Comments on: How To Make your Own Homemade Air Conditioner http://www.fiscalgeek.com/2009/07/homemade-air-conditione/ Personal Finance for Geeks from the Debt Snowball to Homemade Air Conditioners Sun, 05 Feb 2012 16:55:24 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: RBhttp://www.fiscalgeek.com/2009/07/homemade-air-conditione/#comment-22519 RB Mon, 28 Nov 2011 21:29:12 +0000 http://www.fiscalgeek.com/?p=525#comment-22519 Probably an old car radiator would make a good heat exchanger? Probably an old car radiator would make a good heat exchanger?

]]> By: LChttp://www.fiscalgeek.com/2009/07/homemade-air-conditione/#comment-16649 LC Thu, 08 Sep 2011 04:00:02 +0000 http://www.fiscalgeek.com/?p=525#comment-16649 To clarify my question.. GPH of the water pump is more significantly relevant to cooling than the copper tube sizing? Or are they both fairly significant factors? I was afraid if I got too big of tubing: a) It would block too much air for my fan (mines grated heavily) b) it would hit the fan on the inside After testing, I don't think 3/4" would have done either of those, but not sure if it's really worth another $20 investment on tubing to see if it'll be more effective. To clarify my question..

GPH of the water pump is more significantly relevant to cooling than the copper tube sizing? Or are they both fairly significant factors? I was afraid if I got too big of tubing: a) It would block too much air for my fan (mines grated heavily) b) it would hit the fan on the inside

After testing, I don’t think 3/4″ would have done either of those, but not sure if it’s really worth another $20 investment on tubing to see if it’ll be more effective.

]]> By: LChttp://www.fiscalgeek.com/2009/07/homemade-air-conditione/#comment-16648 LC Thu, 08 Sep 2011 03:58:02 +0000 http://www.fiscalgeek.com/?p=525#comment-16648 Awesome!! I just made one of these today.. I was actually copying another tutorial, but yours seems to be the most detailed. Total the project cost me about $5 for the foam cooler/ties/etc, $20 for the tubing, and $30 for the pump. I live in Washington so I only need to use this maybe a couple months out of the year tops, so it's a lot more cost effective than a portable AC unit. I ended up using 1/4" copper tubing instead of 3/4", I wonder how much difference it will make? I assume the GPH of the water pump is more significant? Not sure. Awesome!! I just made one of these today.. I was actually copying another tutorial, but yours seems to be the most detailed.

Total the project cost me about $5 for the foam cooler/ties/etc, $20 for the tubing, and $30 for the pump. I live in Washington so I only need to use this maybe a couple months out of the year tops, so it’s a lot more cost effective than a portable AC unit.

I ended up using 1/4″ copper tubing instead of 3/4″, I wonder how much difference it will make? I assume the GPH of the water pump is more significant? Not sure.

]]> By: TruCoolhttp://www.fiscalgeek.com/2009/07/homemade-air-conditione/#comment-13202 TruCool Mon, 04 Apr 2011 22:47:00 +0000 http://www.fiscalgeek.com/?p=525#comment-13202 Hey! Please take our survey. We are a group of students at Boston University and we are working on a product similar to this one. We would like your feedback and answers. http://bumanagement.qualtrics.com//SE/?SID=SV_2uBk30BLrWIXueg Please take our survey!! Thanks Hey! Please take our survey. We are a group of students at Boston University and we are working on a product similar to this one. We would like your feedback and answers.

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]]> By: Kelleehttp://www.fiscalgeek.com/2009/07/homemade-air-conditione/#comment-12832 Kellee Mon, 04 Oct 2010 21:59:00 +0000 http://www.fiscalgeek.com/?p=525#comment-12832 The big picture: If the ice is frozen in the refrigerator in your kitchen the overall home temperature will be increased not decreased. The refrigerator that is making the ice will increase the total heat in the kitchen more than the total heat remove at the site of the "Air conditioner". All the energy used to freeze the ice becomes heat in the home. You could move the refrigerator outside and eliminate this problem which is why a normal air condition has the coils outside. With that said, it's a fun project and will of course will cool the spot it is placed at after heating the spot that created the ice. The Fun of building it and watching it work is probably the best reason to do it! The big picture:
If the ice is frozen in the refrigerator in your kitchen the overall home temperature will be increased not decreased. The refrigerator that is making the ice will increase the total heat in the kitchen more than the total heat remove at the site of the “Air conditioner”. All the energy used to freeze the ice becomes heat in the home. You could move the refrigerator outside and eliminate this problem which is why a normal air condition has the coils outside.

With that said, it’s a fun project and will of course will cool the spot it is placed at after heating the spot that created the ice. The Fun of building it and watching it work is probably the best reason to do it!

]]> By: EUGENIACohenhttp://www.fiscalgeek.com/2009/07/homemade-air-conditione/#comment-12736 EUGENIACohen Tue, 24 Aug 2010 04:31:13 +0000 http://www.fiscalgeek.com/?p=525#comment-12736 Make your own life more simple take the <a href="http://bestfinance-blog.com/topics/business-loans" rel="nofollow">business loans</a> and everything you require. Make your own life more simple take the business loans and everything you require.

]]> By: Todd Baileyhttp://www.fiscalgeek.com/2009/07/homemade-air-conditione/#comment-12705 Todd Bailey Tue, 17 Aug 2010 22:16:52 +0000 http://www.fiscalgeek.com/?p=525#comment-12705 You are such an Asshole, I can't believe it, where do you people come from? Did you take a special class in elementary school? Or have you alway been a closed minded person? I make a simple comment that considering the cost to build this thing compared to purchasing a tested technology, some idiot would spend over $100 to build this than install a low cost a/c unit. Are you so insecure that you have to attack someone who has a better understanding of hvac systems and how the physics and science of heat transfer systems actually work? Yes many people do have fans, but it's a drop in the bucket compared to the cost of the other items needed to build this thing. And this thing won't work, there just isn't enough surface area in the coil to have much effect.. Google evaporative "swamp" coolers and look at the design specifications. This project would be fine for a junior hi school science fair project to demonstrate thermal dynamics and heat transfer, but for all practical purposes, it won't cut it trying to cool much of an area with any serious air flow. fwiw, I do live in one of the "colder" states, Seattle btw. And during our three weeks of hot 95 + degree summer, an Air Cond. is not what I'd consider optional equipment. Fans are ok when I want to draw in the cooler night air, but blowing around hot air during the day time doesn't cut it.. My place just has too much exposure and too little insulation. Something I plan to fix some day. Yes I do pay a bit more in electrical consumption, but that's the price of doing business. I have a 12x24 ft media room and between the sun's heat and the equipment, my little $80.00 special a 5,000 btu a/c does just fine. Between the sun and equipment the room would quickly overheat in the confined area with out it.. For the rest of the house the 24,000 btu unit takes care of the task. Anyway, I don 't know what your problem is, but I'm done talking to you about anything. You are such an Asshole, I can’t believe it, where do you people come from?
Did you take a special class in elementary school? Or have you alway been a closed minded person?
I make a simple comment that considering the cost to build this thing compared to purchasing a tested technology, some idiot would spend over $100 to build this than install a low cost a/c unit. Are you so insecure that you have to attack someone who has a better understanding of hvac systems and how the physics and science of heat transfer systems actually work? Yes many people do have fans, but it’s a drop in the bucket compared to the cost of the other items needed to build this thing. And this thing won’t work, there just isn’t enough surface area in the coil to have much effect.. Google evaporative “swamp” coolers and look at the design specifications.
This project would be fine for a junior hi school science fair project to demonstrate thermal dynamics and heat transfer, but for all practical purposes, it won’t cut it trying to cool much of an area with any serious air flow.
fwiw, I do live in one of the “colder” states, Seattle btw. And during our three weeks of hot 95 + degree summer, an Air Cond. is not what I’d consider optional equipment. Fans are ok when I want to draw in the cooler night air, but blowing around hot air during the day time doesn’t cut it.. My place just has too much exposure and too little insulation. Something I plan to fix some day. Yes I do pay a bit more in electrical consumption, but that’s the price of doing business.
I have a 12×24 ft media room and between the sun’s heat and the equipment, my little $80.00 special a 5,000 btu a/c does just fine. Between the sun and equipment the room would quickly overheat in the confined area with out it..
For the rest of the house the 24,000 btu unit takes care of the task.
Anyway, I don ‘t know what your problem is, but I’m done talking to you about anything.

]]> By: Casey Parkerhttp://www.fiscalgeek.com/2009/07/homemade-air-conditione/#comment-12704 Casey Parker Tue, 17 Aug 2010 21:26:15 +0000 http://www.fiscalgeek.com/?p=525#comment-12704 Most people already own a fan, and probably have for a very long time. If you live in one of the cooler states, e.g. Washington, you have no reason to buy a full A/C when you normally just need the fan, and the electrical costs completely outweigh the usefulness. Have YOU bothered to research beyond the cost of the initial investment? If you do, you'll notice that the $80 unit you're talking about could barely reduce the temperature of a single bedroom. So, I reiterate ... YOU, Todd, are an ignorant Jackass. Also, apparently arrogant. Most people already own a fan, and probably have for a very long time. If you live in one of the cooler states, e.g. Washington, you have no reason to buy a full A/C when you normally just need the fan, and the electrical costs completely outweigh the usefulness. Have YOU bothered to research beyond the cost of the initial investment? If you do, you’ll notice that the $80 unit you’re talking about could barely reduce the temperature of a single bedroom.

So, I reiterate … YOU, Todd, are an ignorant Jackass. Also, apparently arrogant.

]]> By: Todd Baileyhttp://www.fiscalgeek.com/2009/07/homemade-air-conditione/#comment-12702 Todd Bailey Tue, 17 Aug 2010 20:51:24 +0000 http://www.fiscalgeek.com/?p=525#comment-12702 Casey, you are the ignorant jackass. I see a fan that retails for $20 and the coil of copper that easily retails for $30 then there is all the other hardware that you need to purchase then assemble it. All of a sudden that 80 dollar A/c that you don't have pocket change for is cheaper than this hack job. DO YOUR RESEARCH but making a complete idiot out of yourself.. Casey, you are the ignorant jackass.
I see a fan that retails for $20 and the coil of copper that easily retails for $30 then there is all the other hardware that you need to purchase then assemble it. All of a sudden that 80 dollar A/c that you don’t have pocket change for is cheaper than this hack job. DO YOUR RESEARCH but making a complete idiot out of yourself..

]]> By: Casey Parkerhttp://www.fiscalgeek.com/2009/07/homemade-air-conditione/#comment-12701 Casey Parker Tue, 17 Aug 2010 19:44:43 +0000 http://www.fiscalgeek.com/?p=525#comment-12701 ... because $80 isn't pocket-change to everyone, you ignorant jackass. :) … because $80 isn’t pocket-change to everyone, you ignorant jackass. :)

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