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.

[WhiteRabbit]

very cool - you guys are so handy!

[camille1585]

That's great! The orchids should be very very happy once summer comes.

[Wjs2nd]

Very cool, your hubby did a great job. Have you been able to tell what kind of drop in temp you get?

[Ray]

Very nice.

I will make one suggestion, though: using it within a enclosed structure, its effectiveness will decrease as the RH increases by its own actions of humidification and evaporative cooling. If, on the other hand, the blower is passing outside air through the pad into the structure, you will get a constant flow of cooler air through it.

[Paul Mc]

I'm assuming this is for outdoor use to cool the plants during the intense heat of summer?

[shadytrake]

Yes it is outdoor air as I grow in a screened in shadehouse.

I notice about a 10 degree difference and it is on continuously. That, combined with the ArizonaMist, cools about 20 degrees on a really hot day.

[Paul Mc]

Interesting. Perhaps I should consider this when my shade house is built. How do you keep water from between the leaves and causing issues, such as in crowns of phals? Is your fan on a battery pack, assuming you use a fan.

[Paul Mc]

Lol... Now I see the fan!

[shadytrake]

It doesn't blow water on the area just water cooled air. If the flow of the water is too high it will blow water droplets. The key is to get maximum flow without blowing water droplets.

The flow can be adjusted with the blue valve or at the water source. We have set at the source because the source valve is made of brass.