This project is my dad's $10 solution to a $500 solution to a $25,000 problem. As I have previously mentioned around the site, my Dad owns an electric 1979 Ford Courier pickup, and is cool enough to let me drive it around. We absolutely love it, and wouldn't trade it for a Tesla Roadster, but one of the few problems with electric cars is heating and cooling. In a gas car, heat is provided by the 80% of the gas that is wasted as heat, and air conditioning is provided by a crankshaft-driven compressor system. Many EVs use hair dryer elements and fans for heat, and some, ours included, feature a powerful gasoline-burning heater.

(Update from 4-22-08: I'd forgotten that I mentioned the gas heater on here. Last fall the gas tank and heater were removed, and a ceramic heater was built in. It works great, although not quite as fast, and doesn't use gas.)

However, air conditioning is trickier because the shaft of an electric motor doesn't always spin. Some have used a compressor driven by the motor shaft anyway, while others have turned a compressor using a separate motor. Finally, my dad came up with part of the concept for this system. It pumps ice water through an evaporator core, which has fans that blow air through it. It is very simple, but we found what we were looking for at Sporty's Pilot Shop. They sell air conditioners built into ice chests for prices ranging from $475 for a basic model to $625 for a 24V, dual fan model.There is also an ArcticAir unit for $4750 with a full compressor unit. However, we like our $10 version better. I saw the ArcticAir display at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh this summer, and our unit is more compact and puts out cooler air. All you need is materials, basic construction/assembly and wiring skills, and a bag of ice. Let's go!

Update, 5-12-08: 100,003 views! Yay! I'm no Kipkay, but I'm still proud.

Step 1: Background and How it Works

This project is very similar to the ArcticAir Package Unit. In fact, I attached two pictures of it I took at AirVenture this past summer. It looks almost identical to ours, and we built this without ever seeing a picture of the inside! The basic concept is to use a boating bilge pump to circulate iced water through a heater core, then use 12V fans to blow air through that core, which cools the air and pulls out water through condensation.

Advantages: Very compact and portable, lightweight without the ice, no environmentally not-so-friendly chlorofluorocarbons, hydrogenated chlorofluorocarbons, or hydrofluorocarbons, very quiet, and operates off 12VDC, AKA a cigarette lighter. The only disadvantage is that it the ice will melt after 30-60 minutes of operation, depending on the size of your cooler. However, it was built for an EV, so we are only ever out for an hour or two maximum, and the ice lasts longer when it's not running. The third image on this step shows the operation. Have I convinced you to build one yet?
Picture! Picture!
<p>Made another air cooler .Here : http://adf.ly/1L9Me4</p>
<p>do you realize you could get rich? :)</p>
<p>During the height of steel production in the greater Pittsburg, PA area, white-collar workers took a spare white shirt to change into as the air was so thick with coal smoke and ash that it soon turned black. China is now in some areas that bad. So yes, you are correct.</p>
Okee dokes. Have fun.
The ice box runs whether we use the ice or not. We can turn it off, but that only shuts off water, not power to the freezing mechanism.
Yes, the ice box runs regardless, but it runs more to freeze water. How about using solar panels to run your portable cooler, or to charge the battery? Then you would have a somewhat "Green" portable AC.
Well, why do you think I'm tying to win? I don't need another bike...
Cameron-- I live in Texas, Waco Texas, and so far this 'spring' we have hit 101 and 102 in my area. I have a 1993 Honda Civic, 200,000 miles on it, and the air is/has been gone now for a year and a half. This is one of the most brilliant ideas I have ever come across. Hat's off to you and your Father. I am late on this in terms of 2007, but I have a question if you could take a stab at it, I would be most grateful.<br /> Do you think this design will cool a 4 door Civic to a comfortable level here in Texas when it is 100 outside? I suspect we would go harder on the ice, ie, it will melt quicker, but I am an older disabled person that has a harder time as I age with the heat. I sure would like to hear what you have to say to my questions.<br /> I also wanted to say that I know the head of the physics department at UT Austin. I am going to ask him if there is a way to add something to the water to make the ice/cold last longer. Without using salt, and non-corrosive to the heat exchanger. If he gives me a good answer, I will let you know. one more thing- may I have you and your fathers approval to build your idea??? Tahnks so much, james<br />
Why on earth would they put something on Instructables if they didn't want people to build it? This is what this site is based on, which is showing other people how to build what you built.

About This Instructable


1,375 favorites


More by CameronSS: CameronSS's Convertible Cross-Campus Cloister Synchronize Pidgin Logs with Dropbox Sugru Precision Pencil Grip
Add instructable to: