Chiller from small fridge?

[mitchelliii]

I have a small fridge that I dont use - sort of like one you would see in a hotel room and want to know if I used a SLOW pump with a lot of tubing if I could use it as a chiller. I only need about 5 degrees cooling and it has a small freezer in the top so while it will work to keep it cold in there does anyone thing this is feasable?

 

[saltwater junky]

I Heard Of Lots Of People Doing This And Im Gonna Try It Myself. They Have Diy Plan On The Internet Just Google Them

 

[caldwellm]

Thats an awesome idea! I like it a lot! haha- very innovative!!

 

[jetchris]

when i was doing research on a DIY chiller, your idea was shot down, i forget the reason but it made sense.

 

[linda lee]

chrisjet;64804 wrote: when i was doing research on a DIY chiller, your idea was shot down, i forget the reason but it made sense.

Reason: too hard to keep the fish from drinking all your beer.

[sorry, but someone was going to say it sooner or later]

 

[caldwellm]

hahahaha yes i can see how that would be a problem- crazy fish...

 

[mitchelliii]

I too saw some why-nots but also some success stories. Due to it's simplicity, I think I am going to do the project and see what the results are and what I learn by trying. I will report results either way. My reasoning is that it has a small freezer compartment at the top and I am going to add the gel packs to let them sit in there.If it can keep things frozen, I am betting it can get me my 3-4 degrees. I will adjust the flow, consider a timer and keep 2 heaters in the loop as a just in case until I can set up a temp control.

 

[saltwater junky]

I Dont See A Problem As Long As You Have Enough Heaters To Balance Every Thing.

 

[mitchelliii]

It isn't the prettiest thing at the moment but I have seen a .5 degree drop over last 1.5 hrs. There is a thermostat in the fridge so I have it in the middle at the moment and will watch it over time to see where it levels out. I will dial it in to just cool to the threshold of the heaters coming on. I have one set up at 78 deg. and a backup set for .77 deg. I coiled up 100' of clear plastic hard tubing (3/8") and it really is coming out a lot cooler. I will monitor it tonight and see how it does but so far am very impressed at how easy it was. I have close to 200 gal in refuges so it will take some time but probably good to not have fast changes.

P.S. Here is the link for the directions that I used in case anyone wants to experiment.

 

[seedless reefer]

Could do the same thing to cool a CPU.....hmmmmmmmmmmm

 

[blind1993]

i saw it at reefbuilders and it worked but he needed 10degrees off and he only get 5.

 

[chicagoman_35]

Also, you can improve efficiency by placing a large bowl of water in the fridge, then submerge your coil of tubing in the water... Better heat transfer...

 

[mitchelliii]

I am lucky that I don't need to drop mine quite that much. If he really needs 10 degrees, something tells me may not be trying easier methods first like evaporative. Only a guess, but evap seems to be the first solution I would try.

blind1993;64941 wrote: i saw it at reefbuilders and it worked but he needed 10degrees off and he only get 5.

 

[yong269]

I've tried it b4 but doesn't work that good... I'd just buy a chiller.....

 

[ouling]

You might want to check the BTU rating of the little fridge and take a look at the BTU rating for a chiller that suits your tank.

A 1/10 hp chiller outs more power than any fridge I have seen for a comparable price. And there is the effiency problem, fridge cools a space of 4-8 cubic feet depending on the size you get, you only need it to cool water. So for it to work at all you will need about 40ft of tubing inside the fridge.

Save yourself some headache and spend a few pennies more for a chiller.
Some things can DIY to save money, IMO chiller isn't one of them.

 

[blind1993]

also if it doesnt work out then it will be more expensive than just getting a chiller but if u do a diy get metal coils inside the refriderator so it cools better.

 

[jaandgc]

I just thought I would bring this up because it has been posted a couple of times, You do not want to shut off the feed pump to control the temp, the water in the line would freeze and then when the pump kicks back on the water will not flow. I guess you could tie in 2 pumps, both low flow and if the temp dropped to much you could turn on the 2nd pump to lower the hang tim in the fridge. Of coarse this would require a check valve on the 2nd pump.
Just a thought.
Jerry

 

[blind1993]

also where ever u put the fridge it will heat that place up so u will want to keep it away from the tank. also u can put a temp control on the fridge and not the pump so the water wont frezze.

 

[nano_reefer92]

blind1993;65075 wrote: also if it doesnt work out then it will be more expensive than just getting a chiller but if u do a diy get metal coils inside the refriderator so it cools better.

????????

what kind of metal i hope you wern't thinking of copper

 

[blind1993]

Nano_Reefer92;65120 wrote: ????????

what kind of metal i hope you wern't thinking of copper

no a steel coil but inside that u need to have soft tubing but the metal will keep it the tubeing cold so that it will be more efficent.