Chillers - needed or excess - GreenPassion.org - Dedicated to Medicinal Cannabis Cultivation and Education

GreenPunter · #1 (**permalink**) 07-28-2009, 06:57 PM

i'm running reservoir temps around 80 to 88 degrees. i live in an area where heat is a problem for two to three months, otherwise temps in the reservoir should stay close to or below 70 degrees. during these warm months my closet gets hot, up to 85 degrees as well but i'm using CO2 so my plants should be able to handle the higher temps. it seems like spending 500 bucks for a chiller is excess. do a lot of people use them or are they more for folks who are trying dial in the perfect system. i tried using frozen bottles of water but they ended up melting so fast that it just isn't practical. thanks.

gP

tokecrazy · #2 (**permalink**) 07-28-2009, 08:30 PM

Hey GreenPunter,The cost of the chillers are to high for me.I seem somebody posted on anothere site way back,if you have one of those small refr,the collage dorm ones.They drill a hole in the side and ran a 1/2" tubing inside and coiled it and ran it back to the res and hooked it to a pump.The pump was hooked to a thermostat and set to turn on at what temp you want it to.The water is pumped into the refi and the pump cuts off,the water cools and when the res thermostat get to the set temp it kicks on and cirulates the cool water into the coil of tube in the res cooling it down.Other then that you have to get a ac for in there and that's about the same cost.How big of a res do you have? If you can find a foam cooler big enough to set your res inside you could fill the thing with ice put a lid on it and see what that will do.That's about all I can think of. Peace

The HSIC · #3 (**permalink**) 07-28-2009, 08:41 PM

I think the idea of a fridge or better yet for you...a small freezer would be a good thing to try. Many times you can find stuff like this for free/if you haul it off on Craigslist (crazedlist). If you bought some of that thick neoprene type material you could tape the crap out of the door with it ajar enough to get a hose in/out and then run a BUNCHA tubing inside it and connect it to a pump that feeds the res.

Hydroguard may also help...but then you're buying product/having to make trips to the "store". A homegrown chiller would work far better and heck...could be a lot of fun figuring out!

be cool...

ww

Lumix · #4 (**permalink**) 07-28-2009, 09:10 PM

I wish I had one but I do the poor man's type with a 5 gal bucket full of frozen 12oz pop bottles.

I throw in about 8 per reservoir and only need to do it at the beginning of the lights on part of 12/12

In the winter I put insulation under the reservoirs and take it out in the summer.

GreenPunter · #5 (**permalink**) 07-29-2009, 04:36 AM

thanks! love the idea of the mini-freezer. found one for $170 new and it would be easy to make a copper coil to run inside of it. If a chiller becomes mandatory, this is probably the route i'll go. thanks again.

gP

tokecrazy · #6 (**permalink**) 07-29-2009, 09:35 PM

Hey GreenPunter, You me thinking about the freezer.This is the one I have.I got to looking at it and it has a drain in the bottom.If you could find one of these you be set.You see it has awell that's 10" deep and 16" long by 11" and the drains in the well.Set it up on 4 milk crates.Pull out the plug and fit a drain and flood line to it.keeping the line up and just alittle fall back to the res.Hook up a pump and put it on a timer.Flood the well and let it drain back.To help cool the nutr mix put milk jugs frozen in the well also.This way the nutr will get cooled alittle faster.to keep the line from heating up use the foam pipe insulation and 4"insulalated duck run the line through it. With the right time set up you could keep it where you want it.The freezer do to jobs keep your nutr cool and freeze your steaks froze.Here's a pix of the one I have. Peace

Lumix · #7 (**permalink**) 07-29-2009, 10:07 PM

Another way to use a Water Chiller in conjuction with cooling the water is to cool the air also like this with copper tubing and a fan....

tokecrazy · #8 (**permalink**) 07-29-2009, 10:26 PM

Most big building are cooled that way.Swamper air cooler.That's what they call them down here. that works good too.Set it front of a ac and it kicks. Good post. Peace

deep[H2O]culture · #9 (**permalink**) 07-29-2009, 10:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GreenPunter

i'm running reservoir temps around 80 to 88 degrees. i live in an area where heat is a problem for two to three months, otherwise temps in the reservoir should stay close to or below 70 degrees. during these warm months my closet gets hot, up to 85 degrees as well but i'm using CO2 so my plants should be able to handle the higher temps. it seems like spending 500 bucks for a chiller is excess. do a lot of people use them or are they more for folks who are trying dial in the perfect system. i tried using frozen bottles of water but they ended up melting so fast that it just isn't practical. thanks.

gP

i live in southern california and chillers are too much money for sure. frozen bottles of water work fine for me, when i even need them on real hot days. i was nervous of this issue myself before i went hydro

4maggio · #10 (**permalink**) 08-07-2009, 06:35 PM

High greenpunter...

I've been using these on 18gal of juice for over 2 years (one each in 2 res's).. They give me about 6-8 degree drop (I dont use controller).
People do not speak highly of them but they work and $120.. new.
Look around maybe cheaper...

IceProbe Aquarium/Water Chiller by Coolworks

The other thing that might save you some res temps is take the pump out! that pump will add 4-5 degrees of heat (if you have one running)..or put it on a timer or best>> Put in a bigger air pump.. w glass diffuser... use the shop vac to empty res...

purplehaze4u · #11 (**permalink**) 08-07-2009, 08:06 PM

well i use the little dorm fridge thing and cut 2 holes in the side of it and run it in both of my rez. you can use copper or vinyl tubing for that and it already comes in coils just make sure you coil it at both ends of the loop in the rez and also in the bucket just line the inside of the bucket with the tubing and put the pump in the middle of it. what you are looking for is the contact time of the water traveling through the ube both inside the fridge and in the rez and they work great i found a used one in the paper for 25 bucks and some tubing and a little pump and thats about it. you can mess with the timer for the pump and also the temp of the fridge or use a line thermostat to control the pump and it is that simple hope that works

4evergreen · #12 (**permalink**) 08-09-2009, 07:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GreenPunter

i'm running reservoir temps around 80 to 88 degrees. i live in an area where heat is a problem for two to three months, otherwise temps in the reservoir should stay close to or below 70 degrees. during these warm months my closet gets hot, up to 85 degrees as well but i'm using CO2 so my plants should be able to handle the higher temps. it seems like spending 500 bucks for a chiller is excess. do a lot of people use them or are they more for folks who are trying dial in the perfect system. i tried using frozen bottles of water but they ended up melting so fast that it just isn't practical. thanks.

gP

Hi There,
If you have the money go for it, it will give you freedom in your grow (it is a PITA to be adding frozen bottles, and be all the time scared to death with the temperature in your rez). In the summer time, it is a must in some places.
I have bought one and man, I am soooooo happy with that investements! You can get some nice price in Ebay. If you buy one, request one for salt (marine) water, better the titanium models, it will not break down with nutes and minerals running through its coil.
Peace and wish you best of lucks