Brand Recommendations For Swamp Coolers?

[Owen Reese]

I'm looking to get a swamp cooler in the $300 or so neighborhood . Been looking at web pages and reviews are really hard to find. I have come across a few, have sorta elminated a couple from consideration.

This would be for a room about 20 x 20. Easy mainentance (like pads/filters) and quietness a plus ;)

I'm looking at a Symphony Sumo Jr from Amazon. Also on my short list are Sunpentown SF-608R, Newair AF-320 or AF-330

Are there any reviews anywhere? Anyone have personal experiences/recommendations?

tia

[betsyb]

Pardon my ignorance, what is a swamp cooler?

[John Weiss]

Common name for an evaporative cooler, which is used in desert areas in lieu of an air conditioner. Whole-house units are commonly placed on the roofs of houses and other buildings. Water is dripped down a foam mesh screen. Warm/hot, dry ambient air is blown across the screen, evaporating the water. Heat absorbed by the evaporation of the water cools the air, which is then ducted into the house.

If water is available, a swamp cooler is much cheaper to run than a compressor-type air conditioner. It also humidifies the air (a GOOD thing in the desert). Downside is that it doesn't work well when ambient humidity is already high.

[Rick Blaine]

...with the definition of "high" being anything above 20% RH. Basically, a good rule of thumb is that if they aren't stocked at the local Home Depot or Lowes, you shouldn't be thinking about buying one. The damage you can do in a very short time by injecting that much moisture into a house is amazing.

-- "Tell me what I should do, Annie." "Stay. Here. Forever." - Life On Mars

[lp13-30]

Sam's used to sell them here. They had one about "whole house" size for $350. That was a little over 10 years ago, so no idea if they stil have them, or what they cost if they do. It is way too humid here for them to work except for a handful of days a year, but I guess they are better than nothing. The main thing is not to try to use one as an air conditioner with all the windows and doors shut, so that the air inside just keeps getting more and more humid until it is practically raining inside. FWIW, in west Tx, where they are more common, they are called "air conditioners", as opposed to "refrigerated air conditioners" Larry

[lp13-30]

About 14 years ago, my ex and I went to Colorado Springs, and Royal Gorge. While she was busy looking at all the crap in the junk aka souvenier shop, I walked over to check out what I thought was a window air cond blowing out lots of mighty cool air.( the place was real comfortable) Couldn't believe it when I got close enough to see that it was a swamp cooler. I guess it must be pretty dry in that part of Co. The fact that the city water is about 33 degrees probably doesn't hurt either. Larry

[Marina]

[e-mail] (lp13-30) wrote in news:24120-4689C5DE-207@storefull-

3151.bay.webtv.net:

A few years ago I had a chance to go visit friends in Colorado. I was scratching my skin all the time and I thought it was tiny bugs I couldn't see. Turned out the air was so dry my skin reacted to it.