Chiller plumbing.

[saintperez]

Should the chiller be running on the same return line as your return pump? Pros and cons? My return pump has more than enough gph so head loss is not an issue.

 

[d2mini]

You have to check the specs of your chiller and run whatever GPH it recommends.
The source of the flow doesn't matter.
If your pump is too powerful, you can tee off the return with a ball valve and control the flow through the chiller that way, and send the return from the chiller back to your sump or display tank.
Or you can run the chiller off a separate pump.

 

[leptang]

My chiller is running on a 265gph return, it chills just fine. The chiller is a 1/4 hp chilling 75 gallons of water.

 

[mfinn]

I used a separate pump just for the chiller. I don't like to combine functions when it comes to return, chiller, different reactors.
If the only pump you have goes out, you lose all flow to the tank.
Plus I always liked to take pumps off line to clean them.

 

[AZDesertRat]

When I used a chiller, before LED lighting, I used the return pump. Adding an additional pump is counterproductive since it is adding additional electrical consumption and heat gain. Why add more heat when the idea is to remove it?

 

[mfinn]

When I used a chiller, before LED lighting, I used the return pump. Adding an additional pump is counterproductive since it is adding additional electrical consumption and heat gain. Why add more heat when the idea is to remove it?

IMO the tiny amount of heat you would add with a second pump would be nothing compared to the cooling of a chiller.

Sorry if you don't approve of the way I did it for many years, but it's just the way I did it.

 

[saintperez]

I see pros and cons on both. Currently have it plumbed to my mammoth of a return pump. But I asked because recently had an issue that I had to turn off the pump during MH lights on and realized single line was not such a great idea thus why I asked the question.