cooling your tent or van

[Canoe]

And notice how the inner roll sticks up higher.

[LowePro]

From my experience, the Duracool pad definitely has a "Grain" to its fibers, so the orientation of the pad can affect leakage.

IE, when I rolled the pad one direction, it had lots of loose blue fibers sticking out and was leaky and flimsy, but when I rolled if with the other side OUT, the fibers were tighter and it kept its shape. Advise experimenting with rolling it in different directions before final cutting and assembly.

[FIGJAM]

Yes, just cut the pad small enough so that you have about a 1/4" gap between bucket and pad.

[oly14]

If you go back and look at FIGJAM's photos, an important detail is that the outer roll of pad does NOT touch the sides.

There needs to be a gap:
- to prevent leaking water, and
- to let air in between the side of the bucket and the pad so more of the pad is working to let air flow through and be cooled.

That's the strange part. I read his details very closely, and the 30x13 measurements given in original instructions cause touching in my bucket I wonder if home depot changed their dimensions slightly *shrug* Did a trip check on measurements this morning 30 inches sadly does not cut it for my bucket.... BUT do not fear nothing that a minus 1/4-1/2 trim can't fix.... I hope!

I missed the gap when I built my cooler a few months back and went to make adjustments last weekend. Like winterdream, 30" was too large for my Depot bucket too. I ended up trimming almost 1" off (1/4" at a time) both the inner and outer pad to get the size right. I fired it up and ... it leaked. Damn. I had to cut a few small (~1" x 2") sections of pad 'spacers' to make sure the pad didn't touch any part of the bucket side. Ah, works much better. Now if I could just figure out why the 12V pump I bought to replace my likely to burn up HF pump is making so much noise I would be golden.

[dragonpilot]

I just received the recommended fan: http://www.frozencpu.com/products/12959 ... 6c435s1108

But it has 4 thin black wires coming out of it ending in a 4-prong female coupler...I ordered this right off the page that popped up...my wires going to the battery are one red and one black...how do I do the splice?

[FIGJAM]

I think it's the 2 wires at the outside edges of the connector.

Cut the connector off and test those two to your battery.

It will only work in one configuration, and you can't hurt it if you get it wrong.

When you find the right way, mark um, then splice um into the pump wire.

[jaybatson]

Hey, Figjam -

I went looking at Ace HW's website, and they don't list the Duracool pads. But I'll assume I can do the multi-store order thing from your store.

I forget - did you say I _place_ the order from my local store (which, in Massachusetts, is highly unlikely to even know what these are, much less find them if they're not on the Ace website), OR order them from YOUR Ace, and have them shipped here (free, I presume)?

Also, I recall seeing you list the contact info (/method) for your local Ace - but it's buried somewhere in 75 pages of (slow eplaya) thread history.

Would you mind re-posting the ordering, and contact info here?

I note that (in case it matters) because my fabricated bucket is going into a truck headed to the Playa before I'll receive the pads, I'm likely to do a two-set order:
- One set to come here so I can test insertion in a 2nd-bucket between now & leaving; but I don't want to pack them in my suitcase for flying out;
- Another set to arrive at a RNO Ace Hardware that I can re-fabricate there before heading to BRC.

-jb

[FIGJAM]

It's a little tricky, but you have your store call my store and have them ship the pads.

And no the pads are not on the website.

http://www.frontieracehardware.com/

[winterdream28]

so bf has opened up to me about why it is only 80% working besides mending the leak.... I am worried the solar pump he bought is not powerful enough.

is the one he got. It is hard to test because we are doing it off of very bright lights in the house right now but it seems to only push the water maybe one inch around the circle tube up top. I am assuming he/we did not get a powerful enough one? Wanted to run by Figjam before we buy the new one.

I think we payed to much attention to the "max" 42 gallons an hour and not enough to the max water height :-/

[FIGJAM]

It may be a little underpowered, but try it in direct sun first.

It says max pump hight 18".

With most of these type of pumps, the higher it pumps the water, the less it pumps per hour.

I saw one that said 80gph, but their chart showed that at 20"s it only pumped 11gph.

That's the trick bag you have watch for with these pumps.

[winterdream28]

Really appreciate all the help Figjam... your patience is much appreciated! My bf and I thank you!

[doober831]

UPDATE: The bucket will fit in the truck bed, next to the camper! I have to angle the camper ever so slightly to make it fit but it's not very noticeable and I think my OCD can handle it.

I have everything I need to make the cooler, now I just need to do it. I'm hoping to make some headway tomorrow. Here's some pictures of what I'm working with (click for larger images).

You can see the bucket in the front corner.

Not a 1/16th of an inch to spare.

I'm going to prop the bucket up on some blocks so it's closer to the opening in the bench.

When the bucket is propped up the septic connector fits up through the bench opening wonderfully.

My plan is to cut a piece of cardboard to fit the opening and cut a hole in it so the septic connector can poke into the camper. I'm thinking I'll just tape it in place to seal it up. The only downside is the limited access to the bucket. Once the camper is on there's no taking the bucket out and I'm not sure if I'll be able to take the lid off completely. I'm probably going to have to get a funnel with a tube or some sort of other system to fill it.

Fig: How do you go about using AC plugs and switches in a DC setting? Battery + to hot and battery - to neutral? or to ground? Does the battery need to be kept away from the cooler to avoid sucking in the battery gases? I was thinking about putting it on the same side of the camper as the cooler but nearer the tailgate.

[FIGJAM]

Once the cooler is running properly you won't need to take the lid off, just fill it through one of the holes in the bucket.

One side of the AC outlet is wider, so I made that one the possitive, and the other the negative.

The plugs will have one prong wider than the other.

Once you're wired you can't plug them in wrong.

The battery will be far enough away not to worry about off gassing.

There is no ground with this configuration.

[Canoe]

UPDATE: The bucket will fit in the truck bed, next to the camper! I have to angle the camper ever so slightly to make it fit but it's not very noticeable and I think my OCD can handle it.

Yay! You got it in without having to build a stupid box! (So much more reliable with fewer points of failure. And it doesn't take up space inside, etc.)
And you'll still be able to run it while in line on the playa!

p.s. foil-sided bubble-wrap Gaffer taped over the lower windows and the overhead vent/skylight will keep a whole lot of heat out. Outside is more effective, inside is still very worth while. For the upper windows, I'd cover on the inside so you can still uncover and access them from inside (without having to go outside to uncover) should you want to open them; leave a small square cut in the middle and in the day you'll always have a little light inside (don't do that with the skylight - way too much heat gets in, nor with an outside cover).

[dragonpilot]

Hey, Figjam -

I went looking at Ace HW's website, and they don't list the Duracool pads. But I'll assume I can do the multi-store order thing from your store.

I forget - did you say I _place_ the order from my local store (which, in Massachusetts, is highly unlikely to even know what these are, much less find them if they're not on the Ace website), OR order them from YOUR Ace, and have them shipped here (free, I presume)?

Also, I recall seeing you list the contact info (/method) for your local Ace - but it's buried somewhere in 75 pages of (slow eplaya) thread history.

Would you mind re-posting the ordering, and contact info here?

I note that (in case it matters) because my fabricated bucket is going into a truck headed to the Playa before I'll receive the pads, I'm likely to do a two-set order:
- One set to come here so I can test insertion in a 2nd-bucket between now & leaving; but I don't want to pack them in my suitcase for flying out;
- Another set to arrive at a RNO Ace Hardware that I can re-fabricate there before heading to BRC.

-jb

I went to Ace and the sales person said they would have to order an entire case...which they weren't going to do. Lowes and HD were going to charge me $7 for the pad, $9 for shipping...WTF? Instead, I am going to buy the pad on my way to the Burn along my route either in Lakeview, OR or Alturas, CA...they KNOW what they are and have loads of them and have more on the way, because as the sales person in Lakeview said..."This is a staple product in these parts!" Gotta love 'em!

[theox]

having seen my almost-finished cooler, some good friends are gonna build one. they will be out there without a car, but have one of these:

should that provide them enough power for a pump AND fan, in your most excellent opinions??

it's getting up to 91 here in denver today, so will repot back after i test my cooler out in the heat of the afternoon tarmac!

[FIGJAM]

The humidity in your area will determine how your test goes.

[unjonharley]

Hay Fig,

Are you sorry you started this thread YET

[theox]

hovering around 30% today so far

[FIGJAM]

Hay Fig,

Are you sorry you started this thread YET

Nope, it gives me an excuse for not doing jack shit on the playa!

[fgcastle]

Now if I could just figure out why the 12V pump I bought to replace my likely to burn up HF pump is making so much noise I would be golden.

You may need to prime your pump by sucking some water up the tube before plugging it in. Sometimes those 12v pumps get an air bubble trapped in the pump and that creates noise.

[theox]

just saw this via Fig earlier ... "From what I've read, a 50 watt panel is what you'll need" ... so i think that answers my friends' question as to the solar set-up

[Pootzen]

I'm going to try building mine this weekend - I ordered a 24" x 24' Aspen Roll from FiltersNow if anyone in Seattle needs some extra material please hit me up here or on BCWA.

[FIGJAM]

[theox]

success! figured i'd post this in case anyone's on the fence and finds themselves on page 75! i followed FIGJAM's bucket cooler design found most recently here: http://eplaya.burningman.org/viewtopic. ... 50#p947515 and the only thing i changed was i had to trim my pads down as my bucket must have been a bit smaller and the pads were initially jammed tight (you do want a little space between the bucket and the pad - see FIGJAM's original pics. makes the air cooler and the cooler shouldn't leak). so i tested today in denver at 91 degrees and about 20% humidity at the time of testing. the playa will be hotter, but also drier enough to i think roughly even things out. i didn't have a thermometer inside my camper van but i sat in there reading some alan moore and drinking hot coffee for about an hour and took a quick nap and the whole time i felt comfortably cool. and when i checked the cooler later on there were no leaks, no weirdness, and the water inside was icy cold. oh, and i was cooling about 300-400 cu. feet of space. so if you're hesitant... don't be! follow FIGJAM to swampie bliss!

i did learn that the closer the swamp cooler is to the area needing to be cooled) the better. fairly obvious, but it did make a big difference to the "blast" of the cool air... am attaching pics to see what i mean about getting the cooler as close as you can (while keeping outside), as well as the simple design i used for venting the cooler through my van's window (which pops out/unscrews pretty easily).

pics2.jpg

a HUGE thank you to FIGJAM for starting this thread, seeing it through so far, sharing his wisdom, and for answering about a dozen questions for me!
see you all out there. cheers,
ox

[FIGJAM]

According to the chart, you were getting 70 degrees from the cooler.

Well done!!!

[theox]

yeah! and if it's about 5% humidity and a 100 on the playa i think the chart showed the same output. this was actually really fun building this. thanks again, fig

[fea]

Hey Figjam, do you have any pics or instructions on wiring the cooler? I have zero electrical skills, but I do follow direction well.

I have the pump, the fan, a solar panel, deep cycle battery and current controller adapter thing. I just have no idea how to wire it. Any information you can offer is hugely appreciated.

[FIGJAM]

As far as the pump and fan go, if you bought the pump I recommended, it comes with clips to connect to the battery.

You can splice the fan into the pump wires, or add some wire to the fan and clip it to the battery too.

The solar panel isn't something I know enough about.

[fea]

Really? I can just splice into the fan or pump wires.....I could probably also perform surgery on my last two brain cells, but I wouldn't have the slightest idea how to begin that venture either..... Apparently I am going to have to start stalking people at the local electric store for a crash course. Now don't you feel bad that some people's lives are about to be made miserable?