Hello I have seen this evaporator cooling technology around for many years and you can find plenty of Make your Own on you tube. This year for only $40 bucks you can get one at Home Depot! The checkout girl got one and she said it is definitely better than just a fan! Do you have one? What do you think? Here is a good write up. Fresh Air: The revolutionary new air conditioner New Home Depot unit called Artic Air! ARCTIC AIR Ultra 677 CFM Compact Portable Evaporative Air Cooler for 45 sq.ft.-AAU-MC4 - The Home Depot They say to put the filter in the freezer for extra cooling power!
I was around several 30-40 years ago. They made for a very damp house in AR. In AZ or NM, I bet they’d be great.
One review from Home Depot: People need to realize that this is for arid environments ONLY. If you already have high humidity in your area, evaporation coolers will not work. This is a simple concept and one should understand that this machine is only to be used indoors or right next to you.
I am an auto technician and our shop gets pretty hot in the summer especially after you drive a car for diagnosing purposes. I have this on a cart in my bay and let me tell you it drops the air temp in the immediate area by 10 degrees and if I point it in the direction I am working I stay quite cool. My co-workers are envious to say the least.
don2222 , I've used large ones like gmule posted above my entire life to cool my homes (as did my father in my childhood home), they work well in dry areas. They lose the ability to cool as humidity rises, and and actually make heat worse by making the house muggier on high humidity days. Above 45-50% , a fan would work better. I heard the east coast is humid so I would not expect more than a degree or two gleamed off the ice cubes at best unlike 10*-20* degree cooling like out west in the arid states. That said the unit is rated for 45sq ft unlike the the one pictured above or the ones I've had for 1,500 sq ft, so not sure it could do any harm, but doubtful it will do anything even in very small room. Sorry Don, I don't think this will be helpful in NH. I could be wrong, I've never been to NH. If you do try it crack a window to let the extra moist air escape, they won't work without one.
