MTA Chiller to Unistat915W

Needs some outside the box thinking on this setup.

Bought a used Unistat915 that came with the MTA Chiller. Hired a chiller company to plumb it and set up the units.

From what I understand in what has been communicated to me, the MTA chiller cannot be paired with the Unistat915W. Their recommendation is I buy a 500gal jacked tank for a water/glycol mix, chill that tank to the correct temperature, and plumb that with a separate pump to the 915W.

That just seems like so much but this could be the most sensible way for all I know.

TIA for any plumbing ideas.

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I have an mta hooked directly to a 915. Sounds like they are trying to charge you for more work.

I have it set to 45f and when it gets to 49-50f it kicks on to cool.

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We also have a MTA (taeevo tech 101) paired with a 915 and it works great.

Only issue was having to replace a level sensor in the MTA after about a year.

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Same same they lying to you

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I got my MTA hooked up to all kinds of things. Never had an issue. My MTA does have an expansion tank (but doesn’t your’s as well?).

I did add a couple of extra flow meters and put in a booster pump (its hasn’t ever turned on…but its there just in case I suppose). And I monitor everything down to 35F. I don’t know what temps you are trying for - but I mean I’m using this thing for like… 6 different tanks. Plus pre-chilling material that passes into a different tank.

The MTA appears to be a beast - and even with all this is still only running at like 40% capacity. -shrug-

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May I ask which MTA? We’ve got a TAEevo Tech 121 and also what size tubing did you use to plumb them? Do you guys have just the MTA plumbed to your 915? Mine is only being used for the MTA, I don’t really have a need or can think of any additional use for the chilling power.

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A Tech 121 has more than enough cooling capacity.

The compressor won’t cycle as much/long duration if you have a larger cooling capacity than required.

Hook it on up to the 915w, will pull down to <-70° real quick.

Literally just plumb it in, stick the MTA anywhere you want. All EVO Tech series are at least IP-54 and can even be placed outdoors. Outdoors is best, will be removing a ton of heat from the 915w during initial cooldown.
A Tech 081 is large enough for a 915w. Your way oversized.

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I have the 101 connected to mine, too. Put 30-50% glycol in water to prevent corrosion and mold.

I tapered down to the same size piping in the 915, there should be a short bypass that connects the in and out of the mta to relieve any pressure if it gets much above 40 psi. It can go a little higher, but I wouldn’t let it get it to too much

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Came here to basically say this.

As long as the flow rate and cooling capacity of the MTA you have is adequate all you have to worry about is ensuring you have a pressure bypass to maintain fluid pressure below whatever the Huber can handle.

Sounds like they’re trying to squeeze more $$ outta you.

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ive always wondered how does the chillers luna provide work so well with just a cooling tower and would the 915 work well with a similar setup.

Yes you just need to calculate your BTU output to match the necessary KW your watercooled chiller needs to reject in heat.

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This thread is money in the bank. Actual, helpful, actionable advice. I love it!

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Cooling towers are dope—I think the only reason they’re so underutilized in cannabis extraction is because their size relative to the size of systems used for extraction is typically so large.

@Cannachem have you gone thru some heat rejection calcs in water towers? I haven’t personally but I think i might just do that

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What would you charge to do some of those calculations for OP real quick, Aaron? Maybe assist with a plumbing diagram?

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The tower the Luna chillers uses is like 6ft tall 4ft wide. Cost like 2k. Then a cheap centrifugal pump and that was it to cool 2 chillers. Both those chillers were -80 and never would change temp from set points

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Yeah they post the BTU rejection on sheets for the towers.

I have a few sites running wayer towers, In California.

If you have space, outdoors, it’s worth it.

You need some space indoors for bulk water storage.

You need to account for what ambient temp averages as well, oversize for the loss in cooling capacity with the possibility of increased heat.

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Thank you guys for all this info.

This chiller company is telling me he in direct talks with Ian from Huber, who did my PMs a few months back, and also his talks with Jim at MTA. I do not trust my chiller technician at all to be honest, ever since he told me he installed 1" pipe that turned out to be 3/4".

I’m going to call the chiller peeps today to discuss just installing a bypass to turn down the PSI. Telling me I need to buy a 500Gal Jacketed Tank is just absolute madness.

I’ll update but sincerely ty for the answers.

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That looks perfect. I have the same pex, but blue, going to mine. If you don’t have water running, I’d put a twist valve on the bypass and not the 90° valve. May help better for throttling to make sure that too much of the cold water isn’t just cycling back into the chiller. The pressure gauge at the top right, on the bottom picture (the edge is barely in the pic) should be around 40-45psi when operating.

I can also get you the contact for Joel Gordon, he’s service manager for mta, as well. He’ll want you to send him a picture of where it’s installed, how you have it plumbed, and the model w/ serial number before you speak. But he can help you if you want his contact

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Man—I have to disagree with @Dred_pirate

You choked your flowpath size down waaaaayyyyyyyy too small.

  1. The outlet/inlet on the MTA is 1”(?) and your PEX looks like half inch. You’re going to burn that pump up something fierce. Remember Bernoulli’s equation.

  2. The manual ball valve between the inlet and outlet is NOT a sufficient pressure regulating valve. You need a valve that will automatically open based on ΔP between the inlet and outlet. In fact, you will void your MTA warranty if you install it this way.

  3. The air bleed you’ve put on the system needs to be at the HIGHEST point on the entire hydronic loop—a manual valve is fine. A pressure equalizing tank with an air separator is much, much preferred.

You are going to cause yourself a voiding of both Huber and MTA warranties and the possibility of premature equipment failure. Especially in this OK heat.

Sorry for the bad news.

-Phil

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My pex may be a larger diameter. But it’s the same size as the piping inside the Huber, which that is all the flow it’s going to get, regardless of how big the piping is before. I also have it hooked up exactly as mta has directed me to. I have different connections coming directly out of mine, but it has a needle valve, that came with the unit, to control the flow pressure. I’ve sent pictures of the install to mta’s service manager and he was pleased with the way it was hooked up and instructed me how to use the bypass valve and what pressure it should be at.

I think I have a picture, let me check and apply an edit

Edit :

I have mine connected very similar.

Better picture edit:

And the pressure

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