Cleaning swamp cooler
 

I've started cleaning my cooler for the summer. First thing, clean out the
calcium in the water pan. I scraped off the soft stuff but there's a 1/4"
layer of hard calcium in part of the water reservoir (sp?). A putty knife
isn't doing much good in some places. I poured some Lime Away on a portion
of it to see if it helps; so far it doesn't. I have some "The Works" toilet
bowl cleaner. I think it's weak hydrochloric acid.

I've always used a "Fresh Air' white block in the cooler water that's
supposed to neutralize the calcium in my well water. I also use that mesh
bag of something that's supposed to do the same. Past years these have
worked but not last year for some reason. Harder well water?

Any suggestions?

TIA


--
You know it's time to clean the refrigerator
when something closes the door from the inside.

Cleaning swamp cooler
 

On 16 Feb 2015 18:34:46 GMT, KenK wrote:


I've started cleaning my cooler for the summer. First thing, clean out the
calcium in the water pan. I scraped off the soft stuff but there's a 1/4"
layer of hard calcium in part of the water reservoir (sp?). A putty knife
isn't doing much good in some places. I poured some Lime Away on a portion
of it to see if it helps; so far it doesn't. I have some "The Works" toilet
bowl cleaner. I think it's weak hydrochloric acid.

I've always used a "Fresh Air' white block in the cooler water that's
supposed to neutralize the calcium in my well water. I also use that mesh
bag of something that's supposed to do the same. Past years these have
worked but not last year for some reason. Harder well water?

Any suggestions?

TIA

Try white vinegar (mild acid) in the pan, allow to sit in the pan a
few days and see if it breaks down the calcium easier. Give it some to
work over a longer time.

Red vinegar is a weaker acid so use the white. Buy it by the gallon -
pretty cheap. YMMV

Cleaning swamp cooler
 

Also install a "bleed kit" which bleeds off a small percentage of the water as it circulates.
This reduces the concentration of minerals in the water.

Mark

Cleaning swamp cooler
 

Cleaning swamp cooler
 

Oren wrote in
:

On 16 Feb 2015 18:34:46 GMT, KenK wrote:


I've started cleaning my cooler for the summer. First thing, clean out
the calcium in the water pan. I scraped off the soft stuff but there's
a 1/4" layer of hard calcium in part of the water reservoir (sp?). A
putty knife isn't doing much good in some places. I poured some Lime
Away on a portion of it to see if it helps; so far it doesn't. I have
some "The Works" toilet bowl cleaner. I think it's weak hydrochloric
acid.

I've always used a "Fresh Air' white block in the cooler water that's
supposed to neutralize the calcium in my well water. I also use that
mesh bag of something that's supposed to do the same. Past years these
have worked but not last year for some reason. Harder well water?

Any suggestions?

TIA

Try white vinegar (mild acid) in the pan, allow to sit in the pan a
few days and see if it breaks down the calcium easier. Give it some to
work over a longer time.

Red vinegar is a weaker acid so use the white. Buy it by the gallon -
pretty cheap. YMMV


I bought a gallon of white several years ago but never found a use for
it. Now I have. Thanks for the reminder.



--
You know it's time to clean the refrigerator
when something closes the door from the inside.

Cleaning swamp cooler
 

I use pool muriatic acid it's little hard to handle so make sure you wear chemical goggles and chemical gloves go up to your elbows. Get a hose with a nozzle on it keep it handy in case you get it on your skin you can flush it fast it burns like anything not going to melt you to the bone just leave red mark. The only place you should be really careful is your eyes that's why you want the goggles like you ware in chemistry class. Another thing is hold your breath when your pouring it on a spot then step back let it work for awhile. I also mix it 50/50 in a 1 gallon bug sprayer with some dawn dish soap that is easier then pouring it lot less comes out. Once I get everything clean I fill up the tank with a gallon of pool acid let it cook for an hour. Then I add water open the drain let it drain out make sure the drain isn't going on concrete it will etch it. It's the only thing I found that can break down really thick scale my drain pump broke I used the cooler for 2 seasons without doing much but running a quart of cooler cleaner each season this year I replaced the pad and had to clean everything was so thick with build up. The de-etch stuff they sell for coolers hardly make a dent only pool acid is strong enough to break down 1/4 inch of calcium. You can use scrapers and wire brushes but then you will scuff up the paint it will rust I didn't want to do that.

Cleaning swamp cooler
 

On Wednesday, March 14, 2018 at 9:57:36 PM UTC-7, wrote:
I use pool muriatic acid it's little hard to handle so make sure you wear chemical goggles and chemical gloves go up to your elbows. Get a hose with a nozzle on it keep it handy in case you get it on your skin you can flush it fast it burns like anything not going to melt you to the bone just leave red mark. The only place you should be really careful is your eyes that's why you want the goggles like you ware in chemistry class. Another thing is hold your breath when your pouring it on a spot then step back let it work for awhile. I also mix it 50/50 in a 1 gallon bug sprayer with some dawn dish soap that is easier then pouring it lot less comes out. Once I get everything clean I fill up the tank with a gallon of pool acid let it cook for an hour. Then I add water open the drain let it drain out make sure the drain isn't going on concrete it will etch it. It's the only thing I found that can break down really thick scale my drain pump broke I used the cooler for 2 seasons without doing much but running a quart of cooler cleaner each season this year I replaced the pad and had to clean everything was so thick with build up. The de-etch stuff they sell for coolers hardly make a dent only pool acid is strong enough to break down 1/4 inch of calcium. You can use scrapers and wire brushes but then you will scuff up the paint it will rust I didn't want to do that. When you need to really clean like this best to remove the pads so you can get to everything easier. You can run pool acid in the pads but if it's really bad just replace the pads not worth the hassle.