"swamp cooler"

[smarch53]

Has anyone used one of the portable air coolers, known as swamp coolers, in their pop up.  It's supposed to cool the air around it, you put cold water, or ice in it.  I have a 99 Coleman Westlake, but no air, I'm in RI, so it really isn't that bad, but a friend of mine has one, and wants me to try.  I just don't want to waste my time if it is useless.  Thanks

[mike4947]

While they are common in the desert southwest, you rarely see them on the east coast where there is humidity. The are actualled called evaporative coolers as they function by adding moisture to dry air and the evaporation cools the air.
Once the relative humidity reaches about 30% the cooling effect is greatly deminished and at about 50% or more just about the only thing that happens is it raises the humidity without any cooling.

[Diplomat]

Swamp coolers work best in low humidity areas (like the desert).  They cool the air by drawing warm, dry air through a water soaked filter.  The cooler, wet air is then blown inside to cool your house or RV.  You won't get much out of them in the Northeast.  If they aren't used in houses in the areas you camp in its because they don't do the job.  They also require a great deal of water to work, any savings on power requirements would quickly get eaten up with the water you would need to keep it going.  I have seen rigs that fit over a cooler and blow air over a block of ice using a 12V fan that seem like they might provide some relief from the heat even in high humidity areas.
 
We had a swamp cooler in our house in the California High Desert where temps routinely got in the 110 range and it really kept the house cool.