Here's some pictures of tonights mockup: the Franken Cooler:
My preliminary conclusions:
- 360 gph is *way* too big of a pump. 50 gph would be more like it. There's a Y bypass in the feed to the pads (its below water in the picture), part of the pump intake is blocked and its still way too much water. If I open the end of the tubes to the pads its about right. I think a channel across the top of the pad with holes in it would leak about the right amount of water.
- The pads need to be tight to the sides so there aren't any air leaks or air will just flow around the pads in the path of least resistance.
- Its 76F here tonight and there isn't much cooling going on. I need to try it when its hot outside. I can't tell much difference between the air from the cooler and just fans running. I'll try it with a thermometer tomorrow.
- The whole setup is drawing less than 2 amps at 14.1v (battery is on the charger).
- The plastic bin that I got doesn't cut very well. It fractures easily.
- There's no way I'd run this thing inside the trailer. The pads leak. Not a lot, just enough to make a mess. I'll need to duct it into the trailer somehow, probably a duct to the window for now.
- 200 CFM seems like its plenty of air. I'll make sure and switch the fans separately.
-Total cost so far ~$50.
More to come...
Bruce