Swamp Cooler "huh yea sure" NOT!!!

[Shae]

The system is open... and the radiator must be upright for it to work. Hot water in the top and as it falls in the radiator , it cools and is pulled from the lower hose connection back to the still.
I suppose you can rig any type of pump to the lower hose connection but the dishwasher pump just fit perfect and makes little or no noise and pushes the water just right.

Right now, I have my pump pushing water from the reservoir through the condenser, then returning to the reservoir. I was planning to put the radiator in line before the return to the reservoir. It sounds like you have your pump sucking water out of the radiator. Does it make a difference? I don't think I can rig my pump to pull like that, since it has a foam sponge thing around the intake to keep junk from getting inside. I don't think there's any way to mount a hose if I were to remove that foam. Clearly, my pump is designed to push water.

[Richard7]

Shae, you could put the radiator on the return line from the condenser and let it pour back into the reservoir, no need to pump out of the radiator.

edit to say leave the pump in the reservoir!

[ChairLawyer]

I used PVC plugs in the radiator openings. I drilled 1/2" holes in them for the water lines. Mine looks a lot like Bentjar's, except mine sits on top of my 55 gallon water barrel. My sub pump pushes water from the barrel bottom to the condensers and the return line comes into the bottom of the radiator. I let the water spill out the top, fall down through the radiator fins, and back into the barrel.

[ChairLawyer]

Almost forgot, I used some 4 ounce bottle of purple stuff. Purple King radiator fluid, maybe? I don't remember wth it was called. Sorry, but there are several available on the market.

[HolyBear]

Hey Sip, I just found this thread.

Sounds like youve run into some problems man, sorry to hear that.

Yea, my swamp cooler isnt as great as it could be, but for $35, it sure has helped me alot... My swamp cooler was just a beginning, like some of the origional stills here, advancements are made over time and things get better. Hawkingrage made a better one with just a better packing, sealed tank and a sprinkler head...

You are right though in that it is not a closed system... I kindof argued that point myself in my or Hawkingrage thread. It deffinatly does put heat and humidity into the air, venting it out would definatly help.

But, if i understand correctly, your controller is blown... this has been the wost run for me ever. i blew my amp meter (had to bypass that) in my controller, and now i cant keep anything cool. im at a loss as to what to do now . Man 5500 is alot of heat, yer gonna need a comercial freezer ta knock tthat down....

[Shae]

Shae, you could put the radiator on the return line from the condenser and let it pour back into the reservoir, no need to pump out of the radiator.

edit to say leave the pump in the reservoir!

So it has to pour into the reservoir from above, or is there a way to seal it so the water gets pushed up to the top of the barrel? I can do either way with my setup, but I want to plan ahead.

[ChairLawyer]

It doesn't "have to" do anything. It's whatever your preference is. The barrel reservoir water is generally cooler at the bottom, therefore the cooler water is preferred to be pumped into your condensers, while the warmer return water is put on top.
But the fact is you can't plan for everything, and you have to improvise, change, and tweak everything so that it works best for your situation and circumstances.

[Shae]

Sure, I just wanted to make sure the radiator can handle the pressure. I might keep it low, at the same level as the reservoir, because the heat stays in my shed above the open door and window, and that's where the radiator would be if on top of the reservoir. No point blowing hot air through a cooling device. The water will still return to the top of the reservoir.

[just-a-sip]

Hey Sip, I just found this thread.

Sounds like youve run into some problems man, sorry to hear that.

Yea, my swamp cooler isnt as great as it could be, but for $35, it sure has helped me alot... My swamp cooler was just a beginning, like some of the origional stills here, advancements are made over time and things get better. Hawkingrage made a better one with just a better packing, sealed tank and a sprinkler head...

You are right though in that it is not a closed system... I kindof argued that point myself in my or Hawkingrage thread. It deffinatly does put heat and humidity into the air, venting it out would definatly help.

But, if i understand correctly, your controller is blown... this has been the wost run for me ever. i blew my amp meter (had to bypass that) in my controller, and now i cant keep anything cool. im at a loss as to what to do now . Man 5500 is alot of heat, yer gonna need a comercial freezer ta knock tthat down....

almost didnt even come to check this thread because its been hijacked for a few weeks now lol...

but yea holly bear it was a rough session. as for the cooling issue i have solved this with a real cheap and easy fix which ill share in a bit. as for the 5500w powering you do neet to understand that when heating is the only time its running at the 500 5500 watts, when im actually refluxing and pulling product im between 2800-3500watts so its not as bad as you think its mostly just the combination of summer hear above 90, the garage acting as an oven, and the addition of the 3800 watts that make is so difficult. to be completely honest ive been focusing more on my brewing as opposed to my stillin, so i haven't run much i will say however the work around i did has been absolutely the best for me. i gotta run at the moment but ill be back later to upload pictures and explain how its working.

[just-a-sip]

here was my cooling solution build

http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... =2&t=42462

[Shae]

almost didnt even come to check this thread because its been hijacked for a few weeks now lol...

Sorry for being part of that, but sometimes it makes more sense to ask questions in the same thread where information is presented.

[just-a-sip]

almost didnt even come to check this thread because its been hijacked for a few weeks now lol...

Sorry for being part of that, but sometimes it makes more sense to ask questions in the same thread where information is presented.

no big deal

[HolyBear]

Hey Sip, nothing is in the link above. It just takes me to a blank response to this post...

[just-a-sip]

Hey Sip, nothing is in the link above. It just takes me to a blank response to this post...

try again working now

[Shae]

So I hooked up the radiator. I used a 1/2" PVC plug to fill the reservoir hole (it's threaded). I took about 3" of 1.25" ID tubing and clamped it to the radiator, and at the other end, to a 1" hose barb with a 3/4" thread at the other side. I screwed that to a 3/4" female bit with a 1/2" hose barb, which is the size of my cooling line. For the output, I took another 3" piece of the 1.25" ID tubing, clamped that to the radiator at one end and to a 3/4" PVC elbow at the other end. Then I took a 7" piece of the tubing, clamped it to the other side of the elbow, and angled it to pour into the top of the reservoir. There is a little nipple on it that I had to hook some tubing and run it up over the radiator. I suppose it could be filled with caulk or something else.

It is a resounding success! I had to run the hot water into the radiator from the bottom, letting it spill out the top and back into the reservoir via tubing, since it seemed that the water wasn't flowing through the radiator when I had the input at the top. I had everything up high (I run in my shed) but that kept it in the hot air that gets stuck above the door. I moved the reservoir and radiator down to floor level, and it made all the difference...a 30 degree difference in reservoir temp after a run.