Aqua Euro CL-85 Micro Electronic Chiller
- Thread starter dive girl
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scsinet
Active Member
The reason this chiller is cheaper is because it uses peltier technology to cool the water, as opposed to the traditional compressor and refrigerant.
That's not necessarily a bad thing. Quite honestly, I was thinking of picking up one of these at some point myself to use for chilling my QT tank.
That's not necessarily a bad thing. Quite honestly, I was thinking of picking up one of these at some point myself to use for chilling my QT tank.
scsinet
Active Member
Most chillers use a refrigerant and compressor to cool the water. It's the same technology that fridges and air conditioners user. The equipment is more expensive, but it's the most efficient technology out there and it can come in very large capacities.
Peltier technology uses semiconductors to create the cooling. It's a far cheaper technology, but it's less efficient and is only available in very small cooling capacities, which is why you don't see large fridges and AC units employing them. Only the smallest aquarium chillers use them. One other advantage is that the peltier devices themselves have no moving parts, so they have a theoretically unlimited lifetime, as opposed to compressors, all of which fail eventually. Peltier technology is what you see in those little desktop drink coolers, small countertop wine fridges, and the electronic coolers that run off a car's cigarette lighter.
Efficiency wise on the scale of a small chiller like this, it won't matter much.
In regards to the lifetime comment I made above, I should also mention that although the peltier device itself has a long lifetime, they are usually paired with cheap plastic computer type fans to dissipate the heat that have much shorter lifetimes than the compressor of fan found in more expensive chillers, so in the end, I'd expect the lifetime of the entire unit to be less. However, such fans are easily and cheaply replaced, even by a layperson with even basic electrical skills.
What price are you seeing on this thing?
Peltier technology uses semiconductors to create the cooling. It's a far cheaper technology, but it's less efficient and is only available in very small cooling capacities, which is why you don't see large fridges and AC units employing them. Only the smallest aquarium chillers use them. One other advantage is that the peltier devices themselves have no moving parts, so they have a theoretically unlimited lifetime, as opposed to compressors, all of which fail eventually. Peltier technology is what you see in those little desktop drink coolers, small countertop wine fridges, and the electronic coolers that run off a car's cigarette lighter.
Efficiency wise on the scale of a small chiller like this, it won't matter much.
In regards to the lifetime comment I made above, I should also mention that although the peltier device itself has a long lifetime, they are usually paired with cheap plastic computer type fans to dissipate the heat that have much shorter lifetimes than the compressor of fan found in more expensive chillers, so in the end, I'd expect the lifetime of the entire unit to be less. However, such fans are easily and cheaply replaced, even by a layperson with even basic electrical skills.
What price are you seeing on this thing?
dive girl
Member
I was seeing them at $159-199 depending on size. I appreciate the detailed information.
I think I'll end up spending more and getting one that can handle more. I have 2 JBJ chillers which I love and just got a Current chiller which I installed yesterday, so I don't know how much I like that one yet.
I think I'll end up spending more and getting one that can handle more. I have 2 JBJ chillers which I love and just got a Current chiller which I installed yesterday, so I don't know how much I like that one yet.