Bonaire Durango evaporative cooler-- Thumbs up

[bgeery]

I just installed a Bonaire Durango evaporative cooler through-wall in my uninsulated, 1000 sf, 1955 house. I love it! Installed in the back bedroom, and it shoots straight down the hall to the rest of the house

It was 92 yesterday, and humidity was 10%. The Durango was blowing 58 degree, fresh, clean air. House dropped from 82 to 70 in under two hours. Ran it in fan only mode that night, to bring in the nice 56 degree night air.

I had to frame it with 2x3 because of the uneven stucco surface, and then fill the gap with spray foam. To match the depth of the plaster, and because I had to cut the diagonal corner brace, I used 1/4" drywall over OSB. Once I finish the drywall and add 1x4 trim around the inside part of the unit, it will only stick out two inches into the room.

I didn't want the bleed water just draining next to the house (and have no use for it,) so I made a french drain from a 10 foot section of PVC with holes drilled in it the last 5 feet. Around the PVC I used a drain sock. Laid the PVC in a bed of 50 lbs of fine gravel, added another 50 lbs of gavel on top, and covered it all in another layer of drain sock material. Pipe tape was used to protect the above ground section of PVC.

I used a stainless braided water heater hose to connect the Durango to the french drain.

Here are the power consumption figures for a 4500 CFM Bonaire Durango:

Off. Watts / Volt-Amps / Power Factor:
Manual Mode 0 / 0 / 1.00
Remote Mode .3 / 2 / .15

Fan mode. Watts / Volt-Amps / Power Factor:
Low 191 / 222 / .88
Med 251 / 287 / .87
High 325 / 400 / .81

Cooling Mode. Watts / Volt-Amps / Power Factor:
Low 207 / 245 / .84
Med 265 / 312 / .84
High 342 / 426 / .80

Total project cost was $800. SCE has a $200 rebate, dropping the total to $600.

https://imgur.com/9J4Zpub

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[Radix2]

nice review - how about adding info about your location and climate so folks would have an idea about where this would work.

 

[bgeery]

Yucca Valley, CA. Out here in the Mojave (High) Desert, just north of the Joshua Tree National Park. As with AZ, we get some monsoonal moisture for a few weeks in the summer (when the AC may go on), but the rest of the time the humidity is plenty low enough for swam coolers to be effective (single digit).

Even when not being used in cooling mode, it makes a great whole house fan to chill the house with cool night air. And with an energy company rebate, it's not anymore expensive than a whole house fan (not counting installation cost).

 

[Syberia]

Yep, I have the same cooler. Used it already this year, 97 outside, 76 inside, on low with all the windows open. Since it's pushing the heat out, instead of trying to cool the air that's already in the house, it cools us down pretty quick as opposed to the A/C which takes forever (and lots of $$$) to reach a comfortable temperature due to our old, poorly insulated house. As stated by the OP, it will not work in humid climates.

Are you on SCE? How did you get the rebate for it? I looked at the list when we installed ours, and it wasn't on the models that qualified. It looked like all the models that actually get the rebate are whole-house ducted models that would have cost an arm and a leg to install.





I put mine closer to the ground for ease of install and also so I can take it apart and clean it out from time to time (it accumulates a LOT of dirt/mud inside from floating dust).

Is the black wire a thermostat for the purpose of controlling the unit, or just to measure the temperature?

 

[bgeery]

Are you on SCE? How did you get the rebate for it? I looked at the list when we installed ours, and it wasn't on the models that qualified. It looked like all the models that actually get the rebate are whole-house ducted models that would have cost an arm and a leg to install.

Yup, SCE. I know I missed it the first few times I looked at the (confusing) list they provide at https://www.sce.com/wps/portal/home/residential/rebates-savings/rebates/ There is also a typo in the PDF application, making it look like the window units must be purchased between Sep 1 2015 and Dec 31 2015 (real start date is Jan 1 2015). How many people get caught up by that mistake and don't apply for the rebate?

On the SCE list, the 4500 CFM model is the WEAC628, and the 5900 CFM model is the 6280035. My Home Depot receipt just lists it as "Durango 4500 CFM Window Cooler". I just applied for the rebate, so we will see if I get the rebate in a month or two.

I put mine closer to the ground for ease of install and also so I can take it apart and clean it out from time to time (it accumulates a LOT of dirt/mud inside from floating dust).

Your pic was one of the few I found when I was deciding on the Durango.

One interesting thing I found out about keeping the pads clean: use Sodium Hexametaphosphate (SHMP) to the water every now and then, and it will keep the pads clear of mineral buildup. From research I've done, it appears that 2-5ppm is the correct antiscalant/dispersant mix. I've thought about using drip irrigation parts to slowly gravity drip in a mix of SHMP continuously. Maybe just well enough to throw in a teaspoon of the powder a few times a season.

Is the black wire a thermostat for the purpose of controlling the unit, or just to measure the temperature?

Just there temporarily to measure the output air temperature. Amazingly showed a 32-33 degree drop when I tested the first day. That has to be right at the theoretical limit. Probably the colder water supply this time of year helped a little too.

 

[bgeery]

Well, the SCE rebate has already gone though. Online shows a $200 credit on my account. That was fast, especially as they say it may take up to two months.

 

[bgeery]

One feature lacking in the [older pre-2018] Bonaire Durango's is the ability to have only the pump on, to pre-wet the pads. Thankfully, the manual includes a wiring diagram, and it was easy to figure out how to add the feature.

A $1.20 15 Amp toggle switch from eBay just fits next to the rest of the controls. The wire harness going to the motor runs right behind where the toggle switch is mounted. It's wired to the blue (neutral) wire. Cut the wire, added ring connectors and attached to the switch. There is just enough room to add the switch. If I did it again, I would move the switch down a tad more, removing the "OFF" part of the switch label.

Now I can turn it on cool mode to activate the pump, and use the toggle switch to disable the motor.

https://imgur.com/Ov9Sf6Q

https://imgur.com/Rwxgxwf

 

[bgeery]

A follow-up on the Durangos....

The newer 2018+ Durangos are designed for the addition of a second pump for purging. It already has the timer built-in to the electronics, so you don't need an expensive "purge pump", just a standard cheap pump that the Durango will turn on and off itself for 3 minutes, every 4/8/12 hours.

I purchased the following from Home Depot, and was all that was needed:
DIAL Evaporative Cooler Mesh Pump Basket $1.88
DIAL 1/2 in. x 5 ft. Evaporative Cooler Pump Hose $4.48
DIAL ECON5000 MaxCool Evaporative Cooler Pump $17.98

Remove the bleed off hose from the drain/overflow line, then there is a barb connector on the top of the drain/overflow line to attach the hose from the purge pump. Well thought out redesign from the original! Just leave the bleed off hose sitting somewhere in the water reservoir.

Place the new pump and mesh basket in the water reservoir to the left of the main pump, then measure and cut the hose to the needed length to reach the drain line.

Open the little access panel and plug in the pump. Make sure you have a drip loop on the power cord at the pump (I used a tie wrap to hold the loop.) And that's it.

The purge pump feature only works when using the remote control as it depends on the electronic logic. When turning on the unit in "cool" mode, also press either the 4/8/12 button to select how often you want the purge function activated. Each time it will be for only 3 minutes, so over a season only a few hours runtime will be put on the purge pump.

 

[chris142]

I am in Apple valley. We are about the same temp as yucca valley. I just bought one for my uninsulated garage as it get unbearable in there. I saw it 141F in there a few weeks ago. I have not installed it yet.

Infact I was contemplating how I am going to get water to it. It's about 100 ft from any water source. And like you're area trenching is not an option.

 

[bgeery]

I had to trench about 25 feet to run the water line extension; from the nearest spigot that is in the middle of my yard. Also laid the PVC for the french drain in the same trench. Just dirt, so it didn't take long.

 

[bonneyman]

Not to be a buzz kill guys, but with the megadrought and water shortages everywhere I'm (again) hearing about water rationing and the banning of evaporative coolers. Unless you pay a premium charge for water - like they're talking about with pool owners.

I'm trying to figure out a way to run my Mastercool from reclaimed water - to get around rationing somehow.

 

[bgeery]

These units are very water efficient in power and water usage. My Bonaire Durango runs on 210 watts and uses about 5 gallons/day, after I added the purge pump option.

 

[bonneyman]

That sounds really good! I might just look into them for my little shop.

 

[bgeery]

I highly recommend adding the purge pump! See post 8 for a $25 parts list. The bleed line was constantly clogging because of my hard water and made maintenance a daily task to check. It also seems to keep the water fresher then the bleed line ever did.

I also use MAX COOL Scale Eliminator inline water filters from Home Depo and they seem to work especially well in keeping the pads clean, when combined with the purge pump upgrade.

 

[bonneyman]

I went to their website - seems they're out of Australia. many years ago I worked on this evap, and it was Australian as well. Can't for the life of me remember the brand, but had Celdek-type pads on the four sides - maybe 2" thick. With this huge box fan type of fan blowing straight down. very different, but I recall it worked well.

 

[bgeery]

Probably the same manufacturer- Bonaire. They all use Celdek pads. Home Depo recently expanded the models they carry to include the more conventional square down/side draft types that may work better for some, especially if replacing an existing cooler install. Bonaire Durango @ Home Depo

PS: I do wish they offered an inside cover for the winter.

 

[donjae]

A follow-up on the Durangos....

The newer 2018+ Durangos are designed for the addition of a second pump for purging. It already has the timer built-in to the electronics, so you don't need an expensive "purge pump", just a standard cheap pump that the Durango will turn on and off itself for 3 minutes, every 4/8/12 hours.

I purchased the following from Home Depot, and was all that was needed:
DIAL Evaporative Cooler Mesh Pump Basket $1.88
DIAL 1/2 in. x 5 ft. Evaporative Cooler Pump Hose $4.48
DIAL ECON5000 MaxCool Evaporative Cooler Pump $17.98

Remove the bleed off hose from the drain/overflow line, then there is a barb connector on the top of the drain/overflow line to attach the hose from the purge pump. Well thought out redesign from the original! Just leave the bleed off hose sitting somewhere in the water reservoir.

Place the new pump and mesh basket in the water reservoir to the left of the main pump, then measure and cut the hose to the needed length to reach the drain line.

Open the little access panel and plug in the pump. Make sure you have a drip loop on the power cord at the pump (I used a tie wrap to hold the loop.) And that's it.

The purge pump feature only works when using the remote control as it depends on the electronic logic. When turning on the unit in "cool" mode, also press either the 4/8/12 button to select how often you want the purge function activated. Each time it will be for only 3 minutes, so over a season only a few hours runtime will be put on the purge pump.

Hello, do you know if the DIAL ECON5000 MaxCool Evaporative Cooler Pump would work as a purge pump on the Bonaire Durango 5900E model?

 

[bgeery]

Yeah, see post #8. That's the pump I'm using as a purge pump. Although when I bought last year it was $18, now HD wants $25! The smallest/cheapest pump will work. It will only get a few hours total use every season.

 

[bonneyman]

I'm glad that system is working out for you. Gotta say the install does look nice. And the add-on switch option seems like a smart idea.

 

[Nick Danger]

How does a purge pump work? Do you just set another pump in the reservoir?


I installed a Mastercool last fall. The pads are expensive, so I want to avoid calcium deposits. There are no electronics, so I would have to set up a timer.

 

[bgeery]

How does a purge pump work? Do you just set another pump in the reservoir?

I installed a Mastercool last fall. The pads are expensive, so I want to avoid calcium deposits. There are no electronics, so I would have to set up a timer.

Yup, it's just another pump in the reservoir, in your case, with a built-in timer to activate every so many hours for a few minutes. You'll have to use the more expensive pumps, with actual purge pump timer built-in.

Then add figure how to route the drain for it. In the newer Durangos, they have a clever barb connector on the top of the drain/overflow pipeline to attach the hose from the purge pump. Well thought out redesign from the original drain. You will have to figure something out. You could order this part from Bonaire, and replace your current one. I bet they would fit, but just a matter of the drain height being close enough. Mastercool seems to already have this feature.

PS: Actually, I don't know if you have to use mastercool's expensive pumps or not. Looking at the install instructions, it looks exactly like Bonaire's instructions. You could test: The plug used for the purge pump will either hove constant power applied (you need the expensive purge pump with timer) or the power will be switched on only during a purge cycle (any cheap pump will do.)

 

[Nick Danger]

Thanks! That was enough information to get me started. I think that, for the Mastercool ADA coolers, I have to use a purge pump with a nonadjustable timer.

The choices are Mastercool MCP44-PPK and Dial CM120B. Both pumps use the exact same plastic body. They have the same timer of five minutes every eight hours. I wonder if the $10 to $15 price difference means that the Mastercool pumps have better internals, or if they have that much extra profit built in.

 

[pcrgeo]

I realize this is an old post, but can you explain a little more to me?

I don't understand where to connect the purge pump discharge hose. In my unit (4500 model), the main hose ( 5/8" I'm guessing) from the reservoir pump to the distributer for the cooling pads has a barbed tee, as you mention. The barbed tee is connected to a smaller hose (1/4"?) that is routed to a drain hole in the bottom of the unit (the reservoir overflow drainhole). The DIAL ECON5000 MaxCool Evaporative Cooler Pump you reference also has a larger (5/8"?) discharge fitting. Do I just connect the discharge from the purge pump to a hose and then run it to the drain hole?
Why pull off the 1/4" hose that is on the main line (connected by the barbed tee)?

I assume that the purpose of the purge pump is to remove the water in the reservoir as salt builds up but before it precipitates.
Maybe I'm confused when you say "Durangos, they have a clever barb connector on the top of the drain/overflow pipeline to attach the hose from the purge pump." By drain/overflow pipeline, do you mean what I am calling the main pipe (from the main pump to the distributer on top of the unit)? Because that's the only pipe in my unit (except for the aforementioned smaller line that just drains to the reservoir overflow drain. Why would I connect the purge pump to that?

Thanks very much

 

[chris142]

Yucca Valley, CA. Out here in the Mojave (High) Desert, just north of the Joshua Tree National Park. As with AZ, we get some monsoonal moisture for a few weeks in the summer (when the AC may go on), but the rest of the time the humidity is plenty low enough for swam coolers to be effective (single digit).

Even when not being used in cooling mode, it makes a great whole house fan to chill the house with cool night air. And with an energy company rebate, it's not anymore expensive than a whole house fan (not counting installation cost).

I'm not too far from you in apple valley. We have 3 . A master cool with the thick pads that just plain *****. An old standup one with straw pads that will freeze you out and one like yours in the garage. The one like yours don't cool worth a squat either.