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Click on your Category of Interest for Ideas on Cooling for:

1. AREA: --How Large an Area or can a Portable 12-Volt System cool a Room?

A. AC/DC: --Can I plug a 12-volt Cooler into 110/220-volt AC power?

Portable 12-Volt Portable Cooling Systems are typically designed to help cool one or two people in the area they sleep, eat, work or ride in a vehicle. It doesn't matter how large the room or spacious the vehicle, as the purpose of portable cooling is to blow cool air at you and not use the energy or expense needed to cool a given area. It is possible the area may also cool under certain circumstances, however the people will be cool, regardless, as the air circulates around like it would in a hot car with the vents pointed in your direction.

If you insist that the pictures on the wall or your entire vehicle is cool, then you must install a suitable sized Air Conditioner and typically forget about Portable Cooling. If, however you determine that you and a friend or your pet are the ones that needs relief from the heat then portable cooling could easily be your answer.

There are different types of portable coolers, depending on your power source and prevailing humidity in your area. Evaporative (Swamp) Coolers are used in Dry climates and Air Conditioners are generally necessary in Humid areas. (See #2 below)

The advantage of Portable Spot Cooling is that you do not need to install it and can move the cooler to where you need the cooling for more versatile operation. The disadvantage is that you are only going to typically cool the area in the direction they are blowing.

If your area were Humid you would typically prefer Air Conditioning. If your area is typically Arid then you may prefer to use Energy Efficient Evaporative Cooling. Very simply, if you look out your window and see a desert scene then you can use Evaporative Cooling. On the other hand if you look out the window in the morning and see dew over the surroundings you may prefer Air Conditioning. Click on either to learn more about Evaporative Cooling using water or more about Air Conditioning using "Ice Water".

Swampy manufactures 12-Volt Portable Evaporative and 12-Volt Portable Air Conditioning Systems. If you need Air Conditioning hour after hour, day after day you will typically need a Solar System or some other method of charging the battery(s) except in a vehicle that has the engine running. If you do not need a Portable DC (Battery) System then you can install a properly sized Air Conditioner in a vehicle or in a home as the engine supplies the power needed in a vehicle and 110-220-Volt AC power supplies what is needed in a home .

Check the Humidity Index if you are not certain if your area is typically humid or dry.

Summary: Many people like Evaporative Cooling as the cool air feels like an ocean breeze. However if you prefer colder dry air you need to expend the energy to operate an Air Conditioner. Many people prefer the ocean breezes produced by Evaporative Coolers rather than the dry air of an Air Conditioner. However if the humidity is oppressive or you cannot provide proper ventilation to an area you must typically use an Air Conditioner. See #2 regarding humidity determination.

The following are brief examples of the differences between A/C and evaporative cooling:

a. You must not recirculate air cooled by evaporation back into the Evaporative Cooler. You may recirculate air cooled by an air conditioner back into the Air Conditioner.

b. You must allow proper Ventilation like having outside air drawn into an Evaporative Cooler and provide an air escape through a window(s) or door, which helps keep your cooled air fresh. Normally you do not allow outside air to circulate through an Air conditioner for maximum results, therefore the reason the air may become stale using Air Conditioning.

c. You must dispose of excess water accumulated by an Air Conditioner. There is no excess water accumulated by an Evaporative Cooler as it eventually evaporates.

d. If you only have 12-volt available and need Air Conditioning then look into our Swampy AC12, IM20, IM30 and the 12-Volt MightyKool M200, M300, MK3 & MG3 (MightyKool Models also operate on 110-volts with the optional 110 to 12 volt converter) Read #7 Below regarding the operation of all these unique "Ice Water" Models.

e. An Evaporative Cooler will add some humidity to the cooled air and is the reason you need proper Ventilation. A properly designed Air Conditioner will help eliminate condensation as the air cools.

The M300 or MK3 are getting to be the most popular in Aircraft as they are so energy efficient that they will operate off a "power station" type gel battery available at most discount stores for about $60. These batteries weigh around 20 pounds and have built in charges with a cigarette lighter plug in and will operate the M300 or MK3 for over five hours without recharging. You typically would not be satisfied with Evaporative Cooling like the MW1 in an Aircraft. (read #3 above for the difference)

The advantage of either the M300 & MK3 is three-fold; you are able to pre-cool the aircraft while loading and pre-flight plus you are not using the aircraft system which may be either 12/14 or 24/28 volts. Thirdly it eliminates any radio noise that could occur with the newer more sensitive radios.

The M300 weighs about 18 pounds which includes the ice chest and the MK3 about 6 pounds without the ice chest. These models use up to 20 pounds of ice per hour when you are figuring your weight and balance & don't forget the 20 pound gel battery.

Generally speaking you want to pre-cool the cabin for as long as possible and then you will use the cooling while you taxi, pick up your clearance and then get to altitude. This time could be from one to two hours of air conditioning needs if you did a good job of pre-cooling. You will also need cooling when you drop into hot air on your approach and taxi back on the tarmac.

The IM30 has also been very popular in the past on 12 and 28 volts, however of late the 28 volt version has had some noise problems with Garmin Radios, therefore we do not recommend it for that use. We are not going to search for a fix for that problem as the new MightyKool Models M300 and MK3 have taken over the Swampy business with their lower energy requirements and no chance of radio interference.

Portable DC units are not like your vehicle A/C that will cool your vehicle in 10 minutes as these have less than half the power of your vehicle A/C so they take time even though you may have a smaller cabin. Anyway those are some ideas, however your needs may be different than the average user and we will look forward to any questions you may have.

Portable Cooling Systems are typically designed to cool one or two people in the area they sleep or eat. It doesn't matter how large the cabin or camper is, as you will cool the area they reside like in the bedroom, kitchen or reading area. The advantage of 12-Volt portable spot cooling is that you can move the cooler to where you need the cool air.

Note: It is necessary to use the Air Conditioning "Ice Water" Swampy Models AC12, IM30 or recently the most popular MightyKool Models MK3 or M300 in areas of High Humidity or for Surveillance. The air is much colder than Evaporative Coolers and you will be able to close all window & vents, which you cannot do with Evaporative Cooling. All Models have 3 speeds and noise has never been an issue with any of our models when used for Surveillance!

8. The 100 Year Old Idea of Blowing Air across Ice that Increases Humidity & Misery:

Kooleraire took a 100-year-old Ancient Idea and claimed they discovered a "New Idea" to provide Air Conditioning by Blowing Wimpy Air across a "Box of Ice". It is weird how many people know "it sounds too good to be T___" then fall into the trap, as after all, it only costs $39.95! The sad thing is that these good people wasted valuable time, money and did not receive the benefits promised.

If you are using the MW1 or T154 you must provide outside ventilation in a vehicle by opening windows or other vents somewhat otherwise you build up intense heat and the coolers will quit cooling as the humidity will also build up. It is sometimes difficult to open windows all the way because of theft or the chance that your pet will jump out. However the more you have the windows open the more comfortable your pets will remain & some pet stores, even on-line, carry window screens that protect your pets from jumping out and provide the needed ventilation.

All of our 12-volt products may be plugged it into a cigarette lighter in a vehicle and the MW1 & M300 will operate for several hours without effecting vehicle battery even though the engine is not running. You furnish the battery power and we furnish the Portable Cooling Devise for your Pet. The T154 takes more energy, however running for an hour or two on medium speed would be okay in your vehicle with the engine off.

If it is not possible for you to open anything for ventilation you must use the Model M300. Read #7 in this FAQ section on cooling with ice water if that is your choice. The purpose of the MW1 or T154 is not to cool the vehicle, only your pet, therefore your vehicle will feel just as hot as it normally feels if you did not have cooling. If you use the M300 then this model helps keep your vehicle from building up intense heat if your vehicle was cool to begin with. Many people & salespersons use the M300 to help keep their vehicle cool while shopping or working.

Ice typically melts in less than five minutes in the standard cooler and then you are back to standard Evaporative Cooling. Ice helps when you first start the cooler if it has been setting in the heat for a long period of time. The plastic parts are hot and the cooling process takes about two minutes to begin cooling and will take around 10 minutes to get down to the target temperature. The ice speeds this process of cooling down the Evaporative Cooler and of course using Ice in the "Ice Water" Models produces Air Conditioned cold air as it is designed for Ice Water use.

Yes, however you must use the AC12, IM20, IM30 or the new 12-Volt/110-Volt MightyKool Models MK3, M200 & M300 which will allow you to keep the windows closed because of dust or chemical problems. These previous models use "Ice Water" to produce Air Conditioning, which is typically not desirable for Farming or Construction in the dryer areas of the World because of the cost of operation. (Read #7 Above).

On the other hand a standard Evaporative Cooler models need fresh air circulating in and out of the cab area, however you will be breathing filtered air even though dust is entering the cab. If dust isn't a major problem and you are operating in a dry climate you may want to investigate Evaporative Cooling. The Swampy T154, T304 and the MightyKool MW1 Evaporative Cooler Models are used in Farming and Construction Operations.

Depending on your ventilation system, you can cut down considerably on the dust while receiving relief from the heat. Without any cooling you need to open the windows and anything else that will provide relief. With Evaporative Cooling you need to provide a flow of fresh air in and out of the area, however you should be able to help reduce the dust problem.

The amount of opening you need to provide depends on the humidity when using an Evaporative Cooler. The higher the humidity at a given time the more ventilation you need to provide. You do not want to build up any more humidity than is already present in the ambient air surrounding you. You can typically end up with fresher air to breathe with a Swampy or MightyKool Model. You should notice a vast improvement in the amount of dust getting into your lungs.

Summary: The output temperature will depend on the Ambient Temperature and Humidity. See the Humidity Index if you know the range of your typical ambient temperature and humidity. Basically all Swampys except the Ice Models operate the same so choose the one that fits your needs regarding dimensions, airflow direction & use. The Evaporative Coolers like the MightyKool Model MW1 produces about 5 degree cooler air than the Swampy T154 model.

Evaporative Cooling systems using water only like the MW1 & T154 provide relief from the heat in dry desert climates because the cool air produced can be as much as 25 degrees cooler than the ambient air. However, in the case of the MW1 the cool air produced will be at least 30 degrees cooler under the same circumstances. The cooler the Ambient air the less reduction in temperature. For example on a 90 degree day the drop may only be 20 to 25 degrees and a day of 80 degrees the drop may be reduced to 10 to 15 degree drop.

As another example if the ambient temperature on a dry day in the desert were 110 degrees the cool air produced from a well-designed evaporative cooler may be 85 degrees using the T154 or 80 degrees using the MW1. Under the same circumstances the "Ice Water" models would produce 65+- degrees. Remember Mother Nature determines the cool air output of the Evaporative Coolers. On the other hand the "Ice Water" Air Conditioners determines the amount of Ice Consumption and Temperatures Obtained based on the Ambient Temperature.

The most popular "Ice Water" models are the MightyKool M300 & MK3 and the Swampy IM30 & AC12 as these are capable of having enough ice capacity to last four to six hours of Air Conditioning. The AC12 cools with Ice Only and does not cool with water like the other "Ice Water" models.

BTU rating is important if you are going to install a properly sized A/C unit to cool a certain well insulated area. CFM is important if you are going to install a properly sized large 110-volt Evaporative Cooler on the roof or in the side wall of a well insulated building so you can build up a negative pressure within a certain area so you can cool the entire area.

Negative pressure cannot typically be built up in an area by using the limited resources of a 12-volt Portable Cooling Device. Therefore CFM is not important as long as there is sufficient air to blow your hair around or blow the papers off your desk.

The BTU of the 12-Volt Ice Model Air Conditioners varies because of the cooling medium used. Block Ice, cubed ice, crushed ice, reusable ice packs, large packs or small packs. These different cooling methods all effect the resultant temperature so it is impossible and unnecessary to state an accurate BTU. Some say using ice results in over 8,000 BTU because of it's efficiency.

The bottom line: If there is no limit on resources install a properly sized 110-volt built-in cooling device. If, on the other hand, there are limited resources of energy or it is not practical to build in a cooling system then we can provide comfort with a 12-volt Portable Spot Cooling device.

The Swampy is an automotive type device, unlike portable TV's or the MightyKool that draw very little power. You cannot operate a typical Swampy off of a converter that is designed to only operate a TV except for the MightyKool MW1. Most campers and many boats today are set up with good built in converters of adequate size to charge a battery(s).

If you have a camper or boat and are plugged into 110/220 AC, have your system set up so you are charging your battery(s) when you are plugged in. That way you continue to operate all your 12-volt devises, including Swampy, from the battery(s). Just keep it plugged into the cigarette lighter and enjoy that cool ocean breeze. If you do not have an extra battery dedicated to your 12-volt accessories see B. below.

If you want to operate the Swampy Models like the T154 on 110-volts directly we have used a 10-amp battery charger with a 50-amp boost. Typically you should never operate Swampy on high as that would be using 15 amps and very few Converters will provide that much energy without having a cigarette lighter 'melt-down'. If you are using a battery charger be certain to set it on 10 amps, not 50 amps.

The blower system in Swampy is exactly the same as used in the finer automobiles, therefore is has that same noise level as the three speed heater/a.c on high at 52 dBA & the MightyKool Models at 59 dBA (which is about the same dBA as road noise at 60 mph in a typical vehicle). A good deep-cycle battery (105 amp hour or larger) lasts from 8 to 17 hours when using Swampy on low and medium & 50 to 80 hours using the MightyKool Models without charging .

A Solar System will of course replenish your batteries as you drain them and we recommend you use the MightyKool Model MW1 as it draws only .9 to 1.6 amps (11 to 20 watts) from your Solar System.

BTU is not typically used in evaporative cooling and just like CFM is not an important measure when it comes to 12-volt evaporative cooling. If you wanted to cool a small camper or boat cabin it would take approximately 200 to 400 CFM at night and 1500 to 2000 CFM during the daytime.

The most powerful 12-volt evaporative coolers produce up to 800 CFM like the Swampy S154 . Swampy produces over 5000 feet per minute velocity, which is a lot of cool air velocity. CFM has no real bearing when using portable spot cooling as you would typically never operate these on the highest setting anyway because of energy concerns.

There is no basic installation to our Swampy Products, however we recommend a strap of some sort over them when they are in a moving vehicle. Once you find the ideal place to set your Swampy, consider it installed. Fill the tank half full and cool down and don't worry about running out of water as it will not damage the pump if one is installed. We do not recommend you run Swampy deliberately out of water as water always produces cooling even under the most severe humid conditions.

You can use Swampy on low or medium speed continually on most any vehicle, as it is then drawing less than 10 amps. You would normally not need high-speed for more than a few minutes. If you do find you need high-speed check the wiring, using a 10 to 12 gauge wire to your power source and fuse at 20 amps. If you use any of the MightyKool Models in a vehicle you will not have to do any modification to your wire system as they draw less than 3.5 amps.

For maintenance you can, if you wish, place a small amount of vinegar in with the water once in a while to keep the classification to a minimum. Also tip Swampy towards the two front eye balls to drain most of the water when you are done using it for a few days. If a Swampy or MightyKool tips over it will not damage any parts inside as the water will merely just run out of the pads. Tip the MightyKool towards the two front eye balls or fill door to drain the water.

We think you should Replace the Cooling Filter Pads every couple hundred hours of Cooling or at least once or twice during the season especially with the MightyKool Models. The Cooling Pads are inexpensive and they are the only reason that the Coolers Cool when activated with water. They are typically impossible to wash out as you would be better off just using a vacuum outside the vents on the Swampy models to remove any dust possible. If you take off the lid of the MightyKool you could turn the cooling pad upside down once to extend their life. The pads are available on our web site, therefore ordering a set or two will last you for several hundred hours of cooling.

The MightyKool Model MW1 is the logical cooler for a tent because of the low power requirements & 10 foot cord. You can even pick up a cigarette lighter extension cord to run from your car if you are close enough to the tent. Or you can operate the MightyKool MW1 on one of the many portable "Power Station" type batteries that have the cigarette lighter plug in already built into them. If your area is humid or your need the coldest models then choose the MightyKool Model M200 or M300 as they also have a low amperage draw.
The other Swampy models have a 6' cord to plug into the cigarette lighter socket. You can purchase a long extension cord, however you do not want to operate other Swampy Models on high just use low and maybe medium. On high there would be so much power loss, through the extension, that the cord would get too hot. You would not damage Swampy, but you could melt some of the connecting parts. You do not need high as you will get sufficient cool air on low and medium for most all uses. You would probably not want to operate the Swampys on the "Jump Start" battery systems for any length of time as they use too much amperage. Just use the MightyKool Models for that purpose.

The best information you can obtain on Swampy is right where you are - on the World Wide Web. Feel free to copy any information you find that is important to you and click on "PRICES", which you should find on most of our web pages.

Some of the parts for Swampy are available locally, as well as from us the manufacturer, however the MightyKool parts should be ordered through the manufacturer. The MightyKool motors are designed to operate for up to 20,000 hours so their replacement should be never. The Custom cooling Pad or Switch would be about the only part ever needed for the MightyKool. The other Swampy blower motors would be available at your auto parts store, however they are designed for thousands of hours of operation and rarely every fail.

The water pump may be obtained from a boat (marine) store. It is a simple bilge pump like used on all boats to remove accumulated water. The Cooling Filter Pads should be order from us the manufacturer as they are Custom Designed for your cooling system and are inexpensive. (see E. above) The switch may be obtained from us also. The plastic is ABS and easy to repair with Methylene Chloride which melts ABS plastic. Welding is never necessary. We specifically designed the Swampy with mostly over the counter parts so they could easily be maintained regardless of where one lives.

H. Can I use Dry Ice in my Swampy rather than regular ice?

No. It is not worth the risk & it does not last any longer than regular block ice. The following is an article of information regarding the use of Dry Ice:

Normal air is 78% Nitrogen, 21% Oxygen and only 0.035% Carbon Dioxide. If the concentration of carbon dioxide (The Chemical Composition of Dry Ice) in the air rises above 0.5%, carbon dioxide can become dangerous. Smaller concentrations can cause quicker breathing but is otherwise not harmful. If Dry Ice has been in a closed auto, van, room, or walk-in, for more than 10 minutes, open doors and allow adequate ventilation before entering. Leave area containing Dry Ice if you start to pant and breath quickly or your fingernails or lips start to turn blue. This is the sign that you have breathed in too much CO2 and not enough oxygen. Dry Ice CO2 is heavier than air and will accumulate in low spaces. Do not enter closed storage areas that have or have had Dry Ice before airing out completely.

End of Story as far as using Dry Ice for personal cooling goes, therefore please do not take the chance. Read the entire interesting article on Dry Ice and it's many great & interesting uses at www.dryiceinfo.com.

12-Volt Models areProudly made in the USA