Chiller help

[gordonzoo]

I now have a chiller... I think. It's a larger 13-amp Neslab model. I checked the plumbing and there would appear to be some copper couplings mixed with the hose connections under the hood. It looks to be modified. The rest is brass, bronze and stainless. Another problem, I do not know what was circulating in it before.

If I changed copper connections and hoses, is there an easy way to clean out the heat exchanger or find out if there's copper in there also? What do other aquarium chillers use in the heat exchanger if it's not copper, Aluminum?

I guess my other option would be to make some type of stainless evaporator coil to isolate the chiller and place it in the sump.
Any thoughts or comments will help me in this quest.
Rich

 

[NateHanson]

Rich, I'd say the Brass couplings are as much a concern as the copper ones. Brass is not at all fit for marine use. It is an alloy of zinc and copper, and zinc is lowest metal on the redox pecking order, so it will corrode in short order, leaving the very weak copper matrix behind.

Can't you replace them all with nylon, marelon, or stainless fittings? If not, I think converting it to a drop-in type might be a good idea.

 

[gordonzoo]

Hmmm. Brass is bad also. The large pump housing itself is brass. That?s no good. I guess I could close loop it with a rubber accumulator to keep water in it and from drying up. Now I need to find or come up with a salt friendly evaporator.
Thanks