Will my Ghettorig Car Swampcooler work?

In My Humble Opinion
1

Inspired by Airman doors

Before I commit to ghettorigging my version of This

I want to see if my even ghettoer system will suffice to supplement my ailing car A/C sytsem.

I have a 1.29$ cup holder, the kind that goes into the window slit. The cup holder is situated directly in front of the drivers-side air vent. In the cup holder is a 18 oz aluminum bottle of Snapple elements, ironically it’s “fire” flavor. The bottle will be filled with ice with the cap off.

What are some ways I can make it more efficient?

Cap on?

Should I wrap a paper tower around the bottle to collect the “cold sweat?”

Use a plastic bottle instead?

2

A/c on recirculation or fresh?

3

Will adding salt to the water lower the freezing point by a significant degree?

4

Aluminum is a great conductor, I wouldn’t change that at all. One option is to freeze it solid then add some salt right before starting your trip. Like the old time ice cream makers, the salt melts the ice rapidly and the melting draws heat from the surrounding air. You’ll basically be super-charging the cooling effect and shortening the length of time it will work.

I have no idea if 18oz of ice is enough to make a dent in your heat problem. Be sure to leave plenty of space for the ice to expand, so you don’t stretch the aluminum. Maybe even freeze it while tilted to one side.

5

This is awesome.

I am thinking for my son’s classroom on the hot fall & late spring days. ( It’s a boiler in there.)
Thanks!

6

Thanks, I have no idea if 18 oz will be enough either. I’m just hoping it’ll cool the air that blows directly onto me.

7

For those that want a ghetto swamp cooler for their house.

You could even modify it a bit further by making it a clsoed system, sicne the water is probably not heated all the way up to room temp by the time it’s drained.

8

If you make it a closed system, you’ll probably need to add a pump…
…that unless you live in a dwelling designed by M.C.Escher.

9

Weathers been too nice to try out my system.

Will report back when it’s hotter.

10

Is this technically a swamp cooler? I thought those worked by passing air through a wet membrane, evaporating the water, no ice necessary. This just looks like it circulates air around ice to cool it down.

11

There will be cold water on the outside of the bottle.

I’m also thinking about wrapping the bottle in a papertowl to make a porus membrane for the water to evaporate from.

12

I guess that would work, but I’d rather go down to the Sears and buy an actual swamp cooler, even if it was just one of the little ones that’s only good for about a room.

13

When I first read the title I thought “Ghettorig” was a German brand name.

14

Hah, but it’s more fun building something MacGuyver style.

15

I’d get at least another one for the passenger side, unless you can close off that vent.

16

This will work about as good planning to cool your home with 1 table fan and 1 glass of ice.
:smack:

17

I suspect you’re right, but it’s still fun to try.

18

I live around L.A. without AC in the car. Get a fast food paper or plastic cup and fill it with a very iced drink. Put it between your legs and drive. You’ll dump enough heat into the cup to really feel the difference.

19

I wonder if dry ice would result in longer cooling time in the Kooler Aire.

20

Dry ice would probably be more efficient than regular ice, much colder, but will dump heaps of CO[sub]2[/sub] into the air. Very dangerous in a closed space.