i wish i had more advice, but my experience with chillers is limited.
i have one that i acquired through a sale, but have never needed one, so i have never used it.
i know there are a few here that do, and i know amphibious is quite familiar with them, hopefully they jump in soon...
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I figured I would hear from the 3 Musketeers Fat Walrus, Amphibious, and veriann.
All Praise the 3 Musketeers......
Portos is here!
with chiller ratings, they are usually calculated for how many degrees below ambient temperature they can pull the the water down without additional influences like lights and other equipment. they are also tested outside any enclosures like a cabinet stand or a closet. a chiller needs to breath to work. a simple rule that i have always used is to AT LEAST DOUBLE the power that is recommended.
i do not have any personal experience with CURRENT chillers, but they seem to have a bad reputation in my area. i do have experience with CORALIFE, TRADEWINDS, and AQUALOGIC. the most quiet is coralife, the strongest is aqualogic. the tradewinds with the drop-in cooling element rusted away.
if you choose an aqualogic, go with the at least the 1/2 horse. if you choose coralife, go with the 1 horse.
I figured I would hear from the 3 Musketeers Fat Walrus, Amphibious, and veriann.
All Praise the 3 Musketeers......
Hey Amp, Musketeer #3 checking in as ordered. Now that's a hoot!
This is a good subject to explore before you buy! Here's a link - Chiller run times - to an explanation of my experience with the latest chiller purchase. Review that thread and I'll be back in a bit to make an other response. Busy right now.
__________________ Amphibious
Reaching my 70th BD, I realize that I cannot help but grow old. However, I refuse to grow up!!! My wife would tell you, "He may be 70 but, He's going on 17". Life is wonderful with a woman like that.
i've never used JBJ's, but a lot of stores in my area won't sell them.........been told their was a high rate of failures. that is just what i've heard. i have seen a few in the return piles at my lfs. i'm glad to hear your's is working fine.
Don't you hate it when they are? We had a microwave that quit working a couple of months out of warranty. Even though it said "no user servicable parts" on the back panel I took it apart. I was really miffed to find that a cheap glass tube type fuse had blown. Since when is the average consumer incapable of replacing a fuse?
Don't you hate it when they are? We had a microwave that quit working a couple of months out of warranty. Even though it said "no user servicable parts" on the back panel I took it apart. I was really miffed to find that a cheap glass tube type fuse had blown. Since when is the average consumer incapable of replacing a fuse?
haha. i agree. but maybe it is a stupid government regulation. do you still have that DO NOT REMOVE tag on your mattress?
with chiller ratings, they are usually calculated for how many degrees below ambient temperature they can pull the the water down without additional influences like lights and other equipment. they are also tested outside any enclosures like a cabinet stand or a closet. a chiller needs to breath to work. a simple rule that i have always used is to AT LEAST DOUBLE the power that is recommended.
i do not have any personal experience with CURRENT chillers, but they seem to have a bad reputation in my area. i do have experience with CORALIFE, TRADEWINDS, and AQUALOGIC. the most quiet is coralife, the strongest is aqualogic. the tradewinds with the drop-in cooling element rusted away.
if you choose an aqualogic, go with the at least the 1/2 horse. if you choose coralife, go with the 1 horse.
My experience has been similar. Chiller manufacturer's ratings are given for the most ideal conditions and they are very generous with their stated temperature drop. They do not take into account added heat sources such as lights, pumps, UV Sterilizer, heater, power heads, etc.
Considering the two choices you linked to, first the drop in chiller model. You should not even be considering this model because the 1/3 hp model is rated at max 225 gal so that alone eliminates this one. Your second choice, the 1/3 hp is rated for 300 gals but, given our experience with chillers, would not be capable of keeping your temp in line. If I were considering this purchase, knowing what I know now, I'd have to go with the 1/2 hp minimum and hope it handles the job.
I hope you read my experience with the chiller I bought in the link provided above. The salesman didn't know enough to inform me of the true cooling capacity. For $40 more I could have had the 1/3 hp model.
When you decide which make and model you want, consider the price shipped to your door. Shop around.
__________________ Amphibious
Reaching my 70th BD, I realize that I cannot help but grow old. However, I refuse to grow up!!! My wife would tell you, "He may be 70 but, He's going on 17". Life is wonderful with a woman like that.
*stumbles in still pulling up his duds* sorry, i um........the arrr, chamber maids needed me to fix , um, the curtain rail, yeah.....the curtain rail fell down and um, they couldn't reach it! soooooo, what do we have here!!
ok fellow musketeers, i agree with your wisdom on this subject, but um,cant knock back a few with u guys tonight! ive got a few more pages to read in my book, so i arr better head off then!
Read yer book in a pigs eye!!! Sounds to me V, you need a little help with the chamber maids.
Remember the motto of the Musketeers, "ONE FOR ALL AND ALL FOR ONE". I think that motto is old fashioned I propose a change to, "FUN FOR ALL AND ALL FOR FUN" Whada ya say men?
__________________ Amphibious
Reaching my 70th BD, I realize that I cannot help but grow old. However, I refuse to grow up!!! My wife would tell you, "He may be 70 but, He's going on 17". Life is wonderful with a woman like that.
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*stumbles in still pulling up his duds* sorry, i um........the arrr, chamber maids needed me to fix , um, the curtain rail, yeah.....the curtain rail fell down and um, they couldn't reach it! soooooo, what do we have here!!
ive got a few more pages to read in my book, so i arr better head off then!
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