aggravating cooler problem

[tbobcar]

I know, I really don't care how it happens. I just want to get rid of it.

But thanks for the technical explanations anyway guys. Never hurts to show off a little knowledge. Someone along the line may get to use it.

Well, good point fellas, I didn't mean to show off. I thought we were discussing how things work. But I was over the top on what was appropriate for this one. Sorry, I will stay out of these, least I spoil the usual exchange.

 

[tunnug]

Been living with swamp coolers since '68, I use a putty knife to knock it off at the end of the season, not much you can do to dissolve it, one thing I do is my local Ace sells these little balls in a mesh pouch thats supposed to prevent it, not sure what's in it but it seems to help keep it down, one pouch at the beginning of summer for my small cooler over the garage, a whole house sized one may need a double dose.

 

[tbobcar]

Been living with swamp coolers since '68, I use a putty knife to knock it off at the end of the season, not much you can do to dissolve it, one thing I do is my local Ace sells these little balls in a mesh pouch thats supposed to prevent it, not sure what's in it but it seems to help keep it down, one pouch at the beginning of summer for my small cooler over the garage, a whole house sized one may need a double dose.

Thanks, but in '68 I was in Chu Lai, RVN flying fighters for the Marines. It was hot with of without a/c. I'm out of the scale discussion.

 

[jimbo1096]

Every time I’ve use CLR or Lime-away, it seems to take forever and doesn’t usually work 100%. I would say the heck with a paint job and use a wire brush on a portable drill.

 

[caryc]

Been living with swamp coolers since '68, I use a putty knife to knock it off at the end of the season, not much you can do to dissolve it, one thing I do is my local Ace sells these little balls in a mesh pouch thats supposed to prevent it, not sure what's in it but it seems to help keep it down, one pouch at the beginning of summer for my small cooler over the garage, a whole house sized one may need a double dose.

I also use them every year.

 

[caryc]

Well, good point fellas, I didn't mean to show off. I thought we were discussing how things work. But I was over the top on what was appropriate for this one. Sorry, I will stay out of these, least I spoil the usual exchange.

Hey man, please don't feel like that. I welcome all answers to my posts even if it does not directly help me with a particular problem. There is no such thing as too much knowledge.

 

[tbobcar]

Hey man, please don't feel like that. I welcome all answers to my posts even if it does not directly help me with a particular problem. There is no such thing as too much knowledge.

You bet, I always try to be a good citizen. My background is in higher education. I hope to add to the Forum from my experience and knowledge base. I never intend to make contributions an adversarial event. Thanks.

 

[blume357]

These swamp coolers will never work here in S.C. with our 90+ humidity and so I really have no expericence with them, but I do think stainless steel and a good pressure washer might make the maintenance easier.

 

[tbobcar]

Now, there is some good solid thinking. The evaporative cooling systems only are efficient in low humidity environments. They don't work well on the Gulf Coast either.

 

[Jeepnik]

How many times do I have to say it? CLR does not work. It works fine for wiping of a little white stain on your faucet but it doesn't work on this stuff.

Interesting, I carried this or likeaway for work for years. Worked as well as more expensive products in most cases. The secret is to soak the effected parts.

 

[caryc]

Interesting, I carried this or likeaway for work for years. Worked as well as more expensive products in most cases. The secret is to soak the effected parts.

I already know the secret. I used to have a small utility trailer like one uses on a garden tractor. I used to line it with a tarp and fill it with enough water to cover one of the grills. Then I dumped in a gallon of CLR. Soaking in the stuff softened it enough that made scraping it off a little easier but it was still a PIA. I was just hoping that there was something that would actually dissolve the stuff. I don't have that trailer anymore or anything big enough to soak the parts in.

 

[tbobcar]

Yep, CLR works pretty good. Soaking not wiping is the trick.
Good alkalinity to combat acid resistant calcium/oil build ups.

 

[caryc]

Yep, CLR works pretty good. Soaking not wiping is the trick.
Good alkalinity to combat acid resistant calcium/oil build ups.

Sometimes it's not easy soaking something that is 28" X 33".

 

[tbobcar]

Sometimes it's not easy soaking something that is 28" X 33".

Oh, sure, lay an old towel on it and soak it. Cover it with a garbage bag. That works.

 

[caryc]

Oh, sure, lay an old towel on it and soak it. Cover it with a garbage bag. That works.

No way that's going to do anything. Actually submerging in the stuff only makes it easier to scrape off. Sorry, I've been dealing with this stuff for 40 years and I know what won't work. I've tried a lot of different methods on small test sections.

 

[tbobcar]

Forty years of finding what doesn't work. I hope the next forty are more successful.

 

[Busterswoodshop]

Forty years of finding what doesn't work. I hope the next forty are more successful.

Now that's funny , I don't care who you are.

No offense intended .

 

[hittman]

Does that level or severity of build up happen over a few days? Weeks? Months?
Would more frequent attention or cleaning stop it or at least keep it from being this bad?
Possible for a weekly wipe-down and maybe a quick spray of bleach-water?

 

[blume357]

Besides my stainless steel grill with pressure washing idea.... I wonder if there is a way to do a coating on the grill... like teflon or such that would make the buildup come off easier?

This reminds me of some of the history of Yellowstone park... back in the early days there was a guy, from Sweden I think, that carved different small shapes out of wood then let the water from one of the hot streams go over it for days building up a deposit on them and then had them for sale to folks coming into the park.

 

[Mega Twin]

If you have an air compressor do you think a soda blaster might work?
https://www.eastwood.com/soda-blast...=506005242&wickedid=&wickedsource=google&wv=4

 

[tbobcar]

Does that level or severity of build up happen over a few days? Weeks?

Does that level or severity of build up happen over a few days? Weeks? Months?
Would more frequent attention or cleaning stop it or at least keep it from being this bad?
Possible for a weekly wipe-down and maybe a quick spray of bleach-water?

Ahh, wiser heads prevail
Months?
Would more frequent attention or cleaning stop it or at least keep it from being this bad?
Possible for a weekly wipe-down and maybe a quick spray of bleach-water?

 

[caryc]

Besides my stainless steel grill with pressure washing idea.... I wonder if there is a way to do a coating on the grill... like teflon or such that would make the buildup come off easier?

This reminds me of some of the history of Yellowstone park... back in the early days there was a guy, from Sweden I think, that carved different small shapes out of wood then let the water from one of the hot streams go over it for days building up a deposit on them and then had them for sale to folks coming into the park.

You show me where I can buy a window mount evaporator cooler made of stainless and I'll take out a mortgage on my house and buy it.

 

[cellar701]

Caryc, a somewhat stronger mineral acid used in industrial descaling operations is sulfamic acid. It is more corrosive to carbon steel than other options mentioned above, but less corrosive than hydrochloric acid (common name muriatic). There are trade offs in safety with potential burn hazards and fumes compared to the milder options. It is available in crystal form at the various hardware or home improvement stores so you would have to measure it and mix into solution to try.

This is just an fyi on a possible “stronger” option. I’ll let you research it to see if it’s a possible option for you.

 

[Busterswoodshop]

You show me where I can buy a window mount evaporator cooler made of stainless and I'll take out a mortgage on my house and buy it.

Here you go , but I can guarantee , it won't stop the problem.

stainless-steel-evaporative-cooler-6000-cfm-premiercool-prc6500

 

[epags]

Let's hija

Thanks, but in '68 I was in Chu Lai, RVN flying fighters for the Marines. It was hot with of without a/c. I'm out of the scale discussion.

Let's hijack the thread...I was at Korat RTAB (August 67-Feb 68) and who had swamp coolers or AC?
OBTW back on track of the thread, while assigned to Hill AFB in Utah and our house did have a swamp cooler. Remembered climbing on the roof and scrapping that s......t off.

 

[caryc]

Here you go , but I can guarantee , it won't stop the problem.

stainless-steel-evaporative-cooler-6000-cfm-premiercool-prc6500

I saw that too but, it's not a window mount cooler is it?

 

[caryc]

Let's hija

Let's hijack the thread...I was at Korat RTAB (August 67-Feb 68) and who had swamp coolers or AC?
OBTW back on track of the thread, while assigned to Hill AFB in Utah and our house did have a swamp cooler. Remembered climbing on the roof and scrapping that s......t off.

That's why I would never mount a swamp cooler on a roof. Maintenance it hard enough without having to do it on a roof.

 

[Richbaker]

I don't care what chemicals you use.
It might take some of the calcium off , but it will just come back.
The only thing you can do is take the sides off and scrape or brush the calcium off.
You will never get rid of it all and it will come back.
I have to change my cooler about every 6 years or so because they rot out because of the calcium build up.

I've been running my mastercool since 1995, clean and paint every time I change the "pad"...
About every 5 years... It's gotten worse since Tucson went to the CrAP water.

 

[Richbaker]

That's why I would never mount a swamp cooler on a roof. Maintenance it hard enough without having to do it on a roof.

I've been climbing ladders to maintain my, and Mom's, swamp coolers for 50 years. Hard to change, once the builder puts it up...

 

[tbobcar]

Down here in South Alabama the evaporation coolers don't work very efficiently if at all. So, I plead ignorance. Perhaps if a water softener were used to reduce the Calcium level prior to
the cooler. But of course the cost of softening is probably higher than repair time and cost of replacements.
If I were faced with those cooler problems I would look into a pretreatment system.