cooling your tent or van

[Straightveg]

OK, here it is, but there is a delay in shipping.

http://www.siliconsolar.com/replacement-12v-solar-pump.html

Just went to check and it looks like they don't have it there anymore either, the link 404's.

[FIGJAM]

OK, the search is now on for a new pump!

Heres the closest thing they have, but it is way overkill for the coolers and pricy.

http://www.siliconsolar.com/12-24v-aquajet-solar-pump.html


So everybody start looking for a 300ma 12 volt dc pump that moves about 80gals. per hour, to a hight of about 3 ft. for under $20.

Here's anothe possibility, but I don't see a flow rate, power consumption, or if it's dc.


http://www.siliconsolar.com/12v-pump-with-capacitor-and-spade-terminals.html

[klondike-SD]

So everybody start looking for a 300ma 12 volt dc pump that moves about 80gals. per hour, to a hight of about 3 ft. for under $20.

Would the 6v one work, provided the cooler was less than 4 foot tall?
http://www.siliconsolar.com/6v-9v-solar-pump.html

Voltage: 6v DC
Amperage: 220mA
Dimensions: 5.1" x 3.4" x 2.9"
Weight: 2.1 lbs
Cord Length: 16' 5"
Max Head: 4'1"*
Max Flow Rate: 80 GPH*
Adjustable Flow Rate
Dry Run Protection
3 Year Warranty*

[FIGJAM]

I think a 12 volt battery would burn out that pump unless you can reduce the voltage down somehow, or connect it to a 6 volt solar panel.

I'm not that tech savvy so I hope someone who knows will chime in.

I'm still looking for a 12 volt pump to make wiring easier.

[klondike-SD]

another inexpensive pump that might work:

http://www.suntekstore.com/goods-14004996-dc12v_3w_submersible_water_pump_aquarium_fountain_pond_pump_.html


Flow rate is a little bit low, but cheap and low power consumption.

Specifications:

Input Voltage: DC12 V
Power: 3W
Flow Rate: Max. 200L / H (44GPH)
Hmax.: 6.6 feet / 2 meters
Outlet Diameter: Approx. 8mm
Dimension (L x W x H): Approx. 1.5 x 1.3 x 1.1 inch
Cord Length: Approx. 46 inch
Material: Plastic

[FIGJAM]

That looks like a winner!

It would probably work for the bucket cooler.

The only concern is how much the GPH drops off with the hight it has to pump the water.

[klondike-SD]

Speaking of power . . .

Costco is selling this power pack + solar panel kit for ~$250:
http://www.amazon.com/Goal0-29005-Escape-150-Adventure/dp/B004OHOGW8/ref=sr_1_20?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1339715413&sr=1-20

A bit pricey, but if it doesn't work out you always have the Costco return policy to fall back on Additional 15W solar panels are $100 and they can be daisy-chained.



Looks like one of those traveling-road-show-vendor-booths, so probably not available at every Costco.

I'll probably loose some DIYer points by going with these, but it does look like a pretty rugged solution that would be well suited to the Playa.

Now I just have to build that Unicooler to plug into this . . . .

[FIGJAM]

For the price they have limited amp hours.

[sjs]

Hey swamp cooler people, would there be any interest in getting together on-playa to compare coolers and whatnot? I tried to do this last year, but it was very last-minute so turnout was limited. I could get on it ahead of time this year and actually get it in the What Where When guide so people know about it. If people think they'd be interested in lugging coolers to my camp I could host, but if it's just a bad idea then I won't go to the trouble.

I really want to meet Figjam in person.

This was my writeup last year, edits welcome:

Cooler-Con 2011
Tuesday at 5:00PM
Camp Bioluminati @ 6:30 & Anniversary

Bring your swamp cooler! Meet the other fabulous people from this epic thread! Fix, troubleshoot, and invent!

I can have some power/batteries, so if you're coming from far away don't bother bringing your own. However, if you're nearby it might be helpful to have a couple of extra batteries.

Bioluminati is also the home of Pimp Your Bike. We'll gather in the pimping area.

Map:
http://whereareyoucamping.org/#1311642528271102

[FIGJAM]

It may be a transport thing.

Not hard for me cause I've got my trike to haul the cooler.

You gonna be in the same area this year?

If they keep changing the fans and pumps, most of this thread is gonna be useless!!!!!

[voiceinthedarkness]

Back to the issue of regulating 12VDC down to 6-7VDC - if you are handy with a soldering iron you can use an LM317 regulator with a couple of resistors and a small heat sink. Very straightforward if you have access to electronic components. Resistor size depends on desired output voltage.

https://www.national.com/ds/LM/LM117.pdf

[FIGJAM]

Back to the issue of regulating 12VDC down to 6-7VDC - if you are handy with a soldering iron you can use an LM317 regulator with a couple of resistors and a small heat sink. Very straightforward if you have access to electronic components. Resistor size depends on desired output voltage.

https://www.national.com/ds/LM/LM117.pdf

This is fine for people with some knowlege of electronics, but we still want some way to "plug and play" for those of us that don't.

[garyt]

So at a recent regional event, I tried to cool a space of 12'(W) x 10'(L) x 7.5'(H) and failed. Here are some of my thoughts

1. Is that space to big for the bucket?
2. I had the bucket inside the structure. Should I leave it outside and feed it inside?
3. The structure is made from conduit poles and covered with tarp. There were some openings at the top where 2 tarps meet and also the bottom where the tarp doesn't touch the ground. How "enclosed" of a system does it to be?

It was blowing cold air and even after 3-4 hours of running, I didn't feel any difference in the room. If I was sitting right in front the bucket with the air in my face, it felt really nice.

[FIGJAM]

So at a recent regional event, I tried to cool a space of 12'(W) x 10'(L) x 7.5'(H) and failed. Here are some of my thoughts

1. Is that space to big for the bucket?
2. I had the bucket inside the structure. Should I leave it outside and feed it inside?
3. The structure is made from conduit poles and covered with tarp. There were some openings at the top where 2 tarps meet and also the bottom where the tarp doesn't touch the ground. How "enclosed" of a system does it to be?

It was blowing cold air and even after 3-4 hours of running, I didn't feel any difference in the room. If I was sitting right in front the bucket with the air in my face, it felt really nice.

With that large space the affect would be marginal.

The cooler has to be outside the space being cooled with the air then ducted into the space. Having the cooler inside with you will just keep raising the humidity, making the cooler ineffective.

For best results the space needs to be sealed, allowing only enough venting to let the air flow out of the vent as fast as it comes in from the cooler.

[Canoe]

... The cooler has to be outside the space being cooled with the air then ducted into the space...

or, you have the bucket inside, but enclose the whole bucket and duct air from outside into that enclosure. This must be very well sealed. This is unforgiving if the air intake/enclosure leaks and you get a short-circuit by cycling air from inside the structure. If the bucket is outside, you only have a simple duct for the cool moist air. No weight, bulk or sealing of an enclosure.
Also, the fan is no longer outside, so it might be noisier.

[sjs]

You gonna be in the same area this year?

If they keep changing the fans and pumps, most of this thread is gonna be useless!!!!!

I'll be at the same camp, but dunno where we'll be placed. Fairly close to Center Camp, though. I'll schedule a Cooler Con... even if only you show up Figgy it will be worth it. I expect you to come with a funnel on your head, though.

That Suntekstore pump above looks pretty good. There's also this one on the Silicon Solar site that doesn't have any power/flow/lift details but seems like the right size/price:
http://www.siliconsolar.com/12v-pump-wi ... inals.html

As far as fans go, I am very happy with my Scyth Ultra Kaze's, which worked very well for me last year:
https://encrypted.google.com/search?q=S ... e&tbm=shop

[jeskalgh]

Damn this thread has gotten long! Lots of good information here, now that I have all the parts I just need to build this sweet baby! I didn't have enough time to build one before last years burn...looking forward much cooler napping this year Thanks figjam and everyone else that contributed their great ideas to this thread! I will post pics when I am done!

[FIGJAM]

Damn this thread has gotten long! Lots of good information here, now that I have all the parts I just need to build this sweet baby! I didn't have enough time to build one before last years burn...looking forward much cooler napping this year Thanks figjam and everyone else that contributed their great ideas to this thread! I will post pics when I am done!

Which fan and pump did you get?

[jeskalgh]

I went for the Scythe DFS123812H-3000 ULTRA KAZE 120mm Case Fan and the Harbor Freight Solar Powered Fountain Pump, both have been mentioned tons of times on here so I figured they were the best options for a basic one. I have a small tent so I think one fan might be enough but after I build it if I think I need more pull I could double up on the fans. Im going to run the fan off of a deep cycle battery, thinking about connecting some kind of solar charger to recharge the battery so I can run some other things off it as well...but first things first.

http://www.harborfreight.com/solar-powe ... 66093.html

http://www.amazon.com/Scythe-DFS123812H ... B001JKNMBE

I just wonder how I am going to test it to see if its working correctly. I live in Baltimore and it is always humid as hell during the summer, I read on here that you can turn your ac up to 80 which will keep the humidity down low enough to test the cooler out. Has anyone tried this to see if it works?

[FIGJAM]

The test will work.

Make sure that your drip ring fills the gap between the top of your pad and the lid of the bucket.

This will force ALL the air to pass trough the damp pad.

If you do this I promise you 30 degrees cooler on playa.

[jeskalgh]

Got it! Cant wait to build it! Thanks a bunch, I will post back when it is complete

[sjs]

I went for the Scythe DFS123812H-3000 ULTRA KAZE 120mm Case Fan and the Harbor Freight Solar Powered Fountain Pump, both have been mentioned tons of times on here so I figured they were the best options for a basic one. I have a small tent so I think one fan might be enough but after I build it if I think I need more pull I could double up on the fans.

One will probably be sufficient. I had two last year (operating independent blowers) but I only used one blower to cool my small tent. It pushed enough air that my tent practically inflated.

[sjs]

This year I've decided to try to make the swamp cooler more portable. My bucket cooler worked like a dream last year, but I want to be able to wheel it out on the playa and cool people off in my cooled jumpsuits. To achieve this, I'm starting with the "Coleman Xtreme 50-Quart Wheeled Cooler." It's Xtreme!



The battery fits nicely in the groove on the top.

Then I cut a hole in the front only, so that when I tilt it back to wheel it around I minimize spillage. The cooler pad will replace the area formerly occupied by the insulation, and with two layers of pad it should slide in perfectly if I pull out half an inch of insulation above and below the cut. Fans are inserted into the lid, minimizing external wires etc.



I'm looking into upgrading the wheels with heavier duty replacement lawnmower wheels.

I'm also considering whether I should put a beer tap on the back, and then see if anybody from Homebrew Camp is bringing a 3-gallon cornelius keg that I could fit inside and provide mobile beer distribution in addition to cooling services.

Anybody see any flaws with this idea/design? Other enhancements?

[Canoe]

This year I've decided to try to make the swamp cooler more portable... Anybody see any flaws with this idea/design? Other enhancements?

Looks interesting.
You'll have to ensure that the air flow in has to pass through the filter before it gets fanned out. No leaks for air to bypass the filter.

If the filter is tight to that opening, you've got limited filter area. If the filter is back a bit, and in a round shape like inside the bucket version, and you can pull the air from inside that shape, then you've got a larger filter area again. Don't know if you need the larger filter area for what you'll be cooling.

Certainly interesting.

[zonka]

Hi guys, a couple of questions:

- I understand the solar pump http://www.harborfreight.com/solar-powe ... 66093.html was used in a number of contraptions. Is it used with its own solar panel, or connected to the 12V battery? It does not have specs, and I suspect if I try the solar panel but have battery as a cloudy day backup option, the 12V may burn out the pump.
- Did anyone try in practice the Suntekstore pump http://www.suntekstore.com/goods-140049 ... pump_.html, or other pump available today?
- my goal is cooling a tent (mostly for morning sleep extension...). If my fan is strong, could I get to a situation where the temperature is too cold? I wonder if there is a need to regulate fan , and/or pump speed; and if yes how to do it (a voltage controller maybe?).

[sjs]

Hi guys, a couple of questions:

- I understand the solar pump http://www.harborfreight.com/solar-powe ... 66093.html was used in a number of contraptions. Is it used with its own solar panel, or connected to the 12V battery? It does not have specs, and I suspect if I try the solar panel but have battery as a cloudy day backup option, the 12V may burn out the pump.
- Did anyone try in practice the Suntekstore pump http://www.suntekstore.com/goods-140049 ... pump_.html, or other pump available today?
- my goal is cooling a tent (mostly for morning sleep extension...). If my fan is strong, could I get to a situation where the temperature is too cold? I wonder if there is a need to regulate fan , and/or pump speed; and if yes how to do it (a voltage controller maybe?).

I'll let the solar experts answer your other questions. I did not use a solar panel in mine because it was expensive, and because the battery lasts a long time (I did not have to recharge the whole time, and I used it at least a couple hours a day).

Yes, it is possible for it to get almost too cold, but the easiest solution is to just open one of your tent flaps further. You will likely already have one of your flaps open partly just for air flow, so just open it further.

If you really want to get fancy and alter the speed of the fan, I'd recommend a PWM controller rather than voltage control. This is what I did last year, and it worked very well, but to be honest I rarely had the fans on anything other than max anyway.

[zonka]

- I have a very old computer I am throwing away, and thought of using the fan. Should this be sufficient, or one needs to go for newer fans which have high flow capacity?
- This all brings a general question - how sensitive is the design to pump capacity, and fan capacity?

[FIGJAM]

I would be suprised if the fan from your puter is strong enough.

For the bucket cooler it seems 150 to 200 cfm is pretty good.

More than that and they start using more than 1.25 amps for the fan.

As long as the pad stays wet you won't have any issues. The coolers are not that finicky, just make sure ALL the air has to pass through the damp pad.

[sjs]

- I have a very old computer I am throwing away, and thought of using the fan. Should this be sufficient, or one needs to go for newer fans which have high flow capacity?
- This all brings a general question - how sensitive is the design to pump capacity, and fan capacity?

I would say that the design is very sensitive to fan capacity. Also, my experience was that it wasn't just raw fan capacity, but the shape and smoothness of the ducting. I tried flexible dryer ducting, but the bending and non-smoothness of the ducts seemed to significantly inhibit air flow. Also, making sure that all portions of the ducting were equal or greater in diameter than the diameter of the fan was key. Ultimately, I went with straight and smooth PVC tubing, with 90-degree joints where necessary. I attached this to the bucket with a PVC coupling piece like this, which ensured straight pass-through of air. More here:
viewtopic.php?f=280&t=33842&p=824113#p824113

As Figjam said, rate of pump just has to be enough to keep the pad wet.

[FIGJAM]

sjs, have thought about stacking your fans for the pressure and just using a Y fitting on top of the bucket?

Or a single powerful fan with the Y?

It would make the interior design easier.