Possible idea for heat protection, evaporative cooling

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~Ray~Gingerich
Posts: 2122
Joined: Mon Jan 05, 2004 10:24 pm
Location: Delaware/Dover

I guess you have all heard of desert coolers... a canteen covered with cloth that's kept wet, it cools the liquid on the inside by evaporation of the wet cloth on the outside. Check the following site for explanation and testing of the process http://www.dirttimeforum.com/index.php?topic=98.0
So if this works why couldn't a sock type cover be made for gourds with shammy cloth inserts stitched in. The shammy cloth would act as a water resevoir so the the cloth wouldn't have to wet down so often for cooling. or maybe even the entire sock made of shammy cloth?? Just a thought :)
~Ray~ Gingerich
1999 1pair, 2006 2 pair, 2008 2 pair,
2009 23 pair, 2010 39 pair, 2011 67 pair,
2012 115 pair, 2013 160 pair,
2014 152 pair, 2015 174 pair, 2016 178 pair
2017 187 pair, 2018 200 pair, 2019 171pair
2020 233 pair
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Louise Chambers
Site Admin
Posts: 6208
Joined: Tue Nov 04, 2003 1:07 pm
Location: Corpus Christi, TX

That's a neat idea, Ray - thanks for the link, will read up about it.
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Matt@atx
Posts: 728
Joined: Tue Apr 08, 2008 7:13 am
Location: Buda, TX, south of Austin

You think that would work well for Martins. The idea looks pretty sound. I actually have acanteen and cover like that. lol.
2008~(1st yr) 4 pairs, 11 to 12 fledged
2009~(2nd yr) 9 pairs, 41 fledged
2010~(3rd year) 11 pairs. 50 fledged
2011~(4th year) 20 pairs, 23 out of 23 gourds Martin occupied, 3 fledged, the rest died in the drought. (1 new Blue Bird, 3 BB fledged.)
2012~ 26 pairs, approx. 100-110 fledged
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Carlton
Posts: 1959
Joined: Tue May 17, 2005 6:42 pm
Location: Florida/Deerfield Beach
Martin Colony History: I moved to South Florida, from Delaware, in August of 2015.

I care for a 6 condo Sunset House as well as two Deluxe Gourd Racks, with 24 Chirpynest/Excluder gourds, along a canal in Pompano Beach, Florida.


At Quiet Waters Park, nearby in Deerfield Beach, I care for a Deluxe Gourd Rack with 12 TVG's. I also care for a Deluxe Gourd rack with 12 Excluder gourds with Modified Excluder entrances. I am substituting 6 Chirpynest boxes for 6 of the Conley II entranced gourds in 2026.

At another local park, Tradewinds Park in Coconut Creek, I care for a Trendsetter 12, 5 gourds rack with 60 Excluder gourds with Modified Excluder Entrances and 1 Deluxe Gourd Rack with 12 Troyer Vertical Gourds with Starling Stoppers over the Conley II's to keep out smaller starlings.

Fascinating, Ray. Thanks for posting.

I carried one of those for a few years back in the 1960's.

Carl
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Dave Duit
Posts: 2145
Joined: Tue Nov 25, 2003 2:02 pm
Location: Iowa / Nevada
Martin Colony History: In 2024, 82 pair with 350 fledged youngsters. 110 total cavities available, 82 Troyer Horizontal gourds and a homemade PVC / metal 28 compartment unit, 1 fallout shelter. Hawk and owl guards included. Martin educator and speaker. President and founder of the Iowa Purple Martin Organization. Please visit Iowa Purple Martin Organization on Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1627283871068161 Emails send to [email protected]. Subject line include Iowa Purple Martin.

It is ideas like this that may prove to be a pilot idea and really turn into something big where all people will use it in the future. Thank you for the idea.
ImageMite control, heat venting, predator protection and additional feeding during bad weather add up to success.
ImageIPMO LOGO1.jpg
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tonyg
Posts: 1520
Joined: Fri Feb 27, 2009 4:16 pm
Location: Olpe, KS
Martin Colony History: 22 year landlord, 14 at current residence..offering 9 racks and a homemade T-8 for 166 total cavities. 160 Pair in 2018 Racks consist of a Deluxe 12, AAA 16, Starburst 16, 2 K-18 Series, Super 24, 2 Gemini, Multi-purpose/two trio’s/4gourds and a T-8..Great hobby to be involved in..

Great post Ray!! I could see somebody (PMCA) or some other outfit make this happen to our gourds..I know id buy them for protection in this Ks. heat. Great idea!
22 year landlord..9 Rack Systems for 2018 and my home built T-8 for a total of 166 cavities..160 pair in 2018 ..SUPER COLONY!!! Love You Bev... Fan of those St. Louis Cardinals!!!!!
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DornCounty
Posts: 2169
Joined: Tue Feb 14, 2012 3:58 pm
Location: Rural SE Kansas
Martin Colony History: .
.
Trio-Jedi

How about a small solar powered water pump that would drip onto a cloth like this? If a guy could come up with a light colored cloth that would hold and absorb the drip a guy could simply fill a 5 gal bucket and drip, drip, drip.
2017 - Home & Public Colonies - 300 Cavities
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Matt@atx
Posts: 728
Joined: Tue Apr 08, 2008 7:13 am
Location: Buda, TX, south of Austin

So basically, misters (as Ron has mentioned)would work well especially if fed by cold well water? We talked about setting up misters about 3 years ago but than did not because I read some posts here where concerns were posted that stated that moisture and wetness from the misters would creat a sauna effect and make it much worse of the birds in the heat.

Thinking about it. A fine mist or water spraying and cooling the gourd surface that does not enter the gourd through the entrance could not have that effect in the gourd.
the outer gourd surface cools = the inner gourd cools.
What do you guys think?
2008~(1st yr) 4 pairs, 11 to 12 fledged
2009~(2nd yr) 9 pairs, 41 fledged
2010~(3rd year) 11 pairs. 50 fledged
2011~(4th year) 20 pairs, 23 out of 23 gourds Martin occupied, 3 fledged, the rest died in the drought. (1 new Blue Bird, 3 BB fledged.)
2012~ 26 pairs, approx. 100-110 fledged
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~Ray~Gingerich
Posts: 2122
Joined: Mon Jan 05, 2004 10:24 pm
Location: Delaware/Dover

The water in the cloth evaportates (changes state from a liquid to a gas) When it changes state it pulls heat, same thing happens in air conditioners just in a different form.
~Ray~ Gingerich
1999 1pair, 2006 2 pair, 2008 2 pair,
2009 23 pair, 2010 39 pair, 2011 67 pair,
2012 115 pair, 2013 160 pair,
2014 152 pair, 2015 174 pair, 2016 178 pair
2017 187 pair, 2018 200 pair, 2019 171pair
2020 233 pair
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Suzette McGowen
Posts: 53
Joined: Fri Feb 25, 2005 10:38 am
Location: Texas/Plano

I have done this before. I folded up old dishtowels and attached them to the top of the house with large rubber bands. Then all we had to do was spray the top of the house with cool water. I have especially done with if I have a late nest in a top compartment. I have now added styrofoam to the top of the house to be a more permanant solution and I feel it helps with the cold as well.
Suzette & Charles McGowen
Plano, TX
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