Culer on sale

[GypsySpirit]

Haven't seen anyone post about  Culer evap cooler.  Supposedly less water, takes less room,  can use with 12v, designed for smaller spaces, etc.  Currently on sale.  I'm not affliliated with them, just thought it was an interesting possibility.  Info is here:  https://www.culer.com

Oops, here's the sale ad: https://try.culer.com/pay-over-time...3d391b064539e875a1ad28604d8b94d88c65557005947

 

[Ballenxj]

Had to open this thread just to see what a Culer was. 

 

[highdesertranger]

the link is for a swamp cooler. highdesertranger

 

[John61CT]

You guys buy some, let the rest of us know how they hold up, 'K?

 

[jonyjoe303]

I checked the reviews on the culer and they are mixed. They cost 199.00 but it has one major design flaw that almost all these portable swampcoolers have, no intake duct. 

Without outside air the swampcooler won't work. The video shows the culer being used inside, which is the wrong way to use a swampcooler. The rear of the swampcooler has to be next to an open window or have flexible ducting to the outside. One review said there was a lot of water on the floor because of the misting action it uses instead of evaporator pads, the mist is suppose to evaporate when it comes in contact with the air.
Swampcoolers do work but I don't think this one would, just by looking at one I can tell if its a good design. Even the swampys (which have been designing swampcoolers for years) don't have an intake duct, you have buy it seperately. 

This is a picture of one, I saw a picture of the rear side and it has no openiing/duct back there.  All its doing is recirculating inside humid air. If it had some sort of ducting, it would get my attention. I like seeing well design swampcoolers.

 

[deadwood]

I'll never have enough solar for AC so when I see these evaporative coolers I have to check it out. I think the best solution is to be where the weather is good but that's not always an option. One day when there are no more projects I'll have to research the self build swamp coolers.

 

[John61CT]

I'd like to see an experiment with a 12V freezer, rotating "polar tubes", just glue-capped 2" PVC, cut to the right length and filled 85% full with seawater

rather than ice cubes, with an Eski-based version.

Small computer fan, altogether shouldn't be more than 25AH per day in the hottest weather.

And no added humidity for those in muggy climes.

 

[Moonfreed]

John61CT,

I'm half-way into a variation on that experiment now, but I'm initially trying without any 12V freezer.

I have:
- polar tubes built and freezing now
- a drainless coleman cooler to be lined/filled with the polar tubes
- a USB fan that I've spiraled the front grill with in copper tubing
- a water pump and flexible plastic tubing to go from contained chilled water to copper tubing
- polyISO to insulate a box (yet to be built) that the cooler will fit inside of
- a bestek 'cup holder' 200W inverter to plug into my stock cigarette lighter (to run fan and pump)

Still need to do:
- build the frame and outer box for the cooler to go into (and mount insulation)
- decide which container I want to hold the water and pump
- find the time to finish it all amongst a residence change in the next 1 and 1/2 weeks

I am without solar or battery bank currently but I want to see if this will potentially work as an A/C replacement for my 1991 e250. It's factory A/C doesn't work and from what I understand it would be quite costly to repair/replace...

I intend to do a full write-up and blog post on my findings, but likely that won't happen for 2 weeks.

 

[John61CT]

Wow very cool!

Now of course I'll sound all negative, but just trying to understand, and be constructive.

I'm not sure how flowing water through copper tubing will work, isn't the cold air blown by the fan first passing through the tube space?

How is there accessible water to flow, from inside the tubes after they start to melt? or are they sitting in free-sloshing water?

A USB fan is already DC, DC water pumps are readily available, so no inverter should be,needed.

And I doubt if any such design will effectively cool a large space, even 1/10th as much as stock A/C.

But when the (slow) outflow airstream is directed right at where you're sitting or lying down, I bet it makes a big difference.

 

[Moonfreed]

So I'm trying something like this (a DIY youtuber video from someone named 'fixitsamo', but there are a few others out there like it):


No idea if it will be effective, but if it's just relief for close-quarters I'm game for the experiment.

Tubes will only last as long as they last...never used them before either. (they seemed like a worthy alternative to block ice or bagged, etc.--I will also have the ability to freeze them as I am not really even 'part-time' *yet*) They will sit inside the cooler and surround a central water container (like a fort, I guess) to keep it chilled. All water liquid will be within that container and flow through plastic tubes to copper tubes and back. Temperature will get warmer as the cool water continues to exit that central container to feed up/out and through the copper coil outside the fan. Again, it may be a big ol' fail or may only provide minimal cooling and/or it may only do it for a few hours. I'll just have to find out.

So I suppose I could have tried to wire up something specific or gotten a different adapter for the ciggy plug, but I figured having the Bestek might be handy for other things or just as an option for the cab area. All I have in my van currently is 1 cigarette outlet as far as power options go, so it at least can be used as a multi-use outlet. And it will only really be in use while driving until I can get set up for solar & battery-bank. Just don't have the extra $600-1200 to jump up to that level yet. (As an aside, thank you for your continued information and help regarding things solar. I am beginning to get a better understanding of what I'll need thanks to yours, SternWake's, and many other posters info)

Oh...I also plan on putting an insulation 'sock' on as much of the plastic tubes up to where it gets to the copper spiraled on the fan. And I'll have to see if there is condensation that I can catch under the fan (from the copper) and if I should try to keep it in the 'system' by some sort of return. (maybe that'll not be a good idea so I don't bring the temp up any more than necessary, and maybe all the condensation will blow off from the fan wind and further cool me...dunno yet)

Anyhow, seems like it will be a fun experiment and might even surprise me and reward with reasonable 'cool' for the effort (and small power cost). Lots to find out.

GypsySpirit: my humble apologies for completely going off your topic!!!  :blush:

 

[John61CT]

Yes very interesting look forward.

For me, just air slowly pushed out by the silent fan after flowing through a cooler chock-a-block full of frozen tubes, everything kept dry.

Hopefully freezer keeps up with the melt rate, will depend of course on relative space volumes, ambient temp and hours used per day.

A misting fan could supplement when in very dry heat conditions.

 

[John61CT]

note also using dry cooling let's you minimally ventilate fresh air as needed,

recirculating into the cooler already pre-cooled air, rather than constantly drawing in large maybe superheated volumes directly from outside.

 

[highdesertranger]

and in less then a month everyone will be talking heaters and AC will be forgotten for 6 months. highdesertranger

 

[SoulRaven]

and in less then a month everyone will be talking heaters and AC will be forgotten for 6 months.   highdesertranger

I gotta admit, after last night, I'm thinking about moving further south pretty soon! 

9300 ft , had been rainy all day, chilly.  I was really warm in my sleeping bag, but at my age, I always step outside at least once.  (masterplumber,  you were right )

Pikes peak had snow on it this morning. .. so, yeah,  HDR, heat will be the next big topic soon.

 

[jimindenver]

At 9600 ft there were three Buddy heaters and my furnace running last night. It was in the 30's this morning and you know Max has a no cold puppy clause in his contract.