How to Service an Evaporative Cooler

      Periodic maintenance or servicing is a must for keeping that evaporative cooler in tiptop condition for the summer cooling months. The base of an evaporative cooler is filled with water. The water level is maintained by a float valve that keeps fresh water in contact with a circulation pump. The water pump pushes water to an upper distribution tray that has many holes drilled into its bottom. These holes allow the water to flow over and through a cardboard-type structure called a "cooling pad" This wet cell allows the outdoor air to pass through it by the use of a suction fan that blows the water-cooled air into the home. 

    Follow the steps below to service an evaporative cooler:
    1. Shut off the cooler and carefully remove the cooling pad from the cooler unit.
    2. Inspect the cooling pad for any damage or signs of severe mold and algae growth. If the cooling pads are damaged, they should be replaced.
    3. Pour a cup of the household bleach into the water reservoir and allow the unit to run for 20 to 30 minutes. This allows the bleach water to disinfect and cycle though all the water piping.
    4. Shut off the unit and open the basin drain located under the reservoir pan. Drain the reservoir of all liquid and leave the valve in the open position.
    5. Use the scrub brush to thoroughly clean all the exposed metal surfaces. You may want to keep the area wetted down if it begins to dry out.
    6. Flush the unit with fresh water and allow the reservoir to drain empty of all liquid before closing the valve.
    7. Fill the water reservoir using the float valve and run the circulation pump when the reservoir is full. Check for any leaks that may have cropped up from cleaning the unit.
    8. Replace the cooling pad with the existing ones, or install new wet cells if they appear to be damaged.

    9. Test the unit for full operation. You should feel and smell fresh, moist, clean air.

                                         

Evaporative air cooler

    Mold or algae growth can be controlled by adding an algaecide to the water basin. Follow all directions if you add a solution of algaecide to the water reservoir. Different manufacturers have different directions for its use. Perform a monthly inspection of the above steps for the evaporative cooler (swamp cooler). The cleaner the system, the more efficiently the air can pass through the wet cells.
    Some cooling pads made from natural materials like wood are easily damaged by cleaning. Contact the manufacturer if you are unsure of whether or not the cooling pads in the cooler unit are reusable.

How to Remove Odors in Evaporative Coolers

   Evaporative coolers are an inexpensive, simple, and effective way to cool a building in a hot, dry climate, but they got the nickname "swamp coolers"for a good reason. The fact that the evaporative cooler uses a system that has both standing water and pads that are constantly kept wet means that they can emit unpleasant odors. This is not a necessary inconvenience, however. A little maintenance can remove these odors from your evaporative cooler. Follow the steps below to remove odors in evaporative coolers.

   1. Disconnect the cooler from all electrical power, and drain all the water.

   2. Remove the air filter, and wash it thoroughly with mild soap and water. Replace it if it still has an odor after washing.

   3.Wash the reservoir out, and flush it with clean water. Prepare the disinfectant and deodorizer following the instructions on the package. Add this mixture to the reservoir, and refill it with fresh water.

      

Evaporative air cooler

   4.Remove the cooler pads, and clean them thoroughly with soap and water. Replace them if they still have an odor. If you have aspen fiber pads, consider replacing them with modern pads made from synthetic materials. These pads are less likely to have mold or mildew problems.

   5.Put the filter and pads back on the cooler, reconnect the power, and your job is complete. Repeat the procedure as needed throughout the summer to prevent return of the odors.

How to Make an Evaporative Cooler Work Better

An evaporative air cooler (also known as a swamp cooler) uses far less electrical power than the average air conditioning unit, in some cases only one-third or one-fourth as much. But evaporative air coolers are really effective only in areas of fairly low humidity. And they don't make a house quite as cool as an air conditioner can. However, there are things you can do to make sure the unit cools to its maximum efficiency. Follow this guide to make an evaporative cooler work better.
    1.Cover the evaporative air cooler during the cool season. This will reduce wear and tear and make it work more efficiently.

    2. Check the water supply leading to the evaporative cooler(also swamp cooler). Make sure the water is fully turned on. Also make sure that the connections from the water outlet and into the cooler are tight.

    3. Check the line itself. This line is narrow (about the width of a coaxial cable). If it is leaking, this can reduce the efficiency of the cooler. Replace the line if it leaks.
    

Evaporative air cooler

    4. Check the cooler's evaporative pads and replace them if necessary. Soiled or worn pads will hurt the cooler's efficiency.

    5. Turn on the water pump switch 10-15 minutes before you turn on the cooler it. This will fully soak the evaporative pads. If the pads are dry, the cooler will not cool.

    6. Check that there is a small air outlet so that the house won't become too humid. Operating an evaporative cooler increases humidity in the house, which will in turn make the cooler less effective. The air outlet will lessen this problem.

How to Install Evaporative Coolers

    Installing an evaporative cooler is great way to cool off your home without paying for an expensive central air conditioner. Evaporative coolers, also known as swamp cooler, pull the warm air from the room into a chamber with pads soaked in water. As the water evaporates, it cools the air. The cooled air is then pumped back into the room through the blower. Follow this guide to install a new evaporative cooler in any room of your house.

    1.Select the window where you will be installing the evaporative cooler. It should not be blocked by anything that will interfere with the airflow. Be sure the wall and windowsill below the window are stable and will hold the evaporative cooler's weight. If you need extra support, cut three cripple studs out of 2x4 lumbers and attach these to the wall below the windowsill, running vertically from the bottom of the sill to the floor.

    2.Measure the size of the evaporative air cooler to be sure it will fit in your window opening. Cut a piece of one-inch thick wood to fit the bottom of the cooler. Attach this plank to the windowsill with wood screws.

    3.Have an assistant help you lift the evaporative cooler and place it on the wooden plank. Walk around to the outside of the home and attach a chain to each side of the evaporative cooler, toward the top and rear of the unit. Use a level to make sure the cooler sits flat, placing wood shims under the lower side of the unit if it needs to be leveled out. Once the evaporative cooler is level, hold each chain against the exterior of the house so that it is taut. Mark this spot on the home and attach a hook. Slide the chains over the hooks to hold the evaporative cooler in place. Secure the evaporative cooler to the wooden plank with the screws and mounting hardware that were included with the unit.
    

Evaporative air cooler

    4. Go back inside and close the window so that it sits flush against the top of the evaporative cooler. Draw a line on the where the window frame hits the cooler. Raise the window and attach a band of weather stripping along your marked line. Lower the window again so that it rests on the weather stripping. Some evaporative coolers have side extensions that can be pulled out to cover any gaps on the side of the unit. If yours does not or the gap is too large to be fully covered by the extensions, measure and cut panels of one-inch thick wood to block the opening. Use nails or wood screws to attach these panels to the home's exterior.

     5.Fill the evaporative cooler's reservoir with water and plug it into the wall outlet.Measure your window opening before purchasing an evaporative cooler. Selecting the correct size cooler reduces the amount of space to be covered by the extensions or filled with foam.To prevent injury, always ask for help when lifting or moving an evaporative cooler. Evaporative coolers may not work effectively in humid climates. When the air is already saturated with moisture, the water inside the cooler is not able to evaporate.

How to Install an Evaporative Cooler Motor

  The evaporative cooler is an ingeniously simple machine. It allows the average homeowner the opportunity to handle the routine maintenance of the unit on his own. You may find that the motor on your evaporative cooler needs replacing. If so, there are easy steps that you can do to replace and install a new motor in under an hour. Follow the steps below to install an evaporative cooler motor.

   1.Take off the bolts on the old motor that are used to adjust the tension on   the belt. Remove the belt, and inspect it for wear. You may want to take this opportunity to replace the belt, as well.

   2. Remove the bolt holding the motor pulley, and pull the pulley off the motor.

   3. Remove the bolts from the brackets that attach the motor to the cooler. Your motor will be held in by these brackets, which may swing in an arc, or slide on a track. This movement allows for the adjustment of the belt tension.
                                         

Evaporative air cooler

   

   4. Attach the new motor to the brackets with the bolts, and fasten securely.

   5. Slide the motor pulley on to the new motor shaft. Before tightening the bolts for the pulley, make sure that the motor pulley is in direct alignment with the blower pulley, so that the belt will track correctly when turning. Once aligned, tighten the bolts securely.

   6. Slide the belt over both the motor pulley and the blower pulley. Lift the motor along the tracks or slots to increase the tension on the belt. The belt should be at a tension that allows you to push on the midpoint between the pulleys and have the belt move about 1 inch. Once properly adjusted, tighten the bolts to lock the motor in this position.

   7. Refer to the instructions for the new motor to correctly wire it. This is usually a matter of attaching the wires in the same manner as the old motor. You have now successfully installed a new evaporative motor.

  If you have experience replacing and adjusting belts in automobiles, take note that an evaporative cooler belt should not have anywhere near that much tension. Putting too much tension on the belt may cause the new motor to burn out.