Just finished testing my newest creation. I built my own chiller from an old 3.5 cu. ft. refrigerator, some 1/2" Polyethylene tubing, a 300gph pump and a temperature controller. Total project cost excluding the refrigerator just under $200.
First step was to run the two 1/2" tubes in the wall from my living room to the garage where I will have the chiller setup. i used red tubing for the water from the tank and blue for the return.
Once that was done I drilled two 1/2" holes in the side of the refrigerator for the tubing to enter.
This creates such a tight seal I really didn't need to use anything else.
I then connected the remaining red and blue tubes to the 100' length of white tube and coiled them in the fridge.
I used a 1/2 MPT to push connect fitting on the pump and connected in to my return pump to prime the system before connecting up to the 300gph pump.
CAUTION since my setup has the water traveling into the attic and then 30 foot to the garage before doping down to the chiller and then making it all the way back to my tank I needed the full 2100 gph of my return pump to prime the system. once the system is primed and has water the pressure will remain constant.
The controller was simple enough to setup. Just plug it in and set your preferred temperature measurements(F or C) and then your heating and cooling setpoints.
First step was to run the two 1/2" tubes in the wall from my living room to the garage where I will have the chiller setup. i used red tubing for the water from the tank and blue for the return.
Once that was done I drilled two 1/2" holes in the side of the refrigerator for the tubing to enter.
This creates such a tight seal I really didn't need to use anything else.
I then connected the remaining red and blue tubes to the 100' length of white tube and coiled them in the fridge.
I used a 1/2 MPT to push connect fitting on the pump and connected in to my return pump to prime the system before connecting up to the 300gph pump.
CAUTION since my setup has the water traveling into the attic and then 30 foot to the garage before doping down to the chiller and then making it all the way back to my tank I needed the full 2100 gph of my return pump to prime the system. once the system is primed and has water the pressure will remain constant.
The controller was simple enough to setup. Just plug it in and set your preferred temperature measurements(F or C) and then your heating and cooling setpoints.
