DIY Air Conditioning. Thoughts?

[LWM723]

I want to get a car or truck radiator and attach a garden hose to the bottom of the rad and another hose to the top and into the drain. I will attach the rad to a 20 inch box fan and have the fan sucking air through it, any condensation I can always put a tray underneath. Do you think this will work? My water usage isn't metered so no problem there.

[Levent]

Wasteful and useless. Unless your water source is significantly cooler than your ambient temperature you simply wont have any useful cooling effect.

[LWM723]

Water is about 50 degrees F cooler and unlimited water source.

[akio123008]

23 minutes ago, LWM723 said:

unlimited water source.

If you genuinely have an unlimited water source that suggests you're pumping water from a lake or river nearby. In that case I'd say the idea is excellent. 

 

You can just pass it through the radiator to cool the house and then dump it back through a return hose.

 

But if your water source is just some standard supply, or ground water that you pump up, it's quite wasteful. Also in that case what'd you do with the water after it's gone through the radiator? Down the drain? Dump it in the yard?

 

 

[LWM723]

It's a drilled artesian well about 120 feet deep. It's been running 24/7 for over 30 years. Drains in a ditch to the lake. Water temp is about 40F now.

[SolarNova]

2 hours ago, LWM723 said:

It's a drilled artesian well about 120 feet deep. It's been running 24/7 for over 30 years. Drains in a ditch to the lake. Water temp is about 40F now.

Aye in that case sure , for a DIY method it should work well.

 

Another method, if u need to increase humidity, and only if u need MORE humidity, is to run a evaporation cooler. basically a bong cooler, but instead of using it to cool the liquid for use in a water cooled solution, ur using the liquid to cool the air, at the same time ur adding moisture to the surrounding environment.

 

Also if u really want a cheap AC project, and have the space. Consider this. I encourage you to watch it fully, very informative.

 

[HanZie82]

That would work for sure.
Get the biggest rad you can get. And the most silent fan so you can keep that on.

I would highly suggest a good filter so the rad wont clog.

Personaly i would collect some water in a box and put a pump in there and use that to circulate the water in the radiator.

To have some extra control and not put drain on the rest of the system.