Anybody running a swamp cooler in their garage?

[supermega1]

So I've been toying with the idea of adding A/C to my garage. Due to the size I would need a 24,000 BTU unit (975 sq ft). Prices for portable units with that output as well as window units are pretty pricy and don't have the best reviews. I've also looked at the split system ductless but don't want to deal with the home owners associate for installing anything on the exterior of the house.

Does anybody have any experience using one in their garage?

Plus'/Minus'/Thoughts/General Rambles/Brand Recommendation etc

Edumacate me! appreciate it.

[OG16VGLI]

So I've been toying with the idea of adding A/C to my garage. Due to the size I would need a 24,000 BTU unit (975 sq ft). Prices for portable units with that output as well as window units are pretty pricy and don't have the best reviews. I've also looked at the split system ductless but don't want to deal with the home owners associate for installing anything on the exterior of the house.

Does anybody have any experience using one in their garage?

Plus'/Minus'/Thoughts/General Rambles/Brand Recommendation etc

Edumacate me! appreciate it.

In my opinion. If you are going to do any kind of "AC" in a garage. Make it a swamp cooler. Swamp coolers work better in areas of high humidity, where as AC units are worthless. In a garage, if there isn't any insulation your humidity levels are going to a bit higher than they would be in your home. Hit up KSL and find someone who is selling a used swamp cooler. Replace the filters and possibly the pump and you'll be real happy. Just my 2 cents though.

[CISinjected]

Swamp (Evaporative) coolers work on the principle of evaporation removing heat from an exchange device, which is much more difficult to achieve in high humidity conditions.

Either way though, it doesn't matter because it's dry enough here that a swamp cooler would do fine in a garage. One of the smaller window units will work fine as long as it's blowing on you but don't expect it to really ice the place down without insulation especially if your garage is West facing. I'd almost recommend just using a high quality fan first and see if that helps.

[supermega1]

Garage is west facing. So it gets sun from noon on. Temps in the summer when its 110-115 outside are probably 100 inside. I am going to insulate the door. My friend has the same house and insulating the door dropped it about 10* during the summer. But that's still 90*, so a little hard to work for any period of time.

I tried a portable A/C. It was only rated for a 400 sq ft room. So it put off more heat then it actually cooled. I've also used a couple of big fans and though it gave you the perceived feeling of being cooler your it didn't do anything else.

The garage doesn't have any windows and the only other door (other then the garage door) leads into the house.

Also this is in Vegas so humidity is next to nothing almost all year long.

[dash cunning]

davespeed's swamp cooler works really good in the middle of the summer in his shop

[kda33]

I love the swap cooler no mods to any fixtures at all. Throw some casters on it and you can move it any where you like. In front of you or when not in use push it into the corner so its outta the way. Hook it up to the garden hose and have nice cool water flowing and viola your golden.

[LVDubn]

In my opinion. If you are going to do any kind of "AC" in a garage. Make it a swamp cooler. Swamp coolers work better in areas of high humidity, where as AC units are worthless. In a garage, if there isn't any insulation your humidity levels are going to a bit higher than they would be in your home. Hit up KSL and find someone who is selling a used swamp cooler. Replace the filters and possibly the pump and you'll be real happy. Just my 2 cents though.

Swamp (Evaporative) coolers work on the principle of evaporation removing heat from an exchange device, which is much more difficult to achieve in high humidity conditions.

Either way though, it doesn't matter because it's dry enough here that a swamp cooler would do fine in a garage. One of the smaller window units will work fine as long as it's blowing on you but don't expect it to really ice the place down without insulation especially if your garage is West facing. I'd almost recommend just using a high quality fan first and see if that helps.

+1

Dude I can tell you after living on the south Texas coast for a few years That what you are saying is the complete opposite of the truth.. Swamp coolers do pretty much nothing in high humidity environments. Swamp coolers do great here in the High Desert though. Dump a bag of ice in one for extra cold mode. lol..

[JJ2K1]

In my opinion. If you are going to do any kind of "AC" in a garage. Make it a swamp cooler. Swamp coolers work better in areas of high humidity, where as AC units are worthless.

Thanks for making me blow coffee out my nose this morning haha. Maybe you should send that one in to mythbusters.

I have a swamp cooler in my garage. When I turn it on I go outside and hose it down for an instant boost in cooling. In fact I returned it from hibernation last week when it was 90 degrees in my house, turned on the swamp cooler in the garage, opened the window in the opposite corner of the house, and dropped the temp down to 69 degrees overnight. In a summertime afternoon it will take my 110 degree garage down to 75 degrees in a matter of minutes, and I open my attic access to vent out the attic to help keep the temps from climbing in one wing of the house.

[supermega1]

Ok I am sold. Any recommendations on brand models?

I was looking at this one:
http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-25ec...&storeId=10051

[David802]

Ok I am sold. Any recommendations on brand models?

I was looking at this one:
http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-25ec...&storeId=10051

Find one in a classifieds add. If you've never worked on a swamp cooler before it'll take you all of half an hour to figure out how to change the pump and pads. The suggestion has been made in this thread before, but I'm making it again.