cooling your tent or van

[Jyman]

I went and got this silicone: http://www.homedepot.com/p/GE-Supreme-9 ... d87jRnXo7A

[FIGJAM]

Some plastics won't let anything stick.

The silicone is still the best seal, but you may need things to hold everything in place.

Four new holes in the vents with little nuts and bolts and the silicone for a seal.

Little angle brackets to hold the fan in place.

[Jyman]

I can test by siliconing the scrap plastic to the scrap metal I trimmed from my vents, see if it holds well. If that looks weak then your idea with the reinforcements should do it. thanks again Figjam!

[AntiM]

MyLarry just made a bucket cooler with the intention of taking it on his semi. That way he won't have to idle the truck to use the AC. He added an on/off switch and wired a plug so it goes into the ciggie socket.

Oh, we will use it in the desert too. He has clips which are wired into a socket.

The water leaked out of the holes a bit, so he put a loop of tubing inside, below the holes, so they stand off a bit.

[maryanimal]

I've been noticing the marine batteries for sale at Walmart and Kmart. But they have different number/letter sequences. Which one is the one I would get?

[TT120]

This is the one I got Mary:
http://www.walmart.com/ip/EverStart-Max ... ductDetail

[Canoe]

I've been noticing the marine batteries for sale at Walmart and Kmart. But they have different number/letter sequences. Which one is the one I would get?

Costco's Kirkland Deep Cycle (Marine) battery

• Usually recommended is the 115 AH Deep Cycle model.
• There's also a 95 AH Deep Cycle model.
• And a 120 AH Starting/Deep-cycle model

Costco Kirkland Deep Cycle Batteries.jpg

[Canoe]

This is the one I got Mary:
http://www.walmart.com/ip/EverStart-Max ... ductDetail

AH rating?
(don't see it on the site)

[TT120]

This is the one I got Mary:
http://www.walmart.com/ip/EverStart-Max ... ductDetail

AH rating?
(don't see it on the site)

I think it's 110 AH

[maryanimal]

Thanks you all or the information! I don't have a Costco card, well, I need to renew it.
Canoe: Figgy told me that the $99 Kirkland is the one to buy, but I see you posted 3 of them.

TT: Does that one you bought work well with your bucket cooler?
I'm going to buy my battery this week. I'm getting so excited knowing I'll be on the playa in 41 days!!

[Canoe]

Costco's Kirkland Deep Cycle (Marine) battery

• Usually recommended is the 115 AH Deep Cycle model.

And in most stores. Not often I see the other two.
But you'd have to check with him.

[theox]

so grateful to find this info... just what i've been looking for. have a swamp cooler on our house here in denver and it works like a charm. i really dig the FIG design and am planning to build one for our camper van (about 300 cu.ft inside) for this year's burn. even i should be able to follow these instructions! thanks! before i get started tho... we installed solar panels in our van's roof and can run about 400 watts... have a 115v ac converter. i get a bit fuzzy on this stuff, but am wondering:

1. i assume i place the cooler outside and then run tubing up and into our sleeping area... and then crack a window open on the other side. sound right? anyone tried these inside a camper van? i'm concerned that too much tubing will mean we lose a lot of coolness before it hits us, but maybe it just has to enter the van and if we keep some windows open that'll pull the cool air about sufficiently?

2. with 300 cu.ft and the "power" we have (listed above, to the best of my understanding!), should i consider running two? i'm trying to figure out maximum fan/pump action. or maybe i should use one of these and run another good simple fan inside the van in addition. any ideas?

3. finally, i'd luck to run everything off the solar set-up i already have, so any tips on a good submersible pump that doesn't need to generate its own power?

big THANKS in advance. my wife's gonna love me extra if i figure this out!

[FIGJAM]

The closer you can get the cooler to where it blows into the space the better it will work.(short duct)

This is the pump I use and can be used either with your solar panels or connected direct to 12 volts.

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

[theox]

makes sense. but i do want to put the cooler OUTSIDE of the camper, right? also - do you think one would be sufficient for cooling our space (about 300 cu.ft).
thanks FIG!

[MacGlenver]

makes sense. but i do want to put the cooler OUTSIDE of the camper, right? also - do you think one would be sufficient for cooling our space (about 300 cu.ft).
thanks FIG!

Yes, outside the camper. You might consider putting the buckets on TOP of your camper to shorten the distance. Others have put their buckets up on raised stands to shorten the distance. Or you could wrap a big ass bracket around the bucket and screw it into the side of your camper!!

[FIGJAM]

The bucket cooler has to be outside the space being cooled for it to work.

If your space is 300cu.ft. the cooler will do a complete air exchange every 1.5 minutes.

You should be very coooooool!

[theox]

awesome. thanks so much.... will let you know how it goes... and will post pics if it turns out halfway presentable

[TT120]

Mary: I ran my cooler for 3 hours a day for 5 days straight and the battery didn't even break a sweat. When I put it on the battery tender to charge it back up, it showed the battery at or above %75 charge so There shouldn't be any problem going the whole 8 days out there without having to charge it.

I'm also going to use the battery to charge cell phones and use a small inverter here and there.

[theCryptofishist]

The bucket cooler has to be outside the space being cooled for it to work.

Otherwise (and I'm sure I'll be corrected if I'm wrong), it just makes things hotter--i.e. the motor heats things up. That's why you see swamp coolers outside windows...

[theox]

makes sense... the one we put on our roof works great. the portable (indoor) one we tried first ... worked not at all.

[FIGJAM]

Sorry Fishy, but you are mistaken.

If you just set a swamp cooler in a room, it will keep recirculating the air and making it VERY humid without any cooling affect at all.

[fgcastle]

Here is a variation on Figjam's bucket swamp cooler. The main difference is that I used Rainfilter gutter guards as my evaporative medium. Costco sells this.

image.jpg

I cut them to a set length, then stacked stacked and glued/calked them to roughly form 2 half circles. I tied the 2 half circles together, and using a template from the bottom of the bucket and a serrated knife, I carved a tapered cylinder. Then I carved out the center of each half cylinder.

image.jpg

image.jpg

My reason for doing was to eliminate the air flow restriction I have read about on this thread that comes from not being able to get enough holes in the side of the bucket without compromising the structural integrity of the bucket. In this design, the Rainfilter becomes the supportive structure and the bucket is literally cut in half. The bottom half holds the water reservoir and the top holds the fan and ductwork.
ePlaya is limiting me to 3 pictures. I will follow up with another post to show the completed product.
I am getting a very strong and unrestricted air flow and cooling that matches the temperature/humidity cooling chart that Figjam posted earlier.

[fgcastle]

Here is the follow up. Pics of the completed project.

image.jpg

image.jpg

image.jpg

[FIGJAM]

Is this the same stuff?

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Rain-Filter- ... /203009078

Kinda pricey and you could get the same effect be sandwiching cooler pad into a chicken wire tube.

[Canoe]

Here is a variation on Figjam's bucket swamp cooler. The main difference is that I used Rainfilter gutter guards as my evaporative medium....

Interesting.
You'll have to let us know how it stands up to playa dust, and if the dust gets washed off or clogs it.
That filter will be exposed to the sun, right?

[Canoe]

... am planning to build one for our camper van (about 300 cu.ft inside) ...
1. i assume i place the cooler outside and then run tubing up and into our sleeping area...

The closer you can get the cooler to where it blows into the space the better it will work.(short duct)

FIGJAM has pointed out before that some fans have had difficulty pushing heavy moist cooled air up too high to get into a window. You might have to raise the swamp-cooler up off the ground, closer to the height of the window, to ensure the best air flow. This also gives you a shorter duct to the inside. Some people insulate their duct.
If you've got a good way to suspend the bucket off the van, you can run it for cooling when you're in line for gate or Exodus and have the van shut off.

... If your space is 300cu.ft. the cooler will do a complete air exchange every 1.5 minutes. You should be very coooooool!

So you won't need another fan inside.

[FIGJAM]

I think it will be fine, but I would find a way to run some staps to hold the top and bottom together.

Maybe some bungees.

[fgcastle]

Figjam, it looks like the same stuff, but the Costco price here is 1/2 of the HD price. Also, it takes less than 1/2 a box to make the cooler. Since I have been slowly installing these in my gutters anyway, I will use the rest of the box at home.

Canoe, I will post how it works on the playa. I know the experience there can be vastly different. At home, however, these things really do keep my gutters clear without clogging. The swamp cooler will be in the shade, but this material is expressly made for constant exposure to the sun. If it works, next year I will make a prettier one.

[maryanimal]

Woohoo! I got my battery for the bucket cooler today! So it's all done! And that's load off my mind! It's a smooth ride from here! Thanks Figgy for all your help!

[fgcastle]

I think it will be fine, but I would find a way to run some staps to hold the top and bottom together.

Maybe some bungees.

Are you thinking the wind might try to take the whole thing apart? Good point!! I may put some dynamic rigging between the top and bottom. Bulky bungees might have a tendency to channel water away from the evaporator.