DIY 'Indirect' Evap AIr Cooler! Produces Cold/Dry Air (No Humidity!) - AC/DC - can be solar powered!

DIY Indirect Evap Air Cooler! Homemade indirect evap system! (the 'indirect' part means that there is no venting required and the unit adds no humidity to the air!). in this video i combine two of my previous projects to make what's called an "indirect" evap air cooler! indirect units take advantage of the fact that evap coolers not only cool the air but they also super cool the water in the bottom of the tub (and they keep it cold). this unit chilled my tap water (12 gallons of it) from 80F down to the mid 50's in about 5 minutes. that cooled water is then pumped through a heat exchanger (radiator) which cools down and then the radiator cools the air that is blown through it. unit produces cool air (from that cool water) all day long. with air temps of 85F(30C) i was getting output air temps around 60-65F (15.6 to 18.3C) steady. the unit holds 12 gallons and runs 10 to 12 hours per fill-up. you just fill it and you're set. remember that the part with the pads stays outside and the radiator part (cylindrical heat sink) goes inside.

the links to the 'full build videos' for each project are listed below. unit can be AC or DC powered (DC options include solar panels or batteries). the ice-based air-cooling unit and the cube-shaped evap air cooler can both be used separately if you want. i made the radiators 'fan/tube assembly' removeable from the ice chest so you could move it to any water source that you want.

please rate, comment and share it with everyone you know 🙂👍

🟢 link to the cube shaped evap air cooler with the pads (includes the build)

🟢 link to my video on the 100% solar powered evap system i made

i have several more videos of evap units and ice-based units with the fans. to find them all, check the playlist area of this channel. all are listed on either the Evap Playlist and/or the AC Air Cooler Playlist.

if any of the links don't work or go to the wrong place, please let me know.

[darryljones]

I like how you describe and show details of each item needed for the projects

[fishyerik]

Nice! You can also have the whole thing indoors, if you vent out the air that has the moisture. That moist air can take up some additional heat on it's way out if you use thin aluminium air duct. A really lazy option would be to use a very long air duct, so you get all the cooling you need from that. Not a cheap solution, just simple.

I think indirect evaporative cooling have much more potential than most realize, "everyone" thinks its the air that cools down, but it's actually the water that cools down first, and then the water cool down the air.

[danam.]

I watch and watch then I try. THANK YOU, THANK YOU for all your work and Time.❤. This Summer's project (using uour ideas) here in the dry PacNW, is a COOL ROOM FOR MY PRODUCE, which can get ahead of me when fruits and veggies decide to all come on all at once and I can only move at human speed to do the prep and preserving. 😊❤

[harikyoki]

wow love the effort. I'm thinking of running small fans on heated salt for my van. no ac in there at all n over 90 degrees here already so I feel like I'm being baked during the afternoon. ty for sharing your ideas with us :)

[MarkChaney]

I really want to find a low power alternative cooling option for a humid environment like southwest Florida.

[miroslawmoczyrog]

Adding a radiator on top of the fan, to precool the warm return water with humid, cold air might be worth trying.
You could also insulate the cold water tube to minimize heating the water from the hot air outside.

[Showbizjoe]

Can the small oil cooler seaflo fan work this way on an existing hessaire evaporative cooler? I figured it would be the same Theory I already have a small 500 sq foot swamp cooler I want to add to.

[kevinsutavee]

Aloha! im working on trying to figure out a system to cool down our food trucks.. I was thinking if I could put the water bath in a space under the truck, and put all of the mechanical under the truck, there is a space about 18" wide and 18" tall that runs the length of the chassis, against the outer wall of the food truck ( p30 workhorse), and then ducting the air up into the truck, to the ceiling and letting it flow down.. what do you think?

[justgivemethetruth]

what is the cylindrical thing that is amongst the heat exchangers? A different kind of heat exchanger - because you did not meantion it?

[michellepetros]

Is there a way to use freon or freeze spray instead of ice somehow?? CRC spray cools surfaces to -60f

[johndevries]

Very nice indeed sir, last year you also helped me a lot, then I had just made the cooler and the temp. back to normal in the Netherlands....so I was not able to test it. Now it has been 31 degrees Celsius again for a few days, so you understand that the sparrows are falling dead again from the roof. Now I just came across this new video of yours and it really appeals to me, less messy with water. Now English is not my first language, so I mainly rely on the examples. I see an elongated radiator there. My question is, does it really make that much noise or is it because it's on the coolbox? Where can I buy this. How many cubic meters, can I cool with it if the height of the rooms is 2.5 meters. Thanks in advance for your cooperation. Greetings from Rotterdam.

[deelarry]

I'm cooling a shed of mine this way. Obviously a much larger scale. Was 100 yesterday, and it was 82 in the shed.

[Ro-Skam]

Great project. Going to try it. If you would be able to add some links to the heat exchangers, especially the round one, that would be great!
The COP factor for such a system can be 10-20 higher than standard AC systems. Really wondering how effective this work in my house!
Thanks!

[xyztnce]

Wow great setup. I belong to very hot climate area. Right now it’s 42-47c here. We use a lot of evaporative water coolers. But hot weather lasts for 3months max than comes hardest hit n humid weather. Evaporative coolers fail due to high humidity. So only option is air conditioning.
But your setup is genius. We can place evaporative cooler outside and circulate cold water in radiator will create some cooling effect without humidity.
I have a question. If we build taller water falling surface area than what max cold temperature we can get in water? Like you used a bigger radiator inside so get maximum out of cold water. So can we also build taller evaporative waterfall outside; can we get colder water or not ?

[michellepetros]

I'm living in my van in NM I need a way to do this

[bayoubuddha]

what about for sub-tropic areas with high humidity? any suggestions? the swamp cooler approach doesn't seem to work well, or i'm just not placing it properly for max effect

[Grunttamer]

If it was in a relatively high humidity environment would it stop working pretty much all together or just drop effectiveness?

[mohammedalzuhairi]

May I ask if it's working with 48°c temperature 🤒

[vigneshvicky]

Whats the result in closed room like how long it takes to cool, temp difference etc

[LoremIpsum]

👍 Nice work -- btw where in the world are you? In the UK, so humidity can be a problem for us at times. Just got my radial finned cooler in the mail!
Any thoughts on @RobertMurraySmith "1953 A Folding Silent Air Conditioner" and "1954 DIY Hybrid Air Conditioner Run From USB, Solar Or Battery" (especially the blade change!).

Being in the UK, I never worked out why we don't have 220v box fans here..never seen one for domestic use.