hooking up a chiller

[easygoer2]

Does it matter if an inline chiller is hooked up to the return line. Or can it be hooked up to the closed loop line?
easygoer2

 

[ScottC]

closed loop is the way to go


if you're plumbing the probe inline with it, be sure you place it before the chiller

 

[Anonymous]

For closed loop, if it use a low pressure, high volumn pump, don't put the chiller on it.

Otherwise, if the return line has the correct flow rate for the chiller, do it on the return instead.

You want maximum flow thru the chiller, but you don't want to affect the rest of the system because of the appearant head pressure thru the chiller.

 

[easygoer2]

The chiller needs 425GPH. What I might try to do is use a manifold with a valve to adjust the flow to that side. Do you think that will work? This is an Artctica 1/4hp.
easygoer2

 

[Anonymous]

Is the manifold feed by the return pump?

 

[easygoer2]

The manifold will be on the closed loop pump. A Iwaski md70.
easygoer2

 

[Anonymous]

you won't have pressure problem with 70RT, but that's because that pump has a relatively low volumn/wattage ratio (medium pressure pump). I usually recommand people use a more efficient pump for closed loop, to take advantage of the relatively low back pressure.

 

[easygoer2]

Dave. thanks for the time you've spent with me on this. Can you explain this pump pressure, volume stuff? I'm not real sure what I can do here. Let me tell you what pumps I'm using now. An Iwaski md70 rlt on the return.An Iwaski md40 rt on the skimmer. An Ocean Runner 3500 on the closed loop. The chiller is also on the 70 rlt. I'm wanting to have the chiller plumbed through the loop and not the return. Now are any of these pumps good for the loop with the chiller on it? The loop return is two 3/4 sea swirls. Im
wanting max flow through the loop. What do you think.
easygoer2

 

[Anonymous]

(milzed)

 

[Anonymous]

I am not familiar with Ocean Runner, but for Iwaski, I usually recommand the X-type pump for close-loop because of the optimized impeller for high volume application. I don't know if Iwaski have a X-type pump for the 70 series, that would be the 70RXLT.... The 70RLT is a pressure pump, so it is a waste of electricity if you use it on the close loop, IMO. For comparison, an Iwaski 40RXLT will give you similar flow on a closed loop, using about half of the electricity.

If you use the OR 3500 on the closed loop, don't put the chiller on it. The flow thru the heat exchanger in the chiller will cut down the flow rate quite a bit if you do. Same if you want to use the OR3500 on return with chiller. For your pump inventory, these are the only two things that I will suggest against. Any other combination don't seem to be a problem.

Regarding the pressure/volume issue, just keep in mind that it is a compromise between pressure and volume because of the physics of it. If you want max. flow, you are going to sacrify the pressure. If you want good pressure, you will end up with a pump that does not move water well (in gal/min). For closed loop, you want the best pump (lowest wattage) that pump the most volume. For driving the chiller and return, you want a pump that can handle the head pressure well.