Author |
Message |
Chad1376 Samba Member
Joined: January 29, 2005 Posts: 1435 Location: Henderson, Nevada
|
Posted: Wed Jun 13, 2018 1:21 pm Post subject: Re: Evaporative Shop Coolers- Opinions? |
|
|
I'm kind of slow to reply...
I have swamp cooler for my two-car garage. It works great, in dry 'Vegas, up to temperatures around 100, and is tolerable for an hour or two at a time when temperatures are above 110. However, I stopped using it. The humidity was creating rust issues on tools (especially cheapo Harbor Freight fodder) and since my project currently has a lot of exposed steel, I don't want to deal with surface rust before paint.
I also have a portable A.C., with a hose to vent heat out of the window. It knocks the edge of the heat, but isn't nearly as effective. It also takes forever to cool things back down after I open the garage door. _________________ My never ending 1302 Autocross Project:
http://www.shoptalkforums.com/viewtopic.php?f=51&a...02b8f83f22 |
|
Back to top |
|
|
hitest Samba Member
Joined: September 30, 2008 Posts: 10296 Location: Prime Meridian, ID
|
Posted: Wed Jun 13, 2018 4:51 pm Post subject: Re: Evaporative Shop Coolers- Opinions? |
|
|
thank you very much for the reminder about humidity and rust! Now I'll have to look further at my tools at work- they are in the direct path of our massive Portacool there. _________________
EverettB wrote: |
I wonder what the nut looks like.
|
'62 L390 151, '62 L469 117, '63 L380 113, '64 L87 311, '65 L512 265, '65 L31 SO-42, '66 L360 251, '68 L30k 141, '71 L12 113, '74 ORG 181
FU#5 |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Chad1376 Samba Member
Joined: January 29, 2005 Posts: 1435 Location: Henderson, Nevada
|
Posted: Thu Jun 14, 2018 8:19 am Post subject: Re: Evaporative Shop Coolers- Opinions? |
|
|
Thinking more about this last night...I had occasionally dumped muriatic acid in the sump to extend the life of the pads (our water here is exceptionally hard.) It seems likely that the rust issue was made worse, since maybe I was making the air acidy & humid (I don't know.) Maybe it's less of an issue if you have good clean water where you're at. _________________ My never ending 1302 Autocross Project:
http://www.shoptalkforums.com/viewtopic.php?f=51&a...02b8f83f22 |
|
Back to top |
|
|
nsracing Samba Member
Joined: November 16, 2003 Posts: 9467 Location: NOVA
|
Posted: Fri Jun 22, 2018 10:47 pm Post subject: Re: Evaporative Shop Coolers- Opinions? |
|
|
I am gonna install a used central airconditioner in my tiny garage this year.
I upgraded my home AC and will use the older unit in the garage. It is freaking hot in the summer. Cannot get any work done in the garage when summer comes. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
smokey503 Samba Member
Joined: October 01, 2010 Posts: 713 Location: Ridgefield Washington
|
Posted: Sat Jun 30, 2018 11:22 am Post subject: Re: Evaporative Shop Coolers- Opinions? |
|
|
busdaddy wrote: |
hitest wrote: |
....16" and smaller range and they run about $800-1000 on their website) ........ |
Sounds like it's time for a trip to Harbor freight for one of those big drum fans and a small water pump, not sure where you would find the coconut matting or whatever they use now for the wicking surface, maybe your local A/C service guy knows? An underbed storage tote for a water tank and some creative pop riveting and duct taping of some flashing or sheet metal for the shroud could come up with a similar rig, those Portacools look sweet, but there's not much science involved in them that you can't duplicate at home. |
You can get the coco matting at a Hydroponic store. It is used in the horticulture industry and is widely available.
https://hydrobuilder.com/hydroponics/hydroponic-gr...CxEALw_wcB _________________ If a car travels the speed of light, would the headlights work? |
|
Back to top |
|
|
theastronaut Samba Member
Joined: November 19, 2007 Posts: 1631 Location: Anderson, SC
|
Posted: Sat Jun 30, 2018 10:03 pm Post subject: Re: Evaporative Shop Coolers- Opinions? |
|
|
We have three 16" Portacools at our shop in the upper part of South Carolina and they only kinda help on days that aren't terribly humid. They've been useless the last week where it's rained a few evenings during the week and the humidity was high the next day. When the humidity is around 60% they'll drop the air temp inside the fan by 15-20 degrees. So if you're right in front of it they help. We can run two of them in a three stall shop and the temp inside the shop may be ~ten degrees cooler but the increase in humidity is high enough that it's miserable even with all of the doors open, so we don't use them unless we're able to work with the fan right beside us most of the time. I haven't noticed any rust from using them and I've done a good bit of metal/bodywork in the shop.
I have a friend from Arizona thathas an evaporative cooler for his house, and he says it drops the inside temps from 100 outside to 70 inside, so they definitely work much better with lower humidity. If you're in a more humid climate I'd recommend an A/C unit since it'll cool the air and lower the humidity. _________________ Strive for perfection in everything. Take the best that exist and make it better. If it doesn't exist, create it. Accept nothing nearly right or good enough."
-Sir Henry Royce, co-founder of Rolls-Royce
'64 Beetle Sunroof OG Bahama Blue
'63 Beetle Vert
'66 Beetle
'88 Festiva L
'89 Festiva L
'64 Chevy C10
'66 Chevy C10 |
|
Back to top |
|
|
oprn Samba Member
Joined: November 13, 2016 Posts: 12730 Location: Western Canada
|
Posted: Sun Jul 01, 2018 4:33 am Post subject: Re: Evaporative Shop Coolers- Opinions? |
|
|
I have a neighbor who hooked up a Rabbit rad to his well water and put a fan behind it. The water comes into the rad in the house, then outside to water the garden and lawn. This does two things, it cools the house before it leaves and warms the water so it's not such a shock to the plants. The genius part is that hot days are when you need both!
Oh - it is a small house too and it makes a noticeable difference. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Q-Dog Samba Member
Joined: April 05, 2010 Posts: 8700 Location: Sunset, Louisiana
|
Posted: Sun Jul 01, 2018 5:48 am Post subject: Re: Evaporative Shop Coolers- Opinions? |
|
|
nsracing wrote: |
I am gonna install a used central airconditioner in my tiny garage this year.
I upgraded my home AC and will use the older unit in the garage. It is freaking hot in the summer. Cannot get any work done in the garage when summer comes. |
That's something to think about! In the next phase of our house remodel we will be replacing the central unit. Maybe I can install the old unit in my shop. _________________ Brian
'69 Dune Buggy
'69 Beetle Convertible
'70 Beetle |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Dwayne1m Samba Member
Joined: December 31, 2011 Posts: 3538 Location: Pennsylvania
|
Posted: Sun Jul 01, 2018 6:19 am Post subject: Re: Evaporative Shop Coolers- Opinions? |
|
|
This is kinda related to the topic. I don't have central air and my basement is my man cave but it gets hot and humid down there. I've had regular dehumidifiers for years but this year I bought a portable Honeywell 14,000 BTU A/C, dehumidifier, & fan unit to try. Unlike a regular dehumidifier this one exhausts the hot air out a vent whereas the regular dehumidifiers put the hot air back into the room. This system works so much better. Even with the current heat wave we are having I haven't put it on A/C yet and it's still very comfortable. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
djkeev Samba Moderator
Joined: September 30, 2007 Posts: 32625 Location: Reading Pennsylvania
|
|
Back to top |
|
|
|