DIY A/C Unit Keeps You Cool in a Heatwave
Posted in: diy, Hacks, Mods and DIY, Miscellaneous, Today's Chili
Geoff Milburn’s air conditioning unit isn’t pretty, but it does the trick. Photo courtesy of Geoff Milburn
If you’re living in the U.S., we don’t have to tell you it’s hot outside. Damn hot. Dog Day Afternoon hot.
Temperatures are soaring in cities across the country, reaching (and breaking) record highs not seen since the early 20th century. The smartest of us are seeking refuge in the air-conditioned Starbucks.
Coughing up the cash for a Frappuccino isn’t your only option. Geoff Milburn of Ontario created a cheap, DIY approach to the modern air condition: The “Black Beauty.”
After rooting around for parts in his school’s science department dumpster, Milburn strapped an oscillating fan to the radiator of an old freeze-drying machine. Using copper tubing to funnel cold water in from an outside garden hose, Milburn’s unit is controlled entirely from the inside of his house, with a simple valve attached to the tubing for more efficient water usage and flow regulation.
It’s a huge improvement from Milburn’s original A/C design, which involved a lot more copper tubing, a much larger fan, and a giant trash can filled with ice water instead of the feed from the hose.
Milburn’s original air conditioning model was somewhat less convenient. Photo courtesy of Geoff Milburn
Check out Milburn’s page for instructions on how to cool your place down without splurging on a proper A/C unit.
Now all that’s left is to figure out how to cool down that toasty MacBook Pro sitting on your lap.
Windows only 
