Canadian Cooler Cooling Contraption

Okay... so I know there are like a million of these spot coolers here on Instructables (or at least 10 or so) and that's what made me want to make one.

www.instructables.com/id/Portable-AirConditioner/
www.instructables.com/id/Cooler-Adaptation/
www.instructables.com/id/Ultra-Portable-72v-Air-Conditioner-junior/
www.instructables.com/id/Portable-12V-Air-Conditioner---Cheap-and-easy!/

(Just to list a few)

I think this is a great little build and wanted to give it a go

I came... I saw... I was Inspired!

I originally hadn't planned on posting anything regarding this build (Hence a couple of initial product shots pilfered from the internet) but I was happy with the way it turned out, so I wanted to add it to the many others and hopefully throw in a couple of extra suggestions to maybe help further the idea.

I'm not trying to save the earth with this one or even save a couple of bucks on the hydro bill, I just wanted to build something, and I think I'm going to give it to my friend who lives in an apartment with no air conditioning.

The bonus to this project was that I already had everything I needed except for a couple of bolts, here and there and a few more $1.50 re-freezable gel ice packs.

Step 1 Supplies - The Cooler

Cooler by Coleman.

This blue beauty has a 45.5 L (48 qt) capacity and can hold 63 cans plus 7.7 kg (17 lb) of ice (That's before you turn it into an air cooling Frankenstein). It sports a hinged lid, "easy to lift" 2-way handles and a rust-proof / leak-resistant drain

COLEMAN - The Outdoor Company
http://www.colemancanada.ca/Catalog/COOLERS.en.products

*this pic BORROWED from the internet

Comments

[farzad_ict]

Nice, but i think freezing gel packs in freezer frequently, will harm the freezer! Because its like that you use your freezer to cool your room...

[osman2]

Brilliant sir I have seen many designs but this one is my favorite well design, good looking finished product and simplicity of the steps and i must say the sense of humor of the writer. Good job sir.

[Pretty Idiot Productions]

Thanks to you good sir!

[dualqual]

Excellent Job!

[Pretty Idiot Productions]

Thank you!

[jaqeel]

how much dose the ice lasts time period ????

[Pretty Idiot Productions]

lasted about 4 hours with the 3 large ice packs, then I switched the defrosted ones out for three more I already had in the kitchen freezer.
It does, however, all depend on how hot it is outside of the cooler, as it is drawing the warm air from outside the cooler to inside the cooler.

[LordJustice]

i totally love the terms you use. "venty thingy"

[Pretty Idiot Productions]

Actual Scientific term! ;o)

[sistasallysue]

I made this today with little of no problem! I didn't use a cooler, I only had an old plastic tub and filled it with ice to see if it would work! And it does, blows out a nice amount of cool air! I'll work on what to put under it to pick up the condensation. Took me less than 30 minutes and under $30 to put together. Would have been lower if I didn't want to wait for cheaper computer fans to ship. LOVE THIS INSTRUCTABLE!

[Pretty Idiot Productions]

Nice work!

[jvodak]

The only problem with a direct source of solar power would be for it to be in the sunlight, via window, (which would warm the unit itself up some) or directly outside, and then running the unsightly wires back to the unit from outside.... can be done just not very aesthetically pleasing if done quickly.... sorry... wife has rubbed off on me some...

[spa31rky]

This cooler idea is a good one........but....... By the Fan puling Air inward to disperse out the vent causes the Ice Packs to heat much faster. Thus less cool time. If the outside air is pulled inward across the ice packs then out by the fan than the results are Cool Air exchanged from Hotter Air. Using a baffle inside to direct the intake "under" the ice packs may improve this. Using a "Closet metal shelf" may work well. Using a dryer vent tube from the intake vent to flow under the rack and then tubed to the fan separately with about a 2 inch gap under rack.......baffles so the air must channel ..cooling it more....then when the fan exhaust the air it should be at least 60 degrees or less. Also keep in mind the more time the intake air is inside the cool compartment....... the cooler it will be. That is why I mentioned baffles.....to channel the air. Just like some that use a condenser unit coil. It travels through the channels so long that cool time increases, like a car radiator cools, or same as a conventional air conditioning unit. Sorry, not meant to degrade your idea, but to maybe improve the idea. I my self have taken my cooler full of ice, sat my 12 VDC fan on it with the lid holding it in place, wrapped a towel so the intake air must come through one area, and sha-zam......it was real cool in my tent then. My opinion, not meant to take away from any ideas or make them seem like they don't work when they sure will. Now here is a thought......... It is much easier to get warm when cold outside then it is to cool down when it is too dam hot outside.

[Pretty Idiot Productions]

I have 12 of the ice packs, and just keep using and refreezing them 4X4 then there is always 4 in the box, four that are freezing and four that are frozen. I am actually cutting corrugated galvanized panels to use as baffles to make it cooler, longer. I mentioned to Zanne that if I "pull" the air out: The hole that is required as an intake is needed to be close to the bottom of the cooler because the cooler air is at the bottom (warmer air rises and cooler denser air falls). The cooler is then no longer water tight, and if i decide to put a load of ice in there instead of the ice packs. The ice would eventually melt and water would leak out through the intake hole and i have to soak up a watery mess. The coleman cooler that is the next size up from the one I used has a drainage tap on the side of it located close to the bottom of the cooler. That could always be used as your intake if you decide to use a fan to "suck out" instead of "blow in" All I can say is that my friend Dawn's cat loves this thing and is always sitting on it because Dawn has no air conditioning at her place, and because it is 40degrees here today, I think it has become more of an animal saver instead of a person cooler. Thanks Spa31rky

[spa31rky]

Okay.....but if the intake is "ducted" to the bottom......baffled......then "ducted" to the exhaust......as my my earlier comment.......than the air is cooled prior to being exhausted.........true? Kind of like a radiator core but using baffles. Also......exhaust fan on top duct to bottom.......intake on top ducted to bottom through baffles......rack to hold ice/ or ice packs......would this not be more sufficient and produce cooler exhaust air?

[Pretty Idiot Productions]

Oh... I think see where your coming from now... So the ice is chilling the duct, and the air being pulled in through the intake is being chilled as it is drawn through the cold duct. The air moves slowly through the duct because of the baffles, which gives it more time to cool down and is then eventually exhausted by the powered fan at the exit point! Is that right? I also built a solar heater which uses baffles which slows the air down so it has more of a chance to get warmer and has an intake at the bottom and an exhaust point at the top and is totally self powered because of the thermo-syphon effect.

[spa31rky]

This just popped in my little pea brain.................what about 2" vacuum hose for the duct work? It comes in 6' length and would make a great chamber for the air to travel through and water won't matter. It can be coiled in a way coming from the intake vent to the bottom......follow along bottom to other side.....then up to the exhaust fan. It is made of a PVC type material........Well....???? This is making me head to the shop and get it started......feel sorry for that wet/dry vac hose now!

[Ace_Of_All_Trades]

Do you know of any ducts similar to the vacuum hose in size that would be made out of a metallic material? I ask since it would make more sense to use a conductor for the internal ductwork instead of an insulator which would work perfectly well on the outside of it.

[spa31rky]

Yes I do.........by the way......PVC tubing is not an insulator. It will take on the ambient temperature well. As for knowing "where" to get metal type 2" duct work....it is an industrial product. It is used in many applications........ Vulcanization systems Auto exhaust for garages Deferring heat away from users of equipment and so on. I bought some from Grainger. I used it for exhaust of heat from a control panel that was installed next to a mandrel unit. I had to do this because the compact cabinet A/C unit couldn't do the job when the heat exceeded 200 deg.

[Ace_Of_All_Trades]

I'm not trying to start an argument or anything, but PVC is not a conductor of heat. Anything, not radioactive, will eventually go down to the ambient temperature if other things do not interfere,sunlight hitting metal plate for instance. Or I guess my question should have been for a more efficient conductor of heat and cold, as that is what I was meaning. And thank you both 31 and PIP

[spa31rky]

Ace.......was your comment meant for me? Not sure if it was here.

[Pretty Idiot Productions]

My house is 6 years old, and has a high efficiency furnace and high velocity round floor registers.

All the ducts that shoot off from the main duct are actually a 2 inch diameter metallic material, like a flexible dryer exhaust hose but closer to the size of a vacuum hose... so it does exist.

... but sorry, I have no idea where to get it from.

[Pretty Idiot Productions]

2" vacuum hose would fit perfectly up the bottom of the pant leg or up the sleeve of the shirt... Instant relief!!

[spa31rky]

The space ship has landed! You got it now. The longer air is captured in the cooling chamber the cooler it will be......thus the more baffles the longer it cools. Think of that maze the mouse must concur.......Sometimes deck layering the chambers.....2 story per say........will add distance the air must travel prior to exiting......it will be almost as cool as the ice. I wouldn't set the unit to close to anything because it will cause condensation on it with the cool air. May be an idea here..........heat rises........cool drops to lower area.......duct the exhaust from the cooler say with "dryer tubing" at least 5 feet off of the floor....then it will cool the air closest to a person.......falling towards the floor......and recycling through the unit. I am sure we both can come up with many more ideas on this.....just adding mine!

[zanne101]

After reading these newer comments, I think having the larger Coleman with the drainage hole near the bottom would work for me or I could just cut a small hole in a smaller one. I would probably always be using ice paks rather than ice cubes, so melting is not an issue. I think putting the paks on a little rack and then pulling the air out would be my best bet. Maybe putting two stacked racks , each with a set of ice paks, in the cooler would be an interesting experiment? I wonder if the 2 levels would make any difference. Obviously, science was never my strong subject. I really like these ideas and appreciate the Instructables community. You all seem to come up with great ideas that I would never have thought of on my own. Thanks.

[Pretty Idiot Productions]

I can't take credit for this build idea... I saw quite a few of these "spot/swamp/cooler hacks" here on instructables and then decided to build my own and show what and how I did it.

[Pretty Idiot Productions]

As a bonus...

If the exhaust vent is small enough you can attach a small diameter dryer vent tube and insert it straight into the bottom of your pant leg, or in through the sleeve in your shirt!

Instant relief!

:O)

[greetex]

How are you able to wire a regular outlet plug directly to the fan, wouldn't it just fry the cpu fan, or does the cpu fan just draw the power it needs? Also what size of fan is this, i really like your air conditioner, the layout is excellent and it looks very professional. I love what you have done with it. :-)

-Alex

[spa31rky]

CPU or "control fans" are various voltage. From 2.5 vdc / vac up to 240vac.....depends on the application they are needed for.

[Pretty Idiot Productions]

The fan was recycled from an old video wall programming unit, and already had the outlet plug already attached to the fan.

fan unit is 4.75" square.

This isn't my idea... like I mentioned there are a lot of these on instructables and I just made my version.

[spa31rky]

Such fans may be purchased at Radio Shack for about $5 or even less.

[OriginalBIGHANDS]

5 bucks is like the best you can find one shopping online...radioshack will get you for around 15 bucks for the bottom end CPU fan...probably a weak one.. still, point taken, it's much cheaper than AC bills... i think i might try it out... it gets mid 90's room temp here lately....cheers...

[spa31rky]

Second attempt adding comment. I can pick up 12vdc fans for you at local Radio Shack here in Florida. . . Break down of cost................................ . . Drive to and from store.....................................................................................$10.00 I buy 12vdc < ONE > .........................................................................................$ 3.98 Tax ...............................................( @ 7.5% ).....................................................$1.84 Handling.............................................................................................................$00.50 Shipping to you ..................................................................................................$10.00 Total ......................................................................................................................$26.32 Or you may pick one up your local Radio Shack ...............................PRICELESS

[spa31rky]

Radio Shack in Florida has 12vdc fans for $3.98.......5" square 120vac fans for $4.98.....5" sq. Internet is making money huh? I could go to Radio Shack and get some for you........ Break down of cost then.... Handling charge...............................................................................................50 cents Drive to and from store.............................................................................$10.00 Mailing to you postal.................................................................................$10.00 Advice .........................................................................................................$10.00 Or you picking it up at local Radio Shack...........................................Priceless

[sincitysaint]

u can use a 12v adapter from a old cell phone charger. thats what i used.

[Pretty Idiot Productions]

Good idea... I think we all have plenty of those lying around at this point!

[Pretty Idiot Productions]

P.S. Thanks for the compliments Alex

[zchampine]

Is an air register really the best way to go? Wouldn't a small drain cover (about 1.5 inches in diameter) offer the appropriate ventilation without allowing too much of the cool air to escape? Just a thought. Great instructable though!

[zanne101]

I really like this idea, just trying to figure some things out. I have what may be a really dumb question. Why do you need the big vent and the fan? If the fan is placed in the lid so that it is pulling air out, wouldn't you just need a small vent to allow the air to move across the ice and up through the fan? I'm thinking of air moving opposite of what you've set up. Even when you use a box fan in a room, the air is pulled through the fan and out at you. Like I said, may be a dumb question, and maybe I'm missing some vital thought on this. I'm trying to figure out how to put some kind of cooling device in a vintage mini travel trailer that has pivoting windows. I can't put anything in the windows because of the tilting glass. Thanks

[Pretty Idiot Productions]

If I "pull" the air out: The hole that is required as an intake is needed to be close to the bottom of the cooler because the cooler air is at the bottom (warmer air rises and cooler denser air falls). The cooler is then no longer water tight, and if i decide to put a load of ice in there instead of the ice packs. The ice would eventually melt and water would leak out through the intake hole and i have to soak up a watery mess. Thanks for your comments Zanne.