Beat the blistering heat this summer with an improved cooling system for your entire room. No wasting time in creating your own system, just buy, interface, and customize it to make it more and more effective.

Step 1: Things You’ll Need

Measuring Tape
Window ( Preferably Big Sliding Windows with a Box Grill depth 17” )
Air Cooler ( 30” x 17 “ x 17” or as suitable depth that fits the box grill)
Rope ( 1.5mtrs ) / Stand Support
Flexi Pipe ( 1” dia, 1.5mtrs )
Funnel with Debris catcher
Cardboard Box
Cable Ties
Double Side Sticky Tape

Step 2: Checking Window Dimensions

It’s always a good practice to measure spaces first before planning a setup or buying any stuff. Measure the window size and note it down.

Ideally we don’t need something like breadth of the window. Only the height and depth of the window including Box grill.

I found mine to be 40” x 16”

Step 3: Choosing the Right Cooler

Most of us would prefer an Air Conditioner over a cooler but then suffer due to large investment and surges in power bill. Hence best alternative to this is an air cooler.

Be sure what kind of Air cooler you buying. There are 3 types:

1. Swamp Cooler

2. Room Cooler

3. Desert Cooler

For this setup the best would be a room cooler because a desert cooler ideally comes with an external drip tray which is way bigger in dimensions than the cooler itself by at least 5”. They also come with all metal body making it prone to rusting. Also we don’t want to increase the weight here as metal ones are heavier. Also water’s density is 1 kg/ltr, which means if you have a 15Ltrs reservoir; it will weigh 15Kg + extra 10Kg for the body.

Room Coolers are made of full plastic including the fan blades. The fan being lighter attains more speed and can accommodate a 5 blade structure than a metal 3 blade structure in a desert cooler. Room Coolers also come with variable speed fan and auto swing, consuming a mere 150Watts unlike an Air Conditioner of 2000Watts.

Step 4: You May Be Thinking…

Room coolers come at a cost 50% more than a standard fan of the similar type. So you may be thinking why to invest in an air cooler than a normal table fan. Answer is no. You can use a fan to blow air from outside to inside but you may not get the cooling effect you get through an air cooler.

A Typical room cooler uses evaporation to cool the air where a pump circulates water from the reservoir on to a cooling pad, which in turn becomes very wet. A fan draws air from outside the unit through the moistened pad. As it passes through the pad the air is cooled by evaporation. The key to effective evaporation cooling is ensuring that each of the cooling pads are completely saturated at all times during operation and that the systems fan & motor are sized and designed to deliver the appropriate airflow for the home.

Situating such a cooler at a window has its own advantage as there is no re-circulation of stale air like air-conditioners; it acts like a dust filter and further cools down the fresh air already present outdoors compared to a stuffy room.

Step 5: Let’s Start

Before beginning assembly first check the air cooler unit for any leaks, breaks, and operation. Also check the housing of the fan and pump (You can just pull off the cooling pad and check). You will also need to check for the inlet for water. Many have it front side so no issues at all. In my case this was at the back, so I made a small opening between the cooling pad and the body and pushed the flexi pipe in about 3/4th to the base.

Step 6: Grill Mounting

Once you have mounted the pipe, you will need to mount the cooler to the window sill. Note while doing so, make sure the platform can take weight of at least 30Kg.

In my case, the cooler was a 45Ltr weighing at 4Kg without water. Since my box grill may buckle on that much weight, I decided to fill it only to 50% and check. Note, do not strive your cooling by filling less water and reducing cooling.

Step 7: Fastening and Support

Re-enforce the fitting on the box grill by using any form of firm support such that the cooler does not push off and fall inside the room. In my case I have used a rope to tie it firm to the grill.

Step 8: Water Inlet Setup

Zip-tie the electrical wiring and water pipe. Now comes the tricky bit. You have me make sure the pipe is sloped towards the cooler and at a convenient location so that you can pour water into the pipe.

For the funnel you will first need to put the plastic net provided in the grove of the funnel. This will ensure the pipe does not get blocked with debris and none of that goes to the cooler which may spoil the water pump.

Step 9: Sealing

Cut out cardboard in such a way that it fits into the window railing track and the other fits onto the top of the cooler body. This will make a proper covering for the open space on top of the cooler. The way I have done it is I have not sealed any of the windows to the cooler still giving me the flexibility to utilize that window pane.

Step 10: You're Done!!!

Test if everything OK.

And there you have it…. An Air cooler customization, so easy and simple, giving an output of minimum 15-20deg cooler air than in the room already at a very economical and efficient power consumption. Mine is a much bulkier model than others available but for that room size of 180sqft, it was the best for its size. Not only does it cool the room, but circulates air more uniformly to every corner of the room with the right humidity and temperature, only to feel like you enjoying the comfort of an evening stroll on the beach…