Build your own air conditioner out of a bucket. Pure refreshment!

It's the part of the summer in which the sun burns the hottest: August. Not even a fan can provide relief. What would you give to have a real air conditioner? Unfortunately, they're everything but affordable if you're on a tight budget. Luckily, for those short on extra money but high on motivation, there's an alternative that will bring you many a cool afternoon. 

You will need:

  • plastic bucket with lid
  • drill with hole saw
  • insulation material
  • pencil
  • carpet cutter
  • PVC pipe (same size as hole saw)
  • saw
  • desk fan
  • duct tape
  • plastic bottles filled with water, frozen ahead of time

Here's how:

  1. With the drill and hole saw bit, drill three holes next to each other in the plastic bucket. They should be approximately halfway up the the side of the bucket.
  2. Line the inside of the bucket with insulation material. Trace circles onto the insulation through the holes that have been drilled and cut them out with the carpet knife. Now you can affix the insulation material to the inside of the bucket.
  3. Saw the PVC pipe in three equal pieces. Make sure that the size of the pipe and the hole you have drilled are the same. Insert the pipes into the holes.
  4. Place the fan on the outside of the bucket lid and trace around it with a pencil. Draw a second circle, about six cm. smaller, inside the first one. Cut the inside circle out with the carpet knife. 
  5. Affix the fan inside the lid with duct tape. The fan should be positioned so that it draws the outside air into the bucket.
  6. Now you can simply place some frozen water bottles into the bucket. Place the lid on the bucket, turn on the fan, and enjoy! 

The air will be cooled by the ice in the bottles and pushed out of the holes in the bucket. If the air is no longer cool, the bottles probably need to be frozen again. But in terms of saving money in the heat of summer, this homemade air conditioner can't be beat!

Comments

Also hefty