Add Solar Air Conditioning

[Bigfoot Mike]

I ran across this AC unit and thought it may be of help to some of you looking for a Solar AC option.





Operates with a solar panel and/or on a standard 12-volt system.

Turbo Kool

Here is a review that looks good as well. (need high speed connection to view)
TurboKool Review

[Bigfoot Mike]

Some notes...

Does not work well in humid climates.

The cooling is caused by evaporation. The warm dry outside air, with its low relative humidity, is pulled into the unit by the fan, while water is being sprayed, by our unique spin spray pump, on a cylindrical porous filter. As the dry air is forced through the wet filter by the fan, the water is evaported, which cools the air coming out of the cooler. This cool air must be allowed to flow freely through the RV or facility being cooled and out through a window, door or vent. If the air is restricted the cooling will be less. The size of the RV or facility being cooled, how well it is insulated, exterior temperature and humidity are just some of the variable factors that can affect the cooling efficiency. Quiet simplicity at its best!

[Darwin Maring]

A Swamp Cooler works in dry areas by spraying water and blowing air through the spray.
The water evaporates very quick and produces cool air.

They work in desert areas and not work at all in high to very high humid areas.

[Bigfoot Mike]

A Swamp Cooler works in dry areas by spraying water and blowing air through the spray.
The water evaporates very quick and produces cool air.

They work in desert areas and not work at all in high to very high humid areas.

Right, You said it better then I did.

That is why I said, “thought it may be of help to some of you.”

Just hope this helps.
Mike

[Gina D.]

The solar is an interesting twist. It is better than nothing if you are out in the middle of nowhere.

I find my fantastic fan does a great job on the high setting tho. I can run it directly off the solar panels. I will have to make a new arrangement with the new trailer, but I ran the endless breeze of a 15 watt panel and smaller batteries.

My new one is in the ceiling.

[Bigfoot Mike]

The solar is an interesting twist. It is better than nothing if you are out in the middle of nowhere.

I find my fantastic fan does a great job on the high setting tho. I can run it directly off the solar panels. I will have to make a new arrangement with the new trailer, but I ran the endless breeze of a 15 watt panel and smaller batteries.

My new one is in the ceiling.

This basically is the same thing, but also has the evaporative cooler. Uses the same power (I think).

[Gina D.]

4.6a per hour???



Fantastic endless breeze fan.. max, 1.6a per hour. No evaperative effect tho.

[Frederick L. Simson]

My Fiber Stream came with an RV evaporative cooler. Since I had experience using one on a Mobile Home I used to live in, I was intrigued with the possibility of having some cooling ability without needing 110 volts, since RV units run on 12 volts DC.

My frustration came with the constant need to replenish the water supply which in turn became an overflow issue when the unit was turned off. That did not matter so much in the Mobile Home (which stayed in one place), but it became untenable in the trailer. The only thing I could rely on was the fan, which was not reversable. I therefore replaced it with a Fantastic-Fan and lowered my profile by a foot.

[Kurt & Ann K.]

I guess it is time I chime in on this subject.
For 25 years one of the services I provided in my business, was installing and servicing evaporative (swamp) coolers.
As many have mentioned, they work most efficiently in dry climates. That said, I'd like to relate a personal experience. I was servicing a cooler on a mobile home and had to quit because it had begun raining. Since I was only a few blocks from home, it became "coffee time". Our own cooler was operating when I arrived there. This provided aa excellent opportunity for an experiment. Using two refrigerant air conditioning thermometers, I placed one outside where the air entered the cooler. The other was placed where the air was blowing into the room. Now it was time for coffee! About 1/2 hour passed while I was making a couple of appointments and enjoying my morning break. The steady downpour had not let up, but I was curious about the temps recorded by the thermometers. To my amazement, there was a 10 degree differential! Just to be on the safe side, I then reversed the thermometers. After another 1/2 hour had gone by, the outside temp was again 10 degrees warmer. I can't explain how evaporation was still happening during a driving rain, but the evidence was right there in front of my face. Some cooling was still happening!

As a matter of education, there is a major difference between operating a refrigerated AC and an evap. cooler. With AC, the area being cooled is closed up to contain the dry, cold air. With an evap. cooler, windows must be open to allow the cold air to flow through the space being cooled. Since the air contains moisture, it will accumulate unless allowed to vent. A window, furthest from the cooler needs to be open. Would you rather be in a room where germs are contained so you can breath them over and over, or where the contaminents are continually exhausted to the outside? Just some food for thought.

I have 2 friends who have installed solar powered evap. coolers on there truck campers and they love them! These are "wretched excess" individuals who also have refrigerated AC units.
No generator has to run when boondocking and they are still cool! If one only wants air movement, you simply don't turn on the water! They are not reversible so they won't blow out however.
But isn't that what kitchen fans are for?
Kurt & Ann K.