Do we need to topup chiller gas??

[strat]

I believe that alot of us are using chillers to cool our tanks.

Do you topup your gas for your chiller? Or in the 1st place is there a need to do so?

For me I don't think there's a need as chiller do not use gas to cool the water.

Maybe someone can give us some insights to this??

[blueheaven]

If I'm not wrong, there's a need to do so

[terryansimon]

I remember vaguely Cookiemonster telling me there isn't a need unless there's a leak.

then again, I do have the tendancy to mix things up a bit. so better to get some confirmation. (=

[blueheaven]

Probably when you find the chiller isn't working as effecient as it should be

Just like car aircon, when you turn to 5 and still not cold then have to topup gas

[firestream]

Maybe the best way to measure the water temp on the output.

If on the first month is 25'c but 12 month later is 27 then something is wrong. Agree ?

[strat]

Probably when you find the chiller isn't working as effecient as it should be

Just like car aircon, when you turn to 5 and still not cold then have to topup gas

Unless our chillers are using gas to chill the water like aircon, then I feel that there's a need to topup gas.

[alvy]

I don't think there is a need to top up unless there is a leak..dun think the freon would disappear or disintergrate within the system.. if the efficiency of the chiller drops, there could be many reasons..such as higher loading due to flucuating ambient temp; clog up Heat exchanger from calcium deposit or slime; wear/tear of the compressor system since it is a electro-mechanical device causing it to lose it's efficieny; wear/tear of the condensor fan, wear/tear of ur feed pump slowing down the flowrate...millions of reasons of reduction in efficiency..

car aircon system undergo more stress than our chiller operations..most of the time when u need to topup your car's gas is when there is minute leaks here and there in the car system..there r many parts and joints which are shaken and stressed as we ram our car to limbo... as again, i don't think freon disappear or vanish from the system if it is completely sealed..well i could be wrong..

[lightningstrike]

IMHO, refrigerant will only leak out of a system when there is a chance to escape to the environment thru means of refrigerant "eating thru" joints, valves, inappropriate refrigerant hoses used (not refrigerant friendly), etc. most points hv been covered by alvy oredi.

for aquarium chillers, normally there r 2 types. 1 using the thermoelectric technology, e.g. iceprobe, which is suitable for small aquariums. the other being the conventional refrigerant method which is the same as most household, commercial systems. in this case, using air cooled condensers rather than cooling towers (water cooled).