Swamp Cooler

[shadytrake]

My hubby is so handy. He made me a swamp cooler to keep the phrags/paphs happy.

Check it out.

The material came from 2 old swamp coolers that were being discarded by the botanic garden.

The frame is standard 3/4" PVC that he drilled using micro-bits from Harbor Freight Tools. Standard garden hose with a shut-off valve from the plumbing section (optional as we have a shut-off valve at the water station).

The drain is 2" PVC with end caps glued on and then with a trough cut into it. The drain tube is standard metal threaded nipple onto hose that you get in the plumbing section. We have ours routed down to the sink drain outside of the shadehouse and that drain ends at our Riverbirch tree.

The wire holding the material in is called contractor's cloth but it is actually a metal mesh.

The fan is a squirrel cage or turbine fan available at Home Depot.

Total cost building the swamp cooler about $45. The fan cost $75 and we got the cooler fabric free.

Dimensions are 20"x20" inside and it cools up to about 5' away depending how high the fan is set. We have ours set on medium speed.

Pretty cool and the Phrags, Paphs, and the lone Zygo love it.