N941WR

N941WR

Legacy Member
Someone posted this on FB and I thought it would work great for those of you working in a hot garage or hangar this summer.

Homemade Air Conditioner

The funny part is that he is bragging it can be solar powered but I'm guessing some coal was burned somewhere to run his freezer to turn his gallon jug of water into ice.

If any of you make on of these, please report back on how well it works.
 
Bad deal:)

Okay Bill, bad idea. That is totally Redneck anyway but to EVEN think about putting it in our wonderful machines....... You'd get voted right off the RV island!!!

Our AZ heat would laugh at that contraption:eek:

Funny stuff!! Good post.
 
RV7Guy said:
Okay Bill, bad idea. That is totally Redneck anyway but to EVEN think about putting it in our wonderful machines....... You'd get voted right off the RV island!!!

Our AZ heat would laugh at that contraption:eek:

Funny stuff!! Good post.
Click to expand...

Not in your plane but in your hangar or garage to keep it cool while you build.
 
N941WR said:
Not in your plane but in your hangar or garage to keep it cool while you build.
Click to expand...
On a MUCH larger scale it might be able to keep an entire shop cool for a short time but this 5 gallon bucket idea would only keep A PERSON cool if that person remained directly in front of the air flowing out of it. I would consider this a PERSONAL cooler limited to the cooling effect of the cooler air blowing directly onto your skin. Outside of that situation, it would not cool down a large space such as a workshop. It would make for a good personal cooler in some limited situations.
 
One gallon (8.34#) of frozen water (ice) @ 32 degrees will absorb 1200 BTU as it melts to 32 degree water. If you start @ 20 degree ice it will provide an additional .5 BTU per # = 50 BTU. Raise the temp of the water to say 50 degrees then you gain 1 BTU per # per degree = 150 BTU.
Then means that the gallon of ice will melt and be useless with only removing about 1400 BTU of heat. Forget the heat added by the fan motor.
For most of us in a hot summer climate a 12,000 window unit in a un-insulated garage would be almost useless so how much good would a 1400 BTU system be?
 
I hate reality and physics.... you just can't win.
AZ is brutal here in summer. Tried to taxi a Baron once... could not even touch the throttles in July.... coming out of Cutter. Had to borrow a rag to get going without taking skin off....
 
water gives off or absorbs a ton of heat as it changes from one state to another. just curious how many btu's are involved with these commercially made airplane coolers.
 
seems like it could be a solution for those days you are working in the cockpit while the plane is sitting in the hangar. Maybe you could close the canopy and turn on the fan, and it would stay cool in the cockpit for a little bit. I know other options are out there, but this one is so cheap, I may have to at least try it one day!
 
blueflyer said:
seems like it could be a solution for those days you are working in the cockpit while the plane is sitting in the hangar. Maybe you could close the canopy and turn on the fan, and it would stay cool in the cockpit for a little bit. I know other options are out there, but this one is so cheap, I may have to at least try it one day!
Click to expand...

Exactly why I posted it. You could also have I blow on you while working outside the plane in a hot hangar during the summer months. No need to cool the entire hangar, especially a rental hangar.
 
My personal fav is the turbojet made from a turbocharger. The purpose was to eat fuel fast enough out of a 20 lb LP gas tank to make it cold enough to chill a case of beer. I want one.

Turbojet beer cooler
 
Last edited:
A general rule of thumb for forced air comfort cooling says approximately 400 cfm at 600 to 800 fpm per 12000 btu (1 ton). Associated humidity control likes a discharge temp of 60 degrees or less. Keep in mind that these numbers are general, can vary quite a bit and still produce satisfactory results, but..... you've got to admit sometimes it's funny what people will invent, and spend their money on, when they're hot?
 
As a rule, man's a fool:
When it's hot he wants it cool,
When it's cool he wants it hot,
Always wanting what is not.
 
Wish I had it today. Tire change out in the AZ sun. At least the quick soak with 100LL on the bead worked. Sundown, test flight. Best part.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.