Swamp cooler questions (with a pic).

[trevor_b]

I searched and bumped a thread asking these questions with no response, so I figured I would start another thread.

For a swamp cooler, does the water level need to be at the same level as the brew (5 gallons or so)? Can it be at the same level? Is there a benefit from water level being the same as the brew level? I ask I was searching swamp cooler pics and came across Revvy's swamp cooler and the water level in his does not look as high as mine.



Here is a pic of mine:

I have a stick on thermometer on my fermenter, but the water level is too high to read it so I have a floating thermometer I leave in there. Which leads me to my next question.

Even after initial fermentation is complete (its been just over 2 weeks), is the brew going to remain 5°F warmer than the water temp? Or is that just during initial fermentation?

Also, I have been keeping the water temp at 60-65F, is that fine?

Note: I took the water bottles out because it got pretty cold last night and the water temp got into the low 50's, so I am letting the water warm back up.

 

[Yooper]

A "Swamp Cooler" works by evaporative action. A tiny bit of water can be wicked up a t-shirt, and a fan blows on it to create evaporative cooling. That works great in desert/dry climates, but not in humid climates.

For a humid climate, you'd want a simple water bath. In that case, the more water in there the better, as the cooler water (with frozen water bottles in it) insulates the fermenting beer and cools it that way.

Once active fermentation is over, the beer stops creating its own heat and tends to settle at ambient temperature.

 

[MyNameIsPaul]

Is your Swamp Cooler Wii compatible?

As far as cooling, I think that the swamp cooler design works because air is passed over a wet rag/tshirt, etc, which makes the ambient temp cooler. It looks like your design is using more of a water bath approach, which at the temps you've listed, seems like is working nicely.

 

[MyNameIsPaul]

Yooper beat me to it. Go Red Wings!

 

[Zixxer10R]

Yep, certainly a Wii controller there. Wonder if it's part of the brewing process. I still wish they (Nintendo) would have left the Revolution name. Wii is silly.

Sorry to thread jack.

 

[trevor_b]

LOL. That is my sisters Wii, she hardly plays it.

I suppose my cooler is just fine then for a humid climate. Thanks!