And yet another Newbee Question

GudDaddy · Post by **GudDaddy** » Sun Sep 02, 2007 7:12 pm

I am on well water and as such cannot leave tap water running thru the column condensor. I want to use a 30+- gallon can of some kind with a submerable pump and recycle the water. My question: I have 2 condensors I took out of a window AC unit. My thought is to clean the AC condensor vey well and run the water coming from the column condensor back thru the AC condensor to cool it. I could even hook up a fan to cool the AC condensor further. Should I be at all concerned about what the AC condensor was soldered with? The column condensor is a SS unit I purchased.

pintoshine · Post by **pintoshine** » Sun Sep 02, 2007 8:06 pm

Get a larger cooling water container such as one of those 750L IBC containers. Use your bathtub or something that can hold a lot of water. Even a 100L barrel will work. Don't waste the tap or in you case well water. I use rain water for my cooling water almost exclusively. In the middle of the summer I have even used my 24 ft pool.

Post by **Usge** » Sun Sep 02, 2007 9:03 pm

The submersible pump is about 19 dollars and works great. The only problem I've found with it was that there were zero instructions with it. But, you'll figure it out.

Get yourself a a suitable tub of water to recirculate (ie..size vs heat). If you need additional cooling..just chuck some ice in your condensor bucket along the way. The deal is bro...the water doesn't have to be ice cold. It just needs to "stay cool enough" when the vapor comes off to distill it and have it come out room temp or slightly cool to touch. (a different problem). You want the distallate that comes off to be at least room temp to touch. (it doesn't have to be cold). Just not "hot".

Post by **Usge** » Sun Sep 02, 2007 9:04 pm

I wouldn't use any car parts, or airconditoner parts..etc.

junkyard dawg · Post by **junkyard dawg** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 5:04 am

It'll be ok to use, but I wouldn't bother. Use a bigger tank, keep it simple...

wineo · Post by **wineo** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 6:58 am

And 5 gallon buckets make 5 gallon ice cubes.I run a 30 gallon barrel,and a pond pump,and 10 gallons of ice.My condencer is so cold,it sweats.
wineo

BW Redneck · Post by **BW Redneck** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 3:23 pm

I heard of a setup where a frame was built over the cooling reservoir, a towel was hung over it, and the heated cooling water was allowed to drip onto the towel, and the towel had a fan blowing on it. This would, in effect, create an open-air radiator that would also dissipate heat by allowing the water vapor to escape into the atmosphere. You would lose a little bit of water this way, but not so much that you couldn't top it off a little after a run.

GudDaddy · Post by **GudDaddy** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 7:53 am

Thanks guys, looks like I will be freezing gallon milk jugs. I am a great believer in the KISS theory on almost everything!

Post by **Husker** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 8:18 am

BW Redneck wrote:I heard of a setup where a frame was built over the cooling reservoir, a towel was hung over it, and the heated cooling water was allowed to drip onto the towel, and the towel had a fan blowing on it. This would, in effect, create an open-air radiator that would also dissipate heat by allowing the water vapor to escape into the atmosphere. You would lose a little bit of water this way, but not so much that you couldn't top it off a little after a run.

I use this type of setup. I built a small A-frame out of 3/4" dowels. it is wide enough to hold the small sized bath towel I use. Then on my "return" water, I have a plastic hose that I have punched 4 holes in and left the end open (to make a manifold to spread out the hot water). This is zip tied to the top of the A-frame pointing down. Then when running, hot water is put onto the top of the towel, and the towel soaks up FULL. Then the water drips from the bottom of the towel, back into the container housing my submersible pump. Then I simply put a fan on one end of the A-Frame blowing air through (and some around the outside edge), and that cools off the water quite a bit. Before this, I would end up cycling water during the run to keep the water cool enough. Now things are kept cool enough for the whole run.

I also do the same for my Alembic, which uses a coil in the bucket method. Here, I simply have my submersible pump that is placed just under the surface (to take the hot layer of water). Then I simply pump this up to a towel, and evap that. Before, I would have to cycle the water 3 or 4 times (pain in the arse). After this "mod", I simply add a few liters of water now and again (when my pump gets ready to be uncovered), and do not have to worry about emptying the hot water and replacing it with cooler water. Much simpler for me, it is pretty much self running.

H.

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And yet another Newbee Question

And yet another Newbee Question

Cooling water