A Cheap Pool Cooler

[duraleigh]

ScottS,

I have a fountain that I've messed with in attempts to lower the temp of the water but I have found it doesn't make a noticeable difference.

You're right about the humidity minimizing it's effectiveness. I imagine you could still get satisfactory results if your volume is high enough. In other words, if you could divert ALL of your return water into an evaporator and get it high enough so it has some "air time", I think you would see a difference. Run time is important, too. I have to run 8-10 hours daily for the effect I want......of course, I'm running the pump anyway so it's no big deal.

[TfromNC]

Hey duraleigh,
I hate to be a pain in the rear, but do you think you could possibly post some instructions and maybe some pics on the construction of your masterpiece.
Thanks

[duraleigh]

The cost/benefit ratio of this $6.00 device is the best money I've spent on my pool (other than Ben's kit)

Temp @ 4:00pm today...96 degrees -dewpoint 68 (that's pretty humid)

water temp is a refreshing 84 degrees. Last year, I couldn't stay much below 90 during these temps

[mbar]

and I put solar panels in to keep my pool above 80! It's a crazy world!!! Great invention!

[tclemmer]

I would be interested in a part list for your invention. Most importantly, the parts needed to connect to the output jet.

Tom

[duraleigh]

Tom,

Once you remove the eyeball base with the key (see above), what you have in the wall is 1.5" pvc female threads. (Not on all pools but most IG's)

Simply screw in a 1.5" male thread connected to a 90 and bring the 1.5" pipe up about 6" under the surface. "T" that pipe and reduce down to 3/4" on both sides of the "T".

Then, with T's and a 90 on each end, put however many vertical 3/4" sprayers you want, along that 3/4" pipe. drill a hole in some end caps (I used 1/4") and glue them on the top of the verticals. You can make out the outline of it in one of the pics

Whole thing took me a couple of hours of thinking about it and probably an hour or so glueing it together. You can get as creative as you want with the number of sprayers, angles of the sprayer, hole sizes, etc. The idea is to get a lot of water high into the air and let the evaporative process work.

While in the pool, I caught the falling water in an insulated cup with the pool temp guage in the cup. Temp in the cup was 78 degrees on a 93 degree day. Not bad for 6 bucks.

[hulla]

Where do you get the threaded fittings? From a home improvement center (Home Depot) or a pool store (Leslies)?

[tclemmer]

Tom,

Once you remove the eyeball base with the key (see above), what you have in the wall is 1.5" pvc female threads. (Not on all pools but most IG's)

Simply screw in a 1.5" male thread connected to a 90 and bring the 1.5" pipe up about 6" under the surface. "T" that pipe and reduce down to 3/4" on both sides of the "T".

Then, with T's and a 90 on each end, put however many vertical 3/4" sprayers you want, along that 3/4" pipe. drill a hole in some end caps (I used 1/4") and glue them on the top of the verticals. You can make out the outline of it in one of the pics

Whole thing took me a couple of hours of thinking about it and probably an hour or so glueing it together. You can get as creative as you want with the number of sprayers, angles of the sprayer, hole sizes, etc. The idea is to get a lot of water high into the air and let the evaporative process work.

While in the pool, I caught the falling water in an insulated cup with the pool temp guage in the cup. Temp in the cup was 78 degrees on a 93 degree day. Not bad for 6 bucks.

Thanks Dave, I think I will give this a try this weekend. I am in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area and we are seeing temps in the 104 range. My pool is sitting at 92 right now, would love to get it back to 86 or so.

Tom

[handy1]

This is a great idea, but my inground pool is old and has no eyeball fitting. The returns appear to be simple non-threaded openings in the side of the pool. Can I remove the existing non-threaded pipe that seems to be in the returns, or do I need to do something to get a threaded pipe in place? Any ideas would be helpful.

[duraleigh]

Handy,

If it's pvc pipe, try a reducer bushing. It will fit snugly into the return pipe probably from friction alone.

You'll have to glue/screw your assembly together with the bushing on the end and then tap the bushing into the existing return pipe. Although that's a "made up" solution, I'll bet it will work.