GE Smartwater Heater/Cooler DIY

[borillion_star]

Anybody know if one of those Tankless Office Water coolers made by GE that does both hot and cold water is enough for a 500 Gal tanks needs? I have not measured temps but the water coming out of it is frigid, the water out of it fogs up the glass straight out of the thing. And the hot water is hot enough to scald.

The one Im looking at modding looks like this:

http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg124/borillion_star/gesmartwater.jpg

Inside it looks to have no pumps or any other parts just basic gravity fed plumbing.


What're your guys opinions? :hmm2: :hmm5:

[AZDesertRat]

I wouldn't use it for saltwater since it has either copper or stainless coils inside. You definitely don't want copper and only certain stainless grades are saltwater safe.

[BeanAnimal]

www.beananimal.com

I have an article with just about everthing you need to know :)

[AZDesertRat]

Bean, you have way too much time on your hands!:beer:

[customcolor]

those things i think can only cool like a liter of water at a shot then it take 15 min to cool another liter,, so cooling 500 gal.....i dont think so.
i think those things are thermo electric too. it would be like putting an IceProbe in your big tank

[borillion_star]

Im really just researching, Im gonna take it apart and look inside first along with piping couple gallons of water through it and monitor the temperature.

[borillion_star]

Actually Ill run the total 500 gallon volume of water I make up, It burns up and I lost $20 not $1000 as a test run, no fish no tank, nothing to loose. :D

[AZDesertRat]

How are you going to run it through the unit? Check the materials first as most metals are not compatible with saltwater and plastics are horrible at heat transfer.

[2_zoa]

Even if it does work, which I think it will take a LOOONNGGG time to make any changes in temperature the unit will not last long in my opinion as the unit is not made to deal with that much gallon-age. 500G's is a lot.

[2_zoa]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13561653#post13561653 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by AZDesertRat
How are you going to run it through the unit? Check the materials first as most metals are not compatible with saltwater and plastics are horrible at heat transfer.


Here, Here.

[borillion_star]

It this any good its a Glycol/Water Chiller used for cooling lasers, my uncle told me I could have it for $700. Anyone seen one of these? Its a 1/2 hp.

http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg124/borillion_star/1101g4142ZZZZZZZZZ8a980700323126b1d.jpg
http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg124/borillion_star/1231461g7ZZZZZZZZZ8a9039351213f611c.jpg
http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg124/borillion_star/12b1gb149ZZZZZZZZZ8a9ca94e2323f2415.jpg
http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg124/borillion_star/1f5127143ZZZZZZZZZ8a98c5fdb45a16f1d.jpg

[2_zoa]

WOW ... I have not seen the ones on the lasers at work yet, but I have seen the glycol units at breweries for the fermentation tanks. I would have to say that they are great units but......... I don't think that they have a place in the hobby as you would have to try to isolate the unit somehow and the only way I can think of is to put a titanium coil on it so the glycol is pumped through the coil cooling the water mass around it.

[AZDesertRat]

Breweries!!! Now you are talking my language:beer:

[borillion_star]

It does water also in place of glycol, is it worth the 700 to try it out? LOL

[2_zoa]

However just noticing that you have a 540 gallon tank in the works (WOW)I think I would try to incorporate it into the design cause these are designed to keep lots of heat at bay. I am sure you know that the best contact metal is titanium.(I think)



Sorry for the not so sure of myself as the whiskey is kicking in LOL.

[2_zoa]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13562195#post13562195 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by AZDesertRat
Breweries!!! Now you are talking my language:beer:

PROST :beer:

[2_zoa]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13562197#post13562197 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by borillion_star
It does water also in place of glycol, is it worth the 700 to try it out? LOL


Yea but what is the materisl that the unit uses? Copper, stainless, Brass (being a laser cooler)ect.

[2_zoa]

?????materisl??????

Told ya. darn whiskey

[borillion_star]

thats the problem, Im not sure he told me its safe for saltwater but I dont think he knows for sure, if you look at the 3rd and fourth pics it has an inlet pipe and and outlet that are rubber, looks like there is copper piping inside (LEFT LAST PIC), but I dont know what they are to, the look too small to me for the water tho, Im not sure but the price of a 1/2 hr aquarium chiller at almost $2K makes $700 very very appealing.

[borillion_star]

Suppose the thing does have some copper in the machine could I run a closed loop of a concentrated glycol into a thin walled PVC pipe and then use it to cool the tank, that way the copper is kept out of the loop?

[borillion_star]

or this :D Titanium heating and cooling pipe <br>http://www.supplierlist.com/photo_images/79475/Titanium_heating_cooling_coil_titanium_spiral_pipe.jpg

[MrRyanT]

Titanium will do a much better job than pvc.

[BeanAnimal]

The Glycol chiller IS a regular phase change chiller with a GLYCOL loop and pump attached to it. The loop can be run long distances to cool remote objects (like beer taps, or multiple laser diodes, etc). You would simply run the glycol through the Ti heat exchanger. They are less efficient than a direct cooling chiller. The benefit is the capability to cool remote items without having to use remote evaporators.

[borillion_star]

Can I have an example of a direct cooling chiller that you would recommend?

Really the issue is just cost, Im putting down 3.5K maybe 4k already :P and thats for just the tank, stand, sump, pumps and Lighting, live sand and rock.

I'm not the knowledgeable one in this chiller stuff, would this likely be "enough" to do 10 degree's perhaps, that would put me in a safe zone with room to wiggle round.

[borillion_star]

I want to have some budget left for stocking the tank lol

[BeanAnimal]

You would need to know the capacity of the chiller. How Many BTU's is it? What type of duty cycle is it rated for?

[borillion_star]

I didnt even think of that in my excitement of seeing a cheap price :O

[borillion_star]

I haven't had any luck figuring out the stuff, he's 2 hours away and its kinda a far drive to look at the thing.....meh anyone have a clue, I can tell it has a double C logo thats it.

He knows they were used for chilling lasers. He just buys and sells stuff on the side.