We’ve all heard the time period “swamp cooler.” However what’s a swamp cooler? Why is it known as that?
The reality is that swamp cooler is an outdated time period for an evaporative cooler, and no one is fully positive the place, when, or why the time period began.
Outdated and Inaccurate Phrases Are Widespread
The time period swamp cooler is an outdated time period, probably courting from quickly after the know-how was invented. Swamp coolers have been first invented within the 1900s and have become widespread by the Nineteen Thirties. The nickname rose with them as a result of the technical identify, evaporative cooler, is a little bit of a mouthful.
Plenty of our nomenclature for widespread objects comes from this time or earlier, and most of it’s inaccurate. You would possibly generally name aluminum foil “tin foil.” Nevertheless, widespread family foil hasn’t been fabricated from tin since WWII. Pencil “lead” is fabricated from graphite and clay – it was by no means fabricated from lead. Talking of lead, plumbers get their identify from the Latin for lead, “plumbum,” although hopefully most plumbers working at present by no means have to the touch a lead pipe. You may also speak about “dialing” a quantity, despite the fact that you’ve by no means used a rotary telephone.
Neither is it simply outdated and inaccurate language that we use. Many fashionable interfaces nonetheless use a 3.5” floppy disk because the image for “save,” despite the fact that an growing variety of customers have by no means seen such an object.
Consider the time period “swamp cooler” in the same approach.
Why Did They Name Them Swamp Coolers?
So-called swamp coolers are technically “evaporative coolers,” as we mentioned, however the time period will not be solely lengthy, it doesn’t have a lot of a hoop to it. “Swamp cooler” is extra concise and to the purpose, undoubtedly interesting to the slangy popular culture that flourished within the Nineteen Twenties and 30s when swamp coolers have been changing into in style. However to ensure that a slang time period to take off, it normally needs to be correct in a roundabout way. So what did swamp coolers do to get their identify?
The preferred hypothesis is that swamp coolers obtained their names as a result of they may generally look and scent like a swamp. Swamp coolers use evaporative media to take in water to allow them to evaporate it extra successfully. The unique evaporative media have been fabricated from pure fibers, most frequently aspen wool. This might degrade pretty rapidly, filling the water reservoir with rotting wooden. If the water wasn’t modified fairly often, the reservoir could be overgrown with algae and appeal to bugs, making it look and scent like a swamp.
Since then, the identify has largely caught.
You’d By no means Name a Portacool a Swamp Cooler
We’ve come a great distance since these early swamp cooler designs. These days, you’re extra prone to evaluate a Portacool to a jet, sports activities automotive, or spaceship. The molded plastic circumstances give the items a clean, streamlined look. They’re clear, and don’t develop any type of odor for those who observe really helpful upkeep by emptying and drying them as soon as every week.
The fashionable Kuul Consolation evaporative media utilized in a Portacool is each more practical and extra sturdy than outdated aspen wool, so that you don’t have to fret about it breaking all the way down to contaminate the reservoir. With a Portacool, you’ll take pleasure in environment friendly, efficient, and clear cooling. We provide best-in-class warranties and customer support, so you possibly can sit up for years of cooling together with your Portacool. Plus, they’re made within the USA, and have been since 1990.
To get your Portacool evaporative cooler, please contact an area or on-line retailer.