swamp cooler

[Forrest747]

I was wondering does anyone use a swamp cooler in their shop or build space? I am thinking of using one to help cool the garage just wonder about wood swell or am I over thinking it

[linuxmanxxx]

If it's not a sealed environment it shouldn't be a problem.

[Ocelli]

I use a port a cool in my garage and don't have any issues.
I does let me use it as a workshop in Texas summer.

[GuitarPhotog]

Remember that swamp coolers (evaporative coolers) are not very effective in high humidity areas. They work best when the humidity is below 50%.

<Chas>

[asianflava]

Bruce made one a while back.

http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?t=4825

[grantstew8]

I've just finished a training course on Legionella.....

If you decide to make use a swamp cooler, consider Legionnaire's disease. It's caught from breathing in fine water mist carrying the bacteria and these devices can be a perfect breeding ground, if you're not careful.
Depending of the strain of bacteria, the fatality rates are 12%. It presents as pneumonia/serious flu (more serious than man-flu if you can believe that!) .

The bacteria thrives in:
Water temperatures between 20C-45C 68f-113f
Water with nutrients like algea and sludge at the bottom of a tank to feed on
A rusty or slimy tank walls/bottom to hang onto

Keep it clean and replace the water regularly keeps the risks low. It's worth sterilising the hangy down mats/pads used for evaporation once in a while.

The bacteria naturally occur in rivers dams and streams so I'd advise you to sterilize the water before using it, if that is your source. The bacteria is killed above 60C so boiling the collected water would probably do it. Purifying tablets are another way. In some places where it's really hot an sunny; by leaving river/dam water in a clear plastic "coke" bottle in the sun all day has a double effect of UV and heat killing the bacteria. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/4786216.stm

Depending on the part of the world you live in, your drinking water from the tap is normally free from Legionella.

Hot tubs/Jacuzzi unless maintained, drained and cleaned are ideal breading grounds too.....

To put this in perspective in the uk (pop 60 million) 12 people a year die from Legionnaires disease and of those 50% catch it when out of the country.

Caveat:
Free advice and worth the price you pay. Tim McGraw.
For legit guidance please download the free version (little link near the buy it now button) http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/l8.htm

[Midget]

Last year I built one out of a 55 gallon drum. I cut windows in the top 1/3 and wrapped the inside with the blue swamp cooler pads. Inside I put a water fountain pump which runs up to a bunch of drip irrigation sprayers hanging inside which spray the pad. In the lid I used a box fan which sucks air through the windows and into a manifold type set up into a 8 inch dryer vent. I can move the vent to blow wherever I want to have cool air. It works but I think this summer I'll redesign the fan set up for more air flow.

I'm also working on a 12volt set up using a Home Depot 5 gallon plastic bucket and a couple of computer cooling fans. I'd like to be able to set this up for the Midget trailer when we dry camp.

[Shadow Catcher]

West Vally Utah is just to the south of The Great Salt Lake and we passed through there on I 80 a couple of years back. Yes a swamp cooler will work very well as long as water is treated and purged.

[mary and bob]

Swamp coolers & campers; Uhaul used a swamp cooler on their 13' fiberglass rental campers. We own one, the swamp cooler was incomplete so I removed it and replaced it with a Fantastic Fan. Uhaul had two sizes of fiberglass campers built for them in 1984 and 1985, rented them up until 1992, and then sold them. The 16' campers had roof mounted air conditioners.

[BlackCatRacing]

Found this while searching for the one I own. http://www.theprepperjournal.com/2013/0 ... ditioning/
Unfortunately it does not work so well in the humid places I camp. Any where warm and dry I suppose it would be fine.

[bdosborn]

I played around with a swamp cooler and it's not worth messing with IMHO, unless you're moving quite a bit of air. It's not very hard to make one, maybe someone else will have better luck than I did,

DIY Swamp Cooler





It's still sitting in the garage if anyone wants it.

Bruce

[MtnDon]

After 20 years of summer living with a swamp cooler on the house roof we are both happier with refrigerated air. And my allergies are less bothersome. But that said, if you have a plentiful supply of relatively soft water and using it in an arid climate they do work.

[Vedette]

I too built a swamp cooler for travelling where it might be too hot to sleep comfortably!
It was so easy to build, and in principal I thought I was such a hero???? .........But it did not work when we really needed it!
It was extremely hot that night, but out swamp cooler ate 20 lbs of ice in just after an hour.
Not worth the time or the money I did spend.
But there does not seem to be a glaring answer here on the Forum.
I too am looking for a small, efficient, air conditioner that will be perfect for a teardrop in all aspects.
Not expecting it to be cheap?? But hey......if it works?....who care what it costs? We can't take it with us!
Good roads
Brian & Sandi

[Catherine+twins]

sad thing is I don't think we have had humity above 40 percent or 30 since febuary!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

slow

I hear you!!!

[warnmar10]

I played around with a swamp cooler and it's not worth messing with IMHO, unless you're moving quite a bit of air. It's not very hard to make one, maybe someone else will have better luck than I did,

DIY Swamp Cooler





It's still sitting in the garage if anyone wants it.

Bruce

I was born and raised in a house cooled by a swamp cooler or more accurately an evaporative cooler. They work brilliantly in a low humidity/high heat environment.

I'm assuming facts not in evidence but... What you built looks like a very effective humidifier. However if it recirculates air in the conditioned space rather than displace the air in the conditioned space it can't cool. If you mount that on your camper such that it draws outside air across the pads, blows it into the camper then exhausts it out somewhere else, then you have a shot. I'm not sure an axial fan will ever do the job since they tend not to scavange very well and part of what makes the evaporation happen is drawing mass quantities of across the pads but that's another discussion.