How Can I Turn My Fan Into a Swamp Cooler?

Making a swamp cooler is easy with ice and any fan.

A swamp cooler uses the evaporating water in air to control temperatures in a room. Most air conditioners work on the same principle, but are very expensive to buy and install. It is very easy to take a typical store-bought fan and change it into an ersatz swamp cooler with very little preparation. All you need is a bag of ice, a fan of any sort and the right placement of both to fabricate a swamp cooler.

Things You'll Need

• Ice cubes
• Bowl
• Fan
• Towel

Instructions

1. Place the ice cubes in a bowl. Don't overfill the bowl, but make sure the ice is stacked so it appears over the top of the bowl. Be aware the ice will melt eventually, so make sure the bowl won't overflow and cause a mess.

2. Place the bowl on the towel. Position the towel so any water overflow from the melted ice will be absorbed without creating a mess. Place it away from any sensitive electronics, on a stable flat surface.

3. Place the fan in front of the ice-filled bowl. The evaporated moisture from the ice will drift to the back of the fan then circulate, creating the swamp cooler.

4. Replace the ice every few hours for optimal effect. Also change the towel, to prevent water damage.

Tips & Warnings

• Watch that any overflow from the bowl won't touch the fan and cause a short or fire.

• Check under the towel occasionally to prevent water damage. The towel will eventually dry out but could cause damage to furniture if left in place for long periods. Left too long it may also mildew and create a smell that the swamp cooler will spread along with cool air.

References

• Wonder Quest: A swamp cooler cools air by evaporation
• University of Colorado at Boulder: Evaporative Cooling