25$ DIY Reservoir Cooler

[roller24]

Im sorry if you already spent 400 clams on an aquarium cooler, and I almost did, but decided to try some DIY projects for a cheaper hack, and came up with a solid solution.

These water coolers pop on craisglist for about 25$
Using my existing pump and a little engineering, I now have a decent res cooler.
The only thing that has to be insured is the flow rates of the pump and the drain.
Flow rate should be set so that the water level in the cooling chamber is constant.
There is a thermostat on the back of the cooler to adjust the temp of the cooling chamber.
There is also a small refrigerator on the bottom which is now the home to my air pump for additional cooling off.
attachment:

attachment2:

The drain tube is disconnected and tubed to the feeder on the garden.

THe pump send the nutes to the cooling chamber.
I inserted an overflow tube inside the chamber at 3/4 full to allow the water to sit in the chamber and chill.
I set the pump flow just a tad slower than the drain can accept.
THis way, NO overflows.

My Rez temps are now 73 going in and 78 coming out.
just right.

 

[City Twin]

Ingenious. And cost effective.

No concerns about metallic content?

 

[BedBug]

I swear I've seen this EXACT thread somewhere else on here.

 

[LifeOblivious]

why can't I see the pictures?

 

[!!!]

fix pics plz

 

[ChaosNyx]

Ingenious. And cost effective.

No concerns about metallic content?

I would not think so after all it is a water cooler. However if you mix nutes in the water they may be corrosive.
My concern is the capacity of the water cooler. They have a 600 BTUH compressor and that aint much.

Yes you can!

It is done all the time by home brewers/distillers. and computer hackers

Very cool. way better than air to water.

 

[Japanfreakier]

Im sorry if you already spent 400 clams on an aquarium cooler, and I almost did, but decided to try some DIY projects for a cheaper hack, and came up with a solid solution.

Your solution looks like it's a good fit for you garden, but it doesn't look like it has much cooling power and a slow flow rate. My chiller cost about $200 and can chill and heat if needed 100 gallons in the hottest climates.

 

[edux710]

really? water coolers are only 25$ or did i miss something? used i assume?

 

[ChaosNyx]

Yes, used and cheap! I have friend who works for a water bottler and he throws out about 20 to 30 of these 5 gallon bottle units a week! He saves good parts from totaled units to fix the fleet of coolers they provide. If the repair is over $30.00 it is trash. The only units he will change a compresssor in are owned by "friends" of the owner. If it works, use it. Don't pay to much for it though.
ChaosNyx

 

[what the]

Hey this is my post. Please give me credit where it is due.



Look in craigslist or your local paper for some backyard garage a/c repair guy and have him cut out the air coil from the window a/c and solder in a heat exchanger like this. Then recharge the system.
The heat exchanger is about $200 for a 1 ton a/c (12000 btu) and the work should be under $100. You can use the cheap heat exchangers to cool an antifreeze solution. Preferably propylene glycol (Sierra brand automotive coolant). Many of the chillers sold at hydro shops have titanium heat exchangers which drive up the price. You only need that if you are directly cooling your res (or a fish tank). With a coolant system you just run a titanium coil in your res (fairly cheap, cheaper than the added cost of a titanium heat exchanger chiller). Pumps for each individual component can be run off their own thermostat controlling the circulation pump (and fans) pumping from the chilled reservoir.

 

[what the]

While I think the water cooler will work, I don't think it has enough cooling capacity to do much beyond keeping a small reservoir cool.
You can't exactly claim it will take the place of a dedicated chiller.

That's kinda like saying "Hey why did you get central a/c for your house? You could just get a 5000btu window unit" Yeah, you can, if you only want one room cool. But hey, if you only DO want one room cool, great solution.

 

[1quixotix]

The concept of multiple discovery is the hypothesis that most scientific discoveries and inventions are made independently and more or less simultaneously by multiple scientists and inventors.[1] The concept of multiple discovery opposes a traditional view—the "heroic theory" of invention and discovery. -gleaned from Wikipedia

 

[ChaosNyx]

Hey this is my post. Please give me credit where it is due.



Look in craigslist or your local paper for some backyard garage a/c repair guy and have him cut out the air coil from the window a/c and solder in a heat exchanger like this. Then recharge the system.
The heat exchanger is about $200 for a 1 ton a/c (12000 btu) and the work should be under $100. You can use the cheap heat exchangers to cool an antifreeze solution. Preferably propylene glycol (Sierra brand automotive coolant). Many of the chillers sold at hydro shops have titanium heat exchangers which drive up the price. You only need that if you are directly cooling your res (or a fish tank). With a coolant system you just run a titanium coil in your res (fairly cheap, cheaper than the added cost of a titanium heat exchanger chiller). Pumps for each individual component can be run off their own thermostat controlling the circulation pump (and fans) pumping from the chilled reservoir.

Fixed it.
Sorry, did not mean for it that to look that way. I was medicated.
ChaosNyx

 

[ChaosNyx]

and the work should be under $100.

Unless you are a good friend I wouldn't do it at that price! LOL Of course some of us can be had for a fat sack.
ChaosNyx

 

[what the]

Unless you are a good friend I wouldn't do it at that price! LOL Of course some of us can be had for a fat sack.
ChaosNyx

An a/c guy can do this in 15 minutes. Seriously. It is a simple matter of cutting the copper lines to the evap and soldering in the heat exchanger. Recharge and you're all set. It can't be too much, you can buy a brand new 1 ton a/c for $250 at Home Depot. They can't charge more than new to fix them.
Agreed that a storefront repair shop is more unlikely to give you that price. But there are a lot of old guys that fix old a/cs and sell them.
I know a couple HVAC guys that will come out and move your condenser for your house central a/c for $100. Basically the same thing; cut, reconnect, recharge.

no worries on the quote, I was just giving you a hard time.

I've been running custom modified window a/cs for a while. Basically fabricating an air handler around the evap coil w/o disconnecting it so I can maintain a sealed heat exchanger. They work great, but they're so damn bulky. A couple fewer air ducts would be nice as well as a more portable unit. Should be making one of these in the next couple months but I'll try to get a quote on the heat exchanger swap in the next week or so. I'll let you know.

 

[Hammerhead]

people use these all the time

http://www.amazon.com/CoolWorks-Ice-Probe-Power-Supply/dp/B001JSVLBO/ref=pd_sbs_k_1

 

[ChaosNyx]

An a/c guy can do this in 15 minutes. Seriously. It is a simple matter of cutting the copper lines to the evap and soldering in the heat exchanger. Recharge and you're all set. It can't be too much, you can buy a brand new 1 ton a/c for $250 at Home Depot. They can't charge more than new to fix them.
Agreed that a storefront repair shop is more unlikely to give you that price. But there are a lot of old guys that fix old a/cs and sell them.
I know a couple HVAC guys that will come out and move your condenser for your house central a/c for $100. Basically the same thing; cut, reconnect, recharge.

An a/c guy can do this in 15 minutes. Seriously

NO.
If he skips EPA protocol and does not recover the refrigerant, brazes the joints without drifting a shielding gas skips the proper triple vacuum evacuation and throws some gas in then maybe.

They can't charge more than new to fix them.

Yes they can.
Refrigerant recovery machine $750.00
Recovery cylinder $100.00
Nitrogen cylinder$140.00 contents $15.00
Regulator for nitrogen $75.00
manifold and hoses $125.00
vacuum pump $350.00
micron gauge $100 to $300
Digital Refrigerant scale $125.00
Thirty pound can of gas $175.00 to $250.00
Insurance, workman's comp,van,shop phones advertising and on.
If they can use all of there employers stuff then it could be cheap.
Please remember these window shakers aren't made in the states. If they were they would probably cost triple!

I know a couple HVAC guys that will come out and move your condenser for your house central a/c for $100

Yea I know those guys to. Good deal right? You get what you pay for. I must admit gas and go will work for a while but when your equipment fails it is fucked. Think you get some kind of warranty for this work?LOL

I've been running custom modified window a/cs for a while. Basically fabricating an air handler around the evap coil w/o disconnecting it so I can maintain a sealed heat exchanger. They work great, but they're so damn bulky. A couple fewer air ducts would be nice as well as a more portable unit. Should be making one of these in the next couple months but I'll try to get a quote on the heat exchanger swap in the next week or so. I'll let you know.

This is a good thing. Your labor is free and it is fun to make alterations to fit your application.
Sorry for the rant. I feel better now.
ChaosNyx

 

[what the]

NO.
If he skips EPA protocol and does not recover the refrigerant, brazes the joints without drifting a shielding gas skips the proper triple vacuum evacuation and throws some gas in then maybe.

I understand what you're saying, but I'm talking about regular HVAC guys that do side work. They use company gear. Most companies are ok with this if it is work too small for them to bother with. (calling the HVAC co direct still won't be more than a couple hundred to move a condenser, seriously it is a fast job)

Also, you don't need to evacuate the lines completely and recover. They typically pump all the refrigerant into the compressor and reuse it.
Again we're talking about essentially replacing the evap coil in a window unit. This is a 15 min job; can't be over $100.

 

[kp^]

I swear I've seen this EXACT thread somewhere else on here.

You mean this one from Dopest?

https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=33123

 

[ChaosNyx]

We will agree to disagree.

Also, you don't need to evacuate the lines completely and recover. They typically pump all the refrigerant into the compressor and reuse it.
Again we're talking about essentially replacing the evap coil in a window unit. This is a 15 min job; can't be over $100.

These small units don't have any way to valve off the gas in the condenser. They will probably just blow the charge, braze it then purge the system with more refrigerant. Done in 15 minutes!

Its all good. Please forgive my dickishness I see guys who make 200k a year and bitch about $75.00 an hour service call. It is hard to make a living when people aren't willing to pay a fair price.
I really hope you get your project done. If you were close I would do it for free because of all my bitching.:friends:
ChaosNyx