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Topic: Swamp Cooler pump replacement (Read 645 times) previous topic - next topic
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Swamp Cooler pump replacement
Hey Y'all!!!! (Yep,we're from the south). Our 1995 26.5 MB has the swamp cooler,and ,amazingly enough,it still works.(kinda).
All that we need is some sort of replacement pump. It seems its not pumping any water up to it.
We're looking for recommendations for something to replace it,due to the fact that,after speaking to the "Mothership",they no longer carry any parts for it.
Thanks in advance
1995 MB Mrdronennut
Re: Swamp Cooler pump replacement
Reply #1 –
Quote from: Mrdronennut  - 
Hey Y'all!!!! (Yep,we're from the south). Our 1995 26.5 MB has the swamp cooler,and ,amazingly enough,it still works.(kinda).
All that we need is some sort of replacement pump. It seems its not pumping any water up to it.
We're looking for recommendations for something to replace it,due to the fact that,after speaking to the "Mothership",they no longer carry any parts for it.

The water pressure is provided by the LD's water pump, it must be switch 'on' for water to flow up to the cooler.
Have you opened the cooler's water supply valve ?

If you are from the south, usually that means summertime humidity. If that is so for the places you wish to travel, an evaporative cooler isn't going to be effective. The one thing you don't need is added humidity.
In arid areas of the West, evaporative coolers offer some relief from the heat, although when it gets that hot, we head for cooler climes or place to temporally plug in.  The rooftop A/C provides much more cooling power...at a cost.

Hanging out at either the beach or high altitudes in the summertime.
Larry
Larry
2003 23.5' Front Lounge, since new.  Previously 1983 22' Front Lounge.
Tow vehicles  2020 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, 2001 Jeep Cherokee
Photo Collection: Lazy Daze
Re: Swamp Cooler pump replacement
Reply #2 –
When I got my rig, the evap. unit wasn't working. The Mothership at the time still supplied parts and I got a new pump.
Once I got everything up and running, it didn't take long to decide not to use it.
As Larry mentioned, the water pump needs to be on, it will cycle fairly often at times. That uses a lot of power, then the fan on the unit needs to run, also using up valuable 12V power. And last but not least, water, it can suck up some water and if you don't have the float set just right, it can overflow onto the roof causing other problems.
Lastly, once I did get it running well, in Arizona where it is not humid but very hot. It was only capable of cooling off the inside marginally, especially for all the power usage.

Now, when I have visitors, they ask about it, it is a novelty no longer found in the RV industry.
Good riddance I say.
Jota
96 23.5 FL
Re: Swamp Cooler pump replacement
Reply #3 –
Don't know how well they work but would look really cool hanging off the window of a Lazy Daze!  ;)

SWAMP COOLER vintage window a/c
Greg & Victoria
2017 Mid-Bath  “Nocona” towing a manual 2015 Forester
Previously a 1985 TK
SKP #61264
Re: Swamp Cooler pump replacement
Reply #4 –
Is this a pla-cool or a Turbo-Kool/Recair?

My 1989 came with a pla-cool. Not sure when LD stopped installing them. They used to be standard on every LD. I wasn't aware 1995's still had them.

 LD's factory equipped with a swamp cooler will have a valve somewhere for the water line plumbing to the swamp cooler. Mine is under my sink. The water line running to the swamp cooler is 1/4" line (identical to what home swamp coolers use). If that valve is open, your water pump is on, and nobody has capped off your swamp cooler plumbing, your RV water pump will pump water up to the roof into the swamp cooler reservoir.

Pla-Cool also uses a small pump in the cooler itself the circulates water into the foam filter- it is a tiny pump driven by a small electric motor, a motor that spends its life inches from water and poorly protected so they go bad all the time. The motor is a standard size, I was able to order one online from Radio Shack when that was still a thing.

TurboKool/Recair does not use an additional pump, the fan motor also serves to spray water into the foam filter.

When I bought my 1989, it had a derelict Pla-Cool with a pretty advanced case of sunrotted plastic. We live in the 4 corners area, so it is a perfect climate for one, especially when few campgrounds around here (that we want to stay at at least ) have power. I managed to get it going again with reinforcing some of the rotted areas of the cover and figuring out a replacement pump motor, but the pump housing wore out and there isn't any way to replace it.

We bought a TurboKool to replace it and are sure glad we did. For dry climates, swamp coolers are amazing. I disagree that the power drain is significant, we can run ours 12 hours a day for a weekend and not run out of batteries (did this with both the pla cool and the TurboKool). Water consumption is noticable, if running it all weekend, we can expect about 1/4 to 1/3 of our fresh will go to the cooler.  

Swapping to a TurboKool is a pretty easy affair with power and water already plumbed to your vent. You will need to add a vent frame however, as LD left the vents they installed pla-cools into as an unfinished hole.
1989 MP
Re: Swamp Cooler pump replacement
Reply #6 –
Added- if your location info as South Carolina is accurate, and you do not routinely visit the West, do not even bother. Making it a fully functional swamp cooler will be totally ineffective- no cooling, just more humidity. These NEED low humidity to work as the air needs to be dry to allow water to evaporate into it.

Just use it as a fan.

As evidence, I still have receipts from the original owner of my 1989, who lived in California. At the time, A/C units were not standard and were an option (as mentioned, swamp coolers were standard, and another vent hole was fully prepped for AC, but an AC unit not included unless you paid extra).

The original owner (the Grays, according to the placard) did not buy one from the factory, but for some reason in 1990 they decided to buy an AC unit during a trip to Florida! I can't imagine why! That AC unit continues to work well...
1989 MP
 
Re: Swamp Cooler pump replacement
Reply #7 –
Quote from: Craig P  - 
I replaced the small pump with
Amazon.com : MOUNTAIN_ARK 2 Pack Mini Submersible Water Pump 240L/H 63...
Had to make a filter and mount to prevent small dirt particals from stopping the impeller.

That is probably a better idea than just replacing the electric motor on the original pla-cool pump, because the original pump itself is plastic, not super sturdy and will eventually fail on its own. That probably moves a lot more water than the original setup as well.
1989 MP