You don't need to buy an expensive air conditioner to be able to handle the heat for a few days. Conversely, you can cool a room using water bottles and a fan. You can freeze the bottles and put them in front of the fan or stick them on the back. Once you build a DIY air conditioner, you'll feel cooler and more comfortable in no time!
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Place Frozen Bottles In Front of the Ventilator
Step 1. Pour 50g of salt into each of the plastic bottles filled with water
Choose disposable plastic bottles to make the project easier to prepare and throw away when finished. Pour 50g of salt into each bottle, screw the caps back on and shake them to dissolve the salt well.
Regular table salt is great for this project
Step 2. Freeze all bottles
Leave them in the freezer for a few hours, until they are completely frozen. When the water turns to ice, take the bottles and set them aside.
- Salt lowers the melting temperature of the water and allows you to create colder ice.
- Depending on the size of your freezer, it may take longer for the bottles to freeze.
Step 3. Place the bottles 15cm from the fan
The best fans for this project are tabletop fans, but you can use whichever one you prefer. Turn it on and put it behind the bottles. The air will cool as it passes close to the ice. Keep the fan on until the water is freezing to simulate the effect of an air conditioner.
- Arrange the bottles so they don't block the fan's airflow.
- Place the bottles on a small table in front of the fan if it is a floor model.
- Do not activate fan swing, if available. Always keep it pointed at the water bottles.
Step 4. Return the bottles to the freezer for reuse
When the ice melts, just freeze the water again. In a few hours, you can still use your fan as an air conditioner!
Keep other bottles ready in the freezer so you don't have to wait for them to freeze again
Method 2 of 2: Hang the Bottles Behind the Fan
Step 1. Cut 2 empty water bottles in half, 2.5 cm from the bottom
Drink the water from 2 bottles, or empty them into another container. Practice the cut with a utility knife. Hold the bottle firmly with one hand on a cutting board as you push the tip of the blade through the plastic and reach the middle of the bottle. Make the same cut on the other.
Be careful when handling the utility knife
Step 2. Drill several holes above the cuts, 0.6 cm apart
To make them, use a 0.6 cm drill bit designed for plastic. Make a row of holes around the bottle 1.2 cm above the cut. Once the first row is finished, do 2-3 more, 0.6 cm apart.
Alternatively, you can use a welding gun to melt the plastic and drill the holes
Step 3. Tie the upside down bottles behind the fan with string or thread
Make sure the fan is off before doing this. Thread the thread through 2 holes in each bottle. Then wrap it around the fan bars and tie it with a knot. To keep the bottles in place, tie a second thread around the cap.
Tie one bottle on each side of the fan
Step 4. Place ice cubes inside the bottles and turn on the fan
Raise the bottom of the bottles, so you can insert the cubes into the cut. Fill them just below the holes. Turn on the fan at maximum speed and aim it at the area you want to cool.
- The fan will take the cold air from the bottles through the holes you made.
- Since the bottles are tied to the fan, you can use the fan swing if available.
Step 5. Drain the melted ice into a bowl
When the ice begins to melt, keep a bowl under the lid. Unscrew the cap so that the water falls into the bowl, then screw it back on before repeating the operation with the other bottle. To keep using the bottles, just add more ice.
Advise:
reuse the water you drained from the bottles to refill the ice cube tray. That way, you won't waste it!
