers t-stat a degree lower or higher to avoid short cycling . single phase motors in compressors will sometimes not restart right away when a cycle is less than a few minutes , some chillers have built in timers to prevent that from happening.

[kuch123]

Hi, i have a Tradewind drop in chiller, 1/4hp i think.. it came with a tank i just bought (http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2078443). The wand/coil that goes in the sump has a point on it that is corroded through (rust color) .. is it possible to replace it?

[RockieTop]

I am a Hvac/r service tech with 13 years in the business, for the last 3 years ive been repairing chillers for the local reefing comunity , if your having and issues with your chiller i will be glad to help ,

jim

Jim, I am new here - I've come over to you reef folks because I know you guys have much more experience with chillers than us freshwater planted tank guys. I hope you can give me some pointers, as I have a Polar Bear CC-50 1/4 hp (340w) on the hook. Someone on craigslist has one for sale for $300. He claims it's never been used, but the manufacture date is 2004. 8 years makes me a little nervous...

This is not the actual chiller but is the same vintage as the one I'm looking at: e-bay item # 220861828673

Can you please give me an idea of what I should look out for with this unit? Are there seals that dry out? Can a compressor seize up from lack of use? Neoprene ozone problems? His pix look make it look brand new. I'd just like to go check this unit out and have a little more than intuition behind me.

Any pointers you can give me would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks :wave:

[RockieTop]

bump

[ihavtats29]

Hi, i have a Tradewind drop in chiller, 1/4hp i think.. it came with a tank i just bought (http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2078443). The wand/coil that goes in the sump has a point on it that is corroded through (rust color) .. is it possible to replace it?

fine grit sand paper will do the trick the wand would be hard to get and costly

[ihavtats29]

Jim, I am new here - I've come over to you reef folks because I know you guys have much more experience with chillers than us freshwater planted tank guys. I hope you can give me some pointers, as I have a Polar Bear CC-50 1/4 hp (340w) on the hook. Someone on craigslist has one for sale for $300. He claims it's never been used, but the manufacture date is 2004. 8 years makes me a little nervous...

This is not the actual chiller but is the same vintage as the one I'm looking at: e-bay item # 220861828673

Can you please give me an idea of what I should look out for with this unit? Are there seals that dry out? Can a compressor seize up from lack of use? Neoprene ozone problems? His pix look make it look brand new. I'd just like to go check this unit out and have a little more than intuition behind me.

Any pointers you can give me would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks :wave:

sorry for the delay i had to have reconstructive knee surgery and have ben out of it lately , there should not be any seals to worry about but the compressor can lock up for lack of use$300 is allot for a 8 year old chiller new or not there is no warranty on it and if something does fail on it you would be S.O.L if your looking to spend $300 i would look at spending the extra $100 or so for a new one with a warranty. when checking out the unit you want to see it in action, signs of use would be dust build up on the fan blades and coil , knocking sounds in the chiller are not a good thing, warm air should be comming out of the condenser coil and depending on the style if it a drop in probe style the probe should get ice cold if out of the water and frost ( do not leave the probe out of water for too long it can stress the tubing and cause leaks and liquid refridgerand to go back to the compressor) as for sitting not running for that long it make knock for a few seconds untill everything gets a good lubing and should quiet down to a humming sound like your a/c on your house. if its a chiller with a bundle where it would need to be plumbed up a 5 gal bucket with say 80 degree water in it and a pump circulating water thru the chillerand back to the bucket you should watch for a temp drop and should not take too long say more than 10 minutes to see some type of temp change.

[theshiver]

I have a Arctica Commercial Series chiller model DA 500 B 1/2hp 208/230v
When I plug it in the control head lights the temp is steady and green light blinks but compressor nor the fan starts and I cant find any fuse any idea what is wrong thanks for your help

[Wildman]

I am wanting to do a radiator type chiller. I understand I don't want to use copper. I was thinking about the titanium tubing. Is there any thing out there with fins on it? I am assuming titanium exchanges ok since that is what is used in chillers?

[ihavtats29]

I have a Arctica Commercial Series chiller model DA 500 B 1/2hp 208/230v
When I plug it in the control head lights the temp is steady and green light blinks but compressor nor the fan starts and I cant find any fuse any idea what is wrong thanks for your help

It could be a relay in the controller its self that is not working. if so the only way to repair this is by replacing the the controller they are in the $140 range . before replacing the controller check with a volt meter that you are getting proper voltage to the unit . and aso when the chiller is calling for cooling check for voltage at the fan and compressor. if its calling and no voltage or anything below 208/230 it will not run and will be the controller. if you ae getting correct voltage to the fan and compressor the compressor starting components and fan and worst case compressor is damaged . my best guess is the controller is shot

[ihavtats29]

I am wanting to do a radiator type chiller. I understand I don't want to use copper. I was thinking about the titanium tubing. Is there any thing out there with fins on it? I am assuming titanium exchanges ok since that is what is used in chillers?

titanium has a great exchange rate and is why it is used along with its non corrosive property's and strength high grade 308 or higher stainless steal can also be used. as for having fins and depending on the size of radiator you are planning on using they do make titanium racing radiators for cars as for being %100 reef safe i cannot comment i would make some phone calls to manufactures to see what they use in the assembly and for sweating joints.

[RockieTop]

sorry for the delay i had to have reconstructive knee surgery and have ben out of it lately ... Informative post deleted for sanity...

Thank you for that informative and helpful answer ihavtats. I decided to skip this chiller - the guy was too cagy when asking specific questions and I agree that $300 for an 8 yr old chiller is too high. I might have offered half that, but never got that far into a serious discussion with him. At any rate, sorry for not replying sooner. I thought I had my Options set to "instant email notification" when there are replies to threads I'm subscribed to. I never received any such notification. I hope your knee has healed well and you have a good holiday.

Thanks again!

[ihavtats29]

lol not a problem i have been a bit busy with my recovery that i have not been on here too much lately

[RockieTop]

Happy Holidays!

[Mark Bianco]

There is is one other way to keep your water temp within a close proximity of what you want. You can purchase a controller the two best known is Apex and Reefkeeper. Either one of the small base units can be purchased for a little over a hundred dollars and come with a temp probe. That way you can control the heater and chiller while still having the backup of the chillers and or the heater own tempature controller.

Mark

[krzyphsygy]

Hey guys, I have a chiller related question. My Pacific Coast Chiller that I bought 3-4 years ago, its a cl-600. It has been out of service for about 3 plus years and when I took it off line I had only had it in service about 1 1/2 years. Worked great.
Well getting ready to set up my new tank and want to put it back on line and I can not remember if I rinsed it in fresh water or not when I took it down, so I am a little worried about it possibly being dirty in there tubing or coils where the water flows.

Any idea how I can succesfully clean the water coils? Should I run hot water and vinegar through it for a while or something??
I really dont want to add whatever built up in there over the years to my tank. It has been 100% boxed up and sealed off for 3 plus years and I have had it stored in my closet a/c controlled.

Thanksfor the help.

[ihavtats29]

sorry for the delay , just water and vinegar and let it flow thru for a while 4 hrs should do it. then a few rinse runs and you will be good

[krzyphsygy]

Ok, thanks. Preciate it!

[theshiver]

Any idea where I can get a fan motor for my Arctica Chiller?

[Plato]

Any idea where I can get a fan motor for my Arctica Chiller?

I got a replacment fan for my JBJ at Grangers. I just matched the specs and size. It was 50$. Half what JBJ wanted.

[ihavtats29]

Any idea where I can get a fan motor for my Arctica Chiller?

Grainger bring the motor and have them match it up

[ihavtats29]

lol i didnt read the response

[theshiver]

Anyone have the Granger part number for the fan motor? I don't have a store close to me.

[ihavtats29]

no they will have to match it up buy size voltage amp draw ext....... if there is no grainger find a local hvac supply shop like united refrigeration or cc dickson they are both national supply shops

[aquaenthusiast]

Hi,
I have a 1/10th hp Coralife chiller, and it works great in terms of chilling my 38+ gallon tank and keeps it at a nice constant 74 degrees. But... one issue, I have to tilt the chiller slightly at about 20 degrees up and to the left to keep the fan from making excessive vibration noise. I took the cover off of the chiller before I hooked it up and clean up the insides becuase I bought it used for a great deal. Is there some lubricant (or special kind) that I can use to put on the fan motor to prevent it from making excessive vibration noise? In other words if the chiller is level on the ground it makes a horrendous vibrational noise becuase of the fan I think, but if I play with the tilt I can get it to resume "normal" operation, but I also know that excessive tilting could affect the refrigerant so I don't want that to leak.
Thanks,
Steve

[ihavtats29]

a drop a regular household oil will work but i believe your issue may be something other than that i could be wrong. check to make sure the fan blad is not rubbing anything , run the chiller level with out the cover on and look to see what is vibrating the fan mount any also be loose

[aquaenthusiast]

a drop a regular household oil will work but i believe your issue may be something other than that i could be wrong. check to make sure the fan blad is not rubbing anything , run the chiller level with out the cover on and look to see what is vibrating the fan mount any also be loose

Would WD-40 work ok? it's the only thing I laying around at the moment. How much would a new fan assembly run me if I took it to a place like Grainger?

[Coraldude01]

I just sent my JBJ chiller 1/4 hp to have it repaired to the manufacturer they told me the compressor has to be replaced and they dont replace compressors. I spent alot of money on this chiller what do i do?
if you can help it would be greatly appreciated
thanks
Brian

[ihavtats29]

Would WD-40 work ok? it's the only thing I laying around at the moment. How much would a new fan assembly run me if I took it to a place like Grainger?

wd 40 would be fine

[ihavtats29]

I just sent my JBJ chiller 1/4 hp to have it repaired to the manufacturer they told me the compressor has to be replaced and they dont replace compressors. I spent alot of money on this chiller what do i do?
if you can help it would be greatly appreciated
thanks
Brian

what is wrong with the compressor? just by them telling you its shot dont mean that its the compressor but again its the manufacture that has it, their repair techs could be good or they are going by a book or protocol to gut the unit and replace all parts , typically when a small chiller like these it is sometimes cost effective or cheaper to buy a new unit , what would i do? i would contact them back and ask what is wrong with the compressor if the say its locked up ask them about installing a hard start relay and start cap on the unit or if the replaced the run cap and other start components, if its grounded there is no fix but to replace the compressor. now if you know a A/C tech you can have them quote you a compressor at cost or have them check over the compressor ohm it out and see if it good or bad

[ihavtats29]

if you can use a ohm meter or multi meter you can check it out yourself
just scroll back thru the posts and i have listed check out procedures on compressors

[bennr]

I have purchased a jbj arctica 1/10hp chiller for my 75g.....100g total with sump and equipment.....wondering what size of pump I should use to feed the chiller?? I only need to drop the temp lke 2-3 degrees faranheit......

[ihavtats29]

JBJ recommends 240 gph for that chiller

[wcharon]

I have a JBJ Artica 1/4 Chiller which i was using in my old 80 gal. I have upgraded the tank to a 125 gal. with a 30 gal. sump for a total 155 ga. water. I have been dialing the pressure thru the chiller because i have a T with the main tank pump.

I have dialed it to bring the temp down from 78.6 to 76.5 in 1 hr. 50 min. My question is, do you think it is in a good range to lower 2 degress in that time ??? It is a range of 1 min 40 sec. per gal. or i can dialer better??

Thanks in advance...

[bennr]

JBJ recommends 240 gph for that chiller

Ok thanks! Do you think I could use a mj 1200? Or should I go with something more powerful? Like mag or eheim?