cooling your tent or van

[tattoogoddess]

It might help to make some holes to zip tie it to the bucket. I noticed once the pump was going the tube liked to move a little and could make a puddle on the outside.

[FIGJAM]

The main reason for the inner sleeve of pad is to act as a retainer for the halo.

Leave the inner sleeve about an inch higher than the outer sleeve and put the T connector at the gap of the inner sleeve.

Now the halo can't shift around!

[TT120]

Genius.

[FIGJAM]

When the lid is on, it also acts as a gasket that forces ALL the air through the damp pad!

[maryanimal]

I tried the lighter and that and it didn't work the first time (but I'm going to try it again), and my stove is electric. It'll work out! I'm just getting all jazzed about getting it together!

I did not as well. Use a coat hanger and a lighter. It works.

I does work! However now I'm wondering if my holes are too big.

[MikeGyver]

I does work! However now I'm wondering if my holes are too big.

The holes in the side of the bucket? or the holes in the hose?

[maryanimal]

The holes in the hose...



On the right I used a hot wire hanger, I used a dremmel tool on the left and it so much easier, for me anyway. The hanger holes are bigger than the dremmel holes but not by much.

[LowePro]

So I actually read all 64 pages,
a bit confused on the recommended fans since they've change model numbers and PWM.

Trying to keep it simple,
My question: If I find a fan with only 2 wires, can I assume it is **NOT** PWM and I won't have to make any weird adjustments for PWM?

Or is this a bad assumption, and some PWM fans will have only 2 wires?




Or is there any other way to tell from a photo whether the fan is PWM or not? I found a Delta 120mm "AFB1212SHE" with 2 wires. I can't tell how old it may be, and this model number yields different specs when I searched for it.

[FIGJAM]

Can you post a link for the fan you found?

Some of the confusion was caused by that model number not being complete.

I know of at least 2 fans with that number, ome is the 190cfm and one is 150cfm.

Look in this picture and you'll see under the "SHE" in the model number CF00.

People are still using this fan with great success.

[Martiansky]

I found a fan on *bay for $6. Im hoping it'll work, thought Id give it a try for the $.

FigJam, I can't find a 3/8" clear plastic hose T around here, I wondered if you knew of a specific store to find them in? Thanks!

[FIGJAM]

Ace hardwear is pretty well stocked.

I got mine at home depot, but it was in kind of abscure spot.

It was across the isle from the irrigation drip line with the brass fittings.

Best to ask someone in the store to guide you to them.

[oly14]

Thanks FIGJAM for a great design. I almost have my bucket cooler finished, there's just some wiring clean-up. A few observations made during my assembly. As maryanimal pointed out, the 33 1/2" was too long for the orange Homer Depot bucket. I had to cut 1 1/2 inches off (32" x 13") and then the 'outer' pad fit nicely. For the tubing, I unfortunately needed multiple tries. First, I tried using a 16d nail to melt the holes since I didn't have a piece of 10 gauge wire. With the Harbor Freight pump (http://www.harborfreight.com/solar-powe ... 66093.html), those holes were too big and I had gaps in the water flow. For round 2, I tried a 5d nail. Damn, still too big. Fewer dry spots but they were still there. For round 3 (another 39 holes, sigh), I used a 5/64 drill bit. It took a bit more work to get clean holes but that did the trick, even water flow. With the drill bit, I had to start the hole with a slow speed and then clean the hole with higher RPM's.

Now a question. The title is "cooling your tent or van" but there's not much talk of how people are cooling a van. I have flexible dryer duct that I'm thinking for running to a register box (something like http://www.homedepot.com/p/Master-Flow- ... ZhlD6LiiDk) that I'll roll the window into. I'll clearly have to cover the rest of the open window with something. How are others getting the cool air into their van? On my van, only the front windows open.

Thanks again for a fantastic do-it-yourself cooling project.

[FIGJAM]

That pump will work only under ideal conditions.

Sounds like you have a cargo van.

If that's the case I woul install something like this where you can have the cooler blowing right on your sleeping area, then just roll down one of the front windows a couple of inches to vent the air out.

http://www.rvpartscountry.com/LockingRV ... 59959.html

[oly14]

Yeah, it is a cargo van. Unfortunately, I don't own it so cutting a hole for a hatch is going to be a problem. That would be a great solution if I did own it though.

[maryanimal]

Yeah, it is a cargo van. Unfortunately, I don't own it so cutting a hole for a hatch is going to be a problem. That would be a great solution if I did own it though.

I'm buying a cargo van in early august. Going to sell my car. I'll have about $4K! Been looking around a lot! Can't wait to get it! I talked to my mechanic and he told me to bring it in for a full check up before I buy it! I'll be transforming it after the burn. Good luck with your cooler!

[hippyDdoc]

I used the solar pump from harbor freight, measured the voltage and got almost 9v out the solar panel, I decided to hook it up to 12 volts from a battery charger to see what would happen, lots of water, lots of water. Not sure how long the motor would last, my two bits, cause this place is full of penny pairs.

[LowePro]

Previous poster here, RE: Fans and PWM.

Here are some pics. Same model number AFB1212SHE, but doesn't have -CF00 logo,
and only has 2 wires.

Any tips?
Thank you all kindly!

[FIGJAM]

The red is the possitive and the black is the negative.

I would cut of that connector, splice on some longer wire, and just use alligator clips to connect it to the battery.

[BBadger]

Get a fan with a high static pressure rating since you'll be pulling air through those filters. These ones (*) should be decent if you're willing to pony up the cash. Since you're paying for shipping, remember to buy some grills, screws, and maybe the fittings/tubes (and pumps?) for your watering system.

* EDIT: Looks like nobody is selling that particular model these days. Maybe check Ebay.

[FIGJAM]

This still seems to be the best selection of fans.

http://www.frozencpu.com/cat/l2/g36/c43 ... y_CFM.html

[talon_mags]

Love the design and I'm totally gonna try this out. Not sure if this has been asked before but if the pump is solar power and you splice the pump and the fan together does the solar unit power both or is that why you need the battery? or is the solar panel just charging up the battery? Thanks again for your inspiration!!!

[FIGJAM]

The solar panel is barely enough to run the pump.

[talon_mags]

ok cool. So you can buy the pump without the panel and just go battery opeated then?

[FIGJAM]

I like his pump for that reason.

https://www.greenlivingforu.com/dc-subm ... or-battery

[fgcastle]

I picked up a costco 115 ah battery today. Should I put my motorcycle 12V trickle charge on it and leave it on until its time to travel to the burn? Is that proper maintenance?

[TT120]

You should use the battery. Letting it sit on the battery Tender the whole time won't do it any good. Give it a full charge then use it to drain it down then charge it back up. Do that a few times between now and TTITD and it should last a long time. My small Tender takes about 3 days to recharge the battery from about half charge.

[FIGJAM]

I use this one on the batteries that I only use on the playa.

This will be thier 4th year.

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/ ... MgodYTYAqA

[FIGJAM]

Picture trails tells me my pics in this thread have been viewed 1.23 million times!

[unjonharley]

There are going to be a bunch of homer cooler around..

[unjonharley]

Am planing to run the cooler bucket through the overhead A/C vents in the van.
This morning I turned the fan on to see if it works.. Bad idea.. Playa dust storm in the van.. Loved it..