DIY Summer Water Chiller Design Wanted

[Tin Can]

I agree! I will go with my original plan unless somebody has better ideas.

Buy a used water cooler off your local Craigslist and make a plug with a water inlet where the bottle would go, remove the tap and connect to your Hass valve? Should be under $50 including the plumbing fittings, and when that water cooler breaks you buy another $25 one.

Alternately, if your 32" mini-fridge is working, get some 1/4" copper tubing, route it through the walls (making sure you're away from the coils), route 5 or 10 ft of it in a coil through a closed (so it doesn't evaporate) 5 gal (or whatever will fit) pail of water inside the fridge. The fridge stays on, keeping that reservoir cool, so the fridge doesn't have to be powerful enough to cool the volume of water you need instantaneously. It will work until the reservoir reaches the temp of your incoming water.

[Jody_S]

I agree! I will go with my original plan unless somebody has better ideas.

Sorry, I misread your original post. I thought I read something about a bucket of ice. Which isn't needed, of course, if the fridge works, but you could have ice on hand to add to the system if you're in a prolonged darkroom session.

[Luis-F-S]

http://www.elkay.com/erw321

[jon.oman]

Would 10 gph work? Maybe a used one?

http://www.elkay.com/drinking-solutions/chillers/er101y

[Tin Can]

Luis and Jon both are overkill.

I don’t need huge flow.

I have a plan, if it doesn’t work I can delay my work a couple months or simply adjust times for actual temps.

After all photography predates chilled water.

Thanks anyway.

[devb]

Randy, you might want to consider making your own coil out of soft copper tubing like this:

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt...50PS/202287109

It also comes in 1/4" and 3/8", depending on what your flow needs are. I've used compression fittings and regular hose clamps when transitioning to rubber hose. If you do go this route, make sure to get the proper spring-type tube bender. It can easily be done by hand.