Water Chiller

When comparing the cost of a commercial water chiller to that of an old RV air conditioner, it may seem like a no-brainer to repurpose the AC unit. This project involved modifying an old RV air conditioner to function as a water chiller for my laser cutter. The modifications included adding a water reservoir around the evaporator coil, pump, and necessary plumbing to circulate the chilled water through the laser cutter's cooling system.

While it saved some initial upfront cost, the underlying materials of the AC unit were not designed for continuous submersion. A large amount of corrosion occurred, filling the expensive laser tube with a coating of rust, likely contributing to its demise. Plus hard-wiring a dedicated 20A circuit into the breaker box was not something which can easily be replicated. Overall, it was a fun project and a good learning experience, especially at a point in my life where cost was more important than the time spend making it work.

I've since upgraded to a commercial water chiller for on the new laser cutter.

New Laser Cutter, K400