I hate working "al fresco", but sometimes, when the client is nice enough, and the money is good enough ... I cave. Here's some tips I found at Sweetwater. Might be redundant for some, but maybe good info for others. Might be redundant for ...

https://www.sweetwater.com/insync/how-to-keep-your-cool-in-hot-performances/

Dave, I solved this problem many years ago. I constructed a neat, swamp cooler using a 32 quart cooler chest and a couple 72mm computer cooling fans. The cooler chest is filled with block ice, then I covered the opening with a 1/8-inch thick piece of plywood with the two fans mounted at one end of the wood cover. I cut two holes about 3-inches in diameter at the other end of the plywood cover. The fans are powered by a small, 12-volt power supply that cost $10 on Amazon and the fans were $7 each on Amazon. Those little fans put out a lot of air, and in this case ice-cold air. The fans draw the air down through the two holes, which passes across the blocks of ice, then pushes the air directly at me using a couple pvc plastic elbows the same size as the fans. Worked like a charm, and was almost like playing in air conditioning, even on the hottest days. The blocks of ice lasted about 4 to 5 hours, which was longer than the job lasted.

I used the same setup on my boat until I got a generator to run my boat's AC unit. It cooled the entire cabin interior down to where it made for comfortable sleeping on a hot, humid summer night.



The above photo is the first prototype and a second fan was added later to improve cooling capacity. The fan only draws .04 amperes, which is next to nothing.

Good luck,

Gary

Hate outside work! Did the Merrick Inn in Lexington outside 4 nights a week for 14 seasons. So humid, sometimes the keys were wet. Drunken beer drinkers all over. Kids getting too close, tangling their feet in chords and pulling over brand new guitars.

Worst was, one night I looked behind me, and the power cord had been moved to the left and was 4 feet under water! (Must have been a really good cord).

NEVER AGAIN! Won't even eat on a patio!

R.

I love outdoor jobs. Sure, there are some things you have to worry about, but a little planning is generally all that is needed. I insist on a secure place to set up, and shelter!

Photobucket changed their account policies for posting photos, so here's the original.


Gary