Free (or as close as you'll get to it) air conditioning

CKhalvashi

Just a tip that was given to me this morning by a colleague, which I've got home and tried, and it works.

Freeze some bottles of water (I've had some in the freezer, as I like to Orange Squash it as it melts), and place them in front of a fan. When switched on, it seems cools the air.

My thermostat said '26' an hour ago, and it's now at '22', using 4x5l squash bottles. I've not tested this with 2l bottles, but lined together it should have the same effect.

CK

Alter_ego

So does you freezer work for nothing?

CKhalvashi

Alter_ego wrote: »

So does you freezer work for nothing?

No, but my freezer is always on anyway.

The point is the minimal additional cost of doing it this way.

Leif

CKhalvashi wrote: »

No, but my freezer is always on anyway.

The point is the minimal additional cost of doing it this way.

But your freezer will have to work harder to cool down the insides, and the fan costs money too. Free? Nah.

Ben84

I doubt it costs that much to do this, but I also doubt it can generate the kind of temperature drop you're suggesting. That was likely down to the afternoon getting later. It should make the air flowing off the fan a bit cooler though, which could be good on a hot day. As with any fan, make sure you're sitting in the path of the air flow, or you won't get any benefit from using it.

Another trick to get cooler air from your fan is to place it in an open window so it pulls in cooler outside air. On a still day when hot air is collecting inside, I've found this can reduce the indoor temperature several degrees.

cyclonebri1

What do you do in winter?, burn the furniture?:rotfl:

DaftyDuck

In winter, you put hot water in the freezer, and the element on the rear gives off a warm glow. It's a great economy, especially as you can use the very same water bottles for cooling in summer....

Books, they're great for burning. Tom Wolfe books are excellent for this...

mandragora_2

Best free-ish way of cooling off enough to get to sleep (works a treat for children struggling in this heat) is to take the sheet (or a light cloth, like a length of muslin, even better) you'd be sleeping under off the bed, soak it in cold water and then wring it right out so it's only lightly damp. Sleep under that - now that IS something that works on the fridge principle, as the air passing over it and the damp cold sheet itself cools you enough to let your body temp drop so you can go to sleep - then as you sleep, any remaining water evaporates, so you don't stay cold/slightly damp all night long, just long enough to drop off to sleep.

yangptangkipperbang

CKhalvashi wrote: »

My thermostat said '26' an hour ago, and it's now at '22', using 4x5l squash bottles. I've not tested this with 2l bottles, but lined together it should have the same effect.

CK

What's the temp in the kitchen ? 45 ?