Water Chilling Q & A

[seebobsled]

ttystikk

Do you run straight water in your water cooled system, or a 50% propylene glycol 50% water mix?

Does anyone know of a cheap source for propylene glycol?

Yes Walmart at about this time a year (fall/winter). 5-7 bucks a gal I think. It has a red dye in it.
Super Tech Rv & marine antifreeze squew number 81131 00234. It's manufactured for Walmart and found in auto or sporting department.

 

[ttystikk]

Yes Walmart at about this time a year (fall/winter). 5-7 bucks a gal I think. It has a red dye in it.
Super Tech Rv & marine antifreeze squew number 81131 00234. It's manufactured for Walmart and found in auto or sporting department.

I've seen it. Be aware that if it is 50% water like I think it is, you won't be able to dilute it.

 

[woodsmaneh]

I run some of my chillers outside year round and have had 40- temps up north and never had a problem. My understanding is if you are chilling below 50 degrees in the dead of winter the coils will flash freeze and that could lead to damaging the system. As growers there is no reason to get that low as it will kill your plants, I try to keep my chillers running at 66/68. I have a number of 1/2 and 1 hp Eco-plus systems and never any issues. The thing with antifreeze in your system is you reduce the efficiency of your chiller and you need to know exactly how much to add. You can find calculators on line.

Never use auto antifreeze as the additives will clog the ex-changer. The two main types used in chillers is Ethylene and Propylene with Ethylene glycol tends to be the one used the most.

I run water too.

:cool:

 

[ttystikk]

I've had my chiller inside for about a month now, heating the house. Most warm days, we have a bunch of windows open for the fresh air, but even in the dead of winter it keeps up fine.

Guessing that my house would average $200 a month in gas usage from old utility bills, I save at least $1000 a season. Basically, my chiller has paid for itself just in gas bill savings, to say nothing of the efficiency improvements over AC doing the job.

 

[ttystikk]

I'm not able to make fundamental changes to the site's design and layout, that's logic's and TECK's purview. I can sticky the shit outta threads, though! If you link to the thread where you put up your pix, that will make the whole sticky thing more complete(ly sticky). I think it's something worth discussing with logic, though, for sure.

I remember your very first thread on here, "Built my own light rotator! Wanna see?" or something like that. So cool.

You have more pull with the brass than I do. Please pass my sentiments along.

After all, the 'Trees' forum took off nicely! Why not a category EVERY indoor gardener uses?

 

[thetreegrowerrr]

When ice box first came out with the water cooled lights I was gonna switch but changed my mind. I'm gonna do research on it now since its been awhile since they have been out. They have worked most of the bugs out. I really want to run more lights and lower my bill.

 

[CelticEBE]

When ice box first came out with the water cooled lights I was gonna switch but changed my mind. I'm gonna do research on it now since its been awhile since they have been out. They have worked most of the bugs out. I really want to run more lights and lower my bill.

Yeah the water cooled air handlers are supposed to be the cat's meow. I have two 5 ton units and a 2.5 ton unit on the way to me soon.

 

[ttystikk]

When ice box first came out with the water cooled lights I was gonna switch but changed my mind. I'm gonna do research on it now since its been awhile since they have been out. They have worked most of the bugs out. I really want to run more lights and lower my bill.

Don't run ice boxes on sealed and vented hoods, it's a waste of power in more ways than one. If you want to use water to cool your grow space, get proper air handlers- you'll need them in that space.

 

[twist1]

Thanks for the thread.

My 5 ton Banks Chiller is on the way. It will be chilling 2x 10,500W rooms and a veg room.
Equipment List is:
5 ton water chiller (single phase/220V/32.8 amps/ 40"Hx29"Wx29"D)
4-ton water-cooled air handler with blower, thermostat, humidistat, and drip pan
1-ton water-cooled air handler with blower, thermostat,humidistat, and drip pan
1 HP High Efficiency inline pump
55 gallon recycled reservoir with bulkhead fitting and insulation




TTY--- thanks for the help.

 

[ttystikk]

You're very welcome! Now you're going to need a bunch of hose and hose clamps to install it all. I used Pex manifold, I've seen others use pvc.

 

[fishwhistle]

Thanks for the thread.

My 5 ton Banks Chiller is on the way. It will be chilling 2x 10,500W rooms and a veg room.
Equipment List is:
5 ton water chiller (single phase/220V/32.8 amps/ 40"Hx29"Wx29"D)
4-ton water-cooled air handler with blower, thermostat, humidistat, and drip pan
1-ton water-cooled air handler with blower, thermostat,humidistat, and drip pan
1 HP High Efficiency inline pump
55 gallon recycled reservoir with bulkhead fitting and insulation

Twist,what was the cost on the air handlers and chillers individually?Will the one 4 ton do both bloom rooms at the same time?Is it zoned somehow?Why not a smaller air handler in each flower room?Trying to wrap my mind around chillers,lol.

 

[twist1]

5 ton non self-contained commercial chiller- 1 @ $4,995.00
Cold weather upgrade- 1 @ $150.00
4-ton Ceiling Mount Air Handler- 2 @ $1,800.00 each
1-ton Ceiling Mount Air Handler- 1 @ $1,250.00
1HP High Efficiency Pump- 1 @ $425.00
55 gallon plumbed reservoir- 1 @ find local
Total, it stickered out at $10,420 not including the 55gal res.

Those prices are all the MSRP from Hydro Innovations. I ended up buying from George at Mile Hydro. It was actually cheaper buying it out of state opposed to buying from my local guy by a decent bit. George hooked it up a good price for me.

There are actually three handlers, one for each room. 1x one ton for the veg and 2x four ton for the 2 bloom.

 

[fishwhistle]

Ok now i get it,i was wondering how 2 air handlers would do 3 rooms,badass setup for sure but damn i thought heat pump minis were expensive,lol.

 

[ttystikk]

Ok now i get it,i was wondering how 2 air handlers would do 3 rooms,badass setup for sure but damn i thought heat pump minis were expensive,lol.

I'm not so sure the air handlers are worth the money. For a thousand bux, I can buy a lot of sheetmetal, junkyard radiators and squirrel cage blowers...

 

[twist1]

Yeah, but you get what you pay for.

I'm not interested in piecing it together plus dealing with the other issues surrounding second hand parts. Not to mention the visualization factor:(

Besides, you yourself told me just a week ago that those little ice box blowers that you have aren't cutting it.

 

[fishwhistle]

Have you seen or read anything on these new coolerado units tty?

 

[ttystikk]

Yeah, but you get what you pay for.

I'm not interested in piecing it together plus dealing with the other issues surrounding second hand parts. Not to mention the visualization factor:(

Besides, you yourself told me just a week ago that those little ice box blowers that you have aren't cutting it.

My Iceboxes lack the capacity to deal with more than two bare bulbs' worth of heat each, but since going vertical I don't see how I could fit any more than that into my rooms anyway.

IDK about you, but seeing something that works just as well as the spendy shit that I built myself for pennies on the dollar looks pretty fuckin' sexy to THIS kid!

 

[ttystikk]

Have you seen or read anything on these new coolerado units tty?

Fascinating- these apparently work like swamp coolers, only without adding humidity to the product air. I can see how they could be as efficient as the maker says they are!

I see no discussion about water chilling applications.

 

[woodsmaneh]

I posted a thread on making a room chiller, easy and cheap. I don't use my split anymore and save $$$ by not using AC.

 

[Dr.Trichome]

Little plywood box round that'll bring up your efficiency lots I'd think. Dats kool man. I like it.