OT: Swamp cooler question

Huh? 82°F at very high humidity is horrible.

At your place how much electricity do you use to get 85°F air-conditioned.

IF you can find Aspen pads off-season. They're cheap BTW. ...Jim Thompson

I know, that's why I am not totally sold yet on swamp coolers. But the propane company technician who was here this morning said his swamp cooler works great.

There are only 6-8 days a month where we have to do that, mostly because old Rottie needs it. When it's 100F outside this unit will eat 7kW and run somewhat above 50% duty cycle. Since most such days aren't followed by a delta breeze and it doesn't cool off at night you'd be looking at well north of 50kWh/day (duty cycle goes down in the evenings).

Yeah, I am not worried about those. I am more concerned about things like the large slots and holes and no screen on those machines. Perfect invitation for critters to come in. It looks like at least up to the size of mice could fit through. And out here, when they fit they'll come. Somehow the designs look dated and incomplete.

Someone mentioned adding a BLEED kit... I agree.

It is a VERY good thing to do

Think about it,,, without a bleed kit, water + minerals go in and water is evaporated, leaving ALL the minerals in the pads.

With a bleed kit, say 10% of the incoming water exits via the bleed, so the minerals come to an equilibrium.

I used a small hose and would use the bleed water to water the greens...

Mark

I suspect there is something wromg. I think mostly I probably need more gas. I measured 6 amp draw last summer and this one I did not measure the blower amps. My outside unit says use 20 amp breaker, so I'm not that far off mark. I am going to measure furnace fan. It goes faster in air conditioner mode. I think my unit has a SEER of 11 or so. A 13 unit requires a 30 amp breaker.

greg

:-)

We'd have greens underneath so that's easy. But why is it that there is next to nothing in technological progress in fields like this and the user must redesign units that have been partially screwed up since decades. So far:

a. Must install bleed kit cuz mfgs failed to.

b. Must somehow anchor unit because high winds would move it and mash up drywall cutout inside.

c. Must regularly drain unit because mosquitos and bugs will breed in there out here. Because mfgs still use old-fashioned pumps instead of valves and spiders.

d. Must install screens against critters and bugs because mfgs forgot or don't care. It would take the hornets out here about 15 seconds to drill themselves a nice big hole.

e. Must build my own winterizing covers (_not_ a $20 canvas one) so cold air won't leak in, because mfgs forgot.

Hmm ...

Californica must be in the dark ages. All your needs are available here, mostly pre-installed.

And you use a "slide" in the ductwork to keep cold air out. ...Jim Thompson

No, the same units are sold all over the country.

So how do they keep the bugs and critters out? Remember, a hornet won't even need to flex its muscles before drilling itself through one of those Aspen pads.

Huh? Slide? I know the diverter thingies, mostly the motor-driven industrial ones. I have yet to see one that's truly airtight.

I don't remember for certain the official name of a "slide". But it's a piece of ductwork where you slip in a sheet-metal "door" to block flow. It fits in a felt-backed set of sheet metal fingers, so only really small critters can get thru ;-) ...Jim Thompson

There is. Google "coolerado".

It is not needed in all installations if the water is not hard, so why add the expense? BTW don't feed your cooler soft water as the resulting crystals will come off the pads and get blown into the house.

True, but this isn't the manufacturers problem as all installations aren't the same.

How do you know this? AZ has plenty of bugs and, in the monsoon season, skeeters too. But I've never had or seen a problem with them breeding in the cooler. Maybe the pump mascerates the nymphs? If you don't want to use a pump you can always just plumb the feed water tube directly to the distribution spider in the top. This will use a lot more water but the drain can go to a garden or other use so maybe it will work for you. This will also virtually stop the calcium build up.

We had hornets, bees, wasps, & yellow jackets and never had one come in the house thru the cooler. Adding screens would add cost for the manufacturer and they are not needed in all (most?) cases so they don't.

Again this depends on the installation and local climate. Art

Felt-backed? For the insects around here that will be a piece of cake. I've seen a hornet drill itself through a 2*4.

That does indeed look a bit more modern. Although the bug screen needs to be a lot finer so requires retrofitting as well.

Thanks for the hint. Our water is fairly soft. The only thing that might be needed is a charcoal filter because our water is quite chlorinated. I regularly measured 1-2ppm. Occasionally you can sense a whiff of chlorine smell when flushing a toilet around here, when the bowl fills up again.

The suggested mounting method with the unit dangling off a couple of chains is unsafe and pathetic. And has a cheap shanty town look to it :-)

That's what people out here told me happens on occasion. One reason some folks are hesitant to use swamp coolers. The bugs don't go through the pump, eventually they just start buzzing up and look for the easiest path. And that isn't the one through the Aspen pads ...

I've always wondered why they don't do that. Valve dosage isn't that new.

Well, they could mold in the grooves for one. Won't cost one dime more.

Most places that have hot dry summers also have rather cold winters, like here. I mean, what would it take to offer at least a decent-looking insulated snap-on cover for the outlet in the house? They can charge for it and make a profit, just like they do with the ugly yellow canvas covers (which BTW attract some of the bugs). I'd gladly pay $50 or whatever than have yet another honey-do project :-)

I was questioning your measurement. You're at least a factor of three or four off. I would hope your AC's efficiency hasn't fallen that much. I'd be surprised if it could, and still work at all.

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If the compressor runs at only 1.5kW could it be that the unit has taken too much of a dump, lost freon?

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If you turn it down so it runs continuously, it'll freeze up (fill with snow) the heat exchanger if you're low on Freon. ...Jim Thompson

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Possible, I suppose, but I would think the compressor would run dry and seize before that.

snipped-for-privacy@zekfrivolous.com

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Gimmee that snow! Now! :-)

snipped-for-privacy@zekfrivolous.com

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I'd sure hope there's be some shut-off mechanism ...

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Guessing that it's humid up where you are... if you're low on Freon, you'll get it ;-) ...Jim Thompson

snipped-for-privacy@zekfrivolous.com

snipped-for-privacy@analogc>>>>>>>>>> Hey guys,

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Good units have thermal and pressure safeties. I've not smoked a compressor since around 1964. ...Jim Thompson