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Frequently Asked Questions

Straight answers about sizing, temperature ranges, refrigerants, glycol, custom builds, and ordering. Don’t see your question? Talk to an engineer — we answer in plain English.

Sizing & Selection

What size chiller do I need?

Chiller sizing comes down to three numbers: how much heat your process puts out (the cooling load), the fluid temperature you need to hold, and your flow rate. Undersize it and you never reach temperature; oversize it and you waste money and short-cycle the compressor.

The fastest way to get a real answer is our chiller sizing calculator — enter your inlet and target temperatures, flow or batch volume, and it returns the tonnage and series that fit. For anything unusual, talk to an engineer and we’ll size it with you.

What’s the difference between the five AG Chill series?

The five series are separated primarily by how cold they take your process fluid:

  • Standard — down to 40°F (4°C). General process, glycol loops, hydroponics.
  • LT (Low Temp) — down to 10°F (-12°C). Deeper process cooling.
  • ELT (Extra Low Temp) — down to -22°F (-30°C). Sub-zero, air-cooled.
  • SLT (Super Low Temp) — down to -58°F (-50°C). Hydrocarbon extraction condensing, deep ethanol pre-cooling.
  • ULT (Ultra Low Temp) — down to -112°F (-80°C). Cascade systems for freeze-drying, supercritical CO₂, semiconductor test.

See them side by side on the series comparison page.

Should I choose air-cooled or water-cooled?

Air-cooled units reject heat straight to the surrounding air — simplest to install, no water supply needed, ideal when you have the ambient headroom. Water-cooled units reject heat to a water loop or cooling tower, which is more efficient in hot environments or when you’re packing a lot of cooling into a tight space.

We cover the trade-offs in detail in the air-cooled vs. water-cooled guide.

Do I need glycol in my system?

If your fluid temperature drops below about 40°F (4°C), yes — you need a glycol/water mix to prevent the fluid from freezing inside the chiller’s heat exchanger, which can crack it. The colder you run, the higher the glycol concentration required. Below 0°F you’re typically in the 40–60% range.

Our glycol guide gives concentration-to-temperature charts and explains the capacity penalty glycol adds so you can size correctly.

Equipment & Specifications

How cold can AG Chill systems go?

Down to -112°F (-80°C) with the ULT Series, which uses a two-stage cascade refrigeration circuit. Most process cooling lives in the 40°F to -58°F range (Standard through SLT); the ULT exists for the extreme-cold applications like pharmaceutical freeze-drying and supercritical CO₂.

Are AG Chill chillers made in the USA?

Yes. Every AG Chill system is manufactured in the United States and built to North American industrial standards, with UL/CSA certification across the lineup (ELT is ETL-listed and ISO 9001:2015 certified). That matters for lead times, serviceability, and parts availability compared to imported equipment.

What refrigerants do you use, and are they compliant with the AIM Act?

Refrigerant depends on how cold the system runs. Standard and low-temp systems use low-GWP, AIM Act–compliant refrigerants — R-513A and R-448A; the ELT and SLT Series use R-448A; and the ULT cascade pairs an R-448A high stage with an R-508B low stage to physically reach −80°C. Ultra-low-temperature and cascade applications have fewer low-GWP options than comfort cooling, so at the very cold end refrigerant selection is driven by what can physically reach the temperature.

The refrigerant landscape is changing fast under the EPA’s AIM Act. We keep our lineup aligned with current rules — read our breakdown of why chiller manufacturers are switching refrigerants for the full picture, and ask us to confirm the exact refrigerant and GWP for any system you’re specifying.

What’s included with a chiller?

AG Chill systems ship as complete, ready-to-run packages. Depending on series, that includes a hermetically sealed compressor, a continuous-duty circulation pump, a brazed-plate stainless heat exchanger, an integrated reservoir (poly tank on Standard/LT, stainless on the low-temp series), non-ferrous piping, and onboard temperature controls. Larger ULT models (15T and 20T) include an external condensing unit.

What voltage options are available?

Standard configurations include 120V/1ɸ, 208–240V/1ɸ, 208–240V/3ɸ, and 480V/3ɸ. The right choice depends on the model and your facility’s power. Tell us your available service and we’ll spec it to match.

Can you build a custom system?

Yes — custom builds are a core part of what we do. Standard configurations run to 30 tons, and we build larger and application-specific systems on request. Start with the custom build request and we’ll engineer to your temperature, flow, footprint, and power requirements.

Ordering & Support

What industries do you serve?

Botanical and ethanol/hydrocarbon extraction, pharmaceutical and reactor cooling, breweries and food processing, biomedical and cold storage, semiconductor and laser, metalworking and injection molding, data centers, aerospace and defense, and more. Browse the full list on the industries section — each has an application-specific page.

How do I get a quote or talk to an engineer?

Three ways: run the sizing calculator and request a quote on the result, submit a custom build request, or talk directly to an engineer. You can also call us at 801-244-9769 or email info@ag-chill.com.

What about warranty, lead times, and support after the sale?

Every system is backed by AG Chill engineering support, and because equipment is USA-built, parts and service are accessible. Warranty terms and current production lead times depend on the model and configuration — contact us and we’ll give you exact terms and a realistic timeline for your build.

Still have a question?

Tell us what you’re cooling and we’ll tell you what you need — no runaround, no pressure.

Talk to an Engineer Size Your Chiller