Anybody built a "port a cool" type fan ?

[188slo50]

Anybody built there own version of the "Port a cool" fans? Dont really want to drop $1700 on a fan if it can be built, so let me see your ideas. My biggest thing would be how to run a mister to it and not have to have it hooked to a hose all the time.

Heres a link to what Im wanting to build

http://portablecoolers.com/prices/#PAC2K24HPVS

 

[bgott]

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/catalog/servlet/ContentView?pn=KH_BG_BM_HVC_Evaporative_Coolers

You can use an old swamp cooler. You don't have a location listed so we don't know if you are in a dry area or not. Swamp coolers are rare here in the humid south, where I lived in California and Nevada they were everywhere.

 

[skyking]

Myself and several friends have swamp coolers.We put them on dollys so we can move them around and point them easily. They work great.Lots of air .
Tractor supply sells them ...under $400.

 

[188slo50]

Sorry Im in Va and yea it gets humid.

 

[38Chevy454]

portacool are just unducted evaporative coolers, or swamp coolers as many call them. It will not work so well in humid weather. You can get an old swamp cooler and just have it blow out into the air instead of ducting.

A swamp cooler has a small pump to pump water out of the basin to the top where it drips down the cooler pads. You would have to occasionally replace the water if not hooked up to constant water. The pads get all crusty from the minerals and need to be replaced depending on use.

I have swamp cooler here in dry NM. It does provide cooler air, but overall it is a pain in the ***. It is cheap cool air vs air conditioner running.

 

[maddawg308]

I know this might not be practical, but the redneck way to make a swamp fan work better in humid weather is to put a big tub of ice in front of it. It makes the unit like an industrial A/C unit as long as there is ice or even cold water in front of it.

Like I said, not sure if it's practical for you, we did it on a smaller scale where I used to work because there was an ice machine in the cafeteria and we filled up a tub every night before our shift. If it was day shift, I'm sure the management would nix that.

 

[PDM]

Actually, Port-a-Cools are not really swamp coolers.

http://portablecoolers.com/swamp/swamp.html

Even in moderate Vancouver weather, I have a portable 16" unit that I used in my 4000 sq foot shop for years and it worked wonders to cool my shop down. (had 18 foot ceilings, ceramic paint additive on the walls, 2nd floor above shop and insulated garage doors - so my shop was relatively much cooler to start with compared to other shops in the area, but the Port-a-cool was a nice addition if you had to bust tires for long periods, or for helping when a lot of welding or machining was done.

Even outdoors I would bring my unit (portable) to the racetrack and was a welcome relief in the pits with the ez-up tent to help battle heat.

I guess you could build one yourself if you had fabrication skills (could use sheet metal or plastic water containers, but the durability and construction of the unit was more than justifiable for it's original purchase price.

 

[rkevins]

port-a-cool use kool cell pads just like on poultry houses you can get pads, pumps, parts from places like farm-tek www.farmtek.com

 

[188slo50]

I not worried if it doesnt cool as well as an A/C unit will but I'd like a cool breeze of some sort on hot humid days and in the summer in general.

rkevins......I ordered a farmtek catalog so hopefully they got something that will work or atleast give me an idea.

 

[drmarkr]

If the humidity is much past 40%, you aren't going to cool the air much past 5-8 degree's.

In <10% humidity, you can cool a room to ~20 degree's off ambient.

 

[adragontattoo]

Sorry Im in Va and yea it gets humid.

Since you are in Va. the LAST thing you want is MORE humidity... I live in Winchester and a swamp cooler running would do nothing more than make you hot and have ~99% humidity.

See if you can track down some 12cm (aka 120mm) x 38mm either DC12v or AC120v fans and wire them up to just blow air.

Currently running 4x 120x38mm AC120v fans in 2 windows of my house. I am typically within 3-4 degrees of the outside temp even with lights, TV, laptop and such running with them on.