Fine. I'll make my own air conditioner.

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the construction and operation of a homemade air conditioning unit using copper tubing and a garbage can filled with ice water. Participants explore potential issues such as condensation, cooling efficiency, and practical challenges in the assembly process.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested
  • Experimental/applied

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses concern about condensation forming on the copper tubing and suggests creating a drip shield to protect the fan motor.
  • Another participant proposes using a drip point to collect condensation by scoring the tubing.
  • Some participants discuss the relationship between airflow, humidity, and condensation, noting that higher airflow may reduce condensation while lower airflow could increase it.
  • A participant mentions the possibility of using a portable refrigerator outside the window to create a more efficient closed-system AC unit.
  • Concerns are raised about cutting excess copper tubing, with suggestions for using a tube cutter or seeking assistance at a hardware store.
  • One participant shares their success in running the homemade unit, noting it provides cooling but also generates a significant amount of condensation.
  • Another participant suggests adding a flow restrictor to manage the temperature of the water being dumped out of the system.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a variety of ideas and suggestions, indicating that there is no consensus on the best approach to manage condensation or optimize cooling efficiency. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the ideal design and operation of the homemade air conditioning unit.

Contextual Notes

Limitations include the dependence on local humidity levels and the specific design choices made by participants, which may affect the performance of the cooling apparatus.

  • #31
Sorry to hear about the escaped sheep Danger. :rolleyes: Where abouts do you think she got to? :rolleyes: Just curious.o:)

MIH, if the loop is closed, with a pump to move the transfer medium (the water) through the connecting piping and two heat exchangers, you will only need one reservoir, but it's elevation won't help you throttle down the flow. You will need to either reduce the flow rate of the pump, induce restriction on the outlet of the pump (add a throttling valve), or add restriction in the form of longer or smaller piping. Height has no impact on a closed loop other than the length of piping it adds, and the pump will function better at a lower elevation (greater NPSH).
 
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  • #32
Artman said:
Sorry to hear about the escaped sheep Danger. :rolleyes: Where abouts do you think she got to? :rolleyes: Just curious.o:)
I strongly suspect that W sent her off to the wilds. She's very jealous. :frown:
 
  • #33
Danger said:
I strongly suspect that W sent her off to the wilds. She's very jealous. :frown:
That's what you think? :rolleyes: o:) :smile: :rolleyes: I'm sure that must be it...and not somebody happen along who just happens to have a certain fondness for sheep, in a perfectly innocent way and...Yeah I'm sure that's what happened. o:)

MIH, I've been thinking about this system. In a closed loop system, throttling would only be important to control condensation formation and the amount of cooling. If condensation isn't an issue, just let the flow be what it is because the cold water return will be going back to the reservoir and pumped back through, not lost. Further more, why use ice? Use an insulated container of water, and load it with those plastic ice blocks that you refreeze. You would never have to dump the water, just grab the plastic ice blocks and stick them back
in the freezer. The water in the container could be salt water and won't effect the inside of your coils (which could be fresh water that won't hurt your pump or coils as much).

One other thing, you should consider replacing whatever outlet you have this system plugged into with a GFCI outlet.
 
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  • #34
Artman said:
I'm sure that must be it...and not somebody happen along who just happens to have a certain fondness for sheep, in a perfectly innocent way and...Yeah I'm sure that's what happened.
If I thought for one second that you know where I live, you would have been my first suspect. :biggrin:
 
  • #35
I'd suggest a small globe or needle valve at the junction where the ice water is entering your coil/evaporator. It'll work, somewhat, as an expansion valve and give proportional control of the flow.
 
  • #36
Consider the swamp cooler designs...Several years ago on a hot Georgia night I had the same idea to invent a $50.00 Airconditioner. The hot air could be transferred using the Swamp cooler type effect. Swamp coolers are the next best thing to getting cool air using water anyway. But, ofcourse the colder the water , the colder the air.

Tis a great Idea...perhaps you will be the one to do it..I am sure Walmart will be very interested in selling $50.00 Airconditioners too..
 
  • #37
berkeman said:
If you can put a little portable refrigerator just outside your window (not inside the room), then you could make a closed-system AC unit by running the copper tubing into the freezer portion of the fridge. That would be a lot better system if you can figure out where to put the small fridge. Like if you have a porch just outside your window (and an outlet oustide on the porch)...

That would use ssssssssssoooooooooooo much energy. I don't recommend this at all.
 

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