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Now, then, I see two options to increase efficiency: improve evaporation or increase airflow. So, one option could be to increase the surface for evaporation by using more of the mats (I use Aspen shavings). Obviously, if you don't use any, there will be no cooling, and if you use so many that no air flows, there is no cooling either. Somewhere in between there has to be an optimum. Would it improve the cooling capability just to double up on the aspen mats, or would that decrease air flow too much?
I have owned two homes for 11 years in this area and have done a lot of unofficial testing.
More pads is not always better. The "Aspen" pads do not seem to be as efficient as the synthetic pads. The "Aspen" pads fall apart and do not really last an entire season. They don't seem to hold as much water. They are cheap for a reason (my opinion) Thicker pads can sometimes reduce airflow. I found the thin synthetic pads to give me as much as 20°F. (That is the most I ever got at any time. Measured with cheap remote temperature sensors.). But that was with the fan on low.
Make sure your pads fit tight in the frames. if they don't air will bypass them.
If you put a larger motor in, you might find the blower sucking up water, collecting in the ducts, then dripping onto your drywall. Ask me and two other people how we know.
Absolutely insure that you have enough exit area in your house, if you don't, you are wasting your time. Open enough windows to allow the moist air.
For those who have been to the Soda Dam in Jemez. That is what your swamp cooler will look like in a million years or so. I connected a garden hose to my swamp drain, removed the stand pipe, put an open/closed valve at the end of the hose, and used that to drain the swamp cooler water every few days (water plants with it). If your swamp cooler is working, then you are building up mineral deposits in the water.
Moving to the Pheonix area as soon as Mich house sells and will want to have a wookdworking shop in a 3rd stall of garage. Interested in the swamp cooler concept, but wondering if dust and tools a problem with filters and rust. Can the swamp cooler be ducted to mount outside and blow into the shop rather than be a in-shop moveable one? Does the wet filter have to be wet at all times whether the system operates only part time?
Last edited by 1handyman1; 07-18-2010 at 02:11 PM..
Reason: clarification
... dust and tools a problem with filters and rust.
I assume that you mean the dust and tools produced and used
in your shop ==> problem for swamp cooler?
No. The cooler uses outside air and blows it into the shop
unlike refrigerated air that recirculates the ( dusty ) air from
your shop. This is a nice benefit since if your type of activity
generates a lot of dust, the swamp cooler can blow it out of
the shop - a benefit to your tools and lungs.
Quote:
Originally Posted by 1handyman1
... Can the swamp cooler be ducted to
mount outside and blow into the shop
Many many, if not half of the swamp coolers in use, are wal-mounted
units that are put up in Apr-May and taken down in Sep-Oct.
You could also put one on the roof and vent it from the ceiling.
Quote:
Originally Posted by 1handyman1
... Does the wet filter have to be wet at all times
whether the system operates only part time?
It only needs to be wet when working.
There is no point in keeping the pad wet when you aren't cooling.
Does the wet filter have to be wet at all times whether the system operates only part time?
Swamp coolers usually have a "Water Pump Switch". You turn off the water pump and it quits wetting the pads. You can still run the blower to circulate and bring in fresh air.
My grand-daughter turned it all the way down to 65 once, so house temp was probably around 68.
It felt positively arctic when I walked in the door.
I would kill for that. I can't decide if the swamp cooler isn't working as good this year because it's hotter than normal, or if maybe my landlord replaced a part wrong - he's had to do a good bit of repair on the unit this year. I'm ready to shoot him and the unit
By the way, when I got home tonight, the outisde temperature was 97°. I turned on my swamp cooler and checked the air outlet temperature after about 20 minutes--thermometer read 65°, a 32 degree reduction. Relative humidity outside was about 17%, inside about 27%.
Hmmn. Outside right now it's 93 outside, 21% humidity. My swamp cooler has been on high for 2 days now, it's 81 inside and 47% humidity. I cannot get this place any cooler than about 73, and that's around 5:30 a.m What am I doing wrong? I keep two 36" wide windows open about 6" and the bathroom ceiling fan on. Do I maybe need to open the windows more? Crack the front door open about 3"? Turn the s/c fan to low and close a window?
Last year, the S/C would cool this place down to 65 by 11:00 pm, and I'd turn the S/C off all night. I have not been able to do that at all this summer. My landlord swears it's all working like it's supposed to, so it has to be something I'm doing. But what? Arrrggggghhh.
I would kill for that. I can't decide if the swamp cooler isn't working as good this year because it's hotter than normal, or if maybe my landlord replaced a part wrong - he's had to do a good bit of repair on the unit this year. I'm ready to shoot him and the unit
Being hotter than normal could be part of it. What has your dew point been lately? Did your landlord replace the pads?
By the way, when I got home tonight, the outisde temperature was 97°. I turned on my swamp cooler and checked the air outlet temperature after about 20 minutes--thermometer read 65°, a 32 degree reduction. Relative humidity outside was about 17%, inside about 27%.
Hmmn. Outside right now it's 93 outside, 21% humidity. My swamp cooler has been on high for 2 days now, it's 81 inside and 47% humidity. I cannot get this place any cooler than about 73, and that's around 5:30 a.m What am I doing wrong? I keep two 36" wide windows open about 6" and the bathroom ceiling fan on. Do I maybe need to open the windows more? Crack the front door open about 3"? Turn the s/c fan to low and close a window?
Last year, the S/C would cool this place down to 65 by 11:00 pm, and I'd turn the S/C off all night. I have not been able to do that at all this summer. My landlord swears it's all working like it's supposed to, so it has to be something I'm doing. But what? Arrrggggghhh.
Our swamp cooler was fine during the hot weather a while back, but last week it started to not cool off. We called the realty company who said it was most likely the humidity in the air, but they'd send a tech out to check it. Come to find out, the pump needed replacing. Working great now.
Cue the Twilight Zone music...my landlord just called to see how the S/C was working (hmnn, wonder if he lurks on the forum here?). He's very good about changing it over for the summer - new pads, checks the motor, etc. He was up there this weekend to check on the noise I reported and said the pump went out so he replaced it, it is running much quieter He's already replaced the pump twice this summer, poor guy. He's going to look in a bit to be sure the pads are getting wet, but he said his place isn't cooling down as well either. We both figure it must be the heat. Good thing I bought some fans Sunday! Even if he can't get it to cool any better, I do feel better knowing it isn't my imagination that it's not cooling - just hotter than usual. Bummer, but I console myself with the thought that there's only a few weeks of this weather here.....
By the way, when I got home tonight, the outisde temperature was 97°. I turned on my swamp cooler and checked the air outlet temperature after about 20 minutes--thermometer read 65°, a 32 degree reduction. Relative humidity outside was about 17%, inside about 27%.
Okay...with a temp of 97 and relative humidity of 17%, the dew point would have been about 45. The wet bulb temperature (the temperature you can cool the air by evaporating water into it) would be 64. Since you measured 65, that sounds like a very efficient swamp cooler to me. That makes me wonder, since it has been hotter than normal this July...how much heat flux do you having coming into the house through storage in the walls, attic, elsewhere?
It just sounds like...if your swamp cooler is outputting air close to the wet bulb temperature...it's doing a good job, but it can't compete with the heat coming through the walls.
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He's already replaced the pump twice this summer, poor guy. He's going to look in a bit to be sure the pads are getting wet, but he said his place isn't cooling down as well either. We both figure it must be the heat. Good thing I bought some fans Sunday! Even if he can't get it to cool any better, I do feel better knowing it isn't my imagination that it's not cooling - just hotter than usual. Bummer, but I console myself with the thought that there's only a few weeks of this weather here.....
