Chiller exhaust modification*hope to save on house ac cost*

C

Chikky

Here is the result of my latest effort to save $$$ on my electric bill. My chiller is a 1/3 hp trade wind chiller. After emailing with Trade wind and getting the cfm requirement of 9" duct work to exhaust the chiller. I made my window mod... The materials were about 50 dollars and if I add in few new tools the total cost would be about 80 dollars to complete this project. I'm hoping I save way more than 80 dollars in cooling cost month to month in my house.
I know its not the prettiest thing to have in your living room but its all about saving money right now :D
 
I have a 1/3 hp chiller and the heat load created on the house wont make up the difference in the electric bill my t-stat data logs over a period of time and after 5 months of logging the ac didnt run any longer or more times than with the chiller or without!! As a Refrigeration Engineer I try each way to cut cost but this doesn't seem a logical fix!
 
Since adding the duct my living room it is MUCH cooler already and also my chiller is not running as often as it was now. I do understand the outside temp is cooler too which also helps.The chiller is not running as much since adding the ductwork because the over all temp in the house is cooler now. I have to add, that I also keep my house temp at 80 degrees so this would cause my chiller set at 78 to run more often in general being it was not getting any help from the house ac temp. The more the chiller ran the more the house heated up the living room and then the chiller ran more it was a terrible cycle.... :x and my electric bill was off the charts.... high.... :cry: I think if I kept my house cooler then the chiller would not have to work so hard but the fact is I don't so in my case I had to find an alternative solution or downsize the tank. I'm still considering changing my lighting to T5 in the spring since Metal halides also put off more heat in my opinion compared to the power compacts I used to run.
 
Well, I will give you an A for effort, but I just don't see this being a lucrative project. More like one of those that it is going to take 10 + years to make your 80 bucks back. But that's just my opinion.


I will say that even if you made your investment back two fold in the first month, my wife would still throw a feces fit over having that setup in the living room.
 
Thanks and since you brought it up about the spouses thoughts... I can tell you my hubby is much happier that the HEATER as he calls it is not burning up the living room anymore... :lol: He ABSOLUTELY hates the CHILLER... Good thing I'm the wife and can live with the bulkyness of the duct mod in the living room I guess... I just enjoy the view of the reef more, now minus the heat :D Of course my hubby would love if the reef wasn't there at all but hey...we all don't enjoy the same things anyway :wink:
 
My wife would kill me if I did something like that. I'd be better off making an outdoor cabinet for the chiller so it could sit outside.... I personally have never had a warm room due to my chiller exhaust.
 
Yea my chiller doesnt heat up the dining room either! I keep the house at 73 at all times and the chiller doesnt change the heat factor! One problem you are having with the heater effect is air movement you dont have enough of it, if u had enough movement you shouldnt feel it! Just my $100 cents :D
 
I added temp controlled ice cap fans 2 in the canopy and 2 in the stand before getting the chiller and I have a 1200 gph external pump that seems to generate alot of heat on its own *hot to the touch* and the lighting in the canopy is 2 150 watt metal halides with 4 t5 bulbs.,that run 8 hours a day. I think one of the biggest problems with the heat factor is that we keep our ac on 80 and we have very tall ceilings in the living room plus 2 sky lights even though the house is shaded well by trees.
I didn't want to get the chiller but the tank without one and lights out was running 86 degrees and that was in May and before I added any extra power heads in the display part of the tank. When researching chillers I went with Tradewinds because of the warrany and the avg cost it seemed like the best deal not sure but maybe this brand puts off more heat then the avg chiller. Can you all tell me on avg how much your chiller runs per day and how much they run on avg when they come each time?
 
Well I have a 1200gph external pump and 2-250W MH and 2 power heads and a 700 CFM fan in my canopy and a potien skimmer 24 hours a day. The lights run 12-13 hours a day. With out the chiller my tank runs 94 and with the chiller I run 76-77 the chiller comes on about 4 times a day and runs about 15 minutes tops most of the time 10 minutes going from 78 to 76. My house stays at 73 at all times. Programable t-stats cut alittle cost but not much they are mostly a joke. Say you keep your house at 80-85 in summer while your gone and 75 when your home it cost more to cool your house down and ALL the contents in your house to 75 then it is to keep your house at 75 all day!! Its a TRUE FACT!!! The highest Ive seen my electric bill in the summer is 245 and when I did a test with programmable t-stat it went to 350 just cause u have to cool ALL your contents!! I can go on all day with energy cost and HVAC been doing it for over 15 years and the best that's out there in Refrigeration and HVAC troubleshooting I guaranty it!
 
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