Where POU Drinking Water Chillers Can Be Hidden but Still Accessible for Maintenance
Where to locate a drinking water chiller is an important decision for every project, and there are many options that should be considered. First, the designer should identify whether or not the application can take advantage of a central remote water chiller serving multiple fountains via a designated drinking water loop. Even though this is the most energy efficient, flexible, and easiest system to maintain, it is admittedly not the best choice for every project. Some projects will undoubtedly lend themselves to a point-of-use cooling option. For example, if there are only two drinking fountains, spaced on either side of a large building, it probably doesn’t make sense to run the length of pipe required to connect only two fountains. Under this scenario, it is probably better to use a point of use (POU) drinking water chiller to supply each fountain individually.
If a POU drinking water chiller is required, there are four primary locations where it can be installed.
Four POU Drinking Water Chiller Location Options
| DRINKING WATER CHILLER LOCATION | DESCRIPTION | FILTRINE MODEL |
| In-wall Under the Drinking Fountain | For one fountain | FC or FCC Filtrine Drinking Fountains |
| In-wall Remote | For two or more fountains | ES-IW Filtrine Drinking Water Chillers |
| Behind-wall Remote | For existing spaces such as a janitor’s closet | M-BWA Filtrine Drinking Water Chillers |
| In-ceiling Remote | For two fountains installed one above the other on two floors | OCM-2 Filtrine In-ceiling Models |
The in-wall cabinet (for mounting directly under the fountain, on the backside of the wall, or above the fountain within 12′) is available for every Filtrine drinking fountain or water filling station. For under-fountain mounting, Filtrine’s configuration is identified with an FCC or FC prefix on the fountain/station model number (example: Model FCC-B103 or FC-107-14-HL-VP). Despite the single model number for both drinking fountain and chiller, this unit is actually two separate parts (cooler and fountain) and are attached during installation with alignment pins. The in-wall cabinet is the preferred mounting location for most buildings, providing adequate access to Filtrine’s Taste Master® filter/purifier element along with the extra security of a locking hinged door. All of these options require the chiller to be within 12′ of the outlet, as this prevents a significant amount of warm water building up in the line between the cooler and the dispenser. It is also important to note that even non-recirculating POU chillers can serve multiple outlets within 12′. An example of this would be if two fountains were “stacked” (one above the other on consecutive floors). By using a ceiling-mounted chiller between the two floors, it is possible to serve both of these units with a single cooling unit.
The free-standing remote cabinet option can either be hung on a wall in a mechanical room or janitor’s closet, or it can be placed “behind-the-wall” in a ventilated wall space. As with the in-wall models, providing easy access for maintenance and filter changes is of paramount importance.
The third and least desirable option for a point of use remote cooler is to put it in the ceiling. While many architects see this as a way to make the chiller “disappear”, the trade-off is that it is hidden so well that it’s unlikely to be maintained. In situations where ceiling mounting is the only option, it is preferable to select a drinking fountain or filling station with a “built-in” purifier. Filtrine drinking fountains/water filling stations with this Taste Master ® purifier feature have a TM suffix in the model number.
While point of use coolers may not be (in our opinion) the most effective way to cool drinking water in buildings today, it certainly has its place on some projects. As with everything we make, Filtrine strives to provide the best (and widest) selection of cooling solutions to suit every need.
For more information on POE drinking water chillers, please fill out the Drinking Water Product Request a Quote Form or call your local Filtrine Drinking Water Representative.
Featured Filtrine Product
Filtrine’s Model 107-16 drinking water fountain features graceful, sleek lines inspired by Yamasaki’s architectural designs and selected by I.M. Pei for installation in the Louvre and the National Gallery of Art. Made in your choice of 16 gauge stainless steel or bronze, with 14 gauge support arms, the fountain features a seamless double bowl with a welded rim, which is ground and polished to a finely tapered edge. Durable and beautiful, these fountains are available in a wide range of finishes and options. Any Filtrine fountain can be made touchless. (Photo shows oil rubbed bronze finish.) Specifications…
For more information on any of these models, contact your local Filtrine Drinking Water Representative today.
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