d.i.y. air conditioner

[brainhulk]

http://youtu.be/HxSLbpAwibg

Anyone try this. Looks cool

 

[disappoint]

lol not an a/c unless the freezer is located off site.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Yeah I see these all the time but wont really work to cool the house. I suppose it could work to cool a specific area but you will be heating another area to do it. Though you could get a chest freezer, put it outside, then coil some pipes inside of it with a pump. You'd want to make sure that the pump is always running though or the water could freeze in the pipe and burst it. You could replace the water with some other liquid that wont freeze and is safe for the environment (ex: not antifreeze). Pure alcohol could work, though that could be bad if it leaks and catches on fire.

But at that point it's probably simpler to just bite the bullet and pay for central air.

 

[BUTCH1]

lol not an a/c unless the freezer is located off site.

It's not a "freezer", it's a "condensing unit", also window units have the evaporator and the condenser in one box. The problem with the design OP linked to is that although it will cool down an area as the ice melts it will also raise the humidity in the room. Here's a link to a much better DIY AC that has the ability to de-humidify as well as cool down, it's a bit more elaborate but well worth the extra effort because removing humidity from the air is almost as important as temperature in keeping you comfortable..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_NmRaEbB18

 

[IronWing]

It's not a "freezer", it's a "condensing unit", also window units have the evaporator and the condenser in one box. The problem with the design OP linked to is that although it will cool down an area as the ice melts it will also raise the humidity in the room. Here's a link to a much better DIY AC that has the ability to de-humidify as well as cool down, it's a bit more elaborate but well worth the extra effort because removing humidity from the air is almost as important as temperature in keeping you comfortable..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_NmRaEbB18

The guy's design in the OP appears to use a sealed jug of ice (though he doesn't offer many interior shots of the setup) so humidity wouldn't be too much of an issue though the design isnt particularly efficient. If the freezer used to chill the ice is in the house then one is simply moving the heat from one room to another.

 

[BUTCH1]

The guy's design in the OP appears to use a sealed jug of ice (though he doesn't offer many interior shots of the setup) so humidity wouldn't be too much of an issue though the design isnt particularly efficient. If the freezer used to chill the ice is in the house then one is simply moving the heat from one room to another.

True, but the design I linked to will also de-humidify as well and that's important plus it takes quite a while to freeze a gallon of water and his AC unit is going to melt that gallon much quicker than his freezer can produce another one to take it's place..

 

[BrunoPuntzJones]

True, but the design I linked to will also de-humidify as well and that's important plus it takes quite a while to freeze a gallon of water and his AC unit is going to melt that gallon much quicker than his freezer can produce another one to take it's place..

Yes but you'll still run out of ice. Unless you go out and are buying ice to run the contraption.

 

[BUTCH1]

Yes but you'll still run out of ice. Unless you go out and are buying ice to run the contraption.

True, during 2004 (the year of the 'cane in FL) Ice became almost a form of currency here in FL LOL, eventually municipalities began giving it out for free after some fights had broken out in ice lines..

 

[Pulsar]

For gods sake guys, it's a prank. The air doesn't get cooled that fast. That's why real AC units blow the air across a radiator system - it takes a lot of surface area to cool down the air and that 'thing' he made won't do it.

 

[mizzou]

it would work better if you could somehow get the power source which turns the fan, outside of the room you are trying to cool.

Otherwise, the humidity this thing generates is probably awful.

I've heard these swamp coolers only work well in extremely low humidity areas?


I guess if all you want is a cool flush of air blowing in your face, you may as well just slap a wet towel on your head and point that fan at you.

 

[mizzou]

For gods sake guys, it's a prank. The air doesn't get cooled that fast. That's why real AC units blow the air across a radiator system - it takes a lot of surface area to cool down the air and that 'thing' he made won't do it.

Swamp coolers are real. Their effectiveness varies though.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHbQYajfGqM