Approx:8-20degree DYI Chiller

wow... thats a crazy unique idea! Best Luck, will definitely check back

intense on the edge of my pulled up chair, I was thinks of tearing out my ice maker of my fridge and using that some how

Koabear said:

intense on the edge of my pulled up chair, I was thinks of tearing out my ice maker of my fridge and using that some how

Click to expand...

LOL! Thats probably only a tray and motor No separate compressor or anything. My fridge is rare in that it has 2 systems in it, one for the freeze and another for the fridge part. Most just do a little regulation and use a single.


Hey I lost track or the original idea. Was it to cool a water res or the air temp?

BigBudBalls said:

LOL! Thats probably only a tray and motor No separate compressor or anything. My fridge is rare in that it has 2 systems in it, one for the freeze and another for the fridge part. Most just do a little regulation and use a single.


Hey I lost track or the original idea. Was it to cool a water res or the air temp?

Click to expand...

To cool the water, my friend...

See thats what was confusing some people in the beggining, I think they thought it was to cool air. haha

i dont see why it wouldn't cool air in a small chamber.

I'm pondering using one for air cooling.

But I'd leave it all together and poke a few holes in the walls.

Make an acrylic res (since the inside shapes are odd and acrylic is easy to work with)

Add a pump and a pair of hoses going to a radiator with a fan.
(would also help as a dehumidifier a little too)

I think bigbudballs idea is spot on, and thats what i was hoping this one was, but i have long realized it wasnt- and am still very impressed by the ingenuity displayed by my fellow growers! props

OB Cron Kenobi said:

I think bigbudballs idea is spot on, and thats what i was hoping this one was, but i have long realized it wasnt- and am still very impressed by the ingenuity displayed by my fellow growers! props

Click to expand...

Just gotta tune it to the delta temps A flow restricteor just after the radiator can make that easy.

BigBudBalls said:

I'm pondering using one for air cooling.

But I'd leave it all together and poke a few holes in the walls.

Make an acrylic res (since the inside shapes are odd and acrylic is easy to work with)

Add a pump and a pair of hoses going to a radiator with a fan.
(would also help as a dehumidifier a little too)

Click to expand...

Never really thought about using it 4 that... You could also take the heating element out of a dehumidifier and it would be similar. All a dehumidifier does is reheat the air before it blows it back out....They ussually have a 1/6th horse power chiller in them....

CustomHydro said:

Never really thought about using it 4 that... You could also take the heating element out of a dehumidifier and it would be similar. All a dehumidifier does is reheat the air before it blows it back out....They ussually have a 1/6th horse power chiller in them....

Click to expand...

I'm not so sure about that. Gotta look into it. But I was under the impression that a dehumidifier was basically an AC unit. The cold (evaporator) condenses the water in the air. The heat is from the condenser. (cools the freon after the compressor. )

BigBudBalls said:

I'm not so sure about that. Gotta look into it. But I was under the impression that a dehumidifier was basically an AC unit. The cold (evaporator) condenses the water in the air. The heat is from the condenser. (cools the freon after the compressor. )

Click to expand...

I'm sure u are right. I was talking out of my ass, and I threw a guess out there....So, the air coming out of the dehudifier must blow over the condenser (maybe to cool it) and in turn the air comes out warmer. Am I correct here. Do u think there would be a way to control the heat so the unit could be used as a portable ac? I actually just bought a window ac and I will be modifying it to be a portable ac in another DYI. First I still have to finish my water chiller.

CustomHydro said:

I'm sure u are right. I was talking out of my ass, and I threw a guess out there....So, the air coming out of the dehudifier must blow over the condenser (maybe to cool it) and in turn the air comes out warmer. Am I correct here. Do u think there would be a way to control the heat so the unit could be used as a portable ac? I actually just bought a window ac and I will be modifying it to be a portable ac in another DYI. First I still have to finish my water chiller.

Click to expand...

No, not really. You would have to adjust the superheat and subcool of the system. Thats quite a bit of work.

The unit is basically an AC already, just on a smaller scale, so the condenser doesn't get that hot, thus in turn the evaporator doesn't get too cool. The idea is to cool the air running over the evaporator just a bit below the dew point to condense any water vapor in it back into water.

The more cool you get the more heat you get too.

BigBudBalls said:

No, not really. You would have to adjust the superheat and subcool of the system. Thats quite a bit of work.

The unit is basically an AC already, just on a smaller scale, so the condenser doesn't get that hot, thus in turn the evaporator doesn't get too cool. The idea is to cool the air running over the evaporator just a bit below the dew point to condense any water vapor in it back into water.

The more cool you get the more heat you get too.

Click to expand...

Thanks 4 the info! +Rep

EDIT...
Hey BBB, I just bought a window AC. I figured out all the vents are intake and the only exhaust of heat is out the ass end. I want to use this for a portable ac/dehumidifier... My plan is to run a 6inch duct off of the ass end and vent the hot air with the rest of my exhaust, and mount a removable drip pan to catch the condensation. Do u forsee any problems with this?

I finally had a chance to test this thing out and I'm very impressed

wow i wanted to build one but idkif i have the patients to do it mabe ill spend a few100..

excelent job! how did u end up mounting and using? is it still on line? thanx, father.

Man, this was a great post.And you got such great results (considering the room was completely sealed with no ventilation), 25* drop - That's awesome.Thanks for the effort. I've been thinking of this for a long time, except only running lines through the fridge 'cause I didn't know how to go about removing what needs to be removed.I also took a 'free' office water cooler a year or so ago to attempt a "drop in res" cooler. But all I ended up doing was unscrewing, and cutting the thing up and then looking at it with a puzzled face and tossing it all in the garbage.. Hah.Thanks!

could you do this with your average kitchen fridge??? i have an extra one and its already right next to my room?