Do you want to find out how you can build an air conditioner yourself using common materials? Here you will find a guide to the easy DIY project!
Is it possible to build your own air conditioning without electricity?
In the height of summer, staying indoors without air conditioning can be a real challenge. You're constantly sweating, and the fan blades just rotate warm air around the room. Not only can this be frustrating, but it can also drive up your electric bill. Since air conditioning systems are mostly based on refrigerants and fans, such devices can be creatively imitated using existing materials. These can be powered by electricity, batteries or even solar cells if yousave energywant.
Since not everyone can afford an air conditioner, such a DIY project would be a cost-effective alternative to conventional equipment. Fortunately, this does not require any special prior knowledge of electrical engineering or great manual skills. Additionally, you can use either a fan or the cooler from an old PC with ice in a cooler to make yourself more comfortable in the summer heat. Here are the materials needed and the simple steps you need to follow to build such an air conditioner yourself.
How can you build your own air conditioning system?
When creating a project like this, you can use a fan to blow air either through a duct embedded in ice or through copper coils suspended from the front of a fan. Before you get started, you just need a few basic things. You can certainly get these at your local hardware store. Once you have all the supplies, you're just an afternoon project away from a DIY portable air conditioner. You can use the following materials and tools for the project:
- Styrofoam, plastic or any other type of plastic container cooler box. However, with the latter, remember that you will have to cut the lid and the ice cream inside will melt faster, since low temperatures inside it cannot withstand for long.
- Tape and glue
- Carpet knife or hand saw with protection
- Pencil or permanent marker and tape measure to determine the correct dimensions of the fan used
- Fan with rechargeable battery or batteries, or with solar energy
- Two curved PVC pipes approximately 15 to 20 cm in diameter, depending on the size of the box used
- Ice cubes or ice buckets
When operating with electricity, be sure to handle power cords and water carefully to prevent electric shock. Keep them apart and only connect all electrical devices to sockets with circuit breakers. Leave everything unplugged and only close it when you want to use the system. If you can't find a cool box made of Styrofoam, you can also assemble it yourself, although a thickness of 3 cm is recommended for the walls. Assemble the box from Styrofoam and seal the corners well so that no air escapes and the temperature remains low. Once you've found a pre-made cooler, all you need to do is drill a few holes - one for the fan and a couple of holes for the pipes that emit cold air.
Step-by-step instructions
A DIY device like this can be used to cool a small room, or you can use it to cool the breeze in your tent on your next camping trip. Now that you have gathered your supplies, you can follow the steps below and build your DIY air conditioner yourself.
Build your own air conditioning system with a cool box and fan
- First sketch the fan by inserting batteries and then position the device in the middle of the lid.
- Now trace around the edges of the fan with the permanent marker or pencil.
- First, if necessary, drill the lid by making a hole in the center of the circle you drew on the lid. This makes it easier for you to cut out the circle with the saw.
- Next, cut out the hole for the fan either using the utility knife or using the saw to cut according to the sketch.
- Then add the fan by positioning it in the hole so that its front faces into the interior of the cooler when you close the lid.
- Secure the device around the edges with tape and glue, allowing the latter to dry. Tape the edges on the back and front of the fan.
- Then sketch the holes for the PVC pipes by placing one of them at one end of the cooler and tracing around it. Do the same with the other side of the radiator.
- Now drill a guide hole in the circle like you did with the lid and do this again on both sides of the cool box.
- Then cut out the holes for the pipes with a saw or knife, depending on the material.
- Then push each tube into the corresponding hole, leaving the ends of the tubes facing up.
- Tape the edges of each tube to the hole like you did with the fan.
- The final step is to fill the cooler with ice cubes, close the lid and turn on the fan.
- Within 10 minutes, the air conditioner should be blowing out cool air.
Tips and tricks for using homemade air conditioning
The cooling method for such an air conditioner is quite simple. It creates cold air by using a battery-powered fan or fan to push it through the ice into the cooler. The cold air is then forced out of the tubes at both ends of the radiator. If you're near either end, you can expect a cool breeze, at least until the ice melts. However, to get the most out of your DIY portable air conditioner, consider using ice jugs instead of ice cubes.
To do this, get a few jugs of water and then freeze them. This also requires no cleaning as the frozen water jugs are clean and can be frozen over and over again. Additionally, to save batteries or electricity, you can also opt for a solar-powered fan instead of a battery-powered one. This means you don't have to worry about changing the battery. Another trick is to place a few dryer sheets on the ice to make the cool air released smell even more pleasant.
