Single room cooling question - Orchid Board

Grandma M · #1 (**permalink**) 03-18-2008, 12:22 PM

I grow some of my orchids in an extra bedroom,10 X 12. In the summer, with all my lights on, it gets quite hot in there. I am thinking about getting a single room cooler, evaporative cooler, swamp cooler, or what ever it may be called. I want to also use it to increase the humidity.

I have AC in my home but that room is the farthst away from the unit and I don't keep the AC on at all times, only when necessary. The home AC is not able to cool the room enough for my plants to do well. Even with all my fans on, it will sometimes get 95 or even more.

Has anyone had experience with this time of cooler? Any suggestions on what type I should buy or what brand?

Any help or suggestion will be appreciated. TIA

cb977 · #2 (**permalink**) 03-18-2008, 01:55 PM

Hi M

Maybe something here would work for you:
Swamp Coolers Portable Evaporative Swamp Cooler

There's a 5% discount shown at the top of the page and free shipping. I don't know anything about the company or the products listed

Grandma M · #3 (**permalink**) 03-18-2008, 05:50 PM

Susannne

That is one site I found on the net. I was looking at the Symphone Surround unit. One thing I like about it is that it can be used only as a fan if desired. Somewhere I read that ice cubes can also be added to help cooling even more.

I'm not sure how effective it would be in my room if I raise the humidity using this unit.

I live in a condo and I'm not allowed to use a window unit only in that room. It make it even more objectional, the room is in the front of the house facing the road.

ANY input about this idea would be appreciated. Is it only worthwhile if you live in a very dry climate? I live in Michigan.

Ross · #4 (**permalink**) 03-18-2008, 08:25 PM

Swamp coolers work best in dry climates because they cool through evaporation. The more water that evaporates, the cooler the temps to a point. In the old days (yes I remember) folks hung a bag of water on the front of their car on trips. The evaporation led to cooler water. We also used water bags in Viet Nam in the 1960s. Now, having said this, I think the humidity here in Michigan, especially down your way, would lessen the effect of the swamp cooler. Not that it wouldn't work - it just wouldn't be as dramatic an effect as you hope.

SheilaJ · #5 (**permalink**) 03-19-2008, 12:50 AM

I have a similar grow room to yours, mine will get up to about 92 to 94 some days in the summer.

Can you use a window fan? I bought a double window fan and used that for a while, but I got tired of worrying about it when it rained, and it was a nuisance to take in and out. It did cool the room.

Can you adjust some of the central A/C vents so that less cool air goes to other rooms and more to the orchid room? The humans might object to this plan, and of course it wouldn't help when the A/C is off completely.

Or your could set up a fan to exhaust air out of the orchid room into the rest of the condo, but that would also make it hot for the humans.

There are portable A/C units that sit on the floor and drain out into a pan on the bottom or a hose that you could ran to a drain somewhere. That would cool the air but also reduce the humidity.

Mostly, I just decided to give up and grow orchids that like it warm. I also have a humidifier so that the orchids aren't as stressed by the heat when it comes.