12v Evaporative (Swamp) cooler advise

[adobehome]

All of our camping is boondocking or National Forest/BLM campgrounds with no hookups. This is the way we like it so AC will not work for us. Anyone on this forum have experience with small 12v, portable Evap. coolers for use in dry climates? We only need to cool 21' AS and/or GMC Yukon, so dog is comfortable & we are comfy enough to sleep.

[trucker101]

Originally Posted by adobehome

All of our camping is boondocking or National Forest/BLM campgrounds with no hookups. This is the way we like it so AC will not work for us. Anyone on this forum have experience with small 12v, portable Evap. coolers for use in dry climates? We only need to cool 21' AS and/or GMC Yukon, so dog is comfortable & we are comfy enough to sleep.

I found this >>Link<< it might help? Or this one

[Lumatic]

I put up a similar thread a while back. Keep in mind swamp coolers only work well in low humidity enivironments. The roof mounted ones for RVs I have seen are about as expensive as ACs, which they should not be. I have also seen freestanding spot coolers by other manufacturers. When posted before the main criticism was the amount of humidity pumped into the trailer was not a good idea.

[azflycaster]

Evaporative coolers are high maintenance and limited to very dry climates. You also need to consider the amount of water you need to feed one of these units. The Master Cool on my house is running very nicely right now, but in a few weeks it will have to be shut down as the moisture level in Phoenix is on the rise.

[adobehome]

Thanks, all. The link for the coolers posted by Trucker101 is the cooler I am looking at to buy. I, too, have Evap. coolers for my home here in New River, AZ. It is perfect for the entire summer in our adobe home. Yes, a bit less efficient in July & Aug. but tolerable, if you don't need it too cold. We like it around 80 in here, anyway. Lived in AS for 2 years while building & used an evap cooler for it then. But, we were plugged in and it was a larger portable model. I need advice on the efficiancy of the portable 12v version, such as the Swampy Cooling Co. one. I saw the previous threads from Lumatic. But, no reviews from users. I would like it portable, such as the Swampy, so that I could use it in my car to keep dog comfy, when needed. I do NOT find, in my experiance, that in arid climates the evap coolers add too much humidity or musty smells.

[TBRich]

Here's another option for evaporative coolers...TurboKool...but this one is mounted on the roof. TurboKool Advanced RV Evaporative Air Coolers

Stay cool!

[bryanl]

The best way to stay cool is to find a campsite at elevation.

Swamp coolers for RV's cost about as much as an A/C, use about a gallon of water per hour, and need 4 to 8 amps from the battery. That means you need a good solar system and a good supply of water for them.

I've found one or two with swamp coolers in the RV's that are happy with them but most folks just go with the A/C and genset for the hot part of the day. That also keeps the battery topped up.

[easyride]

I have a 13' U-haul camper that came with it, took it off as soon as I got it,know it wouldn`t work down here.I did live in Albuquerque for a few years,swamp cooler worked fine,of course we were above 5,000 ft.Dave

[nvestysly]

This is a little off-topic but is there a propane powered cooler or air conditioner? I imagine it would work very similar to a propane powered fridge. A 12V fan could blow air over the evaporator and the condensor would be outside. In concept it seems like it would work.

Many industrial cooling plants use natural gas to power a cooling cycle so it's only reasonable that propane could work too.

Lucius

[adobehome]

Good question. & not at all off topic...Anyone know? a propane powered cooling system could make sense, too. For those of us off grid & no desire to use a generator. anyone?

[Steamy1]

I wanted to resurect this thread and see if anyone can add anything to the discussion. I would like to cool down the space in the pick-up bed camper shell for the dogs, and would be interested in the 12-volt evaporative system, if anyone can comment if it is really effective or not.

Our camping is mostly in the West, including western Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming, i.e., dry climates.

The Swampy systems look interesting, though seem a little pricey.

Thanks,

[bryanl]

capital cost similar to that of an A/C

uses about the same 12v power as a furnace so can be hard on batteries

uses as much as a gallon of water per hour so needs good water source

needs proper exit path for air

limited air flow limits volume that can be effectively cooled

needs low humidities for best effectiveness

has high maintenance needs to prevent dissolved solids buildup and corrosion.

inside humidity may or may not be a problem for equipment and comfort levels.

[adobehome]

I bought this last summer so that while traveling, I could keep my dog cool in the car if needing to leave him in there for any reason. (Can't take dogs on many trails in bigger National Parks.) Also, to use in the trailer, for us, if the heat is too much. The web site shows several models & the descriptors are very accurate & honest. This is the smallest unit they have & works great to cool dog when air flow is directed at him. It will not cool an entire large space, such as a covered truck bed, inside of suv or camper. It will cool human or canine individuals with directed airflow. Works well with just fan on even if it runs out of water. Recently used in beach house, with no ac, & weak solar in Baja, Mex. Plugged it into portable battery charger & small 400w inverter & it ran 12 hours before needing to recharge the charger. Well worth the money if you are realistic about expectations. Very durable & well made unit. Works well even if it runs out of water, with just fan on. Very helpful & honest if you call them with questions.

[Steamy1]

Thanks for the info. I am looking at the M400, though pricey at $767.00.

The folks at MightyKool are helpful.