#2 window a/c chiller

[Dr. Dendrostein]

About a year-and-a-half ago I had a thread on making a chiller out of a window AC. I just got this barrel heat exchanger to make another one and so I will be building one out of a barrel heat exchanger. Heat exchanger is made of titanium. So right now I'm looking for a window air conditioner that's up to 10,000 BTUs, I could up to 12000 BTUs, but for my display tank 10000 BTUs is more than enough. When I'm done, $250 worth of parts I have made a $1,200 chiller. Follow along

 

[Ratherbeflyen]

In planning for a future tank / fish room, I've wondered if it would be better or more efficient to have a window unit heat and cool the room or just the water?

 

[Hemmdog]

Very cool! A friend of mine was just telling me how he converted one of those into a chiller for his home brew operation he has. I told him to make me one for the tank! He says it works great!

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

In planning for a future tank / fish room, I've wondered if it would be better or more efficient to have a window unit heat and cool the room or just the water?

If the room is well insulated, If me I would go with a mini split. Because I live in always sunny Callyfornia , my system because it was experimental is set up outside with special canopy, keep out the sun and light.

 

[Hemmdog]

If the room is well insulated, If me I would go with a mini split. Because I live in always sunny Callyfornia , my system because it was experimental is set up outside with special canopy, keep out the sun and light.

They look so delicate. Wow. Beautiful.

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

They look so delicate. Wow. Beautiful.

Not to shabby.

Here's our goals/dream

If God willing, in 2-3 yrs, if successful with these softies, we're going crowd funding, one project at a time, we want to provide a 50 gallon tank, with gyre's, feeding device, computer system to create proper flow, stand, and also 24 dendronephthya and scleronephthya with other nps corals, donate to one aquarium institution, after all expenses to rent truck,get all accessories together and any other expenses, funds left ,donate to them, then do it again, different Institution, and so on, eventually full on aquaculture, sell them to public, down the line.

 

[Hemmdog]

Not to shabby.

Here's our goals/dream

If God willing, in 2-3 yrs, if successful with these softies, we're going crowd funding, one project at a time, we want to provide a 50 gallon tank, with gyre's, feeding device, computer system to create proper flow, stand, and also 24 dendronephthya and scleronephthya with other nps corals, donate to one aquarium institution, after all expenses to rent truck,get all accessories together and any other expenses, funds left ,donate to them, then do it again, different Institution, and so on, eventually full on aquaculture, sell them to public, down the line.

Very cool!

 

[Ratherbeflyen]

my system because it was experimental is set up outside with special canopy, keep out the sun and light.

If your system is outside, then I'm sure trying to heat/cool the room isn't an option.

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

okay so I pulled this window unit out of my RV, the unit is semi-new when I open it you will see, for now not too pretty. Going to remove what's not necessary. The the controller, the evaporator coil, and the shaft with the blower wheel for blowing into the room. Follow along

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

Some pix

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

All gutted. Going to clean it

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

Much better

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

Planning exchanger

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

Just one silver soft solder joint. Rest flare 1/2"

1/4 inch male flare came with exchanger

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

Pressurize for leaks

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

Need one more piercing valve, tomorrow the vendors open down the street.
The valve is on the suction line, the other valve will be on the discharge line right off the compressor

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

Threw my back out, need to rest 3-4 days, do nothing, stay bed. Then continue.

Here's schematic

Yellow is power cord
Orange is compressor
Blue is condenser Motor
Don't forget the grounds yellow with green and green are grounded to Metal chassis

Power cord wired directly to compressor and condenser motor.
No PC board when done.

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

Wire together N1,N2,N3. N for neutral.
Don't forget the grounds yellow with green and green are grounded to Metal chassis

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

So all neutrals together. Then wire all hots 120v which are
H-fan, N.O., COM., that's it. Going to use external temperature controller.

Don't forget the grounds yellow with green and green are grounded to Metal chassis

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

just finished installing last valve to discharge on compressor.