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Topic: '91 LD -- best replacement for Pla-Cool swamp cooler? (Read 334 times) previous topic - next topic
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'91 LD -- best replacement for Pla-Cool swamp cooler?
We have a 22' 1991 LD. The swamp cooler doesn't put out cool air. Fan works OK, but no water comes into the float chamber. Can't find the LD water pump valve that controls water to the swamp cooler. Our LD version has a sofabed in the back opposite the bathroom. Plastic tube that takes water from the float chamber to the fan is rotted, as is the foam pad and the foam around the Pla-Cool water pump, and the outside plastic cover is getting brittle.
Question -- besides locating the LD water pump valve, is it time to just get a replacement swamp cooler? Any recommendations? Thanks, Jon  jon404@outlook.com
 
Re: '91 LD -- best replacement for Pla-Cool swamp cooler?
Reply #1 –
Or! If you own a fairly new LD with a factory-installed swamp cooler, could you tell me the make and model of the cooler? That's if LD is still installing swamp coolers. Otherwise, can you recommend one? Thanks, Jon
Re: '91 LD -- best replacement for Pla-Cool swamp cooler?
Reply #4 –
Thanks, will check out TurboKool.
Surprised that LD stopped offering them... they work well in dry southwestern climates, and -- the big win -- run off 12V, so useful if you like camping in remote places without electricity hookups.
Since the fan on our old one still works, maybe I'll blow the hot air through a wet towel or something. Or a wet towel with ice cubes. To be continued!
Re: '91 LD -- best replacement for Pla-Cool swamp cooler?
Reply #5 –
Quote from: Jon Donahue  - 
Or! If you own a fairly new LD with a factory-installed swamp cooler, could you tell me the make and model of the cooler? That's if LD is still installing swamp coolers. Otherwise, can you recommend one? Thanks, Jon
Same issue on my 1997 and I'm wondering if I can find a replacement for the roof cap which is getting very brittle.
Discuss anything with anyone and disagree agreeably. Always be polite and respectful.
Re: '91 LD -- best replacement for Pla-Cool swamp cooler?
Reply #6 –
Up on the roof this morning... put some water in the float bowl and surprise, the swamp cooler pump still works! Now, to find out why water isn't getting from the LD tank up to the cooler.
My '91 Lazy Daze manual, actually the '88 edition, says that on a 22' MP, the LD water cooler valve is 'located under the mid-shelf within the drainboard cabinet'. And I can't find it. Only valve down near the floor at the bottom of the cabinet is in something I think is a furnace, at lower right, see pic below. But that's probably a gas line, and in any case is in the Open position?
Will probably really take the old Pla-Cool apart next and find the incoming water line. An adventure!
Re: '91 LD -- best replacement for Pla-Cool swamp cooler?
Reply #7 –
Jon-

I realize that a mid-bath is a different design, but....

On our MB, the tubing came through the ceiling inside the wardrobe, running along the inside-rear corner from top to bottom. Along the way, it passed through a (very) small brass 90-degree-turn valve. In my house, they used the same valve to feed a built-in humidifier. The MB's valve had a small white label near it. Then the tubing exited the wardrobe floor, on its way to the plumbing, somewhere.

My point is to follow the tubing from the swamp cooler, and be on the lookout for a (very) small brass valve.

Mark H
Former owner, 31-foot gas Class A
Former owner, 1997-8 mid-bath
Re: '91 LD -- best replacement for Pla-Cool swamp cooler?
Reply #8 –
You have the same model Multi-plan (MP) as our '93. The swamp cooler valve is located inside the wardrobe on the right side. It's a small brass turncock with tubing for both input  & output.

When the turncock is opened, the primary coach water pump drives water up to the float bowl on the roof. Like a toilet bowl bubble, once it reaches a certain level, the float valve will cut off any more inflow. The small 12v motor in the swamp cooler then pumps the water out of the float bowl onto the spinning plate from which the fan drives down into the coach as the water evaporates.

You're lucky your 12v pump motor is still working. I've had to replace mine twice. You may find you need to replace the internal cooler tubing - it's just surgical tubing that is easy to replace. (The coach tubing between pump and cooler is different.) In fact, the entire system is super easy to maintain/fix. I would never tear it out just to replace with new. The amount of time and effort dealing with wiring, insulation/sealant would be wasted effort when the existing system is easy to keep working.
Re: '91 LD -- best replacement for Pla-Cool swamp cooler?
Reply #9 –
And if you get it working, don't forget to clean the cooler pad.
Greg & Victoria
2017 Mid-Bath  “Nocona” towing a manual 2015 Forester
Previously a 1985 TK
SKP #61264
Re: '91 LD -- best replacement for Pla-Cool swamp cooler?
Reply #10 –
Jon, we have both coolers, the Pla-Cool in our 98~MB and the Turbo-Cool in our 84 itaska.   Our PlayCool evaporate cooler top cover blew off in a major wind storm while we were driving on 395 in the Eastern Sierras a couple years ago.  Craig-P a member of LDO brought his PlayCool top cover mold made from fiberglass to the Moro Bay GTG a couple of years ago and gave that fiberglass mold top to me, I modified it to fit and it works well.  The problem with these old Coolers is that the old plastic gets brittle and can fail where they attach to the main unit.  Our modified Pla-Cool works well but is a little noisy, I like our Turbo-Cool because it uses a spinning cone immersed in a water bath to draw up the water to splash on the pad.  The water tank and bath are supplied by the house pump so there is no pump in the Cooler circuit and runs much quieter, also seems to cool a little better.  We have had our Turbo-Cool for over twenty years, so we have way more experience with it.  One day we may have to replace the 98~MB Pla-Cool when we can no longer keep it running, when we do we will replace it with a Turbo-Cool.  We are totally committed to evaporating coolers and use them way more then the roof AC since we mostly do not "Plug-in" or use the generator.  Last summer we were in the desert for ten days in 106 degree weather and our Turbo-Cool once it cooled the space after a couple hours kept us cool, although we did use a lot of water, over 15 gallons.

                       Karen~LIam
                          98 ~ MB





1998 ~ MB  WanderDaze
previously a 1984 Winnebago itaska- The Road Warrior, before that several VW Buses and before that a 1965 Chrysler Convertible Newport or our 1969 Chrysler La Barron with an ice box and a couple sleeping bags
Re: '91 LD -- best replacement for Pla-Cool swamp cooler?
Reply #11 –
I am having a hard time rebuilding the motor on mine.  The brushes were shot and I had to modify some to fit.  One of the bearings needs to be replaced on the motor and I can't find one.  Thinking about installing a Turbo cool in it's place.
1997 TK
Re: '91 LD -- best replacement for Pla-Cool swamp cooler?
Reply #12 –
Aha! With thanks to you guys, found the swamp cooler water valve hiding in the closet of my '91 MB. Frozen in a closed position, got it to open, and the valve leaks. So am getting in little parts to replace it... curious little thing; 1/4" thread on one side, 3/16" on the other. Will continue this saga after my next pass at it. But if the swamp cooler repair fails, maybe I could put a fish tank in the bottom of the closet? Not delicate tropical fish, but maybe... goldfish, able to handle any sort of water that comes from the LD? Probably not enough room for trout or salmon, though...