DIY Ice Cooler Air Conditioner

DIY Ice Cooler Air Conditioner. This is a DIY ice cooler air conditioner. It's not a swamp cooler. In this video I show you how to make an air conditioner. Most homemade air conditioners use a fan and Ice to make cold air. This portable air conditioner uses a radiator style cooling system. This cold be a camping air conditioner, overlanding air conditioner, an air conditioner to cool your garage or just about anywhere you need to cool off. For a homemade ac unit, this 12 volt air conditioner works great!

This project can be built for under $100 If you have your own cooler and source Items from Ali or EBAY. When I purchased the items for this video I spent $140 for my build. The exact blower I used Is currently unavailable but the link I have provided Is comparable. I used a 240 cfm fan and In retrospect I could have used less.

The Build
Here is the cost breakdown for this build:
$27 Igloo Cooler (Walmart)
$29 Blower Fan
$12 4” Flange
$10 4”Flex Duct
$13 Water Pump
$8 5/16 Tubing
$19 Radiator
$7 3” Floor Drain Caps (2ct Home Depot)
$15 12v Cigarette Power Cord
$19 PWM Speed Control
$0 Conduit clamps (I had already)
$149 = My cost to build.

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[cutweldngrind]

Cool video. I have the same cooler and will be converting mine soon.

[Alpha-msnj]

So many different designs and ideas on how to fab these up, I've been taking bits of ideas from different sources. Those drain plugs are excellent for air inlets. I'm making one using copper tubing down in the ice/water compartment, using a separator to keep the ice/water from making contact with the air, then using the pump to send water to the coils and to the radiator up under the lid in a closed loop manner. Still thinking it through but basic idea. Thanks for sharing.

[hashbar]

finally I see one that is done correctly.

[rsmolkin]

This is one of the best designs I've found. Other similar ones put the fan on the intake pushing the air in, and maybe adding a radiator on both intake and exhaust. I wonder if there is a way to somehow run the airflow through a duct but still have it pass through the radiator and cover the duct with ice.

[bobbywenger]

I've been freezing gallon jugs it's going to work better then bag of ice that's a good idea I'm going to bill me one too

[georgeplagianos]

I was just right thanks for the great instructions in building this. I'm in Brooklyn New York I was thinking of building one myself at the beginning of the heatwave starting the beginning of July. I just never got my act together with the sudden heat wave. It was like 3 weeks of a steady 90+ degree temperature so I never got it. Now the temperature in August is just about 80. I'm still looking to make one. I see it's a simple concept you tood us. My big worry like one of the guys here asked about the submersible pump. Man I'm worried about electrocution if the pump malfunctions is that possible? Most of the pumps I see are all under water. One side of the pump has a grill that takes in water and the as a tube coming out to connect a small hose. What do you suggest? Where to get a pumper tubes on both sides so I can keep it above the water line? What I was hoping to build something mostly stationary. The box we have the speed control and all that wires coming out of it I think it's too much for me to comprehend. Maybe I can do one without. What also confuses me is radiator what do you mean by the radiator? The other videos talk about going into a refrigerator and pulling out the fins that have the metal tubes going through it. is that what you're talkin about? I went to home Depot and picked up l/4 inch 10 foot copper tubing. Which I was going to make into a spiral over a 12in.. but that's not well figured out. Like if you can put the copper tube rap close into a cóne shape and then put it in those 4 or 6-in flexible hoses pushed by the computer or a small fan. That I think would concentrate the coldness into a very confined space while it comes out of that flex hose or those plastic ducks coming out of cooler I don't know it's just some ideas I just need to like work on it instead of just thinking qnd not redesigning and redesigning and notthing gets gets done.. I just turned 72 been getting pretty disorganized very easily so I wish I can get my act together any thoughts please thank you.. take care and stay well

[MrFredsDIY]

This project was long overdue! I have made a few mods, watch here➡️DIY Ice Cooler Air Conditioner (FAIL)

[mauriciogonzalez]

Before starting any of the holes, you can drill small holes in the lid and use spray foam to inject spray foam into the lid where it will expand and fill the cavity. This negates the need for the rigid foam.

[brianjenkins]

Idk of I am doing something wrong or not but it really isn't blowing out that cold. I decided to build this instead of buying an icy breeze, kinda wish I just bought the icybreeze

[turboimport]

you could also run 2 radiators 1 large 1 at the bottom and run a closed loop system. And use the ice as radiant cooling as well. The aluminum should stay cooler then just water.

[JasonPullara]

awesome project. it does seem like it'll add humidity to the air, though. I wonder if, to compensate, you could make a closed loop system with water filled copper going to the radiator and using that chilled copper to cool the air. Maybe using a coil in the ice water.

[igaveyouonejob]

I like this build better than any others I’ve seen. Great job! I do have one question though. Does the pump (being submerged) get warm itself and add to warming up the water? Have you thought about an in-line pump where only the intake tube is below the water line?

[StevenPenny]

Any idea how many watts this uses? I’m debating on converting a window unit for ac but this would be much simpler. Although getting ice for it might be challenging while camping.

[E_STI]

Nice air cooler and I’ve made a few of these and just recently bought an icy breeze v2. I use 2 radiators and the air temp coming out of the duct is in the 40 degree range.

[bradlyons]

Excellent DIY video Mr. Fred. Well done! Please post the answers to my questions under this comment: Your DIY ice cooler air conditioner uses a blower fan and water pump that uses 12 volts direct current instead of 110 volts alternating current; during a hot weather electric utility company power outage ('blackout' or 'brownout'). your 12 volt direct current DIY ice cooler air conditioner can be connected to one or two 12 volt 100 watt portable solar panel(s) (such as Harbor Freight store Thunderbolt brand briefcase 12 volt 100 watt portable solar panel(s) or Rich Solar brand briefcase 12 volt 100 watt portable solar panel) without requiring a solar power inverter, without requiring a solar charge controller, and without requiring a battery power supply as long as the sun is shining on the portable solar panel(s) for the panel(s) to convert sunlight into direct current electrical power, and as long as there is ice available for the igloo ice chest. For indoor and after dark use during a power outage, your 12 volt direct current Ice cooler air conditioner could be powered by either a gas powered electric power generator, or rechargeable lithium ion battery power station. Your DIY ice cooler air conditioner uses a small cold water temperature-to-air transfer radiator to cool the air and therefore, it can be used in an R.V., van, camper, tent, or a room because it does not release moisture into the air (a swamp cooler releases moisture into the air). For indoor use when there is available 110V / 120V alternating current electrical power (when there is no power outage or 'blackout' / 'brownout'), your ice cooler air conditioner can be wired to a 12 volt direct current automobile cigarette lighter power connector plug and plugged into a 110 volt / 120 volt alternating current to 12 volt direct current power inverter available through Amazon.com. My questions: (1) Where can people buy your adjustable drill tool you used to drill the 4" holes in your ice cooler lid, and what is that tool called? (2) Where can people buy your power tool you used to cut / trim your plastic ice cooler lid for the underside of the 4" holes and for cutting the plastic underside of the ice cooler lid for fitting the radiator into the underside of the lid? What is the name and brand of that power tool? It would be interesting to know whether or not your DIY ice cooler air conditioner could be interfaced with a 12 volt peltier thermal electric water chiller such as those used in cold salt water fish aquariums. It would be interesting to know whether or not a 12 volt direct current peltier thermal electric water chiller would be able to chill the water in the ice chest enough to cool the air passing through the radiator of your ice cooler air conditioner after the ice has melted and / or, without ice.

[raceking]

Ok how did you find where the holes are for the radiator to screw it down to the lid?

[geoperales]

Can you do something where it can run off a Milwaukee battery or something like that

[DanielGarcia-dbxq]

I made one but the fan turns off i turn the dial a little past half of the potentiometer. Im not quite sure what the problem is.

[vigilantobserver]

Awesome build, thanks! Would an additional radiator on the intake of the blower have much of an effect? What is the make/model of the Infrared Temperature device you're using? Here in Austin, I can't effectively use a swamp cooler for 1/3 of the summer (high humidity). Do you think this build would contribute much humidity?

[juniorb]

Will it cool the same without the radiator?