Advice needed on repairing rusted SwampCooler

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I started out trying to repair an old swamp cooler that had the filler hole rusted out but after removing some off the rust, I’m not sure anymore.  It’s rusted a lot worst then I had originally thought and I can’t buy another piece because the design as changed. A new swamp cooler this size cost about $600 and I’m struggling with whether or not to just trash the whole thing and buy another one.Should I just forget about repairing it and spend the money for a new one?
Reply:Can you just relocate the filler to one of the other corner uprights and patch that one well enough to minimize leakage?Lincoln PrecisionTig 275Miller 251Miller DialArc 250Bridgeport millHossfeld bender & diesLogan shaperJet 14 X 40 latheSouth Bend 9" 'C'Hypertherm 900Ellis 3000 band saw21"Royersford ExcelsiorTwo shops, still too many tools.
Reply:Originally Posted by WyoRoyCan you just relocate the filler to one of the other corner uprights and patch that one well enough to minimize leakage?
Reply:Have a local sheetmetal or HVAC shop roll/break you a new one?  Need any more for the other corners while they're at it?MM200 w/Spoolmatic 1Syncrowave 180SDBobcat 225G Plus - LP/NGMUTT Suitcase WirefeederWC-1S/Spoolmatic 1HF-251D-1PakMaster 100XL '68 Red Face Code #6633 projectStar Jet 21-110Save Second Base!
Reply:Just patch it with whatever you got. You could use a glue gun and or bondo with a plastic milk jug for this repair unless you have a way to weld tin can gauge metal. Its 20 gauge maybee? The water level never gets as high as the piece youve shown and its going to sit outside in the sun anyway. Evaporative coolers work best when the sun helps evaporate. Thats what gives the cooling effect. The fan pushes the air and also helps evaporate. Besides, those evaporators usually leak anyway. Patch it the best you can to stay cool . This type of cooling only works in dry climates where the water can evaporate. In humid climates, they just blow humidity.Relocate the filler if you have to.Last edited by Insaneride; 06-30-2012 at 12:49 PM.Reason: relocate
Reply:-roll form a thin gauge  metal patch to slap on the outside, attach with silicone RTVto give strength to the  column-brush coat any rusted areas with OSPHO or HD's version, rinse off excess, use nylonbrush, air dry-get Submarine cooler coating (Ace Hardware, etc.)--brush coat entire insidewith it, let dry a day, go back and touchup coat again. It's like tar, really  goober it on.I bought new unit, 1985, completely disassembled, coated with cooler coating,including the pad frame insides, etc. Have touch-up coated once, last month did more cleaning, and a bunch of re-coating,mostly for good measure.Unit's seen 27 years of service, runs 5 months in 12.The acidity/alkalinity of your water has everything to do with cooler life.Running 'soft' water (with it's high salt content, something that isn't mentioned),can take a cooler out within 2 years.-use a sacrificial anode grounded to the cooler, sitting in the water pan,this is importantMy water is hard. I manually drain cooler down every 6-8 hours run time, letting it flushand drain at same time while running--which basically stops mineral buildup;to the extent that I'm now on my 3rd year of using same pump and distribution spider-change pads monthly, wash off pad frames, check and clean pad water troughs,oil pillow block bearings, check motor belt-change clear plastic 1/2" hose from pump to spider annually-adapt garden hose to larger inlet float valve for reliable water supply, fast filling-drain standpipe is not used, drain fitting in pan connects to 12' garden hose for drain,end of hose has plastic ball valve assembly for drainingThis cooler has outer, reflective double bubble insulation blankets, urethane foam board top, with hanging shade cloth curtains to improve efficiency--while that's not relevant to this topic, on 100 degree max. day, running 24 hours, house interior sees max. of 78 degrees, 12 kw hours consumed--multiples less power and total cost than a/c.Blackbird
Reply:X2 on what Dave Powelson said. Makes sense on the acidity/alkali.
Reply:Originally Posted by duaneb55Have a local sheetmetal or HVAC shop roll/break you a new one?  Need any more for the other corners while they're at it?
Reply:Well I cut a piece of 2” EMT, split it down the center and opened it up to fit around the corner. Only problem is that I didn’t make it long enough and when a I started to clean up the surface to weld, a few more rust holes appeared. Now I don’t know what to do because my Milwaukee portable band saw will not cut that wide. I’m thinking of just using the piece I have and making another piece for the top.Last edited by sleeper; 06-30-2012 at 05:30 PM.Reason: Added 2nd photo
Reply:Hand hacksaws with fresh blades can remove impressive amounts of metal quickly. The blades can be turned sideways for long cuts.
Reply:I suppose patch the bigger holes and coat the bottom with liquid rubber or Rhino bed liner.
Reply:I have found Elas-Tek rubberized roof patch works great on swamps. Way better than Submarine Sealer and less messy. The crack & patch repair in the one gallon can, not the thin roof coating. Just put some screen over the holes and pile it on, they even make it in desert tan. It forms one big watertight piece that won't flake or come apart. The Submarine sealer products flake off and blow bits of tar into the house.I can't tell if that's a downdraft or a side draft, if it's a side draft you can just make up a metal pan a bit larger than the swamp and just set it in there.With that much rust though the pad frames must be pretty bad?Last edited by bigb; 06-30-2012 at 11:34 PM.Miller Challenger 172Miller Thunderbolt AC/DC 225/150Miller Maxstar 150 STLVictor 100CVictor JourneymanOxweld OAHarris O/ASmith O/A little torchNo, that's not my car.
Reply:Originally Posted by bigbI have found Elas-Tek rubberized roof patch works great on swamps. Way better than Submarine Sealer and less messy. The crack & patch repair in the one gallon can, not the thin roof coating. Just put some screen over the holes and pile it on, they even make it in desert tan. It forms one big watertight piece that won't flake or come apart. The Submarine sealer products flake off and blow bits of tar into the house.I can't tell if that's a downdraft or a side draft, if it's a side draft you can just make up a metal pan a bit larger than the swamp and just set it in there.With that much rust though the pad frames must be pretty bad?
Reply:Form some new metal over the rusted out hole and simply pop rivit it on.Welding/Fab Pics: www.UtahWeld.com
Reply:You could also try two-part epoxy floor paint. Epoxy paint is also used for SHIPS. Still you'll be  lucky to get two more years out of it. It's worth a shot for a spot repair. If you can fix it now and it still works, good for you. Save your money buy a high-quality aluminum unit next year, from a name brand. Those are far less likely to leak. Originally Posted by Insaneride Evaporative coolers work best when the sun helps evaporate. Thats what gives the cooling effect. The fan pushes the air and also helps evaporate.
Reply:I was thinking about neutralizing the rust so it doesn’t start up again right away, so I did a search for rust removers. I found some ads for Evapo-Rust that was pretty impressive and I can get it at the local Harbor Freight. There is also a video accessible below the photo that I watched and I think I’m going to pick some up as soon as they open today.I probably don’t need a whole gallon, but if it works, I have a lot of uses for it besides the swamp cooler.
Reply:Originally Posted by sleeperThanks, I don’t know what’s available in these parts and I’m not familiar Elas-Tek. I’m stuck with Home Depot and Lowes, so I’ll have to use whatever they have in stock, but if they carry it, I’ll surely pick some up. There is an ACE Hardware about 20 miles away and if they carry it I guess I could wait until Thursday when I'm over that way..
Reply:Originally Posted by InsanerideEvaporative coolers work best when the sun helps evaporate. Thats what gives the cooling effect.
Reply:Originally Posted by malcomhaThis type of cooling only works in dry climates where the water can evaporate.
Reply:Originally Posted by Broccoli1Good thing he lives innna Desert
Reply:I would like to find a swamp cooler made from aluminum, but I've only seen either steel or plastic.  Can you name one or two models made from aluminum and the companies that make them?
Reply:Besides expense I think you'd get a lot of electrolysis w/ aluminum. Best thing for a swamp cooler is a bleed off kit to get rid of mineral buildup in the water.                                             MikeOl' Stonebreaker  "Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes"Hobart G-213 portableMiller 175 migMiller thunderbolt ac/dc stick Victor O/A setupMakita chop saw
Reply:Years ago when I lived in El Paso,Tx. I bought a fiberglass cooler that thing worked great. No rusting water pans or sides. In fact the only placed that could rust was the down metal going from the cooler to the inside of the house. But at the time the cost a little more than the metal coolers.  It is more than likely still on that house. .Klutch 220si mig , stick, and dc tigHobart 140 AHP ALPHA 200X 2016Lotos LTP5000DSmith O/P
Reply:What the hell is a swampcooler ?   yeah im a yankee !
Reply:Originally Posted by winginitWhat the hell is a swampcooler ?   yeah im a yankee !Originally Posted by Sandywhat us po folks use for an air conditioner.
Reply:Originally Posted by caliclayI would like to find a swamp cooler made from aluminum, but I've only seen either steel or plastic.  Can you name one or two models made from aluminum and the companies that make them?
Reply:Originally Posted by winginitreally, how does it work,  any pics of the whole unit ?
Reply:Can you take some sheet-metal and make a patch job.  It might not be your first choice, but it will be cheaper than shelling out $600+ .Forney C5 Arc WelderLincoln Idealarc 250-250 Ac/Dc Arc WelderMiller Bobcat 225g PlusLincoln PowerMig 200Forney O/A Rig
Reply:Originally Posted by bigbNo such animal. They did used to make stainless ones though, not sure if they still do. Swamp coolers seem to be going by the wayside with most houses now having AC. The  AC units are very efficient, the new houses are well insulated, the savings a swamp used to provide are evaporating (pun intended). Add in the skyrocketing cost of water and the damage to the roof from leaks and the constant maintenance, pad replacements etc. they just don't add up like they used to. That being said I still love the cool breeze a swamper puts out on a hot, dry day and I have 2 on my garage, one on the back patio, one on the house, one in my outdoor smithy and 3 portables for job sites. The big bonus for me is they keep my sinuses from drying out during the dry months.
Reply:I've been using bleed off for several yrs and it sure makes the pads last longer.                                                     MikeOl' Stonebreaker  "Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes"Hobart G-213 portableMiller 175 migMiller thunderbolt ac/dc stick Victor O/A setupMakita chop saw
Reply:Originally Posted by mla2ofusI've been using bleed off for several yrs and it sure makes the pads last longer.                                                     Mike
Reply:I understand the water usage problem but I'll bet all the rust damage was caused by high mineral content of the water in the cooler reservoir. Our water here has high calcium. I just prepared mine for our warm weather which i'm sure is nowhere near what your's is. My bleedoff is located about 6" below the spider and I still had some loose scale buildup around the edges of the reservoir. With your temps and lower humidity I imagine the the mineral build up a is lot faster than you think.                                     MikeOl' Stonebreaker  "Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes"Hobart G-213 portableMiller 175 migMiller thunderbolt ac/dc stick Victor O/A setupMakita chop saw
Reply:Originally Posted by sleeperHi Mike, I’ve been going back and forth about the bleed off because it’s really a huge waste of water out here in the desert unless you can utilize the water for other means. With our current water crises, I’m surprised they haven’t made it illegal. I quit using the bleed off years ago because the pads only cost me about $15 to replace so I replace them every couple of months with fresh ones anyway.  I drilled an extra drain hole in the bottom of my cooler with a valve to drain into a plastic garbage can for my garden or whatever.  This way I have total control over how much water I’m using although not everyone wants to do the extra work, but I don’t mind it. I recycle and utilize everything with minimum waste.
Reply:Originally Posted by sleeperI was thinking about neutralizing the rust so it doesn’t start up again right away, so I did a search for rust removers. I found some ads for Evapo-Rust that was pretty impressive and I can get it at the local Harbor Freight. There is also a video accessible below the photo that I watched and I think I’m going to pick some up as soon as they open today.I probably don’t need a whole gallon, but if it works, I have a lot of uses for it besides the swamp cooler.
Reply:Originally Posted by gnm109Phosphoric Acid is excellent for rusty metal. I use it frequently. A gallon of 70% is about $20 at a chemical supply.
Reply:Phosphoric acid isn't necessarily a rust remover, it's a rust converter. Converts existing rust to iron phosphate."The things that will destroy America are prosperity at any price, peace at any price, safety first instead of duty first, the love of soft living and the get rich quick theory of life." -Theodore Roosevelt
Reply:Originally Posted by SandyPhosphoric acid isn't necessarily a rust remover, it's a rust converter. Converts existing rust to iron phosphate.
Reply:Originally Posted by gnm109I'll be darned. I've been removing rust with it for close to 40 years. Who knew that it only converts and doesn't remove? I guess it's OK, though since you say it isn't necessarily a rust remover. I guess that means that sometimes it is a rust remover and sometimes it isn't. This Internet is a constant source of wonder and amazement. I learn something new literally every day.
Reply:OSPHO®, manufactured by the Skybryte Company, is a phosphoric acid based rust converting product balanced with dichromate and wetting agents. OSPHO® is by far the most acidic rust converter of those tested. The product’s pH is 0.08, and is a thin, translucent green liquid.https://ncptt.nps.gov/wp-content/upl...-88.pdf?1ef327RUSTED METALS - OSPHO is a rust-inhibiting coating - NOT A PAINT You do not have to remove tight rust. Merely remove loose paint and rust scale, dirt, oil, grease and other accumulations with a wire brush - apply a coat of OSPHO as it comes in the container - let dry overnight, then apply whatever paint system you desire. When applied to rusted surfaces, OSPHO causes iron oxide (rust) to chemically change to iron phosphate - an inert, hard substance that turns the metal black. Where rust is exceedingly heavy, two coats of OSPHO may be necessary to thoroughly penetrate and blacken the surface to be painted. A dry, powdery, grayish-white surface usually develops; this is normal - brush off any loose powder before paint application.http://ospho.com/directions.htmYou no longer have to remove all the rust before painting! Rusted metal is converted overnight into a rust-retarding paintable surface after using Prep & Primer. Converting rust from ferrous iron to iron phosphate, this product prepares the metal surface for paint or auto body filler to achieve maximum adhesion and longer life. After it is applied, it will turn from a whitish-gray powder to black, showing a chemical reaction occurred.http://www.wmbarr.com/product.aspx?c...03&prodid=221#Jasco® Prep & Primer (Discontinued)You No Longer Have To Remove All The Rust Before Painting. RUSTED METAL is converted overnight into a rust-retarding paintable surface after using JASCO® Prep & Primer. Converting rust from ferrous iron to iron phosphate, this product prepares the metal surface for paint or auto body filler to have maximum adhesion and longer life. After it is applied, degrees of color change may vary from metal to metal but usually will turn from a whitish-gray powder to black, to show a chemical reaction occurred.http://www.jasco-help.com/product/ja...r-discontinuedPrep & PrimerYou no longer have to remove all the rust before painting! Rusted metal is converted overnight into a rust-retarding paintable surface after using Prep & Primer. Converting rust from ferrous iron to iron phosphate, this product prepares the metal surface for paint or auto body filler to achieve maximum adhesion and longer life. After it is applied, it will turn to a whitish-gray powdery look.http://www.jasco-help.com/product/prep-primerThe people that make the metal preps call phosphoric acid a "rust converter". They should know something. But yes, phosphoric acid will convert some of the lighter, softer, looser rust to a form that is soluble in water and can then be washed off and/or carried away by water."The things that will destroy America are prosperity at any price, peace at any price, safety first instead of duty first, the love of soft living and the get rich quick theory of life." -Theodore Roosevelt