How to Fix An Evaporative (Swamp) Cooler: Installing An Inline Scale Filter

Evaporative coolers, also known as swamp coolers, are an energy efficient way to cool a house in dry climates. They consist of a water reservoir 3 to 5 inches in depth. This water is sent, via a water pump, to a distributor tree, which passes the water over a wet cell. This wet cell is basically a large cardboard air filter. Air is pumped through this wet filter, and this water cooled air is then pumped into the house through normal duct work. One of the most common problems encountered with evaporative coolers is scale buildup. Remove the scale by installing an inline scale filter.

Things You'll Need

• The filter
• 2 sets of compression nuts and sleeves
• Pipe cutter
• Phillips screwdriver
• Pliers
• Wrench

Instructions

1. Turn off the water supply to your cooler. You'll be severing the water line serving your cooler and placing the filter in the middle of it.

2. Using your pipe cutter, cut the 1/4-inch copper water line which enters the side of your cooler. It is recommended you cut it midway between the point where it exits the roof and the point where it enters the cooler. Depending on how your line is bent, you may need to cut off a length of the copper tubing. It is generally better to work with the extra length of tubing by bending or coiling it, but if need be cut off a length of the tubing equal in length to your new filter.

3. Place a brass compression nut on both cut ends of the copper water line, being sure that the threaded end faces the end you just cut.

4. Place a brass compression sleeve over both ends of the line you just cut. Using the Phillips screwdriver, splay out the ends of the copper tubing. You can do this by simply placing the pointed end of the screwdriver into the end of the tube and pry the lip of the tube outward in every direction. It shouldn't take much force to bend out the end of the 1/4-inch tubing, just enough so that the sleeve can't slide off.

5. Now simply screw both newly installed compression nuts onto both ends of the scale filter. Be sure the filter is facing the right way as they are designed to work with water flowing in just one direction. Tighten the compression nuts to the threaded ends on the filter with a wrench and you're done.

Tips & Warnings

• If you need to bend the copper tubing, use a coffee cup or a can of soup to wrap the tubing around as you bend it. It can be very easy to kink this 1/4-inch copper, and difficult to un-kink with breaking it.