Was over at friend's place yesterday and after about two hours the swamp cooler was getting down to 70 and a bit chilly so he turned it off and the left the room. When he came back he said he had to go shut the exhausting window as without the fan the hot air from outside blows back in.

Being somewhat lazy, I began thinking of options. A flap on the exhaust window with a light spring return so the fan-pressure kept it open when on.

Then the thought struck, what about a pump with variable speed? Or a waste-gate valve on the pump outlet to control the amount of water available for cooling. The variable waste-gate valve might be easier to find/make than a controllable pump. Maybe just s simple clamp on the pump outlet to restrict flow. The pump is not positive displacement so being backed up will not harm anything.

Anyone been down this road?

Other thoughts on controlling temps other than fan speed Low/High and pump on/off such that the fan can stay running, thus, the exhaust window can be left open?

Dave

On Monday, June 29, 2015 at 12:18:13 PM UTC-4, Dave, I can't do that wrote:
Was over at friend's place yesterday and after about two hours the swamp cooler was getting down to 70 and a bit chilly so he turned it off and the left the room. When he came back he said he had to go shut the exhausting window as without the fan the hot air from outside blows back in.

Being somewhat lazy, I began thinking of options. A flap on the exhaust window with a light spring return so the fan-pressure kept it open when on.

Then the thought struck, what about a pump with variable speed? Or a waste-gate valve on the pump outlet to control the amount of water available for cooling. The variable waste-gate valve might be easier to find/make than a controllable pump. Maybe just s simple clamp on the pump outlet to restrict flow. The pump is not positive displacement so being backed up will not harm anything.

Anyone been down this road?

Other thoughts on controlling temps other than fan speed Low/High and pump on/off such that the fan can stay running, thus, the exhaust window can be left open?

Dave

How about a exhaust shutter? Grainger sell them in a bunch of sizes.

Dan

On Mon, 29 Jun 2015 17:28:57 -0400, BQ340
wrote:

On 6/29/2015 12:18 PM, Dave, I can't do that wrote:
Was over at friend's place yesterday and after about two hours the swamp cooler was getting down to 70 and a bit chilly so he turned it off and the left the room. When he came back he said he had to go shut the exhausting window as without the fan the hot air from outside blows back in.

Being somewhat lazy, I began thinking of options. A flap on the exhaust window with a light spring return so the fan-pressure kept it open when on.

Then the thought struck, what about a pump with variable speed? Or a waste-gate valve on the pump outlet to control the amount of water available for cooling. The variable waste-gate valve might be easier to find/make than a controllable pump. Maybe just s simple clamp on the pump outlet to restrict flow. The pump is not positive displacement so being backed up will not harm anything.

Anyone been down this road?

Other thoughts on controlling temps other than fan speed Low/High and pump on/off such that the fan can stay running, thus, the exhaust window can be left open?

Dave


Generally I would think you want the media to remain saturated wet so
the minerals don't build up on it too fast, slowing the water flow may
cause that to happen if the water flow is too slow & dries instead of
draining off.

My swamp cooler leaves the pump runnng 24/7 just to prevent this. My
single cooler pad (MasterCool) is right at $100 so I do what I can to
prolong buying another one very often.


MikeB

On Mon, 29 Jun 2015 09:18:11 -0700 (PDT), "Dave, I can't do that"
wrote:

Was over at friend's place yesterday and after about two hours the swamp cooler was getting down to 70 and a bit chilly so he turned it off and the left the room. When he came back he said he had to go shut the exhausting window as without the fan the hot air from outside blows back in.

Being somewhat lazy, I began thinking of options. A flap on the exhaust window with a light spring return so the fan-pressure kept it open when on.

Any place which carries greenhouse material will have these in stock.
They can be either spring or gravity loaded.


Then the thought struck, what about a pump with variable speed? Or a waste-gate valve on the pump outlet to control the amount of water available for cooling. The variable waste-gate valve might be easier to find/make than a controllable pump. Maybe just s simple clamp on the pump outlet to restrict flow. The pump is not positive displacement so being backed up will not harm anything.

Anything not being cooled by water would be hot air, so the pump
limiter option is out. Fan speed, however, would likely get you what
you seek. I wanted one in the house I rented in Phoenix, but couldn't
afford one. Full blast and OFF were the options back in '72.


Anyone been down this road?

Other thoughts on controlling temps other than fan speed Low/High and pump on/off such that the fan can stay running, thus, the exhaust window can be left open?

See above.

--
Another belief of mine: that everyone else my age is an adult,
whereas I am merely in disguise.
-- Margaret Atwood

Thanks to All for the suggestions. I will check out the shutters. The windows are all vertical hinged and swing out with a winding mechanism, so spring return looks to be the only option.

I'll check Graingers etc as the neighbor is not too mechanically minded if you haven't guessed already. I'll have to take this on as a project of my own. {sigh}{grin}

I'll see what I can find in the way of Surplus sealed variable speed motors. Might be the better idea. Maybe just put an open-frame motor in a plastic bag. This IS the boonies and we ARE rednecks. OK, just kidding about the plastic bag.

Dave

On Tue, 30 Jun 2015 08:35:26 -0700 (PDT), "Dave, I can't do that"
wrote:

Thanks to All for the suggestions. I will check out the shutters. The windows are all vertical hinged and swing out with a winding mechanism, so spring return looks to be the only option.

I'll check Graingers etc as the neighbor is not too mechanically minded if you haven't guessed already. I'll have to take this on as a project of my own. {sigh}{grin}

I'll see what I can find in the way of Surplus sealed variable speed motors. Might be the better idea. Maybe just put an open-frame motor in a plastic bag. This IS the boonies and we ARE rednecks. OK, just kidding about the plastic bag.

Dave

Most swamp cooler motors ARE open framed.

Gunner