Could this be the latest must have gadget?

[Borris]

After a long delay we have just received a couple of these chaps:



It's Williston Force desktop F11 Air Conditioning unit. The small Carex moisture bottle is only there to give some idea of scale.

We ordered them when Canada was experiencing that recent blistering heat wave on the assumption that we may experience something similar in the days that followed. Fortunately that didn't happen which was just as well considering the delivery time.

Anyway these AC units are tiny, measuring only 17cms high (roughly 6.5 inches). Power is supplied via a micro lead (supplied) from either a charging adapter or suitable USB port. They have a small electric fan that blows air past a removable and replaceable water curtain. It has three fan speeds and different coloured lighting options for the top annular ring around the lid. The water tank capacity is 380ml and it has a working current of 0.2A - 1.0A. Working wattage is 1W -5W. Input 5v. Product size 178 x 133 x 170mm. This is all info taken from the instruction booklet. The vanes on the outlet side are adjustable both up and down.

Is it any good? I don't know yet but will give a full review once I've tested it.

Whilst we didn't buy them with the Cali in mind, having unwrapped them, it has struck me that one might be ideal for use in a Cali. We only bought them after reading the rave reviews on their capabilities. We shall see!

How much I hear you ask? Well there was a special offer on at the time and from memory they were about £140 for the pair. Mrs B did the purchasing but I am reasonably confident in that figure being correct.

Some more pics:

 

[Karlos]

I'll be interested to see what you think Borris as I've been looking for something to use when and if we buy another Cali (At current prices I think they are too expensive now) especially for trips to southern europe.

 

[Borris]

I've just given it a quick try and the results are promising. However, the instructions advise soaking the Water Curtain before use whereas I just ran it under the tap for a few seconds. Also they advise that for best results, fill the reservoir with iced water. I just bunged in some tap ordinaire. Still it seems to be doing what it says on the box.

There are three fan speeds and what appears to be three lighting settings:
1. Off
2. Ever changing coloured lighting which not only illuminates the ring round the lid but also the inside of the unit so the grills at front and back are illuminated as well in what ever colour is current. It's very pretty and quite mesmerising.
3. One solid fixed colour.
All a bit pointless but very pretty none the less.

The instructions say to replace the water curtain every six months and a UK telephone number is supplied to order them from. When used just air dry until you need to use again.

We're away in the van next week so will give it a full test in situ and report back.

 

[splitmike]

I bought one very similar off of Amazon last summer while living in my Transporter for about £20. I was good I ran it off of a mobile battery pack. certainly cooled the air.

 

[willwander]

Evaporative cooling, in India they use an old fan blowing through wet straw.

 

[Shuftie]

Yep - affectionately called 'swamp coolers'

 

[Begize]

There's plenty of cheaper similar ones on eBay for around £15 - £20. I've tried one as a personal cooler on my desk and they work, ish. TBH it didn't seem much better than the normal USB fan I have but I guess in a smaller enclosed space it might have more effect.

Be interesting to hear if people think there's much difference between that price range and those around £50 - £60 which seem to work in exactly the same way.

 

[yossarian]

No way to dodge the underlying physics. What you have here is essentially a wet kikoy. I've used wet kikoys, they do work. Ideally you want to minimise the increase in local humidity which this design doesn't do.

 

[stephen watson]

I camped in Saudi Arabia a long time ago and we had a huge version in the side of our tent. If the humidity is low they work well. As explained above evaporative cooling. If humidity is high they are useless. The one in the side of our tent took dry hot air in from the outside and blew cooler damper air continuously into the tent. If you ran something similar in a Cali, with the windows closed, I'm not sure how effective it will be once the humidity rises?

 

[Borris]

I camped in Saudi Arabia a long time ago and we had a huge version in the side of our tent. If the humidity is low they work well. As explained above evaporative cooling. If humidity is high they are useless. The one in the side of our tent took dry hot air in from the outside and blew cooler damper air continuously into the tent. If you ran something similar in a Cali, with the windows closed, I'm not sure how effective it will be once the humidity rises?

To be clear, we didn't buy them with the Cali in mind. Whether they are as good as their sales blurb claims remains to be seen. I haven't had the opportunity to test them properly yet but when I do I will give a full review.

Given thier deminuative size I just thought that they may prove useful in the confines of a campervan.