Great discussion. It really comes down to the numbers and it might not be possible to obtain the precise numbers. I guess you would have to hook up power consumption meters on the various pieces of equipment and log them into a computer.
So your 8.5 amp pump only uses 150 watts? hmmm :rolleyes:
I think your flotec is a weak link in your system; you should check out reeflo and some of the aquarium pumps, they are much more efficient and have much less heat transfer to the water.
One thing that makes me suspicious is why does hydroinnovations make it so difficult to find there power consumption numbers on their website. Also water chillers are usually rated by horsepower not btus and tons; is there any verification of their designations?
Mitsubishis give the total power consumed for the air handler and compressor.
Tystikk, how many iceboxes and max fans do you utilize in your eight k room?
I really appreciate how we can have this discussion without it becoming contentious or personal like I have so often seen. I also appreciate the spirit of innovation and willingness to try something new that Tystikk shows.
Well, I think it would take a Kill-a-Watt and having both units run the same room for a cycle or two to get a true head to head. All I can say is that after the pain of installation, it has been very flexible and easily reconfigurable for me.
Yes, just like a car engine. Sure, your Vette motor is rated for 400hp, but how often does even a racer use it all? So, after startup, it just has to keep pushing the water, and it does this for far, far less than full rated output. The limit is speed; the motor wants to run at its rated rpm- not sure what that is, guessing about 120rpm- and will use only enough electricity for it to do so. If drag is less than its full rated output, then it will use less, just like the Vette motor uses only a tiny fraction of its rated output to cruise down the freeway at a steady speed. If the water pump tried to use the full rated output all the time regardless of load, it would be a worthless, even dangerous machine! Does that make more sense now?
I'm sure there are more efficient pumps out there, and when I'm rolling in cash I'll look into them. For now, this Flotec is reasonable, reliable and doesn't seem to transmit much heat. The back of the motor isn't hot, even the furthest point from the pumphead is cool. And I got it as part of the deal...
HI is run by a bunch of kids who don't have the time or inclination to put all the details on their website. They know that those who are serious will call, and that gives them the opportunity to sell the gear. If you want the exact specs, go the mfrs. of the gear in question; maxfans, Flotec pumps and Chillking chillers. HI is a glorified sales operation with a lil research thrown in to keep it interesting. And it works well for them, so good on 'em!
Not sure on the conversions between various measures of cooling capacity. I suspect that would be part of an HVAC tech's vocabulary...
Mitsubichi is a good brand, as is Chillking. If there's anything I've learned in the past few years, it's that you don't save any money by getting the cheapie gear. If I get a minisplit, chances are high I would get a Mitsu.
The 8kW room is all Magnum XXXL 8" 'Ocho' hoods, double barrel style, sealed and vented. One maxfan pulls the air from outside the room, through all the hoods, through a 2 into 1 8" Y collector, and then pushes it out the window. I have two sets of 8" IceBox/Maxfan pairs running currently, I think I need to add a third. That would be a total of 3 Ice Boxes and 3 maxfans plus the hoses required for each to get water from the inlet manifold and back to the return manifold. The water never runs through more than one cooling unit before heading back to the res. CO2 is tank style, and I run a Panasonic 70 pint dehuey. No other heat sources in the room.
Thank you re. the discussion being insightful without being in-ya-face. You too! Yes, I'm a restless gearhead, always tinkering at the margins to see what I come up with. If I didn't, I think I might die of boredom, lol.