Do It Yourself : Desert Cooler - 1

Click Rebuilding Desert Cooler  for all related posts.

This weekend was allocated to fix my desert cooler. The act was supposed to be over by the weekend but the thing just went on and on and somewhere around noon today, my body gave in :-( Tired from a combination of dust, grit, thinking and fitting my poor body into so many odd orientations that it is not used to.

Why I took on to fix my own desert cooler rather than getting it fixed from the market? A few things to note:

1. This is definitely the first point, It's FUN! and some exercise too that refreshes you. I mean it. Works for me!
2. Market is too busy as it is the season and I did not want a quick-fix job done. Its hard to get their attention when everyone wants their job done at the earliest.
3. The way they put the wood shavings in leaves lots of dry space and hot untreated air in.
4. Dripping water from here and there keeps on showering the occupants in the front of cooler.
5. Pumps keep getting clogged by the loose wood shavings falling due to poor restraints (mostly couple of bamboo sticks).
6. My cooler frame is too old and needs some serious cleaning/paintwork

and finally, I needed something to satisfy the appetite of the Tweaker inside me:-)


So here is what I had to start with:

An old rusting frame that has not been used for a couple of years. Fan motor stays are broken due to rusting:

The Frame, Water reservoir and some loose hoses. Hoses will thrown away and replaced with something better. And I hate that water pump design. Although they work for a long long time, but they catch rust externally pretty quickly.

And the original Crompton Greaves fan and motor that are still at their best health apart from some dirt a little rust on motor. Will be dismantled, grit removed and internals oiled etc. The original color of the fan is creme by the way!

Then some goals for this cooler that I thought of:

-An elegant water distribution system for the wood wool
-A way to stop wood shavings wool to fall in the water
-Some kind of filter to prevent water pumps and hoses from clogging
-World class workmanship ;-)

Future:
-Float valve for no-drip refilling of water reservoir. Just connect the hose and go to sleep, water will always top up and valve will keep it from flowing over. A common feature in new models these days.

I will be posting more on this as the thing takes shape.