Chiller Assistance

[reeshee]

Hello everyone,

I have aquired a chiller recently and am noticing frequent kick in and out. As fast as every 10 mins or so. My room temerature is 30°C during the day. I have set the chiller at 25°C. I am very afraid of spoiling the chiller at this rate of kicking in and out..

SET-UP

• 12 gallon (45L) tank. (Fluval Edge)
• Lightly Planted
• CRS and Yellow shrimps
• Canistor Filter with flow rate of 360L/Hr
• 7600K high liuminosity LED fixture
• Hailea Chiller HC-100A running with a dedicated powerhead with a flow rate of 600L/Hr (Please note that Hailea website states that this model requires 200-1000L/Hr flowrate.)

I am aware that there is an option to modify the unit to have an external thermostat which will reflect the aquarium's exact temperature to prevent frequent kick in/out.

1. Could anyone advice if there is a simple way to do this modification? No soldering please as I am not a DIY person.. A guide with pictures?
2. Am I setting the temperature too low? is 25°C too low to chill if my room is at 30°C?

Kindly help me out as I do not want to ruin my chiller.. Not cheap by the way haha.. Wonder why it's so expensive.. Even a mini fridge is cheaper.. Bleah!!

Thanks guys.. Hope to settle this issue by this weekend if possible!

reeshee

[reeshee]

hello,
im running a hailea chiller 1/10 hp setting it at 25 deg aswell, i don't know my room temp just know its not ideal
if u want to modify it for an external probe like mine u can get it at sim lim sq, its very simple, no soldering is require as the orignal temperature probe is connect using a DC clip switch within the chiller itself, just buy the external probe from sim lim with the same dc clip and switch it with that of the internal temperature probe in ur chiller now. hope it helps!

Hi Markus!

Firstly, thank you for replying. I was wondering why no one responded.. Would it be possible for you to give me the shop name in sim lim sq and some photos of what external probe and DC clip switch you are referring to?

I am desperate to get this done as i'm afraid the chiller is being over worked! haha.. Many thanks!!

[reeshee]

i don't know the shops name as it has been at least a year, i could snap some photos but that would probly be on sunday evening as i wouldn't be home till then, heres some info for u to digest first

http://www.aquaticquotient.com/forum...46-Chiller-FAQ

Chiller kick in frequency is dependent on the following factors:
-Placement of temp probe
-Volume of tank to chiller capacity and temp setting
-Insulation
-Placement of chiller
-Environmental conditions

Temperature probe -

Factory placement of temperature probe affects chiller kick in frequency. Let me illustrate, for resun and hailea chillers, the temperature probe is placed inside the water tank. So if your flowrate is low, the probe will pick up the temp in the tank and cut off prematurely(e.g Main tank 26deg water tank 25deg) Result: more frequent kick ins but shorter intervals

For more luxurious Chiller brands, Teco and Arctica, the temperature probe is at the inlet of the water tank. It measures the temperature coming from the main tank itself. Chiller will run at full length and the kick out duration is thus longer. Result: Fewer kick ins but longer intervals

To Prolong Chiller lifespan, we want to minimise the total number of kick ins. Solution is to reconfigure the chiller to have an external temp probe to be placed in the tank itself. This will lead to longer kick out periods as well and less temp variations

Thanks bro! Appreciate your quick reply! I did read that sticky I would love to get the external probe fixed but I only saw soldering methods so far. Is a guide of your method available online?

[markus92]

Actually I had a friend do it for me xD so I'm not too sure, when I get home I'll see what I can deduce and post it up here

[reeshee]

Haha!! Okok.. Thanks for helping me out! Will wait for your post

[markus92]

1411879490802[1].jpg

sorry for the long wait, i remember uploading it via tapatalk but i guess it din't go through.

[reeshee]

1411879490802[1].jpg

sorry for the long wait, i remember uploading it via tapatalk but i guess it din't go through.

Wow its been awhile haha! Hmm I still have not modified my chiller. I'm going to be honest, still unsure about the steps but ill try! Thanks

[reeshee]

Any kind souls willing to help me do FOC or for a small fee? I'll pay for the parts of course Hehe!

[markus92]

Here are a few links for you to read up, in the first thread it tells you the shop name in sim lim square but thats dated sometime back.

http://aquatic-art.blogspot.sg/2008/...5-minutes.html
http://reeftank.in/diy-external-temp...ailea-chiller/

[shadoweave]

kicking in and out every 10min does not seem to be right. there might be a leakage of coolant or some other things are not operating as required.
Best to bring it down to a chiller specialist to have it checked out.

[BFG]

kicking in and out every 10min does not seem to be right. there might be a leakage of coolant or some other things are not operating as required.
Best to bring it down to a chiller specialist to have it checked out.

Its the ol' pump too fast/slow conundrum. Doing the mod would fix it.

[reeshee]

Its the ol' pump too fast/slow conundrum. Doing the mod would fix it.

Hi BFG, recently I switched to a 2 feet tank. After which the kick in and out has changed to every 30-40mins not 10mins anymore.

The digital thermometer inside my tank reads 0.2 degree lower than the temperature on the chiller. That's quite gd yes?

Quite puzzled how a switch of tank changed the behaviour of my chiller. Do you reckon I should still get the mod done? The unit is still under warranty by the way.

[markus92]

if its me i would only do the mod unless the kicking in was very frequent which yours isnt now, or i had expansive livestock like a tank full of temperature sensitive shrimp

[reeshee]

if its me i would only do the mod unless the kicking in was very frequent which yours isnt now, or i had expansive livestock like a tank full of temperature sensitive shrimp

Hehe currently it has no livestock other than plants and it's cycling. I shall wait and see Yup, suddenly not kicking in and out every 10mins. Odd..

[BFG]

30-40 minute is still short. Aim for an hour plus or two. When it rains, it could even reach thd 3hr mark.

[Devilblood]

Hi BFG, can share how to reach above 2hr for kick out? Even raining I have not time it can reach 3hr

[reeshee]

Yea man..

[Shadow]

Hi BFG, can share how to reach above 2hr for kick out? Even raining I have not time it can reach 3hr

It depend on how many litter is the tank. Bigger tank will take longer time for temperature to increase. Just like boiling water, it take longer time to boil 10 liters of water compare to 1 liter with same amount of heat.

[Devilblood]

Ok thanks understand now...a few factor will effect the standby time

[noidea]

My 4ft tank take 30 mins to cool down from 25 to 24.3 C. It can't go any lower.

And the kick in will be 40 mins.