Low cost, low weight, temp A/C idea

Pat S · 07-12-2004, 06:17 PM

I've been using the P-Car as a daily driver the past week and it's been over 90 lately in Denver.
Since I took out the useless A/C it gets a bit warm. So I was thinking of a way to cool off without putting the A/C back in.

My first choice is to backdate the window frames to the early ones that have opening vent windows.

Second idea was to reuse the A/C blower, but instead of pumping freon through it, pump ice water through it.
Basically fill a small cooler with ice water and use a submersible garden fountain pump to circulate it through the cooler in the smugglers box.
The cooler would have long enough hoses to reach out of the car so it could be dumped out. and would have disconnects so it could be removed completly from the car.

Anyone tried this or have any thoughts? It should be much lighter than the normal A/C even with water and won't rob engine power. It probably won't stay cold more than an hour and I doubt it would cool the car but might be a way to blow cool air toward the driver.

Pat

fintstone · fintstone's Garage

I have the operable window vents and they don't help much at 90 degrees. Sort of like a blowdryer on your face. They are great at 70 though.

Jim Sims · 07-12-2004, 07:53 PM

Automotive A/C systems have a rating of 1 to 2 tons per hour; a ton is the heat absorbed by melting a ton of ice. I'll let you do the rest of the math. There have been proposals to keep people cool in cars by cooling the seats instead of blowing cold air about; this only requires about 40% of the power used in "air" conditioning but people tend to like cool air blowing over their faces. Cheers, Jim

SCOTITUDE · 07-12-2004, 08:12 PM

chop the top off and make it a cabriolet!!!!! Sawzall, metal blade and 15 minutes.....POOF!!! i bet the temp drops 10-15 degrees at speed.

vash · vash's Garage

jim sims, you are a wealth of info.

k9handler · 07-12-2004, 09:40 PM

a small spray bottle with water/rubbing alcohol mix will do wonders! Spay a small mist into the air and the mixture will cool you off...not very functional but it works! This is a trick I learned here in the 125 F temps...the evaporation of the alcohol takes the body heat away with it.

project911 · 07-12-2004, 09:42 PM

The only problem I see with this is the compressor needs lubrication, which the freon normally provides.

Nevermind, I re-read the original post, novel idea.

Chuck Moreland · 07-12-2004, 10:28 PM

Here is a workable implementation that is very popular with track junkies:

Pat S · 07-13-2004, 03:57 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Jim Sims
Automotive A/C systems have a rating of 1 to 2 tons per hour;

So Jim are you saying I should use at least a 240 Gallon cooler?

Okay, I guess this was a bad idea...

turbo6bar · 07-13-2004, 04:33 AM

1-2 tons. IF that is the same as home A/C, you're saying a car A/C is roughly 12000-24000 BTUs. Wow! Very small homes use A/C units under 2 tons.

Jim Sims · 07-13-2004, 05:36 AM

The heat load on an automotive A/C system is suprisingly high due to all the glass which results in a heated, shutup space (car locked up in the sun) which people demand be cooled down quickly and of course each person in the car contributes 400 to 500 watts (1400 to 1700 BTU/hr) of heat.

Paul Franssen · Paul Franssen's Garage

This post is actually quite funny

I like K9handler's idea, but what if the cops stop you, when you've been breathing that alcohol?
You might try to hang one of those early sixties canvas bags in front of your car, adds a radiator to the aircooled Porsche

I vaguely remember in the sixties they also had some plastic contraption containing ice cubes,to stick in between your window upper frame and the doorframe.

And, of course, you should replace the ice cubes with dry ice, much colder!
In actual fact, that cold straightjacket they use in racing may well be the better solution!