Evaporative Cooler Aboard in the California Delta...???

[markpierce]

Originally Posted by N4712

I don't know how y'all do it.

I don't know how people can live east of the Colorado Mountains under 5000 feet of elevation.

[ben2go]

Originally Posted by markpierce

In a non A/C environment, I've relied on shade and a breeze or fans to evaporate sweat from my body, nature's cooling system for humans. Got four fans on the boat: one each in the forward cabin and pilothouse, and two in the saloon.

(Never thought high humidity was good for electrical stuff or a steel boat.)

For natures evaporative cooling to work efficiently,one needs to be in a state of undress.

[N4712]

Originally Posted by markpierce

I don't know how people can live east of the Colorado Mountains under 5000 feet of elevation.

For me that's easy to answer.

I'm not looking to derail the thread but just curious what's the average temperature at night during summer time?

[markpierce]

As a rule here, the nights here turn up to 30 degrees (or more) cooler from daytime temperatures.

[Mule]

Originally Posted by ben2go

For natures evaporative cooling to work efficiently,one needs to be in a state of undress.

I will fix you.....unsee this....... 265lb 67 year old grey haired fat man close to or naked trying to stay cool using a swamp cooler to stay cool. There, take that
Got ya .......

[ben2go]

Originally Posted by Mule

I will fix you.....unsee this....... 265lb 67 year old grey haired fat man close to or naked trying to stay cool using a swamp cooler to stay cool. There, take that
Got ya .......

I'll be there,I hope,in about 30 years. I'll see it everyday until I'm 68.

[CPseudonym]

Originally Posted by Mule

I will fix you.....unsee this....... 265lb 67 year old grey haired fat man close to or naked trying to stay cool using a swamp cooler to stay cool. There, take that

Got ya .......

So you've met FlyWright in person then...

Edit, forgot the

[FlyWright]

Oliver, I think the one big difference between our summer and yours is humidity. In the Delta, it's up to 20 degrees warmer than the bay, but the humidity runs about 30-40%. So at 90-95 degrees and 35%, it doesn't take much to make you feel cooler...a breeze (natural or fan), a dip in the fresh water, a FW washdown, a mister or an evap cooler.

Early this month, I was in the delta with those conditions and had a mister spraying in the cockpit. It worked well, cooling me and the decks. As the week went along, the temps cooled into the 80s and no mister was needed, just an occasional fan. Aside from an unplanned swimming event, I didn't feel the need for a swim with the temps in the 80s or lower.

When I travel back home to Chicago to see family or DC, I'm always impressed with the impact that humidity has on my comfort level. It's something I have long taken for granted out west, but my travels east help to remind me of our good fortune.

Oh, did I mention we have few bugs?

[ben2go]

Originally Posted by CPseudonym

So you've met FlyWright in person then...

[FlyWright]

Originally Posted by Mule

I will fix you.....unsee this....... 265lb 67 year old grey haired fat man close to or naked trying to stay cool using a swamp cooler to stay cool. There, take that
Got ya .......

Originally Posted by CPseudonym

So you've met FlyWright in person then...

Edit, forgot the

Hey...I resemble that remark!

Just not that old or big....YET!!

[markpierce]

Originally Posted by FlyWright

Oliver, I think the one big difference between our summer and yours is humidity. In the Delta, it's up to 20 degrees warmer than the bay, ...

I'll say it can often be 40 to 50 degrees difference. It can easily be 65 degrees in Pacifica and 105 degrees in the Delta, a distance less than 80 miles. Gee, a 20-degree difference between Oakland and Orinda (after passing through a tunnel under a ridge of hills) isn't uncommon during the summer Temperatures in the Delta vary/cycle. When the Central Valley heats up, it creates a low-pressure area drawing in cool Pacific air.

[N4712]

Originally Posted by FlyWright

Oliver, I think the one big difference between our summer and yours is humidity. In the Delta, it's up to 20 degrees warmer than the bay, but the humidity runs about 30-40%. So at 90-95 degrees and 35%, it doesn't take much to make you feel cooler...a breeze (natural or fan), a dip in the fresh water, a FW washdown, a mister or an evap cooler.

Early this month, I was in the delta with those conditions and had a mister spraying in the cockpit. It worked well, cooling me and the decks. As the week went along, the temps cooled into the 80s and no mister was needed, just an occasional fan. Aside from an unplanned swimming event, I didn't feel the need for a swim with the temps in the 80s or lower.

When I travel back home to Chicago to see family or DC, I'm always impressed with the impact that humidity has on my comfort level. It's something I have long taken for granted out west, but my travels east help to remind me of our good fortune.

Oh, did I mention we have few bugs?

Very true i seem to be forgetting that. The humidity is absolutely horrid here.

Oh, did I mention we have few bugs?

If only we had no bugs!

[BruceK]

The evaporative cooling system is popular in OZ in dry/low humidity areas, large units sit on roofs. But use one in Sydney and other humid places and you`ll grow mould on the walls.

[Mule]

Works good in Kermit, Plainview, El Paso....try it in Beaumont or Houston....good luck.

[FlyWright]

Agreed. It's popular in Arizona and Nevada and here in Sacramento, too. It'll work in the Delta, but not where we berth our boat in Vallejo. There, it's a cooler and damper climate...more on par with San Francisco than Sacramento. It's quite common to start each summer day there with a marine layer overcast.

During our Delta trip, we were often wore jackets and long pants in the evenings after 8PM and shorts throughout the daylight hours. The closer I moved to the San Pablo Bay, the cooler it got. 30-40 degree temperature spreads at one location throughout the day is typical. In Sacramento, we can add 25-30 degrees to our 8AM temperature to estimate the high for the day.

[Astral Blue]

Originally Posted by FlyWright

Inspired by Auscan's post, I have gathered the necessary parts for the 12V Redneck Bucket Swamp Cooler.



As you can see, I've used a supersized bucket that will hold about 4-5 gallons at the planned waterline.

I'll give it a go and report back.

Oh boy, Al...my thread has created a monster!

[psneeld]

I have never measured it so it might only be a guess...but wherever I have been...there is always a slight haze on the water at night...much more so than even the parking lot at the marina.

I come into the slip with the spotlight on and there's always a haze of what looks like moisture ...but in the parking lot...unless a strong breeze blows it up there...looks like less moisture.

So before I went through all the trouble of trying an evaporative cooler..I would take some readings at a level it would be on various nights you think you might need it over the water.

The "humidity reading" you get from the weather to me these days is suspect as I see so many backyard weather stations hooked into "weather services" that are clearly inputting incorrect info as the winds and temps on some are so far off they are comical....I wonder if a computer program throws out statistically off info????

[FlyWright]

PSN,

I did measure it in the Delta during my two week trip this month with my weather station. The humidity ran in the 35-40% range. That is the norm in these parts. You're far from the Delta so I'm not surprised that your weather is different.

[psneeld]

My issue with a swamp cooler in a "moist environment" like on a boat is that in the "dry areas" such as the whole delta region...rel. humidity will tend to drop because the available moisture isn't there but the temp. goes up. In the moist region (on the water) the evaporation skyrockets near the surface of the water and in a low wind situation when you most want cooling...I'm not sure the "performance numbers" of 20 percent would be there.

They might be...all I'm saying is before I spend the money and energy to install a system that often is not used in aquatic or marine app...that it may be worth looking into beyond anecdotal info.

[FlyWright]

I'm putting together the bucket swamp cooler in Auscan's link and will probably have less than $20 invested in this experiment. Not much money and energy at risk here.

Did you miss the part where I mentioned that I MEASURED the RH onboard at 35%. I saw it lower than that value, but that is a pretty accurate average during periods with the temps above 90 degrees. At lower temps, this cooler would not be needed or used.

I recall from weather school that a temp increase of 10 degrees C results in a doubling of the "air's capacity to hold water" (not technically correct, but useful for purposes of discussion). This means the RH can drop 50% with a 10 C temp increase. So a 50% RH at 68F (20C) can become 33% at 86F (30C) degrees.