...I'd need 10 x $15 (per 8-pack of batteries) = $150. Just got back from a trip to Home Depot, and realized I got this part wrong. An 8-pack of batteries runs $10, so 10x$10 = $100 for the week. Still a lot of battery waste, but comparable to the cost of one Group 24 battery (which, at ~80aH, I th...

To follow up: I ran a test of an 8-pack of D Duracell batteries with my swamp cooler setup. It wasn't a perfect test -- I didn't attach the ducting that would run the air into the yurt, which might put extra strain on the fan (I don't know much about fluid dynamics except that pushing air through a ...

As I said above, you might have derated that too much. But even if they still had 10,000mAh, it would only last for 4-5 hours. You could put four 8 packs in parallel, that way each 8 pack only gets hit with 500mA, so you would get the full 10,000mAh from each, giving you 40,000mAh out of 32 Batteri...

Can't speak on behalf of your rocket science calculations, but wanted to pass along a tip I saw posted somewhere. If you leave near a place that supplies wheel chairs, they often get people coming in needing to change out a bad battery and they are required to change out both despite if one is stil...

At my last playa stay I ran my figjam swamp cooler off a deep-cycle marine battery, which was great. Don't have that battery anymore, and a new one is expensive and heavy, so I'm wondering: how long could I run the cooler off an 8-pack of D alkaline batteries? I've been googling around, but I'm a to...

Canoe wrote:
With a down-facing elbow, you swamp-cooler air flow isn't fighting against wind blowing a flap closed.

Yeah, I'm liking that idea more and more too, now that you've got it in my head. I

O.K. Foil tape should mount those pieces together and to the roof - strong enough in a blow or will it get ripped off and the wind powers dust in while it gets a toe hold to try and rip the yurt apart? Angle of roof vs. wind catching if it blows directly at that side? Think 25 mph, then 45 mph, the...

I'd look into one of these. It's not likely to shear off in the wind due to the broad mounting surface - especially if you make a mounting plate to go on the interior side of the foam board, It can be adjusted to where your positive pressure from the swamp cooler keeps out dust and just ajar where ...

Canoe: thanks so much for the info. I see your point about the design of these vents letting dust in. I'll aim for a simpler vent setup, blockable from the inside.

naos

My girlfriend and I are embarking on our first burn this year (woohoo!) Since she's an engineer and I'm a big nerd, we're going all in: we're seriously digging the hexayurt and swamp cooler combo. I want to vent the hot air that will collect in the top of the yurt, and since the swamp cooler needs t...

Ok, I've managed to build a classic Figjam-style bucket cooler that has been happily running for the last few days via a 30 watt solar panel :D Sweet! I'm about to build one of these for my first-time burn experience this year, to keep my hexayurt cool. Could I combine the solar panel you're using ...