Pacific Coast Chiller

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by Willito

Brad, Steve, if you had a choice, would you buy this product again?
If not, would you consider the drop-in coil? Why or why not?

- Will

Even after the hassle, I would buy this unit again. I think the vendor could have been more helpful with pump recommendations and plumbing suggestions, but overall, this unit does keep my tank at a constant temp.

I like the remote install feature of this unit. The drop in might be nice, but it would need to sit within 6 ft of my sump, which wouldn't work very well for me.

[StirCrazy]

Originally Posted by Willito

Brad, Steve, if you had a choice, would you buy this product again?
If not, would you consider the drop-in coil? Why or why not?

- Will

a drop in chiller would have been the ideal but then you have a whole new mess of problems, like where do you put it? how do you make sure it gets proper ventalation if you put it in your stand? how do you get rid of the excess heat it throws into the same room that your tank is in?

like Brad stated it is a awsome little chiller even though it blows the ocasional fuse. but the recomendations for pumps or an actual data sheet of the # of feet of head the internals add to the system would have been helpfull.

Steve

[Willito]

a drop in chiller would have been the ideal but then you have a whole new mess of problems, like where do you put it? how do you make sure it gets proper ventalation if you put it in your stand? how do you get rid of the excess heat it throws into the same room that your tank is in?

I guess that would be a problem if you had to put it under the stand. Something I didn't have to consider because my sump is in a seperate room. For most application, the 5-6ft of coil wouldn't be long enough to place anywhere else but next to the tank/sump. This would be only contribute more heat and defeat the purpose. I guess there is a place for the in-line after all.

[titus]

Hello,

A update I guess. I just installed three of these Pacific Coast chillers inside cabinets under the display tanks. I have modified also the connections with 1" female adaptor to accomodate a larger flex hose connection. I could use a 1" MPT x Barb connector but I am using a 1" MPT x 3/4" Barb to mate with a 3/4" ID hose. So far the water turnover rate looks good and I haven't be made awared of any fuse blown out yet.

More updates with pictures of the systems to follow in about a week or two.

Titus

[StirCrazy]

Originally Posted by Titus

Hello,

A update I guess. I just installed three of these Pacific Coast chillers inside cabinets under the display tanks. I have modified also the connections with 1" female adaptor to accomodate a larger flex hose connection. I could use a 1" MPT x Barb connector but I am using a 1" MPT x 3/4" Barb to mate with a 3/4" ID hose. So far the water turnover rate looks good and I haven't be made awared of any fuse blown out yet.

More updates with pictures of the systems to follow in about a week or two.

Titus

Just changing the barb fittinbgs isn't going to increase your flow rate in them, I did some looking into mine when Brad mentiond that6 some one was changing the fittings to improve the flow through the chiller. the tubing inside is only so big and haveing a larger supply isn't going to increase the internal size but it will help for people that have to many 90's and such from there pump to the chiller and then back to the tank as going with a bigger tube will reduce the head pressure. so if you are using to small of a pump it will help (as in Brads case) or you can just buy a larger pump. I found the reason I blew the second fuse, I had a additive bag over the intake of my mag 12 so it was restricting the flow through the unit.

for anyone wondering I find the mag 12 runnign through my lifeguard UV (25 watt) then down into my chiller and back up to my tank is giving me 595 GPH using 3/4" black vinal tubing. this is only 5 gph under the max rating and I have had no fuses blow sence I upgraded to the mag 12.

Steve

[titus]

Hello,

Well when I look at the openings inside it is still quite a bit bigger than the barb fittings they provide. And I mean quite a bit bigger.

Titus

[Aquattro]

Titus, are you setting up the CL650 model? I'll tkae mine apart this wekend to see what it looks like.

[StirCrazy]

Originally Posted by Titus

Hello,

Well when I look at the openings inside it is still quite a bit bigger than the barb fittings they provide. And I mean quite a bit bigger.

Titus

hmm, I was led to believe the tube size was the smaller, Brad see how much you can see in yours and let me know.

Steve

[robert]

I got 1/4HP one just a few days ago. Easy as a pie to install using supplied fittings using Mag 7 pump. 2-3 hours into operations it stopped working. Thanks to this thread my troubleshooting lasted only 2 sec. Yes, fuse was gone I changed the fuse and it died even faster this time. Another fuse went in (yes, I bought some spare when I got the chiller ) and 8” table fan was installed to blow air through the chiller. No more fuse problems.

Now, after first day of usage I changed the fittings using 1” coupling and ¾” barb to feed the chiller with ¾ ID tubing. I also no longer use Mag7, just too noisy to my taste. I installed Eheim 1260 instead, it has same flow rating as Mag 7, but way more silent.

No more fan in front of the chiller and no more blown fuses either over last 24 hours. BTW, my tank sits in smaller glass room that gets quite hot when MHs are on - 27deg. C at peak.

[StirCrazy]

can you take a pic of what you changed in the fittings and what fittings you used please?

Steve