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The basic idea for the bucket cooler is just a smaller version of Yellowdog's cooler made
from a rubbermade garbage can.
An evaporative cooler will reduce the tempature by 20 to 30 degrees.
Keep in mind that there is more than one way to skin a cat. (WARNING! DO NOT SKIN A
CAT, IT WONT HELP THIS PROJECT AND WILL IRRITATE YOUR PUSSY!!!)
All the ideas that people came up with on this thread are a perfect example of radical
self relience! (Bravo!!!)
Get a 5 gallon bucket and lid.
Have your trained mice naw some holes in the bucket, or use a hole saw, or 50 caliber
sniper rifle. (Honey badgers wont work, they don't give a shit!)
Because the bucket tapers out towards the top, you will not need to line the bucket with
shade clothe.
Cut a second piece of pad 24x13 inches and roll into a tight tube.
1/2 inch Drip irrigation line works ok to soak your pads, but poly hose is more flexible
and you can buy it by the foot.
I like the T connectors that fit inside the line. I cut the ends of the T shorter so I could
keep the holes in the line close enough together so there wont be a dry strip on the
pads.
This hose is 3/8 inch.
The holes in the line need to be uniform for an even flow on the pad.
Drlling holes works, but I found that heating a piece of wire melts a nice, more uniform
hole.
I used a piece of 10 gauge copper wire.
Heat the wire with a torch, or the burner on your stove, then press through the line.
Sliding the wire in and out till it cools will make a happy hole! (Don't even think about it
Yggy, this is serious!)
http://www.siliconsolar.com/replacement-12v-solar-pump-p-103.html
The 3/8 inch line fits this pump perfectly.
Nice even flow of water.
When the lid is put on, the line will be pinched between the lid and the pad, so it wont
move around.
FANS!
The key to good cooler is a powerful fan.
CFM=cubic feet per minute.
http://www.frozencpu.com/cat/l2/g36/c435/list/p1/Fans-12_Volt_Fans_by_CFM.html
I used this one.
http://www.frozencpu.com/products/12959/fan-859/Delta_120_x_38mm_HighSpeed_PWM_Fan_-_19048_CFM_AFB1212SHE.html?tl=g36c435s1108
It uses more power, but makes the bucket cooler very effective.
Calculate the cubic footage of the space to be cooled, then get a fan that will replace
the air inside the space every 3 to 5 minutes.
Any 120mm fan will fit inside the top of the pad tube.
I spliced the wires from the fan to the wires from the pump. (both are 12volt)
Then ran the wire out through one of the holes in the side of the bucket.
Now with the lid on the bucket, I used a 4 inch septic line connector gooped to the lid
over the fan.
Now you can use 4 inch septic line to duct the air into the space to be cooled. You don't
need to glue these piceces together.