Date:         Fri, 21 Jan 2000 17:39:39 -0500
Reply-To:     David Beierl <dbeierl@IBM.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         David Beierl <dbeierl@IBM.NET>
Subject:      Re: "Swamp Cooler" questions
Comments: To: CARY CHIANG <chiang1@USA.NET>
In-Reply-To:  <20000121222321.7061.qmail@nwcst323.netaddress.usa.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed

At 03:23 PM 1/21/00 -0700, CARY CHIANG wrote:
>Westy's roof in place of the vent hatch.  It was so heavy I could not lift the
>top more than a few inches.

Prolly full of water...

>  I only saw 5 buttons for controls; 2 for fan
>speed and 3 for low to high humidity.  I am not familiar with these devices
>and was wondering how they compare to an air conditioner, especially in
>regards to what type of climates/temperatures  are best suited to each?

They don't work where it's humid.  The dryer and hotter it is the better
they work.  Just how well that is, though, I don't know.

>Someone once told me they can make the air feel "cooler", but I don't
>understand how, other than a "dry" heat is better than a "wet" one.

They work because every gram of water they evaporate sucks about half a
kilocalorie of heat out of the air.  So when conditions favor evaporation
they cool the air considerably.

>   Also,
>would this monster be capable of "conditioning" the air in a westy at rest on
>battery or only on shore power,

They only use electricity for a fan and maybe a little pump -- the heat
transfer is by the evaporation of water.  You might have to find a train
station to fill the water tank, though -- better add some railroad wheels <g>.

>  and is it a possible option to a real air
>conditioner only while driving, if at all?

No data...

David Beierl - Providence, RI
  http://pws.prserv.net/synergy/Vanagon/
'84 Westy "Dutiful Passage"
'85 GL "Poor Relation"