Power outage and the GN swamp cooler :-)

[Renthorin]

This past weekend the power went out for most of the day both Sat/Sun.

Got rather toasty outside here in Michigan but inside it was a favorable 73 degrees thanks to my Turbo Regal swamp cooler

I have a 12-volt 3" blower (the type used in boat engine compartments to circulate air), some dryer ducting, a TR intercooler, a conveniently shaped ice chest, and 20 lbs of ice.

Intercooler sits diagonally and I surround it with ice and add water. The result is 40 degree air blowing out the end opposite the blower.

Ran it for 8 hours and used 40lbs of ice. After the power came back on I pulled the IC out of the ice water bath and it was 1/4 full of water that had condensed on the inside from the muggy air I was pushing through it.

Picts attached

Will

 

[BlackMetal]

Hahaha that is awesome. Thread of the year! You should upgrade to a front mount before it gets any warmer out.

 

[Pronto]

Very inventive!

 

[BlackMetal]

Better patent this before next week when someone starts marketing an ice box for stock-location Buick intercoolers.

 

[no-nos]

outstanding!!! you know what they say " nessecity is the mother of all invetions " , nice work i'm sure the dogs loved ya for it.

 

[Renthorin]

Two of the dogs came right over and parked by the outlet tube.

I found it worked even better if you add a circulation pump to move water from one side of the IC to the other but I wanted the deep cycle to last as long as possible so I just let it cool in still water.

As an added bonus I dropped a beer down into the water to chill and it got cold FAST. Who needs a fridge with one of these

 

[gpadilla1071]

Nice job!!

 

[SS_Sean]

:biggrin:

 

[corsair231]

Hahaha that is awesome. Thread of the year! You should upgrade to a front mount before it gets any warmer out.

As an added bonus I dropped a beer down into the water to chill and it got cold FAST. Who needs a fridge with one of these



No need for a front mount in Michigan. All you need is a Dutweiler necked cooler for temps below 100. Especially with the beer powered alcohol injection system.

 

[SloGN]

my stock intercooler might just have to go camping with me this summer


The way to make even more colder is too add some rock salt to the water ice mix and it will get really cold. I done this the other day @ our cook-out and the bottled water froze

 

[Renthorin]

Yeah I know the salt trick, we made ice cream that way a few years back.

I can't do it when I use the swamp cooler in the house as the dogs like to drink out of the ice water and salt wouldn't be good for them.

When camping...adding salt is a good plan.

 

[notacarlo]

I would like to order six of those please.

I started using rock salt in my coolers last summer. I got beer down to 27 degrees in 30 minutes. I got 27 beers down in 14 minutes.

Great thinking.

 

["Turbo-T"]

Redneck air conditioner?

 

[BetMinesFaster]

That is totally genious:biggrin:

 

[noslo6]

Sweet setup. I took the heater and A/C out of my buick a few years back. I was thinking about something like this to put in the car when I drive to the track in the summer months. I have thought more than once about buying one of these.

 

[Renthorin]

Yeah I saw those too. That is the inspiration for my device. The problem with those as far as using for a tent cooler is they pass air over ice as it is melting and thus you get muggy air. Yeah it is cooler but damp.

With the IC method like I did, the air may be humid as it enters the IC but it is less so when it exists. I know this as there was a fair amount of water collected in the IC when it came time to take everything apart. I probably poured out about 2 cups of water