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Red Neck Air Conditioner

Posted By: mikei

Red Neck Air Conditioner - 03/10/18 04:44 PM

My wife saw something like this on pinterest, showed it to me, and I thought it might work well in a blind. Sure enough, it did! The fan is a "tent fan" that runs on 4 "C" sized batteries. I have filled it with bags of ice, or, as you see in this picture, some frozen ice paks. For a small, contained area, it is really quite effective. The temp at the exhaust pipe moved from 79 degrees to 57 degrees in about 5 minutes. It knocks off about 10 degrees in my totally enclosed plywood blinds, and about 5 degrees in the pop-up. Just enough to make it a bit more tolerable. It's also whisper quiet, even with the fan on high speed.




Posted By: Dalee7892

Re: Red Neck Air Conditioner - 03/10/18 09:33 PM

Maybe you could hook up solar or something?
Posted By: TxAg

Re: Red Neck Air Conditioner - 03/10/18 09:39 PM

Oh yeah that works! Used a simialar rig in our old cabin several times.
Posted By: mikei

Re: Red Neck Air Conditioner - 03/10/18 11:55 PM

Originally Posted By: Dalee7892
Maybe you could hook up solar or something?


Good idea, Dalee7892; I'll see what I can come up with.
Posted By: TEXASLEFTY

Re: Red Neck Air Conditioner - 03/11/18 04:47 AM

Good idea
Posted By: llbts1

Re: Red Neck Air Conditioner - 03/11/18 05:14 AM

More pictures please. I would like to see how you mounted everything. Very cool!
Posted By: RANGERRONG

Re: Red Neck Air Conditioner - 03/11/18 01:53 PM

cool idea
Posted By: Cast

Re: Red Neck Air Conditioner - 03/11/18 02:06 PM

You can boil meat in it too!
Posted By: mikei

Re: Red Neck Air Conditioner - 03/11/18 08:37 PM

[b]
Originally Posted By: llbts1
More pictures please. I would like to see how you mounted everything. Very cool!


I just took an old cooler, bought the tent fan, placed it on the top of the cooler and drew a ring around it. Then I used a saber saw and cut on the inside of the line I had drawn, placed the fan in the hole and caulked it in. Did the same with the piece of PVC pipe. Easy peasy! I'll provide more pics if you'd like, but it's just basically two holes and some caulk.
Posted By: Wilhunt

Re: Red Neck Air Conditioner - 03/11/18 11:35 PM

A/C in the deer blind, what is the outdoors coming too?? confused2
Posted By: llbts1

Re: Red Neck Air Conditioner - 03/11/18 11:36 PM

Thank you Mike, that answers the question.
One other, is there enough room for a six pack along with the ice in the cooler? grin
Posted By: mikei

Re: Red Neck Air Conditioner - 03/12/18 12:12 AM

Originally Posted By: llbts1
Thank you Mike, that answers the question.
One other, is there enough room for a six pack along with the ice in the cooler? grin


With careful planning, you can fit even a couple of six packs in there! My process is to put the six paks in the bottom, laid flat, without their plastic rings, sort of like paving stones, and then place the coolant material on top, crank 'er up and let the good times roll!
Posted By: mikei

Re: Red Neck Air Conditioner - 03/12/18 12:17 AM

Originally Posted By: Wilhunt
A/C in the deer blind, what is the outdoors coming too?? confused2


wilhunt, some of us wusses like a bit of cool air flowing over our portly bodies when it's 97 degrees at 10pm whilst we await the arrival of the nasty piggies we plan on ambushing.
Posted By: Stripermania

Re: Red Neck Air Conditioner - 03/12/18 04:38 AM

Better with a 12v PC fan for $12, a PWM controller from Amazon so you can control the speed and a 12v feeder battery and it will last 12 hours. Bring the battery home to recharge so you don't have to buy batteries over and over. I usually stop by the penguin ice machine and buy 40lbs and it lasts 10 hours in a blind with outside temp at 90.
Posted By: TX_LT230FH

Re: Red Neck Air Conditioner - 03/12/18 12:51 PM

Tag- I can see making one of these......
Posted By: Always ready 2 hunt

Re: Red Neck Air Conditioner - 03/12/18 08:40 PM

add a solar charger on blind (assuming its a fixed blind) and wire it and use 12v feeder battery behind when you leave plug it up to your a/c when return. Less weight to carry back & forth to blind and more muscle for a/c refreshment/ice to be added.
Posted By: TxAg

Re: Red Neck Air Conditioner - 03/12/18 09:28 PM

Originally Posted By: Stripermania
Better with a 12v PC fan for $12, a PWM controller from Amazon so you can control the speed and a 12v feeder battery and it will last 12 hours. Bring the battery home to recharge so you don't have to buy batteries over and over. I usually stop by the penguin ice machine and buy 40lbs and it lasts 10 hours in a blind with outside temp at 90.


Links for controller and PC fan? Does the PC fan have high enough air flow?
Posted By: mikei

Re: Red Neck Air Conditioner - 03/12/18 10:37 PM

Originally Posted By: Stripermania
Better with a 12v PC fan for $12, a PWM controller from Amazon so you can control the speed and a 12v feeder battery and it will last 12 hours. Bring the battery home to recharge so you don't have to buy batteries over and over. I usually stop by the penguin ice machine and buy 40lbs and it lasts 10 hours in a blind with outside temp at 90.

Good idea, Stripermania! Which one do you use? The tent fan I got has two speeds and I find that once it gets cranking, I can run it on the lower speed setting. It has lasted me 5 hours with the 4 "C" sized batteries.
Posted By: llbts1

Re: Red Neck Air Conditioner - 03/13/18 02:08 AM

Fan on order.
Posted By: ETexas Hunter

Re: Red Neck Air Conditioner - 03/15/18 08:42 PM

up
Posted By: Stripermania

Re: Red Neck Air Conditioner - 03/17/18 07:00 AM

Here is what I bought. It's actually too powerful. It will cool a 4x6 blind to 75 degrees in 5 minutes when outside temp is at 95 at full blast than I set it to 1/2 speed. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LLYQ2VE/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Here is the PWM for speed control. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01GJHI2AM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Posted By: Cast

Re: Red Neck Air Conditioner - 03/17/18 01:29 PM

Use half gallon milk jugs from the deep freeze. Great thermal mass plus ice water and an empty jug if you need it.
Posted By: colt45-90

Re: Red Neck Air Conditioner - 04/07/18 12:41 AM

up
Posted By: TheCloudX

Re: Red Neck Air Conditioner - 04/09/18 12:28 AM

Used to work overnights in a building without AC or Heat. Co-worker made something like this, had it blowing on him all night. Worked like a charm.
Posted By: Stratgolfer

Re: Red Neck Air Conditioner - 04/09/18 04:34 AM

I built one last year. I'm bringing it to the lease this year. I'll take pics tomorrow if I think of it. I cut two holes for the PVC thinking 2 was better than 1 but I think I'm wrong and I'm going to cover one up.
Posted By: N.Tx

Re: Red Neck Air Conditioner - 04/09/18 05:15 PM

Tag. Great idea
Posted By: TooLow

Re: Red Neck Air Conditioner - 04/09/18 06:04 PM

Very cool
Posted By: 20bore

Re: Red Neck Air Conditioner - 05/15/18 05:37 PM

For those that have made these, a couple questions...
- What size coolers are you using? I see this one is a 28qt. Does this size work the best? What about a 50qt? Reason I ask is, I have a 30qt and a 50qt to use.
- Has anyone used a smaller size vent? I see the 4" in this one. I was thinking a 2" would blow faster, with a better cooling effect.
Thoughts?
Posted By: llbts1

Re: Red Neck Air Conditioner - 05/16/18 04:06 AM

I used a $20.00 igloo from academy, 25 qt and a 2" vent. Its not going to freeze me out, but it will take the edge off the heat.
Posted By: Stripermania

Re: Red Neck Air Conditioner - 05/17/18 04:07 AM

30 will probably hold 40 lbs of ice and if outside temp is in the 90s, that will last 4-5 hours using 4" duct. If you sleep in your blind like I do, I go with 50qt. Mine is 4" duct and I needed it after hauling the guns, backpack, ice in 90 degrees hunting pig, I could use a 6" duct.
Posted By: mikei

Re: Red Neck Air Conditioner - 05/17/18 01:29 PM

Originally Posted By: 20bore
For those that have made these, a couple questions...
- What size coolers are you using? I see this one is a 28qt. Does this size work the best? What about a 50qt? Reason I ask is, I have a 30qt and a 50qt to use.
- Has anyone used a smaller size vent? I see the 4" in this one. I was thinking a 2" would blow faster, with a better cooling effect.
Thoughts?


20Bore, I don't think the size of the cooler or the size of the vent will really make any difference in the cooling effect. A smaller vent would concentrate the cool air a bit more, but the volume of air coming out would obviously be reduced while the velocity of the air would increase due to the constriction. I've found that the only thing that improves the cooling is the use of a higher speed fan. If you go to a higher speed fan, you'll need to be concerned with the noise it may make as you crank it up. Also, the higher the speed, the more quickly the ice packs will melt. It's all a series of trade-offs.
Posted By: SnakeWrangler

Re: Red Neck Air Conditioner - 05/19/18 12:56 AM

Put a rain poncho on and have the vent blow inside the poncho....... cheers
Posted By: Stripermania

Re: Red Neck Air Conditioner - 05/19/18 04:10 AM

I put two 5 gallon bucket of ice ( ~45lbs) into my cooler last night at 2:00am. Fan was on high speed for the first 5 minutes to cool a 4x6 fiberglass blind down. Low speed all night using 4" duct. I was very comfortable all night. Probably around 70 degrees. Woke up at 9:30 and 90% of the ice were gone.
Posted By: Reloder28

Re: Red Neck Air Conditioner - 05/19/18 12:13 PM

I just wear a Columbia shirt, take it off when I get in the blind, hang it in the window to shade the sun & sit there and drip. Works well for my waist line.
Posted By: skinnerback

Re: Red Neck Air Conditioner - 05/19/18 12:22 PM

Originally Posted By: Stripermania
I put two 5 gallon bucket of ice ( ~45lbs) into my cooler last night at 2:00am. Fan was on high speed for the first 5 minutes to cool a 4x6 fiberglass blind down. Low speed all night using 4" duct. I was very comfortable all night. Probably around 70 degrees. Woke up at 9:30 and 90% of the ice were gone.


Frozen bottles/jugs will last longer. up
Posted By: Wilhunt

Re: Red Neck Air Conditioner - 05/19/18 09:20 PM

Originally Posted By: mikei
Originally Posted By: Wilhunt
A/C in the deer blind, what is the outdoors coming too?? confused2


wilhunt, some of us wusses like a bit of cool air flowing over our portly bodies when it's 97 degrees at 10pm whilst we await the arrival of the nasty piggies we plan on ambushing.


Yes sir well said.
Posted By: tworod

Re: Red Neck Air Conditioner - 06/04/18 08:49 PM

I built one as well using the cheap styrofoam cooler, will fit 2 frozen gallon jugs and last quite a while
Posted By: TX_LT230FH

Re: Red Neck Air Conditioner - 06/11/18 01:29 AM

Broke mine in last night. When I got in the blind (4x6) at 7:30 it was 95. 45 minutes later it was 86. When I left at 10 it was 80. I loaded two bags of ice and still had a bag and a half when I left.
Posted By: Sniper John

Re: Red Neck Air Conditioner - 06/11/18 02:03 AM

Originally Posted By: Stripermania
Better with a 12v PC fan for $12, a PWM controller from Amazon so you can control the speed and a 12v feeder battery and it will last 12 hours. Bring the battery home to recharge so you don't have to buy batteries over and over. I usually stop by the penguin ice machine and buy 40lbs and it lasts 10 hours in a blind with outside temp at 90.


4 Cs are going to be 6 volt. He could just solder wires in place of the C batteries and use a 6 volt feeder battery. Ive done this with old game cameras.
Posted By: mikei

Re: Red Neck Air Conditioner - 06/11/18 11:58 AM

Originally Posted By: TX_LT230FH
Broke mine in last night. When I got in the blind (4x6) at 7:30 it was 95. 45 minutes later it was 86. When I left at 10 it was 80. I loaded two bags of ice and still had a bag and a half when I left.


Sure helps improve the "fun factor" of sitting in a blind on our hot, steamy nights. I find that I don't "give up and give in" quite as early, and as a result, I've been able to pick off a few more vermin and varmints that I would have missed by leaving early for the comfort of air conditioning. Having those red neck air conditioners will tend to spoil you just a bit, though! But that's all right; I like being spoiled!!
Posted By: fouzman

Re: Red Neck Air Conditioner - 06/11/18 04:11 PM

I'm not about to tote 40 lbs of ice up a 12' tower every time I want to sit in the stand during early season. Sure would be nice to stay cool, but impractical for our set-ups.
Posted By: TX_LT230FH

Re: Red Neck Air Conditioner - 06/11/18 04:49 PM

Originally Posted By: fouzman
I'm not about to tote 40 lbs of ice up a 12' tower every time I want to sit in the stand during early season. Sure would be nice to stay cool, but impractical for our set-ups.


2 bags (8 pounds each) in a small cooler. No problemo.
And mine is a 15' tower.
Makes it much more livable.
Posted By: Dropp-243

Re: Red Neck Air Conditioner - 06/11/18 06:01 PM

Tag
Posted By: TLew

Re: Red Neck Air Conditioner - 06/12/18 12:35 PM

Dumb question but how does this interfere with a thermal? Any degradation in image quality?
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