DIY Indirect Evaporative Cooler

Cooling yourself in the summer makes it bearable.

The hot summer months make your home uncomfortable to live in, unless you do something about it. An evaporative cooler is used in climates with very dry air, because the system causes the air-absorbing moisture to cool the area. In humid climates, an indirect evaporative cooler works better, because it cools the air without adding water. This is done by using an exchanger to separate the air from the cooling medium. Plastic PVC pipe can be used for an inexpensive exchanger in a DIY system.

Things You'll Need

• Plywood
• Chest cooler (35 quart or larger)
• Jigsaw
• Drill
• 4-inch hole saw
• Desk fan
• Plastic clamps
• 4-inch PVC pipe
• Miter saw
• PVC elbows
• PVC glue
• Ice

Instructions

1. Position the plywood on top of the cooler, and outline the inside edge of the cooler with a pencil. Cut the plywood with a jigsaw along this line.

2. Use a measuring tape to mark a line down the center of the plywood, along the longest dimension. Measure in 6 inches from each side on this line, and mark an "X" at each location. Drill a 4-inch hole using each "X" as the center point.

3. Measure the depth of the cooler, and subtract 6 inches. Measure and mark two sections of straight PVC pipe to that length. Cut the PVC pipe along the lines with a miter saw.

4. Push the PVC pipe into each of the holes cut in the wood, so their ends are flush with the surface. Insert an elbow on the end of each pipe, so they are oriented facing one another.

5. Measure the space between the two elbows, including the overlap where the pipe inserts into the elbow. Measure and cut another section of PVC pipe to that measurement. Pull the straight sections of PVC pipe out of the wood and remove the elbows.

6. Apply PVC glue to the end of the side sections of PVC pipe and the inside of the elbows. Push the elbows onto the ends of the pipe. Apply glue to both ends of the bottom section of PVC pipe and the inside of both elbows. Push the elbows onto the glued ends of the pipe. Insert the pipe into the two holes in the wood.

7. Remove the blade cover from the front side of the fan by bending back the tabs and pulling it off. Place the fan over one of the holes on the plywood, and secure with six plastic clamps screwed into the wood.

8. Pour ice and water into the cooler until it is 3/4 full. Push the pipe into the ice water until the plywood is flush with the top of the cooler. Plug the fan into a wall outlet and allow to run until the water is room temperature.

Tips & Warnings

• The larger the chest cooler you use, the greater the cooling capacity is.

References

• Your Tube: Ice Chest Swamp Cooler
• Idlax: Indirect Evaporative Air Cooling
• Reliant: Evaporative Cooling