Swamp cooler to coolcar

[rosenfe]

Anyone use one? If so how well do they work?Any recommendations as to a good one?

[Frank Reiner]

Swamp cooler?

The foremost authority on the cooling of swamps certainly must be Pogo.

[Texasgeezer]

Quick search showed this site:

https://www.junkyardmob.com/cars/best-classic-air-coolers

Looks like a lot of info, but cancelled the session due to the website ' showing it was staying busy '.

[Frank Reiner]

Originally Posted by Texasgeezer

Quick search showed this site:

https://www.junkyardmob.com/cars/best-classic-air-coolers

Looks like a lot of info, but cancelled the session due to the website ' showing it was staying busy '.

An evaporative cooler with a 1 gallon water capacity will, at best, absorb 7760 BTUs from the incoming air. And when the water runs out, zero.

Even the smallest of installed A/C systems will pump out 12,000 BTUs per hour, hour after hour. The average installed system has a capacity greater than 25,000 BTUs/hour.

[Graplr]

Are you talking about an over the counter or DIY unit? OTC...My guess is they will blow cooler air, but the volume needed to cool the entire car will be negligible. Perhaps on an hour drive it will, but then you will be adding moisture to the interior so perhaps fogging windows will be a side effect.

I recall seeing someone using a DIY cooler placed in the passenger seat with a 12v fan on an ice block. They said it worked well. Obviously temperature dependant for functionality. It was on a DIY electric car with no option for AC pump at the time...I recall seeing it well over 10 years ago. As mentioned, you'll likely need to have the defrost fan on to prevent window fogging.

[rosenfe]

I brought this topic because I have a euro 300d no ac. I’m not going to install ac and thus have to find an alternative. Obviously ac is great and swamp cooler could never equal the cooling impact, but it gives some help, even if you have to add water. Back in the 30d that’s all they had. So give me your experiences with a swamp cooler in a car, not telling me how great ac is, we all know that.

[resago2000]

electric AC systems are available for cars now, but its not cheap.

[Graplr]

Originally Posted by rosenfe

I brought this topic because I have a euro 300d no ac. I’m not going to install ac and thus have to find an alternative. Obviously ac is great and swamp cooler could never equal the cooling impact, but it gives some help, even if you have to add water. Back in the 30d that’s all they had. So give me your experiences with a swamp cooler in a car, not telling me how great ac is, we all know that.

How long is your commute? How often would you use the swamp cooler? Do you care about visual appeal?

I'd say buy (or salvage) a medium to small cooler. Cut a hole in top the circumference of a 12v fan from Harbor Freight. on the side opposite the fan hole, cut a smaller hole and put a PVC tube in it directed at you. Fill a 2L bottle or some other large container that will fit inside the cooler. Have a couple and swap them out of your freezer at home. Put it on your front seat and plug the fan in to your cigar lighter.

It will be a cheap way to see if it is worthwhile for you. Plus using a block of ice will be more effective than using a water based cooler. At least in the first 5-10 minutes of use.

[ykobayashi]

Before I sealed up my AC on my 300D I briefly considered an under the dash evaporator and blower combo. These are available on Amazon and eBay for chump change. You basically hook them to a compressor or if you’re really interested in a bolt on wart you get an electric compressor and beef up your alternator.

It occurred to me as a temporary possible solution to a leaky evaporator.

I have a vintage unit like this in my pickup and it will freeze your legs off. Powered by a Sanden 5. I would be stunned if a swamp cooler could get close. So if I was going to bolt some kind of wart in my car I’d bolt one of these under the dash and connect it to a Sanden. It’ll kill all aesthetics but at least you won’t roast.

Vintage version in my 65 Ford pickup.



Modern version.

https://jeepair.com/products/under-dash-a-c-unit-for-universal-applications-including-hot-rods?variant=32067015442517

[jsb357]

Originally Posted by ykobayashi

I have a vintage unit like this in my pickup and it will freeze your legs off. Powered by a Sanden 5. I would be stunned if a swamp cooler could get close.
Modern version.

One of those Ebay versions is what I was going to suggest.

[Frank Reiner]

Originally Posted by jsb357

One of those Ebay versions is what I was going to suggest.

Originally Posted by rosenfe

I brought this topic because I have a euro 300d no ac. I’m not going to install ac and thus have to find an alternative.

And there it is!!

[vwnate1]

Thanx for all the info ! .

Swamp coolers don't work well unless you're in dry air, they're decent for the South West and I've been pondering one for my old 6 volt VW Bug :

https://www.ecophagefabrication.com/ecophage-products/p/the-deluxo-kit-assembled

Most old use them as a display but they do help in older vehicles .

I second C.'s suggestion of an aftermarket under dashboards evaporator, don't forget you're going to want the absolutely BIGGEST condenser you can manage to squeeze in front of the radiator .

[Diesel911]

If the humidity is high in your area a swamp/evaporative cooler will not work as well and only make the air more humid.

I bought 2 ArticAair coolers and they are actually swamp/evaporative coolers. In order to use it in a car I would need a USB port that can take 3.5 amps and the proper cord. It came with an AC power source.

Specifically concerning the arctic air, the element comes out and you can soak that in water and put it in the freezer and in use until the ice is melted you get cold air. At home the idea is that you buy several replacement elements to freeze and swap the out as the ice melts out of them.

I suspect there is ones out there that use 12-volt DC that you could plug into your cigar lighter.

Home Depot and other places are selling them and of course there is similar products made by other makers. You can see in the pics that size of the unit is not large. Could sit on the seat of a car.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/ARCTIC-AIR-76-CFM-4-Speed-Portable-Evaporative-Cooler-for-45-sq-ft-AAPC-PD27/319237212?mtc=SHOPPING-BF-CDP-BNG-D26P-026_002_AIR_CIRC_ACC-NA-NA-NA-PLALIA-NA-NA-NA-NA-NBR-NA-NA-NA-2023&cm_mmc=SHOPPING-BF-CDP-BNG-D26P-026_002_AIR_CIRC_ACC-NA-NA-NA-PLALIA-NA-NA-NA-NA-NBR-NA-NA-NA-2023-71700000106036630-58700008262676758-92700075065923881&gclid=eb2e96da92be1a27676bf26d7e6e5f20&gclsrc=3p.ds&msclkid=eb2e96da92be1a27676bf26d7e6e5f20


There is lots of automotive 12-volt fans out there that you can plug into the cigar lighter.

It is hot here and I use the arctic air thing as a small directional fan that I believe uses less energy, stirs up less dust and if I want, I can put water in it and get that swamp/evaporative cooler effect. It also does trap some particulate matter that needs to be washed off once in a while.

[vstech]

If you are a little handy, and don't mind changing ice out, you can build an ice cooler that will function.
Good to cool your body off when driving.

[chasinthesun]

Keep 3 small bathroom towels in a small cooler with ice , dampen them with water , pull one out and drape across your neck , repeat as needed . If your a trainer this is the first thing you’ll try to bring to the athletes body is cool down, the blood of a depleted athlete at the neck is the radiator to access to bring the bodies temperture lower slowing that heart down and exercising the bodies natural cooling down cycle with a cold towel draped at the neck region . My experience is your face dripping sweat is almost eliminated .