How to: AC Unit to a Water Chiller

The high costs involved in keeping your home warm in winter can be dwarfed by the costs of keeping it cool in summer, especially if you live in a warmer region and use window ACs. However, if you live in drier regions such as the southwestern United States, you have other options than just standard air conditioning. You can switch your old AC for a much more efficient water chiller unit, also known as an evaporative cooler or swamp cooler. Evaporative coolers can cool a home for a a third of the cost of a typical AC, although they have to be used in a dry region to be effective. Switching to the new system is quite straightforward.

Power drill
Wrenches
Level
Screwdriver
Evaporative cooler and the hardware
Support hangers and hardware
Support shelf for the windowsill
Water line
Hose

Instructions

- 1
  Remove the air-conditioner unit from the window if you want to place the evaporative cooler in the same window. Remove any supporting hardware or fixtures.
- 2
  Mount the support hangers for the evaporative cooler using the hardware that came with them. These will usually be under the window, although some units hang in slings. Depending on your manufacturer’s instructions, you will probably have to drill holes in the exterior wall for screws.
- 3
  Install a support shelf for the windowsill if it is not wide and flat enough for the unit. Use a level to make sure it is even. Make sure that the screws or bolts for this support shelf are firmly attached to the wall.
- 4
  Place the evaporative cooler on the supporting brackets and attach it according to the manufacturer’s directions.
- 5
  Connect the water line from a tap source such as a faucet for an outside garden hose to the water inlet on the unit. Use a wrench to make sure the connection is tight.
- 6
  Connect a hose to the drain outlet on the unit and run this on the ground away from the unit. It should not be angled up.
- 7
  Install the facing with the air filter on the front of the unit. Plug the unit’s power cord into a 120-volt outlet.

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