Heater vs. Chiller = Who will win?

brett559 · 11/03/2016, 11:06 AM

I know about heater redudancy and controllers, etc. I'm not here to ask about that. I am just curious, who wins the battle of heater vs. chiller. Say I have a 200 watt heater stuck in the on position. I also have a 1/4 horsepower chiller. So who wins the battle? I found a little calculator which says 200 watts equals about .26 horsepower. So in theory they just cancel each other out?

What's the answer?

Half Vaped · 11/03/2016, 11:22 AM

Your electric power company wins.

disc1 · 11/03/2016, 11:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Half Vaped

Your electric power company wins.

This +1

75mixedreef · 11/03/2016, 11:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Half Vaped

Your electric power company wins.

Yep.

Heat pretty much always wins depending on outside variables. If it heats up the room with the chiller running then heat will win out, but if the ambient temp is low and the chiller can shut off and cool down before running again then the chiller has the advantage.

BigDave · 11/03/2016, 12:55 PM

It depends on the area outside of the tank.

I was testing my setup in the garage. As long as the garage stayed below 92 degrees, my chiller could keep the tank at 80. Once the temperature inside the garage went above 92 degrees, the chiller could no longer keep up and the tank temp continued to rise.

All things being equal, if the heater is .26hp and the chiller is .25hp, then the heater wins by .01hp. But that's assuming a lot.

Ou8me2 · 11/03/2016, 05:43 PM

It would depend on the location of the chiller. If you have the chiller in the same room, the chiller will blow off heat just like a window AC unit. If there is nowhere to expel that heat then it will heat up the room. Basically, unless the heat the chiller expels has a vent, then it's fighting itself to keep the tank cool.

ca1ore · 11/03/2016, 08:14 PM

Right, depends on the ambient room temp. If higher than your setting then advantage heater; if lower, advantage chiller.

ntropics · 11/03/2016, 09:37 PM

The fire department wins, when your heater or chiller burns out and catches fire!

I haven't had a fire, but I have had situations where the heater and chiller are on at the same time. This tends to happen when the heat sensor for the heater somehow gets above the surface of the water, then the heater kicks on. Then the water gets hotter than the measured temperature of the water, and the cooler kicks on. Eventually the room will get pretty hot from the cooler (yes, because second law of thermodynamics, or perhaps the third: In order to cool the water you must heat the air!) And hopefully the heater turns off because the room is now 82 degrees.

Or it all blows up!

Bruce

snorvich · 11/04/2016, 06:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Half Vaped

Your electric power company wins.

This. And both burn out faster.

11/03/2016, 11:06 AM	#1
brett559 In Memoriam Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Visalia, CA Posts: 1,790	Heater vs. Chiller = Who will win? I know about heater redudancy and controllers, etc. I'm not here to ask about that. I am just curious, who wins the battle of heater vs. chiller. Say I have a 200 watt heater stuck in the on position. I also have a 1/4 horsepower chiller. So who wins the battle? I found a little calculator which says 200 watts equals about .26 horsepower. So in theory they just cancel each other out? What's the answer?

11/03/2016, 08:14 PM	#7
ca1ore Grizzled & Cynical Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Stamford, CT Posts: 17,319	Right, depends on the ambient room temp. If higher than your setting then advantage heater; if lower, advantage chiller. __________________ Simon Got back into the hobby ..... planned to keep it simple ..... yeah, right ..... clearly I need a new plan! Pet peeve: anemones host clowns; clowns do not host anemones! Current Tank Info: 450 Reef; 120 refugium; 60 Frag Tank, 30 Introduction tank; multiple QTs

11/03/2016, 11:22 AM	#2
Half Vaped Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2016 Posts: 401	Your electric power company wins.

11/03/2016, 12:55 PM	#5
BigDave Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Wylie, TX Posts: 473	It depends on the area outside of the tank. I was testing my setup in the garage. As long as the garage stayed below 92 degrees, my chiller could keep the tank at 80. Once the temperature inside the garage went above 92 degrees, the chiller could no longer keep up and the tank temp continued to rise. All things being equal, if the heater is .26hp and the chiller is .25hp, then the heater wins by .01hp. But that's assuming a lot.

11/03/2016, 05:43 PM	#6
Ou8me2 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2016 Posts: 743	It would depend on the location of the chiller. If you have the chiller in the same room, the chiller will blow off heat just like a window AC unit. If there is nowhere to expel that heat then it will heat up the room. Basically, unless the heat the chiller expels has a vent, then it's fighting itself to keep the tank cool.

11/03/2016, 09:37 PM	#8
ntropics Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 267	The fire department wins, when your heater or chiller burns out and catches fire! I haven't had a fire, but I have had situations where the heater and chiller are on at the same time. This tends to happen when the heat sensor for the heater somehow gets above the surface of the water, then the heater kicks on. Then the water gets hotter than the measured temperature of the water, and the cooler kicks on. Eventually the room will get pretty hot from the cooler (yes, because second law of thermodynamics, or perhaps the third: In order to cool the water you must heat the air!) And hopefully the heater turns off because the room is now 82 degrees. Or it all blows up! Bruce