Air Cooler Buying Guide
Air coolers are a good alternative to air-conditioners, for those who can't afford them and for those who live in dry areas. It is based on a very simple principle - water is put into a cooler, which is circulated by a pump and sprinkled continuously on to fiber pads. This continuous motion evaporates all the heat and cools the air, which is then thrown out into the room, thereby cooling it.
Before you buy a cooler, it's sensible to analyse why you want to buy a cooler. Firstly, a cooler will give slightly dampened cooling, so it is not very conducive to humid climates. However, it is the ideal cooling option in a dry climate, as it will give you the much-needed moisture along with a welcome respite from the heat. Also, you need to figure out the capacity of the cooler you'll need. A capacity smaller than what's needed could defeat the purpose and will be a waste of your money. Therefore, gauging your room size and the number of people go in for a suitable capacity.
The disadvantage of air cooler is that it needs considerable amount of water to be filled. Also in humid regions it will be not be effective.
TYPES OF AIR COOLERS
Direct, Indirect and two-stage evaporative cooling
Direct evaporative coolers are the most common, used to lower the temperature of air by using latent heat of evaporation, changing water to vapor.
The indirect evaporative cooling uses heat exchangers and the double stages involves both direct and indirect evaporative cooling. However, these are not used much.
AIR COOLER FEATURES
Thickness of Pads
Pad thickness is vital to get good performance - pads in conventionally designed coolers should generally be at least 90 mm thick. Pads should be generally at least 50 mm thick.
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COMPARE AIR COOLER PRICE AND FEATURES
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Variable Speed
Variable speed coolers, which come with a regulator (like in fans), are much better, especially for nights, when it gets sufficiently cold. A variable speed cooler is a better option than a two- speed cooler.
Automatic Control
Electronic thermostats are available to vary the fan speed automatically, and switch the pump and fan on and off.
Automatic Shutoff Dampers
These are flaps in the discharge of the fan, or in the duct, which opens when the fan starts, and closes when the fan is switched off. They reduce the loss of heat through the cooler, when it is not working. This eliminates the need to cover the cooler with a bag at the end of summer.
Automatic Water Level Controller
The automatic water level controller automatically maintains the water level (which is predetermined and set at the factory) in the water tank.
To avail of this facility, a water inlet pipe has to be connected to the inlet pipe provided at the backside of the water tank of the cooler. Also the connection should be such that the water can freely flow into the tank without the operation of any valve etc. The water level controller automatically allows or stops the water from flowing into the water tank. This feature too works on the flotation principle and it prevents flooding.
Water Level Indicator
The water level indicator shows how much water is left in the water tank of the air cooler. This is basically a mechanical lever, which works on the principle of flotation. This feature saves you the trouble of opening the water tank to check on the water level. This will reduce the stress you'll take with frequent checks of the water level. This indicator will give you a clear indication of when the cooler is running low on water.
Castors
Castors are wheels provided at the bottom of the air cooler. Castor wheels are included in the price but trolleys require an extra cost. Castors allow the air cooler to be moved around easily, if required.
AIR COOLER PRICE AND BUDGET
Air Coolers from local manufacturers will be cheaper compared to branded players. The benefit of branded air coolers is that you will not need to haggle over individual parts though there is a premium to these coolers. The branded ones will come with warranty and additional features which the local ones might not offer.
You can check the prices in the brand and price/feature comparison websites above.
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