# Vortex style - Cooler Chiller - input location suggestions?



## TommyRox (Oct 17, 2013)

I am making yet another chiller for Halloween this year. I am using a 68qt cooler and wondering instead of putting the input and output "inline" I was going to put them 90 degrees apart like the Vortex chillers.

Anyone compared the 2 methods?


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## Lunatic (Oct 3, 2006)

I have not tried it that way. However, as long as you push the hot fog through the ice wall, and not just on top of the ice, it should work similiarly.


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## TommyRox (Oct 17, 2013)

Thanks for the reply - I looked a the pictures from the Vortex patent and manual and it looks like either the input or exhaust is using a 90 degree type setup and not inline with each other.I was curious if this was done to maybe spin the fog somewhat?...and you lead me right to my followup question. 
Are most on this forum going down through the ice or up. I guess I read where it was termed "reverse vortex"?


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## Lunatic (Oct 3, 2006)

Great question and I understand the confusion.
The standard vortex pushes the fog up through the ice where it falls down through the PVC and exits the bottom. The reverse vortex method is simply reversed where you push the hot fog up through the pipe up to the lid and have it fall downwards through the ice and exit the bottom. 

You could run it either way and see how you like it. It will probably perform similarly. What some of us were thinking at the time is using gravity to help the fog fall down through the ice. Any differences in the performance is small. The most important variable with the concept is to push the hot fog through the ice. Not only does it cool and condense the fog rapidly but it adds moisture and weight to the fog so it hangs low.

I wouldn't use it inside because they can leak and the fog deposits residue on everything. Outside is best. You will notice that you will have to rinse the chiller after using it due to a somewhat greasy residue from the fog juice. But it cleans up easily. Use a garden hose or bring it to the car wash. I rinse all piping as well.

Good luck!
You will love it if you've never used one!


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## TommyRox (Oct 17, 2013)

Thanks again for the response and you answered my question completely. Now for the million dollar question, what method is more effective and works better? (Drum roll please)
:smilekin:


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## TommyRox (Oct 17, 2013)

I almost forgot, can you comment on the intake and exhaust locations?


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## Lunatic (Oct 3, 2006)

Re-read what I wrote above. I was making changes when you responded. 

I use the reverse vortex method but many people use the standard way. The performance is quite similar. To me the fog falling down through the ice in gravity's direction makes more sense. But that can be debated. You can't go wrong either way. I'm convinced of it.

It's hard to explain the inlet and outlets. PM me your email and I'll send you a sketch of what I do. Just click on my name and send a private message.


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## TommyRox (Oct 17, 2013)

Thanks Lunatic...PM sent


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## TommyRox (Oct 17, 2013)

This is what I got so far.

Again I used the 90 degree input/exhaust but still wondering if I should come into the side or come in from the end. I am still leaning towards coming in on the bottom, up through the ice and out...let me know what think.


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## Tokwik (Oct 12, 2011)

Looking good so far.

Which side is facing the haunt? 
The fog really doesn't care which is the entrance and which is the exit so it's up to you to decide what works best for your fogger setup and application.

If you are going to run it "reverse vortex", then pick one of your entrance holes and put a 90* PVC elbow and a short section of pipe running vertically to the top of the cooler. This would be your "intake" from the fogger to direct the hot fog to the top of the cooler, and it will chill as it settles down through the ice and out the exit. The exit hole I would probably put a short section of PVC to help "direct" the fog outwards.

If you want to try the "vortex" setup, simply move the fogger to the other hole. The hot fog will then be pushed upwards through the ice, then condense and settle down through the PVC pipe and out the exit.

Personally, I prefer to use the "reverse vortex" method because the extra fog left over in the chiller continues to condense and continuously spill out even when the fogger is re-heating. Vortex style, during the re-heat cycles, the fog will flow back out the intake hole for it is no longer being pushed upwards through the ice. Figure out which method works best for you.
I also like to use the UN-official rule of thirds where there is one third air at the top (expansion), one third middle filled with ice (chilling), and one third air at the bottom (condensation). So with either style, make sure you leave some room at the top of the cooler for air. Don't fill it completely to the top with ice. 

Like I said before, it's looking really good and a nice clean setup. I find half of the fun with fog is the experimenting in which methods work best for your application.

Hope this helps some.


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## LittleBlueBMW (Nov 4, 2010)

I have noticed something odd about my vortex chiller, it only has an in and out port but looking at the froggy's pics, there is another pipe facing up at the top. What is that about and does a lack of it explain poor chiller performance?


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## LittleBlueBMW (Nov 4, 2010)

looking at other people's videos with the same set-up as me I cannot understand why mine is so terrible.


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## TommyRox (Oct 17, 2013)

Super responses guys - thanks a bunch and sorry for the delayed reply. I finished the chiller last night and haven't had time to test but will post pics/video afterwards.

LittleBlueBMW - read the first reply to my thread from Lunatic - awesome explanation. In most chillers there are three sections/levels - entrance and exit can be reversed - personal preference.

1. Air Chamber
2. Ice Chamber
3. 2nd Air Chamber

Fog enters the chiller in one end through a tube it then goes either up/down through your ice chamber, enters the 2nd air chamber and then out.

Look at my finished pics and hope this helps.


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## Lunatic (Oct 3, 2006)

That looks great TR!
It should work well.


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## Hippofeet (Nov 26, 2012)

Yeah, that came out nice.


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## LittleBlueBMW (Nov 4, 2010)

Looks like a great design that I will snag for these massive foam boxes from lab!


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## kauldron (Oct 17, 2011)

Nice pics TR. Looks like you nailed it.


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## ATLfun (Oct 12, 2012)

The only real difference in mine was that I cut the inside PVC opening at a 45 degree angle to where the low side faced the output line. I figured that would release the fog in a more outward direction than just straight up.


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## kittensbutthole (Oct 1, 2014)

This is helpful for my chiller creation. Thanks.


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## Fright Zone (Sep 28, 2006)

My Coleman Cube Cooler worked better via reverse flow for whatever reason. It was a 400W fogger, 48qt Coleman Cube, 2" PVC. Set-up exactly like the vortexchillers.com product. I used 1/3 ice tray x 2/3 'expansion chamber'.

If in doubt, kick back and take-in 8 hours of our Stickie thread "Vortex Chiller" until your eyes glaze over wondering how in the world such a relatively simple yet ingenious solution can be, as Zombie-F puts it: "7 Years, 94 pages and 932 replies! This may be the longest running thread on the forum."

Remeber the weather will not always give you rolling graveyard fog. BUT chilled fog will always linger a lot longer than non-chilled. Which actually I like because it creates atmosphere like in the movies at the very least like a hazer.

I also recommend CountZero's Lawn & Leaf bag cut down to about 12" on the outlet. It slows down the fog. Lingers more.

Remember to keep a 1-2" gap between the Chiller and the inlet to help the fog get sucked in. (Ironically also slowed down with the trash bag outlet).

My main contribution was using the coleman Ice Cube 12, 48, or 60qt coolers because of a similar dimension to the 'official' product. It was because a kitty litter pail wouldn't work. I don't have cats 

400W foggers work well with that size. Vortex sells 650W for the smallest Fusion I think.

The size cooler I see in these photos would work better with a 1000W fogger imho because it's large and lots of ice.

I would also try 1/3 ice tray and 2/3 expansion are underneath. That's the Vortex setup. Regular or reverse flow.

I did a Playlist of tests and examples in the past. The links are probably dead in that Monster Vortex thread. And there are literally over 200 videos of chillers on youtube now. We had about 5 seven yrs ago! Btw the ghostsofhalloween Trash Can chiller works very well too. Is a lot cheaper and less complicated by far. But hey we're reverse engineering Yard Haunters. Lets do it the hard way ^o^


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