DIY Humidifier

Do you need more humidity in a room? I built this humidifier to help keep my mushrooms happy, but this design would work for any of your humidity needs!

• small watertight box (ex: baby wipes container)
• bottle (with a diameter taking up less than half the top surface of your box
• evaporating surface (preferably a humidifier filter, but a sponge also works)
• electrical plug
• small computer fan (with a diameter taking up less than half the top surface of your box)
• electrical tape
• 9-volt battery
• battery to wire snaps

Assemble the materials: fan, soda bottle, sponge, and watertight box with a lid

Trace out the cross-section of the soda bottle and the circular cross-section of the fan area that has air-flow

Cut out both cross-sectional areas with a jigsaw

Wire the computer fan to a plug

Cut slots into the neck of the bottle, to allow water to escape when it is inverted.

Do a dry-assembly to check the fit

1. Place the sponge in the box, under the fan-hole
2. Fill the soda bottle with water
3. Place the soda bottle in its hole
4. Invert the lid and soda bottle over the box, allowing water to flow until it reaches equilibrium
5. Place the computer fan over its hole
6. Secure the Computer fan with screws

This is a very simplistic humidifier, and this instructable is ripe for modification.

The main issues with my humidifier were:

• It very inefficiently gobbled energy for an un-regulable amount of time. In future versions, I highly recommend adding a timed switch-off feature and some regulator of electricity consumption.
• Sponges make extremely mediocre evaporating surfaces. On one hand, they do facilitate evaporation. On the other hand, they are a breeding ground for bacteria and never dry out.