One chiller multiple loads

steelyeyes · Mar 5, 2011

Got my 1 hp chiller today. I'm setting up one UC system which will end up being two in two rooms and some ice boxes once I get the CO2 going.

I'd like to run a common supply header (line) out of a chilled water res. and have each load temp controlled by having a solonoid valve open and close to supply chilled water only when needed based on a thermostat for each system or space that needs cooling,

I was thinking of having a constant flow pump running but I'd need some back pressure in the supply to make sure I get flow to each load. I guess that means a pressure reducer at the end of the line where it taps back to the return to the tank.

Any of you experienced personages ever build out something like this? What kind of pressure should I run on the supply side, like 15 psi or what?

THanks in advance.

Papa · Mar 5, 2011

you'll need to use a manifold. i think there is a chillking video that shows how it's done.

deacon1503 · Mar 5, 2011

watercooledgardens.com

Papa · Mar 5, 2011

thanks d, yeah it's one of those i was thinking of . . .

steelyeyes · Mar 7, 2011

Checked out the site. Lots of good info there. I think I know which way to go but I can build my own manifold so I'll be doing that.

TopDog · Mar 9, 2011

Please explain your setup in more detail. First, why are you using the water cooled heat heat exchanger in the first place? Sounds like unneeded complexity vs a simple AC unit.

steelyeyes · Mar 9, 2011

TopDog said:
Please explain your setup in more detail. First, why are you using the water cooled heat heat exchanger in the first place? Sounds like unneeded complexity vs a simple AC unit.

The main reason I got a chiller is to keep my root zone temps below 70 in the summer. Since cooling water with water is more efficient than cooling the whole room the tanks are in I went with a chiller. The other reason is stealth. My grow rooms are one wall away from where more than a few people go by every day and there is no reasonable excuse for a AC unit to be running in that building. I can use my normal air handling system to evacuate the heat from the chiller the same way I do my room and light cooling air, at low speed, low noise and distrubuted along the eave line of the building.

A side benefit of the chiller is that I can run a couple of ice boxes to keep the temps down in the summer without pushing so much air through the room. It will save me CO2, keep my CO2 higher for longer when the plants need it, and thereby produce better growth. If I want to get really decadant I can push my night time temps down during the end of flowering to bring out the really nice purples in the strains I like the most.

Bobby Smith · Mar 9, 2011

steelyeyes said:
Got my 1 hp chiller today. I'm setting up one UC system which will end up being two in two rooms and some ice boxes once I get the CO2 going.

I'd like to run a common supply header (line) out of a chilled water res. and have each load temp controlled by having a solonoid valve open and close to supply chilled water only when needed based on a thermostat for each system or space that needs cooling,

I was thinking of having a constant flow pump running but I'd need some back pressure in the supply to make sure I get flow to each load. I guess that means a pressure reducer at the end of the line where it taps back to the return to the tank.

Any of you experienced personages ever build out something like this? What kind of pressure should I run on the supply side, like 15 psi or what?

THanks in advance.

I think your system would be much more efficient with a pump being controlled by the thermostat for each "device" you wanna run; one of the major put-offs for me when looking at watercooling was setting up a manifold and having a 1000 watt pump running 24/7 - I was looking for maximum efficiency (in energy usage), and that didn't sit too well with me.

steelyeyes · Mar 10, 2011

I'm looking at that too but the setup costs for the thermocouples and controllers is a bit steep. A cheaper source for a thermostat with a submersible bulb would be good to have. That way I could wire them up in parallel and the chiller and pump would only need to run when a load calls for it.

Then again the one pump I found that meets the flow criteria for the chiller is only a 120 watt load and the chiller will only cycle on when the temp of the chilled water is too high. Definitely things to think over.

Bobby Smith · Mar 10, 2011

steelyeyes said:
I'm looking at that too but the setup costs for the thermocouples and controllers is a bit steep. A cheaper source for a thermostat with a submersible bulb would be good to have. That way I could wire them up in parallel and the chiller and pump would only need to run when a load calls for it.

Then again the one pump I found that meets the flow criteria for the chiller is only a 120 watt load and the chiller will only cycle on when the temp of the chilled water is too high. Definitely things to think over.

Oh no, I wasn't talking about the pump that feeds the chiller - that should always be running so as to not damage the chiller by the coils freezing over (unless you're using poly(something) glycol, which is like "safe" antifreeze).

Of course, in "my" setup (planned but never executed), even the chiller/pump was run off of a thermostat, so nothing was on when it didn't need to be.

When I say "pump", I'm talking about the 1/2 to 1HP pump HI recommends be running 24/7 to power the manifold - my idea was "fuck the manifold, I'll just setup pumps that only run when they need to".

Ranco controllers are the ones that I know of - I'm sure there's a generic knockoff, but how many devices do you need to power?

I mean, a 1K watt pump running 24/7 is gonna cost you $100+ a month to run anyways in electric ($200 or more if you're in the upper tier); just think of all the $$ you'll be saving when pumps only run when they're needed, and then re-evaluate.

Randyb · Mar 22, 2011

this is a great post, Keep it going.

Im in the same boat as you and recently bought a 1HP chiller to use in my 12 bucket UC system. I was thinking of building a manifold system such as the one in the hydro innovation video but I've been told that the system using the cold box's on each hood cause a shit load of humidity. Now you're going to create heat by trying to dehumidify the room or buy they're 1000. dollar WATER COOLED dehumidifier, (DONT THINK SO).

I'm back to chasing my tail. Spend a dollar to save a dime. I may just blast the heat threw the hoods using insulated ducting, an inline fan and dump it out side through a vent.

theres just never enough money to get it right...

Hythloth · Apr 2, 2011

Randyb said:
I was thinking of building a manifold system such as the one in the hydro innovation video but I've been told that the system using the cold box's on each hood cause a shit load of humidity. Now you're going to create heat by trying to dehumidify the room or buy they're 1000. dollar WATER COOLED dehumidifier, (DONT THINK SO).

I don't understand why the rumor that ice boxes cause lots of humidity keeps spreading around. The ice boxes are a closed system. They aren't evaporating water into the air at all. Any condensation you find on the coils is from the humidity that was already in the air in your room.

Randyb · Apr 2, 2011

Hythloth said:
I don't understand why the rumor that ice boxes cause lots of humidity keeps spreading around. The ice boxes are a closed system. They aren't evaporating water into the air at all. Any condensation you find on the coils is from the humidity that was already in the air in your room.

You are correct but condensation will revert back to humidity. The goal is to rid the room of heat and excess moisture. I just don't have the funds to add more dehumidifiers which will add more heat and round and round we go again just like the power meter.

Your not wrong, I really wish licensed medical users-caregivers could grow outside. Most medical patients don't have money to pay for the ideal setup. I'm just frustrated.

RMCG · Apr 3, 2011

You will only get condensation issues if your water is too cold.

OP, I would forgo the thermostatically controlled valves to your res coils. Better off to just let it flow through both systems and keep them the same temp.

I do not think that you will be able to supply cold enough water to the iceboxes on the 1HP chiller either.

.5HP per IB/1K minimum is the recommended and that is not trying to cool your res too. My .5HP chiller runs 24/7 keeping 2 res's (UCE9XL13's) under 70*.

Randyb · Apr 26, 2011

do you think it would be better to run outside air through the lights and vent it back outside using a large inline fan with insulated duct work? I've done it like this for a few years now but only growing in dirt.

I wanted to use the 1HP chiller with the manifold type setup to cool ice box's and a coil setup for the epicenter an 55 gallon nut res.

The manifold -chiller and 1.5 HP inline pump would have a separate 55 gallon res of straight H2O and both chiller and cooler res would be outside garden in main cellar which stays in the high 70ies most of the summer.

The time is ticking as the temp is in the high 60 low 70 already. I'm loving it but when I fire up these lights I need to have a working plan in place. Thanks.

RMCG · Apr 26, 2011

Yes, air cooling your lights is cheaper in the short AND long run.

steelyeyes · May 7, 2011

I'm air cooling my lights with air that will never mix with grow room air. In the winter I have motor operated dampers that open at low temps to keep my tank room (also my air intake source for grow rooms) at a moderate temp so I don't have to have heaters running when the lights are out (with two rooms one or the other will always have lights on).

My chiller is just for two 50 gallon reservoirs and a couple of ice boxes set up with inline duct booster fans to add a bit of cooling to the rooms in the summer when my intake air temps are up. I also only run my 12/12 lights at night in the summer when the heat is easier to control and in the winter I use the excess heat to keep temps up, also usually at night. I'll run my reservoirs on a continous pump and the iceboxes on thermostat controlled pumps, one for each room, to minimize power use.

steelyeyes · May 8, 2011

I decided to add inline duct booster fans to my room inlets too. I'm running them off of the same controller as my exhaust fan so I can turn over my room air with cooler air better and faster and get back to dumping CO2 into it.

steelyeyes · May 13, 2011

Found rez cooler coils for a good price. http://www.nybrewsupply.com/products/wort-chiller-stainless-steel-immersion.php

They're longer than what water cooled gardens is selling for $90 each less. For a nearly comparable price to their 15 foot coil you can get the 50 foot coil at the brew supply outlet. I ordered mine last night and they shipped them already. I got the 25 foot size and I think they should work fine. I guess we'll see in a week or two once I run my plumbing.

aSilvrHaze · Jul 5, 2011

hey steely, ever find out how well this worked for you?

One chiller multiple loads

One chiller multiple loads

steelyeyes

Papa

deacon1503

Papa

steelyeyes

TopDog

steelyeyes

Bobby Smith

steelyeyes

Bobby Smith

Randyb

Hythloth

Randyb

RMCG

Randyb

RMCG

steelyeyes

steelyeyes

steelyeyes

aSilvrHaze

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency