Swamp Cooler A/C


Ace

New Member
I have a swamp cooler A/C on my newly aquired '82 Skyway Lindy II Class C. This may sound like a dumb question but does there have to be some water somewhere in the the unit to work? I have truned it on and I can't really tell if its cooling or not. The fan runs but I am not sure if it's cooling. There is not a dramatic change in temp like a car A/C. Should there be?
Thanks :)
 

hertig

Senior Member
Swamp Cooler A/C

Yes, there must be water available to the unit in order to cool. 'Swamp' coolers work on the principal of evaporation. That is, air is drawn through or pushed through a wet media, and the process of evaporation absorbs heat, resulting in a small drop in the temperature and increase in humidity of the air so processed. Best case amount of cooling would probably be 20 degrees or so, depending on the humidity of the air coming in. The higher this humidity, the less evaporation occurs and thus less cooling. Holes in or around the media also reduce the effectiveness, as any air which is not exposed to evaporation, is not cooled. Finally, the media usually needs frequent replacement or cleaning, as any crap in the water is left on the media after evaporation, which can clog it up so water and/or air can't get through.

Also, swamp coolers never recirculate air, so you must have a way for the air to exhaust to the outside rather than back to the cooler. If not, the air will just get higher and higher in humidity until no more cooling can take place. The opposite of AC, the more windows you have open, the better a swamp cooler works :)

Portable swamp coolers either get their water from a built in tank, or from the RV water system. Check yours to see whether there is a filler opening, or tubing coming in. Some use capillary action or gravity to wet the media and others use a pump or the pressure of the water supply. Like the media, this system can get clogged by stuff in the water. Verify that the media is being thouroughly wetted.
 

Ed H.

New Member
Swamp Cooler A/C

A swamp cooler is NOT an air conditioner. It is basically a humidifierwith a high volume fan. Instead of a large quantity of electricity, they use a large quantity of water. Swamp coolers work great if you're in a dry climate. That means inland, away from the Mississippi, and not in New England. The advantage is that they can run on a small 12 volt motor and can be used when dry camping. The disadvantage is that they add humidity to the air instead of removing it.
Hertig is right about the mechanical pitfalls, but a total rebuild or new unit will cost a lot less than an A/C unit. If you use your rig in the south west, it's the way to go. If you plan on a lot of hot weather trips to humid areas, look into a real A/C unit.
 

joaston

New Member
Swamp Cooler A/C

I am looking to replace a downdraft (14x14 opening) 28x28x20high swamp cooler and cannot find where to buy one. Does anyone know where I can find one?
 
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