Just saw this new evaporative cooler that may be of interest to forum members, since it supposedly only consumes 7.4W in operation. They are only claiming that it will drop the temp 10 degrees in a 160 sq. ft. space, but that's all I need most of the time. It doesn't run on 12VDC, but even if I have to run it off my inverter, I'm looking at what, 9W of power consumption? I'm a glutton for punishment, so I pledged US$99 on Kickstarter, but it sounds like it will be available to risk-adverse people later this year for only $149. If the Kickstarter campaign is successful and I actually get the product, I'll report back on its effectiveness. See it at quilohome.com
Small, low-power evaporative cooler
- Thread starter Step-Hen
- Start date
jonyjoe101
Adventurer
they sell something similar at stores, but they all have the same flaw, they lack intake ducts. You need to put flexible ducting so it can get outside air for it to work. Also I don't see it holding too much water. And it being quiet means it won't move too much air. The only thing I saw that I like was that they use "celdek" for the evaporator pad, its very good material and will last years. If your going to use it in a vehicle you will need to rig some sort of ducting system, the picture I saw looks like it will be tough to connect flexible ducting to it.
I use swampcoolers everyday and built my own, and you do need powerful loud fans to keep cool. I use 2 of the 140 cfm computer cooling fans. I also use the celdek, and the swampcoolers I built hold 2 gallons of water. Both fan running use about 2.5 amps (30 watts). They only cool the area that your in. On most days you will need more than 7 watts to stay cool. I even built larger coolers with 80 watt car radiator fans, and the more powerful fan you put on them the better your cooling effect. On a hot day you might use about 3 liters of water.
This swampcooler has 2x 4" ductings in front and 2 in the back for the air intake. I use 4" dryer flexible ducting to pipe in the air. Without outside air they won't work. I've had the flexible ducting come loose, and I immediately feel the difference.
I use swampcoolers everyday and built my own, and you do need powerful loud fans to keep cool. I use 2 of the 140 cfm computer cooling fans. I also use the celdek, and the swampcoolers I built hold 2 gallons of water. Both fan running use about 2.5 amps (30 watts). They only cool the area that your in. On most days you will need more than 7 watts to stay cool. I even built larger coolers with 80 watt car radiator fans, and the more powerful fan you put on them the better your cooling effect. On a hot day you might use about 3 liters of water.
This swampcooler has 2x 4" ductings in front and 2 in the back for the air intake. I use 4" dryer flexible ducting to pipe in the air. Without outside air they won't work. I've had the flexible ducting come loose, and I immediately feel the difference.
That's why I love this forum- knowledgeable feedback! I hadn't even thought about ducting, because my experience with evaporative coolers has always been in relatively open areas (such as under an awning.)
I'd be interested in seeing more details about your DIY swamp coolers, should you be so inclined.
I'd be interested in seeing more details about your DIY swamp coolers, should you be so inclined.
ducktapeguy
Adventurer
What is the intended use? For inside a tent or driving? If they're claiming 10 degree drop in temperature, that's best case scenario if you're in Death Valley in the middle of summer. You may only see a couple degree drop at best in actual use, and that's only if you're standing directly in front of it. Swamp coolers only work in very hot, very dry environments, anything greater than 30% humidity and they're basically useless, so in an area like Portland I don't think they'd work very well. Just looking at the 7.4W specs, that's barely enough to power a small computer fan and tiny pump which probably isn't going to move enough air to have any effect. The point about external ducting is a good one, without a constant airflow (both intake and exhaust), the air will get saturated and you'll end up in a hot, humid environment instead of a hot dry one.
I've been looking at various forms of cooling for my 40 year old non air conditioned land cruiser. I picked up one of these last month, it's a window mounted swamp cooler. Back in the days before air conditioning, this was one of the popular ways of keeping cool in the desert. You'd fill the container partially with water and air would enter on one end, be forced through a saturated rotating drum, and out a vent through the window. I did not end up using it because the weight and mounting method probably weren't designed to work off road, and with no powered fan it would have been useless at slower than highway speeds.
The other option which I used recently was a pressurized water fire extinguisher connected through a misting nozzle blowing through a 12V fan on the dash. Essentially a poor mans swamp cooler without the evaporative mat. This setup was a lifesaver while driving through Death Valley a couple weeks ago. It's messy and everything gets wet, but because the temperature was in the triple digits and the relative humidity was in the single digits, it was probably the idea scenario for a evaporate cooler and probably cooled the incoming air 20 degrees or more. Without the airflow from driving, it's less efficient but still better than nothing. The 2 1/2 gallon tank gives about 3-4 hours of cooling on a single refill @100psi.
I've been looking at various forms of cooling for my 40 year old non air conditioned land cruiser. I picked up one of these last month, it's a window mounted swamp cooler. Back in the days before air conditioning, this was one of the popular ways of keeping cool in the desert. You'd fill the container partially with water and air would enter on one end, be forced through a saturated rotating drum, and out a vent through the window. I did not end up using it because the weight and mounting method probably weren't designed to work off road, and with no powered fan it would have been useless at slower than highway speeds.
The other option which I used recently was a pressurized water fire extinguisher connected through a misting nozzle blowing through a 12V fan on the dash. Essentially a poor mans swamp cooler without the evaporative mat. This setup was a lifesaver while driving through Death Valley a couple weeks ago. It's messy and everything gets wet, but because the temperature was in the triple digits and the relative humidity was in the single digits, it was probably the idea scenario for a evaporate cooler and probably cooled the incoming air 20 degrees or more. Without the airflow from driving, it's less efficient but still better than nothing. The 2 1/2 gallon tank gives about 3-4 hours of cooling on a single refill @100psi.
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Haf-E
Expedition Leader
Here is a chart from a company which makes a rooftop RV evaporative cooler called the "turbocool" - it uses a interesting design which moves the water up to wet the media via a "sling pump" on the same shaft as the fan - so only one fan motor is required.
http://www.turbokool.com/cooler.html
http://www.turbokool.com/cooler.html
chet6.7
Explorer
How did you attach the smaller hose to the tank?
I have been reading the Amazon reviews of the Arctic Cove 18-Volt Bucket Top Misting Fan,
my local Home Despot sells them,one of the reviewers suggested getting emitters with a smaller orifice to avoid the wetting problem.
Maybe a smaller orifice would work for you.
https://www.amazon.com/Brass-Mist-Nozzles-008-2mm/dp/B00OLBPDX8/ref=sr_1_1?s=lawn-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1497506863&sr=1-1&keywords="mist+nozzles+.008")
ducktapeguy
Adventurer
Thanks for the link. I looked into smaller nozzles, but the problem is the orifice diameter is dependent on pressure. Low pressure household system (<100psi) are limited in how small an orifice you can use, generally around .012-.020 range. If you go too small or the pressure drops, the water just starts dripping off the nozzle instead of being atomized. The professional misting system can use a really small orifice because they have aux pumps that pressurize the system to 1000-1500 psi, which is able to atomize the water much better. I didn't have that much of a problem because the environment I was using it in was hot and dry enough that the water evaporated almost as fast as the tank could supply it. I also installed an inline air switch on the misting hose so I could shut it off and on if things started to become too wet, and generally it would only take a few minutes for everything to dry out.
hour
Observer
I built one with a 5 gallon bucket, plenty of 2" holes drilled around the top portion of bucket as to not limit water capacity too much, some blue evaporative cooler pads, a Harbor Freight 12v water pump with a drip ring (tube with holes poked in it), and a 4" 12v inline bilge fan (Attwood). The bilge fan is wired to a '6V-90V 15A DC Motor Pump Speed Controller' which works well. The fan is mounted outside of the bucket, but on the top of the lid facing upwards.
I like the fire extinguisher idea!
I wasn't really thinking of using the Kickstarter evaporative cooler in an enclosed space, more like sitting around outside under an awning. I don't need it in my sleeping quarters, because it almost always cools off significantly after sundown. Believe it or not, summer humidity in Portland is between 5% and 40%, and we always get at least a few days over 100 degrees F. I have used a misting fan that sits on top of a 5-gallon bucket, and it's very effective (and can run directly off a small 12V/18V solar panel.) The downside of the misting fan is that it's spraying water droplets, so everything around you gets damp while it's running.
I wasn't really thinking of using the Kickstarter evaporative cooler in an enclosed space, more like sitting around outside under an awning. I don't need it in my sleeping quarters, because it almost always cools off significantly after sundown. Believe it or not, summer humidity in Portland is between 5% and 40%, and we always get at least a few days over 100 degrees F. I have used a misting fan that sits on top of a 5-gallon bucket, and it's very effective (and can run directly off a small 12V/18V solar panel.) The downside of the misting fan is that it's spraying water droplets, so everything around you gets damp while it's running.
ducktapeguy
Adventurer
Here's another alternative that one of my coworker has in their cubicle, and as a bonus it's 12V.
https://www.amazon.com/CoolMate-HC-CMC-500C-Personal-Misting-Fan/dp/B00KXJEY46
It's smaller and uses a piezo type atomizer which creates a really fine mist, but the fan needs to be inches from your face to feel any type of cooling. Used in an open space I doubt it'd do anything at all. Even this small fan is using a 12W supply, so the 7 watt power spec on the quillo seems very underpowered.
https://www.amazon.com/CoolMate-HC-CMC-500C-Personal-Misting-Fan/dp/B00KXJEY46
It's smaller and uses a piezo type atomizer which creates a really fine mist, but the fan needs to be inches from your face to feel any type of cooling. Used in an open space I doubt it'd do anything at all. Even this small fan is using a 12W supply, so the 7 watt power spec on the quillo seems very underpowered.
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ducktapeguy
Adventurer
Sorry didn't see this question earlier. I used 4mm air line which happened to be a perfect fit for the existing nozzle, it's just push fit. The fire extinguisher hose unscrews with a threaded fitting but I wanted to keep the hose on there and use something non-permanent and easy to remove because then it can also serve as a backup fire extinguisher in an emergency. I did put some connectors and shrink tubing to secure it a little better, but it's probably not necessary. I'll take some pictures when I have a chance.
chet6.7
Explorer
Thanks,pictures would be helpful.
Portable Evap cooler for sale
I have one for sale
http://forum.expeditionportal.com/threads/163859-12v-Mighty-Kool-Swamp-cooler
I have one for sale
http://forum.expeditionportal.com/threads/163859-12v-Mighty-Kool-Swamp-cooler
captwoody
Adventurer
Found this mister/Fan at home depot since I already have Ryobi 18volt batteries I also gain a spare battery. Uses 5 gallon style buckets which most of us have on rigs anyway
It was 97 degrees today when I tried it out noticeable drop in temp. For 85 dollars at home depot an inexpensive way to cool down on hot days out here in the west. Gonna try setting it up spraying on outside of RTT and see if I get a noticeable temp drop to make sleeping easier when its hot here's a link on eBay with description but its 30 bucks cheaper at home depot-
https://www.ebay.com/i/192173191304?chn=ps&dispItem=1
It was 97 degrees today when I tried it out noticeable drop in temp. For 85 dollars at home depot an inexpensive way to cool down on hot days out here in the west. Gonna try setting it up spraying on outside of RTT and see if I get a noticeable temp drop to make sleeping easier when its hot here's a link on eBay with description but its 30 bucks cheaper at home depot-
https://www.ebay.com/i/192173191304?chn=ps&dispItem=1