Chiller/Plumbing

[izib]

I have a few questions regarding plumbing my chiller and redoing some plumbing while I'm at it...

1) I bought the 1/2hp chiller from the powerbuy and either I'm an idiot or normal piping doesn't work. I was wanting to hook it up via hard PVC and bought a 1 1/2" female threads today thinking it would work. It appears to go on but is extremely tight and I'm afraid I'm going to damage the threads if I keep going. Any ideas? The other thing, it says to use 1" flex tubing, I cant get 1" tubing to fit. Every size I try is either too big or too small.

Ideas?

2) Due to not wanting to drill my 75gal sump Ive got to run the pump intake tube over the top. Ive got a LG4 pump. Right now I'm running the PVC around the tank and have a million angles. I would like to run the pipe up to the top of the tank, then down the length of the tank and into the pump there. I guess my question is... Does the pump perform any better/worse if its having to suck water up 3ft and then pump water up 2ft vs sucking water up 2ft and pumping it up 3ft? Also, I'm also worried about the pump not starting back up after a power failure due to lack of water. I was planning to fix this by making the length of tubing going from the tank to the pump go slightly downhill so that the pipe would always have a few ft of water in it, would this work?

Other ideas?

 

[washowi]

What you do is tap off the return to the tank. Tee it off, run the pipe to the chiller and back to your sump. Probably not what your looking for but it's the easiest way.

 

[izib]

Not exactly what Im looking for but...

I was planning on just routing the water through the chiller on the way to the main tank. Would this work or would I have to tee it off? If I tee it off I wont be able to get the 700gph I need through the chiller.

 

[izib]

Anyone? I want to get this hooked up this afternoon. With the outside temps appoaching 80 Im scared to leave the house without the chiller going.

 

[mattrg_2000]

Don't rush it. You may want to crank the AC today.

#1) 1" Vinyl tubing should fit. 1 1/4" PVC flex won't connect to a hosebarb fitting. I may be misunderstanding. Can you post some pics? You may be able to remove the hosebarb and use a 1" PVC threaded to PVC flex.

#2) Do you have the pump listed below? It should be enough to run in-line. I run my chiller inline and it's underflowed by 200gph. I've never had a problem. However, I think there's a risk the coil will freeze. I'd try with 1" vinyl tubing so you can easily upgrade your pump if you're not comfortable with it.

4-MDQX-SC1/10hp145W1.3A17.0ft7.401.00" FNPT/1.0" MNPT

<span style="color: black;">Model # </span><span style="color: black;">@ 1ft Head </span><span style="color: black;">@ 3ft Head </span><span style="color: black;">@ 6ft Head </span><span style="color: black;">@ 10ft Head </span><span style="color: black;">@ 20ft Head</span>
4-MDQX-SC 1325gph 1225gph 1080gph 800gph-- ---

 

[izib]

Thanks mattrg.

I have spent a few hours on the phone with the chiller manufacturer today. The issue is that the connection on some of the new units is actually 1 1/4", not 1".

I do have the pump listed. I used the calculator on reef central and I think Ill be right at 700-800gph so I'm content with that.

Ive got 1.25 flex tubing going out of the chiller and bending 90 degrees, then connecting to rigid 1"PVC.

Thanks to both of you. I'll post pics once I get it up and running to make sure it looks right.

 

[schwaggs]

I think you are asking for trouble setting up the pump to have to "suck" up. Every pump I have seen used in the aquarium hobby must have the intake "swamped" for it to pump water. They cannot pump the air out of the lines to get started.

Also, see what you can do to mount your chiller outside. 1/2HP and higher chillers really put out some heat which your house AC must then take out of your home. If you place the chiller outdoors, the heat is pumped directly outside, saving your house AC some work and you some electricity...

 

[izib]

I just finished the plumbing project, now Im just waiting for it to all dry... Hopefully I can get some sleep tonight!

The chiller is located out in my garage, its above the sump closet in the garage.