Temp problems? Heres my home made A/C!

[Chamero]

Before I get into the directions I first want to mention that I live in Whittier, California where temps can range from 100 in the summer to mid 50's in winter. My goal was to keep my chameleon outdoors all year long and in doing so, I ahd to come up with solutions for the extreme cold and heat. During winter I can easily supply a heat light, but for summer it is a bit harder to cool the area. Here is what I came up with as a solution.

You will need: Piece of 10ft Copper tubing (Home Depot Approx. $15)
Bathroom fan (Home Depot Approx $15)
Water pump (Petsmart Approx $20)
Cooler (Walmart Approx $15)
Old car radiator (may not be necessary)
Plastic Cover (Approx $4)
Total: Approx $65 (can probably make for cheaper)

Step 1: Add tubing to car radiator and place in cooler

Step 2: Add water pump and connect hose

Step 3: Drill holes in side of Cooler

Step 4: Close lid

 

[Chamero]

Continued....

Step 5: Add bathroom fan on top of cooler.

Step 6: Add Copper on top of fan.

Step 7: Make cham proof cover with air vents

Step 8: Complete!! Add to cage.

Step 9: Oh yea, add Ice!!! I buy 25lb blocks of ice for $3.50 a nearby ice dealer. I use half that when I operate A/C

I still have some testing to do, as in what times are better to start the A/C, but so far it cools no less then 5 degrees and no more than 10. Again, this depends on when I start. I think the earlier I start, the better, since the cage is still cool and the A/C doesn't have to work as much. Anyway, hope you guys enjoy it.

 

[Pure]

You would have better cooling if you reversed it putting the radiator in the path of the fan and the tubing in the cooler submerged in water. Or even better use a radiator on both sides.

Is this a veiled you are keeping outside? If so increased mistings is all that is needed during the hottest part of the year. They can take the higher temps.

Also you are going to find keeping him outside during the winter problematic. If the ambient temp is a steady 50 degrees during the day he will spend most if not all his time under the heat lamp trying to stay warm. This can eventually result in thermal burns. Think of it like an oven on low settings, eventually what ever you are cooking will burn if it's in there long enough.

 

[Syn]

Results 1 - 10 of about 86,700 for Whittier, CA weather. (0.31 seconds)

Weather for Whittier, CA
- Add to iGoogle
68°F | °C
Current: Cloudy
Wind: SW at 0 mph
Humidity: 57%

Sat

85°F | 61°F

I don't know if I would be more concerned about night time temperatures or the fact that it is only going to get up to 85 degrees. How hot is the basking spot?
I would have to agree with Pure on this one, he would most likely be under the heat lamp 90% of the time. Why not move him inside?

And then there's the rest of the week:

Sun

76°F | 58°F
Mon

76°F | 59°F
Tue

79°F | 59°F​

​

 

[Chamero]

Hey there, thanks for the ideas. I will play around with the A/C a bit more and try to pull a few more degrees out of it. As of now, summer, he is doing pretty well. I just clocked him right now with my temp gun and he is 92 under his basking spot; with no heat source. At the lower part of the cage, the temp is 73, and in the middle 80-mid 80's.

You are right about the heat, so far, hes hardly even gone to the bottom of the cage and I mostly clock him in the mid 80's to mid 90's.

As for the winter, the ambient daytime temps are around 70's to 80's i believe, with the nights dropping to low 60's and mid 50's on exceptional nights. Also, around my winter heat source, there is a cage, limiting him from getting close to it. About 6" at the least.

Also, I have a link on the bottom of my posts that has "whittier-weather", which always gives local current weather.

Any feedback would be great. Thanks