Problem with chiller

Hey there,

Our babies' chiller finally came today, a Hailea H-150a, and we were so excited! But we've set it up and found that although the thermometer in the tank is reading 17.5-18°C the chiller's water temperature sensor is still reading 20°C and doesn't look like it's going to drop at all. The water's getting colder but the sensor doesn't seem to be picking it up, never shutting off.

It's a 4ft, 40gal tank and the chiller's running alongside an Aqua One cf1000 canister filter. Admittedly, it started off in an enclosed cabinet under the tank but there's a lot of room in there, ventilation holes we'd drilled as well and for hours now we've had the doors wide open and even knocked some panels out the side to give the chiller more room to breathe.

I'm wondering, has anyone experienced a similar issue with a chiller? Any ideas on what else we could try? Poor Esther and Frida, it's fry or freeze at this rate!

I have a Haliea. Are you saying that the chiller temp is not moving at all, or just that it doesnt match the tank thermometer?

If it is that the chiller temp is going down, but doesnt match the tank theremometer, i have a question - have you read the instructions?

I haven't had this problem myself, mine was perfectly calibrated straight out of the box, but i do remember reading a part of the instructions dealing with exactly this problem.

If i recall, it is a very easy fix. Just pressing the control buttons in a certain sequence allows you to calibrate the chiller to your tank thermometer. Edit - press the Up and down control buttons together for 6 seconds until the display flashes, then adjust the temp up or down to match your thermometer. It does say to only adjust +/- 1.5 celc, and recomends you dont do this too often.

If it is the other problem, the chiller is staying on 20 WHILE the tank temp actually goes down, then the chiller's thermostat might be faulty - that would just need replacing under warranty i'd suggest - but again, i'd check the troubleshooting instructions and perhaps cal your vendor before you adjust anything

Bren

Hey Bren, thanks for the help! Unfortunately the chiller's temp is not going down at all.. if anything it goes up despite the actual tank water going down, or it hovers around the same (incorrect) temperature. Dang.. I thought the thermostat on the chiller might be faulty; I was hoping I was wrong Oh well, we're having a cool spell here this week so I guess I'll monitor it for a day and if it persists I'll move toward a warranty fix. Thanks again!

at least it is cooling the water.

It's going to be expensive to have it run all the time, but in a big tank like that, it'll shouldn't bring the temp down to a dangerous level at least

Below 5 celc would be a problem i reckon, but the halieas are a budget chiller, so accordingly they only draw the temp down 10-15 below ambient temp

Even running all day, i cant see it making a 4 foot tank as cold as 5 celc in an aussie summer

I'd call the vendor before i did anything, do a little trouble shooting, then do the warranty claim

Bit of a bugger, but it's the rule of three - you can have quality, service, or the cheapest price, pick two, 'cos you cant have all three

Shame you had a hiccup with the haliea, i think they are a pretty good value chiller. I know they are bottom of the price range, and i have read some bad things about them, but mine has been running without a problem for more than 6 months now.

If i had to replace it every 2-5 years, because of quality, i'd still be pretty happy with it for the price

Bren

Question - What do you have the chiller set to? is What have you entered as your desired temp?

Have you tried resetting the desired temp UP until the chiller turns off?

I'd try that to see if the chiller actually turns off.

So set it for 21 Celc, then 22, then 23, then 24 , then 25 etc + , leave it, and see if it turns off.

If it continues to run when the water is 18 c and the chiller is set for 25 c +, then you'd have to say the thermostat is totally shot.

If it turns it self off when you have it set for 22 c (even though the water is 18C) then it might just be a calabration issue.

Bren

I had the chiller set to 17 at first but today after the chiller had calmed down and dropped degrees, kind of coming to an equilibrium with the tank at 18 and the chiller saying 19, I set the desired temp to 19 and waited; It turned itself off after about 5 minutes. So that was a success. Now I'm thinking then that it might be an air issue. Do you have your chiller in an open space? We have vent holes and the side knocked out of our cabinet under the tank but it's not enough it seems. It only kinda got to the equilibrium mentioned above after having the cabinet doors wide open all day.

thats good, sorry for late reply.

Mine is set in behind a low entertainment unit actually, it has space around it, not a lot, but it seems to get enough circulation.

If the unit turned off, then the thermostat is working.

I think you may have had it set too low @ 17 c - i set mine @ 18 C normally, and actually turn it up a little on the hotter days (35 c + ) to 20 c

It goes up to 19 c then turns on to cool to 18 c, or up to 21 c to cool down to 20 C - i do that just so it works a little less hard on those stinking hot days.

Any lower than 18 c i find you get a lot of condensation every day, as it is, i only get condensation on muggy days (like yesterday and today)

So, in a utshell, it sounds like you might have it worked out?

1 Set too low to start with

2 Not enough ventilation around the unit

how has it gone today?

Bren

PS If the chiller is on 19 and the water 18 for several days, then you can do the calibration method i mentioned above to get them to match

Before you do that though, is the tank thermometer a good quality one? If it is a cheap and cheerful tank thermometer, the it could be the one that is wrong, not the chiller!

Yeah, I think you might be right about having it set too low. After running overnight I got up to find that both tank and chiller were saying 19, phew! I had the desired temp set to 18 so I put it up to 19 and it shut off, so I've left it at that for now and it's going ok but it seems that when it turns on to cool the water, the temp on the chiller rises.. maybe the heat of itself operating affects it. Ah well, despite all of this it still beats the ol' frozen bottle method!

Thanks so much for all of your help Bren. I really appreciate it!

-Sharee

Hi guys, we have sadly lost our last two axies to the heat of the Queensland summer and are just looking at purchasing a Hailea HC-150A chiller before we attempt to start again. I have a 4x1x1 foot tank and generally keep it at about 25-30cm water depth rather than having the tank completely full for my axies. The tank at full depth would hold 240 litres so I figure we should be right with the model that is ok for up to 400 litres, especially given the water depth.
I am a little concerned about how to set the chiller up. I have read that it is best to have the water go through the filter and then into the chiller which makes sense as the chiller is then getting only filtered water through it. But I am not sure about what filter I can use to do this and whether I can use the one I have already or need a new one. The filter I have I believe is too powerful for the axies, cycling 2000L an hour, it is an Aqua One Maxi 104F.
Can anyone tell me what filter will work with this chiller? And if you do all run the water through the filter and then into the chiller or just run them seperately?
Any help appreciated.. I want to get the tank setup nicely and cycle it for a week or two, test the temperature & bring some new axies home.

yes, you just run it in line with your filter.

Water comes out of the tank, into the filter inlet.
It leaves the filter outlet, into the chiller inlet.
It leavs the chiller outlet and gos back to the tank

Very easy

Bren

I run my chiller and filter the exact way blackdog explained. It is very easy.

Ohh you finally got a Chiller Lea! Good to hear

yeah. I got it last year, 2nd hand but the price was right and abby and cookie love it. It has taken the stress out of summer that is for sure. I didnt realise how much time I spent on the tank.

Mine goes through the chiller first. Seems to work ok for me. Condensation on the tank, the filter cannister and the hoses is more of a problem though. The condensate drips and wets everything. Sydney humidity. I've got the cannister in an ice cream container to collect the water.

Chillers are supposed to be left in an open environment so they can shed the water's heat into the atmosphere efficiently. It may be part of your problem housing the chiller in the cabinet.

Regards
David

Thanks guys,
I have ordered my chiller, just waiting for it too arrive now! Can't wait to get it and set the tank up ready for some new little mates...

DavidF said:

Mine goes through the chiller first. Seems to work ok for me. Condensation on the tank, the filter cannister and the hoses is more of a problem though. The condensate drips and wets everything. Sydney humidity. I've got the cannister in an ice cream container to collect the water.

Chillers are supposed to be left in an open environment so they can shed the water's heat into the atmosphere efficiently. It may be part of your problem housing the chiller in the cabinet.

Regards
David

Click to expand...

David, just a comment on your set up, not a critisism, just an observation.

I put my chiller after the filter for a couple of reasons.

1 I figure that the water going into the chiller will be as clean as it can possibly be. Might help reduce build up of contaminanents, and in theory there should be no large "particles" of waste matter having to first go through the chiller to get to the filter.

Not sure if would make a big difference, but....

2 Condensation. You mentioned you have your filter in a container because of condensation? If the filter is aftert the chiller, the water will be at it's coldest going into the filter, while in my set up, the water is at it warmest (out of the tank)

Also, filter motors can add small amounts of heat to the water as it passes through, therefore it may reduce the effectiveness of your chiller if the water is being warmed slightly before going back to the tank.

It doesnt mean it wont chill the tank, but (again) in theory it might take the chiller more work and longer to cool the water.

I have had plenty of days this summer with condensation on the tank and on the outlet hose, but had none at all on my filter on those days

just food for thought

Before ANYONE jumps down my throat about how Dave can set up however he wants (as is wont to happen in forum land) - it's just something to think about, my way works for me, and appears to be different to David's - again, food for thought.

Bren

I don't know anything about chillers, but I think those are pretty solid suggestions, I hope no one would try to chew you out for giving advice.

The condensation drives me INSANE!!!!!!!! Mine produces 10 cups of water a day in condensation and I have to have a metal tank stand because it wrecks anything it sits on, it's the biggest hassle ever!

@ Blaze , yeah, you are in a much more humid area than me, i bet you get lots.

Weird summer we had here in Geelong (Melbourne) , not hot much at all, and the hot days we did have were very humid. So we had a lot more humid days this year than i reckon we would normally have.

We had the old sham wows wrapped around the bottom of the tank to soak it up , pretty orange, but effective

Bren

bren...Im so glad Im not the only one using a sham wow.....My hubby laughed at me when I bought them. I have one under my filter.