Water Cooled Growers Unite!

toohighmf · Mar 20, 2010

http://www.icmag.com/ic/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=375589&ppuser=22454

This is 10kw cooled to 78F with 3 440cfm fans and a 10k BTU ac. in 100F+ temps ambient. are you really questioning my ability to cool 4kw with Aircooling and 24000BTUS of Air conditioned iceboxes?
Dude, your in a tent. you have no insulation. can I see your setup? maybe I can help you get a little more out of your unit. it seems to me that you either have a faulty chiller, or your setup to your pump is wrong. maybe your using accordian style ducting with a weak fan and the duct is kinking. I bet I can help you. I think 90% of these new gadgets problems are user related.
I am a professional. I get paid to build and troubleshoot grows. I have a pretty good understanding of HVAC, Fluid dynamics, and I been pulling down indoor hydro crops for almost 20 years. Let's see if any of us can help you.

blueburry · Mar 21, 2010

loudblunts, u should read his reply about dispelling "rumors" such as the "above." but i aint trippin tho, like i said i was just trying to warn him and i wish him the best!

blueburry · Mar 21, 2010

my setup was adequate enought for the application but it just didnt work out...believe me i was in constant contact with Ryan (owner of watercooled Gardens) and we discussed everything b4 i made my purchase. but jst didnt work out for me. ill never try watercooling again. i now have installed a cheap 8000btu window ac cooling my tent and its working wonders right now. even the guys at greencoast pulled their display of iceboxes out due to it not working right, energy costs, etc...but honestly i really do hope it goes well for u cuz i wouldnt want anybody to spend the money i did for the system not to work properly! peace n good luck!

toohighmf · Mar 21, 2010

I appreciate the input. thanks for sharing

toohighmf · Mar 24, 2010

I been looking at these 2 ton chillers and honestly, what's the big deal about building one?
They appear to be window AC units that are simply re plumbed & wired to a new thermostat. Has anyone taken a 24k BTU unit and converted it to chill water? I'm going to try the chillking first, but Should I ever need another one, I may be tempted to try to build one. I can get a 2 ton unit for $400. I imagine I can have a 2HP chiller for about twice that.
Maybe I'm wrong. maybe there is a lot more to it than I can comprehend. If anyone has any info please let us know. Efficiency is my game all the way the around. that includes costs. If the Chillking is more efficient than what I can build in my garage, then I don't even want to try.
1 more question. what is a wort chiller? is that a chiller with a huge copper pipe bent into a coil?

toohighmf · Mar 24, 2010

Here's some info on the Chillking I am going to use this round. does this sound like the ticket?

Rocky Mtn Squid · Mar 24, 2010

toohighmf · Mar 24, 2010

Rocky, thanks for sharing. Do you have a thread link or any pics or info you can contribute in the name of science? :tiphat:

how many watts are you running in lighting? what exactly are you running off the 2hp chillking? will it handle an 8 light room in the summer? I'm actually considering burrying my res outside to keep the res the temp of the earth. approx 50F. Think that will work with a smaller chiller?

Rocky Mtn Squid · Mar 24, 2010

A 2 hp chill king will easily handle 8 lights. Remember, 8 lights means 8 ice box's. I only run 2 lights, but I also chill two rez's, and a small mechanical room, all using the chill king. It's not stressed or overworked at all, so it just chug's along like a big diesel locomotive, using less power to chill my room. Chill Kings are commercial grade chillers, desgned to operate 24/7. They put out a lot of heat and make lots of noise when operating.

If one were to bury a coil outside, underneath the ground, and circulate H20 and glycol so it wouldn't freeze up in the winter, you could probably chill quite a few light's. Placing said coil/pipe in a slab of concrete, like a cement garage pad would also work like a charm as well. You would only need to maintain temps of 40 - 45 degrees F to chill 6-8 lights.

:smoweed:

toohighmf · Mar 24, 2010

+/K to you, pal. thanks for the heads up!

LoudBlunts · Mar 27, 2010

any specs on that 1/2hp flotec?

in reference to wattage/amperage

and i CAN wire to 220 right?

overbudjet · Mar 27, 2010

these one are 110 volt 700 watts 1/2 HP

mrwags · Mar 27, 2010

toohighmf said:
I'm going to post some installation videos as well as some technical info from hydro innovations. I think this will be helpful for those who are interested in water cooling. I'm still wrapping my head around it, and it seems some the info here is needed to dispel rumors like some of those I have read in other threads and above. I'm using the hydro innovations videos for 2 reasons:

1) I am going to run their 2hp 8kw setup, and water cooled hydroGen water cooled co2 burner and co2 controller.
2) They seem to be the only videos about water cooling with any pertinent info.

If anyone has any other pics or videos about water cooling, please feel free to post them in this thread. If we all contribute, this can be the definitive water cooled grow thread. Hopefully we can all learn something from this thread.

I will be using the Ice Box's in my next room design. I was simply curious as to how damn hard it would be to make a chiller for this? I mean seriously 2500.00 is a lot for what they are. Yes they are the best but damn,the reservoir they have in the kit is 350.00 and can be had for 129.10 shipped with the proper Google search.

The tubing can be had for penny's at your local hardware store so what I had in mind with the chiller install kit co2 burner and controller and pump and 7 Ice Box's was around 5,000.

Now take out the chiller that imo can be made for 1200 or so and you got the "shit" system for 2500. So I ask how can it be done?

I will be using this system in the near future so all hints and tips are appreciated.

TY In Advance
Mr.Wags

LoudBlunts · Mar 28, 2010

overbudjet said:
these one are 110 volt 700 watts 1/2 HP

two things

those look totally different from the ones they sell.

are those the ones from home depot and lowes? if so great.... if not great...

either way... whas the difference from that one and the homedepot and lowes one?

the output/inputs look just a tad different? or is that something you can take off or put one?

if so and i can get the one from hd or lowes that would be a helluva discount!

also...on the video they say it can be wired in 220 or 110... did yours only come in 110?

LoudBlunts · Mar 28, 2010

mrwags said:
I will be using the Ice Box's in my next room design. I was simply curious as to how damn hard it would be to make a chiller for this? I mean seriously 2500.00 is a lot for what they are. Yes they are the best but damn,the reservoir they have in the kit is 350.00 and can be had for 129.10 shipped with the proper Google search.

The tubing can be had for penny's at your local hardware store so what I had in mind with the chiller install kit co2 burner and controller and pump and 7 Ice Box's was around 5,000.

Now take out the chiller that imo can be made for 1200 or so and you got the "shit" system for 2500. So I ask how can it be done?

I will be using this system in the near future so all hints and tips are appreciated.

TY In Advance
Mr.Wags

i dont see why not.

there was one on ebay for about 100 and another one that went for a few hundred

i was tryna get it just to see what they did and how they did it.

i know for sure it is a converted window a/c unit (welll... at least the window/outdoor models are...i think up to 2hp)

i blv they use fridgeaire.

hell thas what their watercooled dehumidifer is. a 70 pint fridgeaire with a heat exchanger put inside and priced jacked to 900-1000$

mrwags · Mar 28, 2010

I know of a member here that met the man that does the videos. He as I understand is the owner and is a straight up guy. For that reason I will contacting them on Monday to see what we can do.

WHEN I get it up and running I will report in depth on it's usage. I've heard nothing but good things about these guys so time will tell the tale.

Have A Great Day
Mr.Wags

UpInTheCut · Mar 28, 2010

Why don't you f**K the chiller and get a seer 13 split A/C conditioner
I believe they are the most efficient:
Water Cooled Evaporative Air Conditioning:

Although water is used to assist with cooling, this technology is not related to the conventional Evaporative Air Coolers often called swamp coolers. Water is used to remove heat from the refrigerant and at the same time reduce the work of the compressor. The Water Cooled Evaporative Air Conditioner is a residential application of a technology already in use in commercial buildings for split system air conditioners known as chillers. Think of this technology as a mini-chiller for residential use.
Evaporative cooled condensing units for split system air conditioners have a number of advantages over air-cooled units. This is why most commercial air conditioners larger than about 250 tons typically rely on cooling towers to cool water and remove heat generated from the compression cycle of the chiller. The key elements of the unit include multiple low-pressure water nozzles that spray a mist of water over the condenser coils to remove heat after the refrigerant is compressed. Water temperature can be maintained at about 10° F over wet bulb via heat absorbed through evaporation, which is then removed via a fan on top of the unit.
Unlike air cooled units, which lose in the range of 25 percent of their rated efficiency at temperatures exceeding 100° F relative to their SEER rating, the efficiency of an evaporative water cooled unit has a minimal drop.
In the past, evaporative cooled condenser units were used only in commercial applications. Now one manufacturer has a model that is designed specifically for the residential market.
Freus Inc. has developed a water cooled evaporative condenser unit. A "scroll" compressor compresses the R-22 refrigerant. A small water pump continually sprays water over the condenser coil, which cools the coil primarily via conduction from the copper coil to the water, sprayed on the coil. The coil is solid copper; approximately three times the thickness (i.e. 0.032" vs. 0.012") of that used in air-cooled condensers, and the copper is coated to prevent corrosion. Magnesium anodes are included to treat the water and reduce coil corrosion.
A float maintains approximately 3.5 inches of water in the bottom of the condenser. Every 8 hours of run time, a timer causes a purge pump to pump all water from the bottom of the unit (approximately 5-8 gallons). The float valve then causes more water to flow until a level of about 3.5 inches is restored.
Water removes heat from the condenser coils far more efficiently than air. The heat transfer and evaporative process is increased via a fan on top of the condenser.
Above 95° F, a typical air cooled condenser draws approximately an additional 10% power for each 10° F increase in temperature. In contrast, an evaporative cooled condenser draws about the same power over a wide range of outdoor temperatures.
Residential and small commercial models are available from 2 to 12 tons. The dimensions of the evaporator unit are comparable to a 3-5 ton conventional condenser unit.

http://www.ventingdirect.com/fedders-c36acd1vf-29-wide-36000-btu-split-a-c-system-with-full-louvered-panel-and-powder-coated-fan-guard-from-the-split-system/p127724?source=googleaffiliate

overbudjet · Mar 28, 2010

LoudBlunts said:
two things

those look totally different from the ones they sell.

are those the ones from home depot and lowes? if so great.... if not great...

either way... whas the difference from that one and the homedepot and lowes one?

the output/inputs look just a tad different? or is that something you can take off or put one?

if so and i can get the one from hd or lowes that would be a helluva discount!

also...on the video they say it can be wired in 220 or 110... did yours only come in 110?

I bought mine 2 years ago from my growshop 1/2 HP only in 110 volt related or called sprinkler or utility pump able to put out 60 Psi of pressure.

DIGITALHIPPY · Apr 5, 2010

toohighmf said:
A 2hp chiller won't cool 4 aircooled hoods???? It's designed to cool 8. You sure I don't have a big enough chiller??? The chiller startup is 11 amps and runs at 7 amps continuous. Find me a 2 ton ac that runs on 7 amps. This is supposed to be the most efficient means to cool anything!

use the hydrofarm 1" inline pump it moves about 1200gph through 1" pipe enough to handle my grow, i also have a flowtech 1/6 and i bet it could do the job, the 1/2hp flowtech is overkill, but would slam out pressure.(but i LIVE for overkill)

LoudBlunts said:
yea imma have to agree with toohighmf

when heat is introduced into the needed cooling space... the a/c starts to become inefficient. 70% of that (a/c btu/energy) is wasted and only about 30% is used.

sooo i cant see how it would 'waste' more electricity

however, the only questionable part would be the 1/2-1hp flotec pumps.... those things are beastie!!!! that would call for like 7-11amps for pumps right? thas like 500-1200 watts easy, no?

still a good pump.

toohighmf said:
nice to see this thread shaping up. we need digital hippy or watercooled@ to join this thread!
thanks to all who are contributing to this thread. I'm already learning from it.

sorry i been doing some emergency moving...insurance inspection of property.... :thank you:

i jammed 8800 w through a 2hp chiller, and still thought i had overhead....w/30gal res....
and still saved 200$-240 a month vs 2x 15btu window a/c's

2hmf
ur good to go, infact that chiller should be able to cool all 8 lights (if u had that many ballasts) with a large res and 8" boxes.

WITHOUT

any a/c unit.

why not get a 3 or 4 hp chiller? for future expansion?
the extra power they will run less so power consumption is about the same.

DIGITALHIPPY · Apr 5, 2010

UpInTheCut said:
Why don't you f**K the chiller and get a seer 13 split A/C conditioner
I believe they are the most efficient:
Water Cooled Evaporative Air Conditioning:

http://www.ventingdirect.com/fedders-c36acd1vf-29-wide-36000-btu-split-a-c-system-with-full-louvered-panel-and-powder-coated-fan-guard-from-the-split-system/p127724?source=googleaffiliate

i looked at that, what the fuck is it?
i have one of thoes next to my house but it doesnt dribble water over the coils... that isnt the entire kit for 700$? no 36000 ac is that cheap....

referances:
http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/thermal-conductivity-d_429.html

water also has a high thermal cofactor(heat absorbtion) of .58 and air is .024... somthing like 20x... so 15k btu of chiller is 2x+ more then air(conservative numbers) and if he used antifreez instead of water....

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