Do you have a swamp cooler?
I'm looking for feedback from RVers supplementing their rooftop air conditioner with an evaporative (swamp) cooler
Everyone,
I just got back from three days in Wyoming at the Airstream International Rally, and noticed how dry it was. I’m not sure of the actual humidity level because I didn’t bring a hydrometer with me. But hey, I can’t think of everything !
But it was plenty hot (and dry) in the afternoon which I think would be an ideal environment for a portable evaporative cooler (a.k.a. Swamp Cooler). Now I have zero practical experience with portable swamp coolers, but I think they could be pretty effective as a secondary RV air conditioner in a hot and dry environment.
How do they work?
Basically they’re a container of water with some way to create water vapor and a fan to move it around. Some have optional ice packs that provide even more cooling if you have way to make ice.
They need very little power (maybe 60 watts) to operate, and are generally quiet enough to run in a bedroom. If the air humidity is low enough (a desert environment) then they can provide real relief from the heat.
When they don’t work!
But if the air humidity is high to begin with, they can turn your bedroom into a “swamp”. So I would never use one in place of a conventional rooftop air conditioner in a trailer. But they might be a good option for an RV with a single rooftop air conditioner and/or boondockers who need more cooling power in a dry environment..
What about boondockers?
So if you’re boondocking in a hot and dry place they could be really handy. That’s because a single 100-watt solar panel should be enough to recharge a battery big enough to power a portable evaporative cooler all night. For example, a 1,000 watt-hr Jackery Explorer with 100 to 200 watts of solar panels seems like a good candidate for portable power sufficient to run a swamp cooler. .
Feedback, please…
Please comment below if you use an evaporative cooler with the brand and model. I’ll see if I can get one to experiment with and see just how well they work.
Let’s play safe (and keep cool) out there…. Mike
An interesting spin on this would be to collect condensate water from your air conditioner which you can then use to fill evaporative cooler. Of course, there’s a humidity level sweet spot since if the air humidity is too low you won’t collect enough condensate water from the airco to be useful. But if the humidity is too high the evaporative cooler won’t cool you.
Mike, I represented, two Evaporative Cooling (swamp cooler) manufacturers for several years. Sizes ranged from small, 18" to 48" 220v 10,000 cfm units. Great for outdoor environments, but not for enclosed spaces. Could be used in an RV with windows open, could lower temp by >35 degrees with low humidity but, in my opinion, not practical for a closed environment in conjunction with AC. Great outdoors though!