How to make an air conditioner with your own hands for a house or a car

Whether it’s to escape the oppressive heat indoors or to keep comfort while traveling, the need for efficient cooling solutions increases as temperatures rise. Even though air conditioners are widely available, building your own can be a satisfying and economical project. We’ll look at how to make your own air conditioner in this guide using everyday household items that you can use for your car and house.

You can tailor your air conditioner to your unique needs and surroundings by building it yourself. Do-it-yourself air conditioners are flexible and reasonably priced, perfect for cooling a small room or keeping your car comfortable on summer drives. In addition, the feeling of accomplishment that comes from making something useful by hand adds another level of fulfillment to the cooling process.

It’s crucial to comprehend the fundamentals of air conditioning before beginning any building work. Fundamentally, air conditioning is the process of removing heat from a confined area in order to reduce its temperature. A refrigeration cycle is usually used to accomplish this, in which heat from the interior air is absorbed by a refrigerant and then released outdoors to create colder interior temperatures.

Let’s now look at a few easy yet efficient ways to make your own air conditioner. You may attain the appropriate degree of cooling by using a variety of techniques, such as using fans and coolers around the house or by maximizing evaporation. Whether you’re an amateur handyman or an avid do-it-yourselfer, there’s a solution out there that works just for you.

You’ll quickly be able to enjoy the comforts of your DIY air conditioner by following the comprehensive instructions given in this guide. Thanks to your creativity and resourcefulness, bid adieu to hot summer days and hello to a cool and refreshing indoor space. Together, let’s get our hands dirty and start this do-it-yourself cooling project!

Principle of operation of domestic split-system

An air conditioner is a sophisticated home appliance that functions by moving heat from one location to another: from the apartment to the street in the summer, and from the outside of the house to the interior in the winter. An intriguing material called Freon, which can boil and turn into a gas at below-freezing temperatures, is used to transfer heat.

As a point of reference. Refrigerant, also referred to as working body, is the freon that circulates in refrigeration machines’ circuits. Its vaporization and condensation, in which significant amounts of thermal energy are absorbed and released, are the crucial processes.

The household split-system operates based on the following cyclic algorithm:

1. First, the refrigerant in liquid state enters the heat exchanger of the internal module of the air conditioner (evaporator), blown by a centrifugal fan. This is where Freon vaporization occurs, due to which the flow of room air is sharply cooled.
2. The gas then flows through a copper tube to a compressor, which raises its pressure to a certain value. The task is to make the working body condense outside, where the air temperature is even higher than in the room.
3. After the compressor, the gaseous Freon passes through the radiator of the external unit (condenser). A large axial fan drives a stream of air through its fins, and the refrigerant goes back into the liquid phase, giving the room heat outside.
4. At the last stage the pressure of the liquid working body is reduced by passing through the expansion (throttle) valve. Now the Freon is ready to absorb heat again and moves into the indoor unit, the cycle repeats again.

Note: A significant amount of condensate is produced during the operation of both heat exchangers, and this condensate needs to be released into the street or sewer system. The split system launches freon in the opposite direction and the radiators physically swap places in order to transition to heating the house.

The electronic control unit (ECU) is in charge of regulating the system’s refrigerant pressure and room air temperature. It gets signals from a variety of sensors. The condenser is positioned close to the cooling system’s regular radiator, and the evaporator is integrated into the cabin’s ventilation system, all operating on the same basic principles as an air conditioner.

You now realize that building an evaporative air conditioner at home is more difficult than it first appears. It’s even more challenging to fix a car; in this case, you need to be an expert refrigerator technician. We invite you to view the following video as an illustration, in which a specialist of this kind installed a home split system in his VAZ 2104:

Let’s examine the designs of air conditioners created by talented individuals in more detail and identify the most practical models that could be produced.

We’ll look at how to make your own air conditioner for your house or vehicle in this article. Constructing your own air conditioner can be an enjoyable and economical way to combat the summertime heat or stay cozy on road trips. We’ll go over easy do-it-yourself projects that use readily available materials and provide step-by-step directions that are accessible to all. This guide will provide you the tools to design a cooling system that suits your needs, from upcycling common objects to comprehending fundamental cooling concepts. Spend less, stay cool, and get a kick out of creating something useful with your own hands.

Simple homemade air conditioner

These coolers work on the principle of forcing room air through objects that are cold. Typically, these are ice or cold accumulators made for specialized bags used to transport goods during the summer.

A closed box containing cold sources has an axial fan integrated into one of its walls. A hole is created on the opposite side to let the stream that has cooled out. What is not employed in the argument:

• an old automobile refrigerator with insulated walls;
• spacious plastic bottles for 5 liters of water or more;
• cardboard or plastic boxes with lids;
• plastic canisters.

It should be noted that any small fan, such as a computer cooler, can supply air.

The car’s interior can also be cooled with this mini-conditioner; all you have to do is make sure the air blower is correctly connected to the onboard power source and have enough ice on hand beforehand.

Advantages and disadvantages of the design

It is interesting to note that these devices really create a stream of cold air entering the space. Furthermore, inexpensive, homemade materials are actually used to make simple air conditioners. If an axial fan isn’t already in the house, that will be the most you have to spend.

Regrettably, the cooler’s drawbacks exceed all of its benefits:

1. No matter how much ice you put in the chamber, it will not last long in the heat, so you need to constantly freeze new water.
2. While you cool one room, the neighboring room is heated by the cooler, where ice is prepared. Plus increases energy consumption.
3. The duration of operation of the unit in the car depends on the stock of ice taken with you.
4. The air passing through the ice is partially moisturized. After a while, the room will become saturated with moisture, which will make you feel even worse than from the heat.

Advice: Since cold accumulators don’t melt or turn into water, they are a good way to prevent overwatering. Other home appliances can also be used to regulate and maintain the ideal moisture content.

In conclusion. It is possible to identify the air conditioners mentioned above as functional since they were constructed by hand. In an emergency, they can be very helpful, but the cooler’s operation can be a bit problematic.

How long the ice in the chamber will last

In order to determine the answer, let’s compute the amount of cold that one kilogram of ice will release when heated from -6 °C to +20 °C. Let’s apply the formula for calculating heat based on heat capacity to this task.

There are four actions to take:

1. Let"s calculate the cold output from melting ice: Q = 1 kg x 2.06 kJ/kg °C x (0 °C – 6 °C) = -12.36 kJ.
2. We find the reference value of the energy released during the melting of ice – 335 kJ.
3. We calculate how much cold will be transferred by water during heating: Q = 1 kg x 4.187 kJ/kg °C x (0 °C – 20 °C) = -83.74 kJ.
4. Add up the results and we get -431.1 kJ or 119.75 W.

Note: It is normal for the results of physics calculations involving cold to have a "minus" sign attached to them.

It is unlikely that 1 kg of ice will provide more than 150 W of cold, even at minus 15 °C of freezing. This implies that you will need to add 1 kg of ice every 20 to 30 minutes and freeze the same amount of ice in the homemade air conditioner in order to effectively cool a 3 by 3 m room at a temperature above 30 degrees Celsius. In actuality, if you are content with a manageable air temperature of 25 to 28 °C, the flow rate will be lower.

How to assemble an air cooler

This is how a mini-conditioner for a car or house is made:

1. Cut a hole in the side wall of the container equal in size to the working cross-section of the fan.
2. Screw the cooler with self-tapping screws or put it on small bolts.
3. Make a second hole for the exit of the cooled air flow. Another option is to put a corrugated plastic tube on the neck of a bottle or canister. The apparatus is ready.

Advice: Using a box with a removable lid is preferable from an operational standpoint since it makes it easier to load ice or cold accumulators into it.

The makeshift car air conditioner needs to be installed and connected. The cigarette lighter socket, which has a strong fuse in the circuit, can be wired to the cooler’s wires. The video provides a detailed demonstration of the manufacturing and connection process.

Water cooling installation

The concept, which is straightforward and efficient at the same time, involves pumping cold water through a heat exchanger that is inside the room and has a fan. The room cools down because the temperature is only 5 to 10 °C. This is achieved through cooling the air flow. A car radiator or an old air conditioner serves as the heat exchanger, and a well or borehole provides the water.

Important information to note. In contrast to other do-it-yourself systems, the water unit uses the principle of a calorifier to heat as well as cool the air in the house. Everything is dependent upon the radiator’s water supply’s temperature.

There are three components to the flow-through cooling system:

• The heat exchanger itself;
• Submersible or well pump;
• insulated water supply and discharge pipelines.

Making a water conditioner

The cooler is assembled in the following order:

1. Place and secure an automobile radiator in a convenient location in the room.
2. Lay a supply and return line to it. Use adapters and clamps to connect to the element spigots.
3. Mount the pump in a well or borehole and connect the coolant supply pipe to it to the heat exchanger.
4. Insulate the section of the supply pipe so that the water does not heat up before time. The return line does not have to be insulated.

Because the pump capacity typically exceeds the need, there are two issues that must be resolved in order to properly construct and operate a water conditioner: where to store the water and how to control the speed at which it is supplied. We propose the following approaches to address the issue of water discharge:

• Collect in a storage tank, from where the watering of the vegetable garden takes place;
• transfer to another well, as a water-to-water heat pump does;
• organize a closed circulation loop with a second heat exchanger immersed at the bottom of the well.

As a point of reference. Watering cultural plants with cold water is not advised. Thus, heating the well water in the radiator-air cooler first will accomplish two goals at once.

Controlling the motor revolutions is required to lower the productivity of the pump; this cannot be done without an expensive frequency converter, also known as an inverter. The electric motor of the pump unit will be "put down" if you use autotransformers or other devices. The following method resolves the issue without requiring the purchase of pricey machinery:

• for a well up to 10 m deep, you can use a circulation pump for heating of appropriate capacity;
• You can limit the flow of water to the radiator by using a bypass valve that discharges part of it back into the well. An example of water conditioner operation is shown in the next video:

Pros and cons of the flow system

A brief summary of the advantages:

• the air conditioner is capable of both heating and cooling the room;
• the design is simple compared to a factory split system;
• Even if you have to buy a pump and pipes, the manufacturing costs will be low.

We have already mentioned some of the drawbacks and solutions, such as the challenges in controlling the supply and the issue with water leakage. Another drawback is that, for obvious reasons, the system cannot be used in an automobile or an apartment without a cold water supply.

As a point of reference. It is still possible to modify the most basic model of the cooler for use in the apartment. It’s a domestic fan with a copper tube coil that allows water to flow through its grate. If you take cold water from the tap, the only question is where to get it and how much it will cost you based on the meter.

In conclusion. A homemade water heater/air conditioner is a very practical design. If a well with suitable-temperature groundwater exists on the property, you can build a reasonable cooler for a private home if you so choose.

Is it possible to make an air conditioner from an old refrigerator

A truly utopian concept. Every article available on the Russian-speaking Internet features the same video, in which a person attempts to assemble two refrigerators to create a freezer for mushrooms. Furthermore, because the video content is lacking, the outcome of this action is unknown. Let’s envision what it ought to resemble:

1. Both heat exchangers are carefully cut out of the refrigerator without disconnecting them from the compressor, otherwise Freon will escape and you will have to pay for refueling.
2. The compressor with condenser is taken out of the room, and the evaporator (former freezer) is installed in the room. It is necessary to attach a fan for blowing to it.
3. The standard sensor and control unit, set to the compressor shutdown temperature of minus 3-6 °С, will have to be thrown out and replaced by other elements, connecting the units through relays. Otherwise, the compressor will never stop and will break down after 100-200 hours of continuous operation.

Let’s ignore all technical details (such as a different Freon brand or mode of operation) and pretend that you were able to put this circuit together. These units have a maximum refrigeration capacity of 400 W, or 0.4 kW. Based on a rough calculation, this should be sufficient for a 4 m² room. This is theoretical; in reality, there won’t be nearly as much.

In conclusion. You can attempt to turn a refrigerator into an air conditioner if you’re one of the admirable tribe of enthusiasts and experimenters. However, you’ll work much harder than you will to stay warm.

Cooling with Peltier elements

It’s debatable whether or not to use these components to build a DIY air conditioner. It all comes down to Peltier elements, also called thermoelectric converters, and how much power they use, which is far more than the quantity of cold they produce. When electricity is connected, one surface of the element releases heat and the other surface releases cold. Externally, they resemble plates with two wires.

How do comfort-seeking automobile enthusiasts and home handymen:

1. You buy 4 to 8 Peltier elements and mount them "hot" side on a ribbed radiator made of aluminum.
2. This radiator is installed in such a way that it is cooled by street air.
3. A computer cooler is attached to the "cold" side of the inverters to supply room air to the plate.

Note: Before being mounted on the radiator, the element is coated with thermal paste on the "hot" side to improve heat transfer.

Although Peltier elements only consume electricity, they really cool the airflow. After all, when energy is transformed into heat and released into the atmosphere, half of it is lost. In other words, you will only receive 0 for each W of electricity used. 5 W of cold, but this ratio is much different in a split system (1: 3). The following video shows you how it functions in real life:

Materials Needed	Steps
Fan, Cooler, Ice	1. Place ice in a cooler. 2. Position the fan behind the cooler. 3. Turn on the fan to blow air over the ice. 4. Enjoy the cool air!

Making your own air conditioner for your home or vehicle can be a worthwhile and economical endeavor. You don’t have to break the bank to stay cool on hot summer days by using easily found materials and easy instructions. Whether you want to cool the cabin of your car or a small room, DIY air conditioning solutions give you the freedom to customize and adapt them to your specific requirements.

Controlling the efficiency and environmental impact of your homemade air conditioner is one of its main advantages. You can minimize energy consumption and lower your carbon footprint by selecting energy-efficient components and putting smart design techniques into practice. Long-term financial savings are achieved by doing this, which also helps to promote a more sustainable way of living that is good for the environment and your pocketbook.

Additionally, you can modify DIY air conditioning projects to customize the system to meet unique needs and preferences. You can alter the design to suit your needs, whether you’d rather have a permanent installation for reliable comfort or a portable unit for flexible cooling. Additionally, you can learn useful information for future projects or repairs by comprehending the mechanics of air conditioning.

Prioritizing safety is crucial when starting a do-it-yourself air conditioning project, though. If handled improperly, working with electrical components and refrigerants can be dangerous. To avoid mishaps or injuries, always abide by safety regulations and take the required safety measures. Don’t be afraid to ask knowledgeable people or consult internet resources for advice if you have any questions about any part of the project.

To sum up, building your own air conditioner can be a rewarding and useful project that provides customized cooling options for your house or car. Using your technical expertise and inventiveness, you can create a dependable system that will keep you cool on the hottest days. To get the most out of your do-it-yourself air conditioning project, keep in mind that safety, sustainability, and customization should come first.

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