Drop-In Chillers VS Inline Chillers

[bleedingthought]

I've only been able to find a couple of threads concerning drop-in chillers. I wanted to know who here has experience with them and how they compare to inline chillers. There's a guy that's selling his 1/3 HP drop-in Aqualogic chiller for $450. Not sure if that's a good price or not but it's got me thinking.

Also, what size chiller would be recommended for about a 270 gallon total volume tank?

Thanks guys.

 

[Len]

I have had both. Inline is more efficient and actually easier to plan as you don't have to make special considerations for flow around the probe element. Drop-ins need to sit fairly close to the tank, which is very limiting. For example, if the tank is in your living room or bedroom, you do not want a big chiller in the same room due to the noise and heat.

For a 270 gallon, you will want a 1/3hp or 1/2hp.

That said, 450 for a 1/3 Aqualogic is a really good deal

 

[bleedingthought]

Ok, so since the tank has its own 'room' where noise inside isn't a problem (and the walls are insulated for sound-proofing) and that room is going to be air conditioned, I would have solved most of its 'cons'?

 

[Len]

Sounds like a drop in will work fine for your set up. Make sure the room is ventilated as the amount of heat a big chiller can generate will battle with its cooling function.