cooling your tent or van

capjbadger · Post by **capjbadger** » Wed Jun 09, 2010 7:05 pm

Just happens that I do:
Photoset with descriptions on Flickr

-Badger

FIGJAM · Post by **FIGJAM** » Wed Jun 09, 2010 7:39 pm

Thats great! Hope you wont mind a little advice. I think you could reduce the cardboard by 80% and it would work just as well or replace it with cooler pad or loose upholstery batting and it will really increase the air flow. A normal side draft swamp cooler has pad on three sides for max exposure with little air resistense. It would be easy to modify yours. How much cfm does your fan put out?

capjbadger · Post by **capjbadger** » Wed Jun 09, 2010 10:32 pm

Actually the channels in the coragated cardboard are the surface area that the air flows though. It works a little different that the cooler pad would. At the time I was trying to use materials on hand rather than buying new stuff.

Not sure about the CFM. I just know that I fell asleep in fron tof it, and when I woke and came out of my dome, they were very curious why I was wearing a sweater while they were in shorts and no shirt.

-Badger

FIGJAM · Post by **FIGJAM** » Wed Jun 09, 2010 10:36 pm

Another testimonial from a satisfied swap cooler user

Token · Post by **Token** » Thu Jun 10, 2010 6:50 am

That cardboard design reminds me of a dirt bike muffler design from the 90s. Supertrap did this cool muffler that had a big stack of disks mounted on the end of the cannister and vented the exhaust radially instead of through a big round pipe. You could tune the surface area of the exhaust by adding or removing disks.

It was a very cool design and allowed Supertrap to use much smaller cans on the muffler body.

I'm wondering if you could do something similar for a bucket in a bucket design that is gravity fed.

FIGJAM · Post by **FIGJAM** » Fri Jun 11, 2010 7:21 am

FIGJAM · Post by **FIGJAM** » Fri Jun 11, 2010 12:55 pm

capjbadger · Post by **capjbadger** » Fri Jun 11, 2010 4:42 pm

The pod is not insulated and in totel sun so the cool air disapates pretty quick.

Silver paint is your friend...

-Badger

FIGJAM · Post by **FIGJAM** » Fri Jun 11, 2010 7:36 pm

FIGJAM · Post by **FIGJAM** » Mon Jun 14, 2010 9:56 am

Playa portable swamp cooler 2.0 is in R+D and should be ready in a couple of days. 1.0 was for a small tent. 2.0 will cool a van or average yurt since there are so many out there.........stay tuned....

FIGJAM · Post by **FIGJAM** » Mon Jun 14, 2010 12:57 pm

ordered this pump just in case.

http://www.siliconsolar.com/replacement ... p-103.html

the 2.0 will be 15x15x21 and put out 250cfm on low (1.38 amps) to 900cfm on high (2.78 amps) should be plenty for a yurt and not too much power.

GonzoRock · Post by **GonzoRock** » Thu Jun 17, 2010 10:21 am

[quote="MrMurdock"]this could work as a pretty nice pump!

https://fountainmountain.com/product_de ... prodid=256[/quote]

That's a 6volt pump... a 12 volt car battery will make it run twice as fast and may... destroy it. Would have to purchase and life cycle test it most likely to know and avoid failure on playa.

capjbadger · Post by **capjbadger** » Thu Jun 17, 2010 3:14 pm

GonzoRock wrote:
MrMurdock wrote:this could work as a pretty nice pump!

https://fountainmountain.com/product_de ... prodid=256
That's a 6volt pump... a 12 volt car battery will make it run twice as fast and may... destroy it. Would have to purchase and life cycle test it most likely to know and avoid failure on playa.

That runs on the batteries in the solar panel. You would not hook this up to a car battery.

-Badger

FIGJAM · Post by **FIGJAM** » Thu Jun 17, 2010 10:10 pm

capjbadger wrote:
GonzoRock wrote:
MrMurdock wrote:this could work as a pretty nice pump!

https://fountainmountain.com/product_de ... prodid=256
That's a 6volt pump... a 12 volt car battery will make it run twice as fast and may... destroy it. Would have to purchase and life cycle test it most likely to know and avoid failure on playa.
That runs on the batteries in the solar panel. You would not hook this up to a car battery.

-Badger

Looking at the sight, the head drops of drasticly at 20ins. so I dont think it would suply enough water.

FIGJAM · Post by **FIGJAM** » Fri Jun 18, 2010 10:22 am

YURT ALERT!!!!! Ok you dont have to have a yurt, but I liked saying it. Swamp cooler 2.0.

I made the box out of some left over material from my tub surround. I dont remember what its called, but its water proof and light. Fiber glass or plastic panels will work if their thick enough, but if you are patient, look in the thrift stores for a plastic or lexan display case with roughly the same dementions. 15x15x24in. Then you wont have to build a box.

The endless breeze fan is awsome. I thought I had a problem with it, but it turns out that I reversed the connection which made the fan run backwards, so it wasnt pushing much air. Now I can feel the breeze from 10ft away when its on low(1.18 amps 250cfm) medium 500cfm 1.68 amps, and high is 900cfm at 2.50 amps. Great for a 12 volt fan. The cheepest price new that I found was $60. Mine was a display and I got it for $25.

1/2in. pvc and three 90s and a cap.

The feed line was a little small till I put a short piece of pvc in the 90. with a little sillycone, its perfect. No need to glue the other pvc parts together.

By folding the pad instead of cutting individual pieces, It gets a snugger fit. The piece of strap keeps the pad snug at the front of the cooler. This is needed because if your fan is real strong, it will try to vacume your pad away from the sides. The pad retains its shape real well, so folding the inside corners is perfect.
The black tape is there because I got a little high on the sides with my holes and you want all the air to be drawn through damp pad.

Im waiting for the little bit stronger pump so I can test, but it should work fine...........FIGJAM........Oh .....check rv places to locate this fan. I sillyconed all the joints on the box exept the lid and this unit holds 8 gal. of water. Theres room for a case of pbr in the bottom. I have to check, but I think the water temp when running is close to 40 degrees. Unite dry wieght 13 pounds.

FIGJAM · Post by **FIGJAM** » Fri Jun 18, 2010 10:45 am

Totel cost, maybe $80, unless you can get your fan cheeper.

FIGJAM · Post by **FIGJAM** » Fri Jun 18, 2010 3:32 pm

http://www.lambertvetsupply.com/FanTast ... 10FTV01FAN

FIGJAM · Post by **FIGJAM** » Fri Jun 18, 2010 3:35 pm

http://www.adventurerv.net/fantastic-ve ... -1456.html

FIGJAM · Post by **FIGJAM** » Fri Jun 18, 2010 7:43 pm

Token · Post by **Token** » Sat Jun 19, 2010 12:11 pm

You know what Figjam, I just might build one of these suckers to cool my brewing fermenters.

Talk about surprise usage.

If'n it works for beer brewing, do you mind if I share the design with my brew club?

Much obliged.

FIGJAM · Post by **FIGJAM** » Sat Jun 19, 2010 1:33 pm

Feel free. Maybe I can get a sample?

FIGJAM · Post by **FIGJAM** » Mon Jun 21, 2010 3:11 pm

The pumps just arrived! I installed one on the new cooler and I cant think of any way it could be more suited to this purpose.

It uses .23amps and has a built in filter. Cost $14.95. Heres a pic of the pad to give an idea of how porse it is.

If you want your controls to be inside your structure cut the box with an extention where you will attatch the fan. this is how I set mine up.

I didnt need an extention. I tried it without the shade clothe first. When I had just the pump on there was minor leaking untill I turned the fan on low and the leaking stopped. If I sand the holes it may stop that entirely as any little snag tends to direct a small leak. And now the best part.....

The cooler on low (1.4 amps with the pump) is setting on the desk in the background and is about 4ft. away, but I couldnt get a good pic of the temp with the cooler in the shot. But damn AM I EVER HAPPY HAPPY WITH THIS THING...............FIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIGJAM............

LeChatNoir · Post by **LeChatNoir** » Mon Jun 21, 2010 3:23 pm

Hot Damn, FIGJAM! Great results!

Ok, I've gotta build one now. From where did you order the pump?

FIGJAM · Post by **FIGJAM** » Mon Jun 21, 2010 3:32 pm

http://www.siliconsolar.com/solar-fountain-pumps.html

Once you get the parts, you will have this thing built in a couple of hours. when the pads are wet they flex a little, so something to keep them against the side panels may be in order......Im still grinning, Im so pleased.

capjbadger · Post by **capjbadger** » Mon Jun 21, 2010 3:45 pm

105 to 69?? Dude, that's awesome results!

I need to get off my ass and get to work on mine. What are the dimensions of the unit?

-Badger

FIGJAM · Post by **FIGJAM** » Mon Jun 21, 2010 3:54 pm

15x15x24. But you can addapt to whatever size suits you. I got so worked up I forgot to check the temp of the water in the bottom to see if it will work as a beer cooler too. Need a different thurmometer, but cold beer without using ice.........magical..........lol......

FIGJAM · Post by **FIGJAM** » Mon Jun 21, 2010 4:41 pm

Remember, its only 6% humugity here, so dont be suprised if it doesnt feel as cold in your area. When you get to the playa it will preform as shown.

LeChatNoir · Post by **LeChatNoir** » Mon Jun 21, 2010 5:34 pm

I doubt it'd do much of anything here in the humid Ohio River Valley, but I'll build it to specs and trust in the dry desert air to do the magic.

FIGJAM · Post by **FIGJAM** » Mon Jun 21, 2010 9:15 pm

I dont know if you can see it in this picture, but I had some small wire that I cut some short lengths of and just ran them through the top of the pad and around the pvc. This keeps the pad from sucking away from the side.

If you do have an issue with leaks just push the pad in at that point, because the wire ties still keep the top of the pad in place.

Once the breeze died down, I could feel a cool breeze from 10ft away.

I think thats everything. If I missed something, just ask, and Ill be happy to try and help.

capjbadger · Post by **capjbadger** » Tue Jun 22, 2010 2:06 am

Looks awesome. What's the water consumption/hr like?

-Badger