Question About Swamp Coolers (in Phoenix) (buy, contractors, floor)

[Java Jolt]

I see good and bad sides of swamp coolers.

There is a cost savings to having them but the downside is they can only be used during the dry part of the summertime, when the monsoon season arrives they can barely be used at all.

I have to wonder how swamp coolers are easy to maintain, it seems they require more maintaining than air-conditioners.

[johnp292]

Originally Posted by kell490

Here is something new which I haven't seen before Patio Pal | Phoenix Manufacturing Inc.

Patio Pal cooler it doesn't look ugly like most portable coolers do.

For $2650.00. I think I'll stick with a ice chest and ceiling fans. Or a mister.

[DougStark]

Originally Posted by kell490

It's installed on the roof did it all myself if your handy you can too. Took me a weekend cut a hole in my roof framed 2x4 under where the cooler is to reinforce the plywood. I used 16" flex duct to tap into my AC ducting. Ran the electrical, water, and thermostat wire few other things. I have heard AC contractors can charge up to $2000 to install them while I think that is way too much I think you could have it done for about $500. Mine looks lot like this in the picture

Hey kell, nice set up there. What brand is your cooler?

I need to buy a sheet metal part called a "square to round" for my Mastercool evap. Do you know where I should go? I'm in SE valley, Chandler by I-10.

[DougStark]

Evap coolers are WAY under used by homeowners in Phoenix, IMO. Basically I see it as the fault of major home builders who don't want to offer them as an option to home buyers. They're super easy to maintain if they're installed at ground-level, like mine is (obviously harder to maintain one on a roof.) You'll see them in Albuquerque on almost every home. Power companies don't like them because it eats away at their revenue and the fact that they're not effective during the monsoon.

Evap coolers will easily beat the efficiency of even the highest SEER a/c or heat pumps. If someone says otherwise, they don't know their facts.

[jdell1]

I just bought a swamp cooler from Costco for 399 for a window unit that is now running in my garage. it is working remarkably well. haven't gotten the first electric bill though. i have it on a timerand so far so good. 399 seemed like it was worth a try. i'm happy for the most part! but i have never been in AZ for monsoon season... yet.

[DougStark]

Originally Posted by jdell1

I just bought a swamp cooler from Costco for 399 for a window unit that is now running in my garage. it is working remarkably well. haven't gotten the first electric bill though. i have it on a timerand so far so good. 399 seemed like it was worth a try. i'm happy for the most part! but i have never been in AZ for monsoon season... yet.

Don't fret. Leaving the thing running 24/7 will cost pennies (or dimes.)

[maverick974]

Originally Posted by Java Jolt

I see good and bad sides of swamp coolers.

There is a cost savings to having them but the downside is they can only be used during the dry part of the summertime, when the monsoon season arrives they can barely be used at all.

I have to wonder how swamp coolers are easy to maintain, it seems they require more maintaining than air-conditioners.

There is a huge cost savings vs. an air conditioner. HUGE......but unfortunately a swampy just doesn't work when the dew point gets above about 50. At a dew point of 55, a swamp cooler will just make you miserable and you'll be forced to use A/C. Once you see how much money you are saving using your swampy, you will look forward to the day when the dew points go down again

Originally Posted by jdell1

I just bought a swamp cooler from Costco for 399 for a window unit that is now running in my garage. it is working remarkably well. haven't gotten the first electric bill though. i have it on a timerand so far so good. 399 seemed like it was worth a try. i'm happy for the most part! but i have never been in AZ for monsoon season... yet.

You're going to love your swampy when you get your first electric bill.
Do yourself a favor and just expect that your swamp cooler just isn't going to work well in August. It's unfortunate but that's just the way it is. Come the first or second week of September and your swampy will keep you cool and comfortable until it cools down again.

[kell490]

Originally Posted by DougStark

Hey kell, nice set up there. What brand is your cooler?

I need to buy a sheet metal part called a "square to round" for my Mastercool evap. Do you know where I should go? I'm in SE valley, Chandler by I-10.

It's a mastercool they sell them at homedepot I think they got bought out by another company I don't think they are called mastercool now. I just got my RO filter working on it this week and humid weather showed up early so we are on AC now. I'm hoping we dry out next week can use it again.

[DougStark]

^^^ You supply your evap cooler with purified RO water or the RO's waste water?

[Java Jolt]

Originally Posted by maverick974

There is a huge cost savings vs. an air conditioner. HUGE......but unfortunately a swampy just doesn't work when the dew point gets above about 50. At a dew point of 55, a swamp cooler will just make you miserable and you'll be forced to use A/C. Once you see how much money you are saving using your swampy, you will look forward to the day when the dew points go down again



You're going to love your swampy when you get your first electric bill.
Do yourself a favor and just expect that your swamp cooler just isn't going to work well in August. It's unfortunate but that's just the way it is. Come the first or second week of September and your swampy will keep you cool and comfortable until it cools down again.

I understand the cost savings but the timeframe when you can use a swamp cooler seems pretty limited.

Much of July, August, and September are too humid for swamp coolers, it seems like June is the only summer month when it would work to someone's advantage.