Sizing, Facts, and Troubleshooting What size evaporative cooler do I need? Evaporative coolers are sized based on cubic feet per minute (CFM) of airflow. For sizing the right evaporative cooler, use the selection chart provided with each type of cooler being considered. Note: These selection charts use the total square footage of the house and are based on 8' ceiling heights and are approximations only, assuming an 80 degree desired room temperature. Cooling requirements and heat loads may vary from house to house, so please contact your salesperson or contractor for additional information if needed. What is evaporative cooling? Nature's most efficient means of cooling is through the evaporation of water. Evaporative cooling works on the principle of heat absorption by moisture evaporation. The evaporative cooler draws exterior air into special pads soaked with water, where the air is cooled by evaporation, then circulated into your home. Visit our What is Evaporative Cooling? page for more information.  How do I know if my evaporative cooler qualifies for an energy rebate? It depends whether the state you live in offers rebates. The state of California offers energy rebates. If you are a customer of Southern California Edison, visit their web site at: www.sce.com. *Check with your local utility company for rebate information* Should I install an evaporative cooler? This is a personal decision; the evaporative cooler is an excellent choice if you like the idea of fresh and environmentally safe cooling, along with energy efficient operation. The evaporative cooler can be used as a sole cooling system or combined with a refrigeration air conditioning system. Visit the Products page for more information on evaporative cooling technology and the selection of coolers available for residential use. Do evaporative coolers save energy? Yes, an evaporative cooler consumes approximately one-fourth of the electrical energy required to operate a refrigerated air conditioning unit. You can save up to 75% on your summer cooling bill. What will the discharge air temperature be of my evaporative cooler? The discharge temperature is determined primarily by the temperature and relative humidity of the incoming air. To determine the temperature of air leaving a cooler, three factors must be known: The current outside dry bulb temperature, the current outside wet bulb temperature, and the evaporative efficiency of the evaporative cooler. You may use complex equations involving thermodynamics or you may refer to an evaporative cooler index that assumes you have a clean evaporative cooler of average efficiency to provide a guide to approximate discharge air temperatures. What is relief air? The evaporative cooler draws fresh exterior air through special pads soaked with water. The air is cooled, filtered, and circulated through the home. The hot, stale air then needs to exit - this is referred to as relief. A good relief design is to exhaust slightly more air than your cooler is supplying. How many windows or doors do I need to leave open? A simple formula to calculate the required unrestricted exhaust air opening is: For every 1,000 cfm's you will need 2 square feet of unrestricted openings through windows or doors. Is there another way to exhaust the air other than leaving windows or doors open? Yes, you may alternatively install a ceiling vent to exhaust the air through your attic and out of the roof vents. By exhausting cool air through the attic, you will also reduce the temperature of this hot spot and make your home more comfortable. It is important to remember that you need to provide adequate exhaust in the attic area. Again, make sure to provide 2 square feet of relief for every 1,000 cfm of air delivery. However, it should be noted that ceiling vents do not provide adequate relief air during the hot peak season. What is a ceiling vent? A ceiling vent allows the air to pass through the attic air and out through the roof vents. When the cooler comes on, the air pressure automatically opens the ceiling vent's barometric damper and when the cooler shuts off, the damper automatically closes. How many ceiling vents should I install? At a minimum, install ceiling vents in every major room. For maximum cooling comfort, install one ceiling vent for every 500 CFM of air delivery. How do I steer the cooled air blown into my house to various rooms? Other than the direction of the vents, you may control this by opening the windows and doors in different rooms, thus directing the air. Can I clean my cooler pads? Refer to the owner's manual that is appropriate to your model. If the media is made from aspen they are disposable and it is recommended they be changed twice during the cooling season. Depending on local air and water conditions, pad replacement may need to occur more frequently. What is a bleed-off? The purpose of a bleed-off is to continuously eliminate a small quantity of water from recirculation. This allows fresh water to enter the reservoir, reducing scale build-up and diluting mineral concentrations. To determine the flow rate that is right for your cooler, refer to the owner's manual that is appropriate for your model. *Check with your local utilities for restrictions.* Is a bleed-off required? A bleed-off system is included with whole house coolers and should be installed as instructed in the owner's manual. An optional alternative to the bleed-off system would be the installation of a CleanMachine, which may be purchased separately, and can be used with many of our products. What is a CleanMachine? The CleanMachine will automatically replace the water in your cooler with fresh, clean water every six hours of cooler operation. This will flush out the old, mineral-laden water in the pan. Why use a CleanMachine in place of a bleed-off? The CleanMachine keeps the evaporative cooler cleaner and uses less water than traditional bleed-off methods. The result is more efficient pads, cool clean air, and less scale build-up. How many times per year should I service my cooler? Regular maintenance is essential. We recommend a minimum of three times during the season for cooling comfort. This extends the life of the cooler and to avoids unnecessary parts replacement. This service should take place at start-up, mid- season and shutdown. Please refer to the owner's manual for a complete maintenance schedule. Can soft water be used with the evaporative cooler? No, it is recommended that soft water equipment not be attached to any water lines going to the cooler. "Soft Water" may cause corrosion and decrease the effective life of the cooler. Do evaporative coolers have to be level to operate properly? It is important for the evaporative cooler to be mounted level so the water within the pan is set at the appropriate level for the pump to operate efficiently. If the pump starves for water, it will prevent the right amount of water from circulating to the pads. This may cause dry streaks in the pad allowing warm air to enter the evaporative cooler. I have heard that there may be more pollutants in my house than outside. What can evaporative cooling do to help? With evaporative cooling you constantly exchange the air instead of just recirculation the air. The evaporative cooler will blow away stale inside air and replace it with fresh, filtered outside air that has been cooled. I have water draining from the overflow standpipe. What should I do? If the water is not coming from the bleed-off or theCleanMachine systematic flushing you may need to adjust the float or replace it. Please refer to the owner's manual for float adjustment instructions. The fan is turned on but no air is being discharged. Check electrical power to the unit by checking the fuses or circuit breakers. On the portable or window cooler, check to ensure the cord is plugged in. The cooler does not seem to be cooling adequately. What should I do? You may have inadequate exhaust, and should open more windows or door. For every 1,000 CFM of air delivery, 2 square feet of unrestricted air relief is required. Check the water distribution system for insufficient water to the pads and clean or replace if needed. Check the pads to ensure they are not clogged and clean or replace if needed. The discharged air from my cooler has an unpleasant odor what should I do? New evaporative media may produce a slight unpleasant odor that will dissipate after a short time. If you experience an unpleasant odor after using the product for some time, drain, flush and clean the reservoir. Ensure the cooler has a bleed-off or CleanMachine installed. You may also need to clean or replace the pads. Where is the model number and serial number located on the evaporative cooler? Model number and serial number are located on a label located on the outside of the evaporative cooler. Many models will have this label on the top portion of an outside corner. The front of the owner's manual provides a box to record these important numbers for future reference. What if the cooler becomes scratched? In the unlikely event that scratches or bare metal areas occur, sand or rub the area with steel wool to prepare the surface. Paint the area as soon as possible to avoid rust. Standard spray paint may be used or you may purchase touch up paint direct from us. I will not be using my evaporative cooler for a period of time. Is there anything I need to do? The water should always be drained if the cooler has not been operating for more than a week and start with fresh water. If the cooler will not be used for an extended period of time or if you are turning the cooler off for the season, it is recommended that you drain the water and clean the cooler. You may even cover the cooler after cleaning. Are thermostats available for evaporative coolers? Yes, for whole-house evaporative coolers, Champion Cooler offers a MasterStat CC2000B Thermostat Control Kit for any brand cooler to be used with 115 or 230 Volts and up to 1-HP motors.
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