Comments on: The Black Beauty

By: DIY A/C Unit Keeps You Cool in a Heatwave | TOP TECHNOLOGY NEWS

DIY A/C Unit Keeps You Cool in a Heatwave | TOP TECHNOLOGY NEWS — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 12:36:15 +0000

[...] 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.” [...]

By: DIY A/C Unit Keeps You Cool in a Heatwave | I Bleed Bits | Gadgets

DIY A/C Unit Keeps You Cool in a Heatwave | I Bleed Bits | Gadgets — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 12:16:49 +0000

[...] to the modern air condition: the “Black Beauty.”After rooting around for parts in his school’s [...]

By: DIY A/C Unit Keeps You Cool in a Heatwave | TECH news! | TECH news!

DIY A/C Unit Keeps You Cool in a Heatwave | TECH news! | TECH news! — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 01:59:49 +0000

[...] Coughing up the cash for a Frappuccino isn’t your only option. Geoff Milburn of Ontario, Quebec CA created a cheap, DIY approach to the modern air condition: The “Black Beauty.” [...]

By: DIY A/C Unit Keeps You Cool in a Heatwave | hot gadget news

DIY A/C Unit Keeps You Cool in a Heatwave | hot gadget news — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 23:52:08 +0000

[...] Milburn of Ontario, Quebec CA 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, [...]

By: botinhas

botinhas — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 23:23:03 +0000

Hi,
The black beauty is, well… a beauty!

Could you give us some readings on the water temperatures in and out of the radiator?

Regards from Portugal,
Botinhas

By: Rob

Rob — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 20:56:12 +0000

Okay so I’ve been reading up on this all day, and I have a basic idea of what I’m doing but I’ve honestly never built anything like this or pretty much at all before, and as I will be in a dorm I don’t have the ability to have the water empty out (I can’t have and don’t want a large trash barrel in my room either haha) would I be able to have a close circuit system with an aquarium pump with this design?

By: Nadeem Ahmed

Nadeem Ahmed — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 17:29:36 +0000

dear Geoff , want to know that what was the temp of water u were using and what is the change in the ROOM AIR TEMP after what time u run this gadget ? m planning to make one same like yours but a bigger in size with a circulation of chilled water in the copper lines , i will use 2 or 3 car radiators or the vaporizers of old window A/C or the condensers of the split units (out door unit condensers) the room size is about 150 sq feet so what you suggest should i use a small compressor too in the reservoir of water (must b in the heat proof bucket or custom made reservoir) please answer the question asked in the above lines. thanks

By: Parth

Parth — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 00:09:56 +0000

Also, one last question.. would it be okay if i used a 1/2″ ID pump with a 5/8″ ID heat core? Would i want to get a stronger pump to compensate as the water pressure will decrease once it hits the 5/8″ tube?

By: Parth

Parth — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 23:46:05 +0000

Hi Geoff, I could really use your advice!

I live in a college dorm… and i haven’t got an air conditioner, and one isn’t allowed (due to high electricity costs to the university).

I have a honeywell turbo fan, similiar to the one you used, and i’m thinking of following your black beauty design.. however, i have one problem: i don’t have running water in my room.

I am thinking of filling buckets with ice (if i can obtain) or otherwise cold water from the bathroom, and making a closed loop, with an open reservoir, similair to spencer’s build.

Will this heat core be good:?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/USED-1999-Ford-Windstar-Rear-Heater-Core-NR-/150485817887?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item2309a75a1f

are the 5/8″ pipes too big?

How powerful will the pump need to be?

i can obtain pumps from 300L/hr to 1500L/hr for nearly the same cost..

Any ideas on how to make it better?

By: Geoff

Geoff — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 13:58:40 +0000

Hi Ingemar,

I’m not sure that it would. The only reason to use ethylene glycol would be to drop the freezing point of the liquid in the cooling loop, and most people don’t use a cooling source that reduces temperatures significantly enough to require this.

If you were using dry ice or similar such that these low temperatures would occur however, there would be a significant benefit (ie less likely to freeze!).