Swamp cooler question

[Ken]

Anyone found a good way to stop the water distribution spider tubes from coming out of the hub in an evaporative cooler? Or am I the only one? I tried gobs of that rubbery silicon cement and it doesn't work well. I cut the tubes a bit long so they are bowed a bit when plugged in to keep tension on the tube, hopfully keeping it inserted in the socket. All works poorly. Maybe too high a water pump pressure? This season with a new pump seems a lot worse than usual.

Yes, I knoe, the hub and tubes come with a tube/bottle of cement, but that is unremovable. If I goof I have to replace everything. A lot of work on a 100+ AZ day. If a tube gets plugged up - my well water is VERY hard - the tube is almost impossible to clear. If I can unplug it very simple. The silicon glue permits that.

Is the usual cooler motor waterproof? I worry when I get a distribution system leak and water drips on the motor. I suspect I've been lucky nothing happened.

Your scheme?

TIA

Ken

[Pipedown]

A bottle of white vinegar in the recirculating pool should help keep the hard water deposits under control. Silicone makes a good sealer but not a particularly good adhesive.

[Pete C.]

I've not dealt with one of these personally, but it sounds like you need to glue on a thread adapter to the hub and a mate for it to the tube so you have a threaded connection, not a press fit.

[Oren]

[Oren]

Would Permatex work? You can find it in the auto stores. (see products at

)

[Ken]

"Pipedown" wrote in news:JVY0k.7210$nW2.563 @nlpi064.nbdc.sbc.com:

As I'm finding out. Oh well, live and learn.

Ken

[Ken]

"Pete C." wrote in news:tI_0k.2893$ [e-mail]:

I'm not sure where I'd find such items.

Ken

[Ken]

Oren wrote in news:h5u844pdbndcclk12mkrnu5brdv47eq5gv@

4ax.com:

t's been many decades since I've used it but I remember it as a permanent (required vigorous scraping to remove) cement for automotive gaskets. Probably they have additional products by now. I'll have to check next time I'm somewhere with an auto supplies department - Wal-Mart, Chief, etc.

Ken

[Pete C.]

I'm not sure exactly what these hubs and tubes are like, but presumably a plumbing supply store or even Depot / Lowe's should have something suitable. If these tubes are smaller then there may be some compression type fittings that would work. Point me to a link showing this assembly in detail and I may have a more specific answer.

[Oren]

Yes years ago it was very difficult to clean off and remove it. There are newer types that are non or semi hardening. They remain soft and pliable, much easier to remove.

[Jerry]

Here's a link to a cooler parts webpage for the water distribution parts.

When I used to maintain my mother in law's swamper, if the spider got all crusty I just bought a new one, glued it together with MEK per the instructions.

That same webpage also sells mini-snakes for reaming out your water distribution tubes.

Jerry

[Ken]

"Pete C." wrote in news:gzf1k.6144$mh5.4391 @nlpi067.nbdc.sbc.com:

The hub has eight 3/8" holes, spaced evenly around a center hole where the water from a pump enters. Two are unused and plugged. The holes are

3/8" deep to the center space.

I have a tentative non-glue plan. The hub holes have 1/16" of plastic around them. I'm considering gently drilling a #6 or #4 screw-sized hole near the opening end of each hole. Then run a short bolt part-way into a nut, then inserting the end of the bolt into the drilled hole, with the nut snug against the plastic. Then epoxy the nut to the plastic. Do this for each of the hub holes. Run each screw out until it clears the inside of the hole, then insert the water distribution tube. Gently tighten to screw to hold the tube, like a knob set screw. This should hold the tube in place despite blower vibration and water pressure from the pump. I should be able to test this much on the workbench.

If I can manage this without botching it, I should have a solid tube connection with no glue, and a non-leaking water distribution system. And I can remove a tube to clean or replace whenever I wish.

Think maybe?

If the epoxy reaches the bolt it should still unscrew - I hope?

I hope this makes sense as I obviously don't know the correct terminology.

Ken

[charlie]

put vaseline on the bolt to prevent epoxy from sticking to it. depending upon the type of plastic, the epoxy may not stick to it. some plastics don't have any good adhesive and must be thermowelded instead.

[Pete C.]

I'd consider tapping the hub to NPT and installing NPT - 3/8" compression fittings to secure the tubes.

[Ken]

"Pete C." wrote in news:ZTz1k.3506$N87.2982 @nlpi068.nbdc.sbc.com:

Problem is I'd have to find a NPT 3/8" tap. Sounds expensive. Available at Lowes or Home Depot? Do you know? The local plumbing suppliers only sell to plumbers. A very elegant solution.

Ken

[Ken]

"charlie" wrote in news:g26fkd$ce6$1 @aioe.org:

With my luck...

Ken

[Pete C.]

Fittings should be available, as for the tap, possibly. I believe you'd want a 1/4" NPT tap, I believe a 3/8" hole is just below the drill size for a 1/4" NPT tap. If the tubes press into a 3/8" hole, they are probably 1/4" ID. If Depot / Lowe's doesn't have a 1/4" NPT tap, a regular hardware store should, it's a very common size.

[Ken]

"charlie" wrote in news:g26fkd$ce6$ [e-mail]:

The epoxy worked on an old hub. But someone gave me a better idea. put short several inch lengths of tubing in the hub holes. Glue them with the permanent glue supplied with the hub and tubes. Put a short - three inch?

- length of rubber or plastic tubing on the tubes. Plug the regular water tubes that go to the pads into the rubber/plastic tubing. Easy to replace and clean both hubs and tubes. No drilling.

Ken

[Phulltillt via HomeKB.com]

My granny's swamper had the same problem. I drilled through the spider and the arm...just one side and put a screw in it. I use a toilet tank chlorine disk in the reservoir to keep the water smelling fresh, the bacteria lessened in the pads and the hard water build-up non existant. One every two weeks works great.

[Tony lorenzo]

replying to Pipedown, Tony lorenzo wrote: Wudnt the acid in the vinegar corrode the metal part where the water sits n circulates