The key to throwing a great outdoor party in South Florida is to keep the temperature as cool and comfortable as possible with a spot cooler. Easier said than done when the average summertime temperature is in the neighborhood of ninety degrees with humidity levels reaching 90 percent in the evening and around 60 percent in the day time.
Even the best planned party will fail to impress guests if they are left sweating it out in the heat. That’s why the appropriate portable cooling equipment is essential to keeping your party thriving.
Large 12- to 25-ton mobile air conditioning units are commonly used to cool down events because they offer large cooling capacity. These units go outdoors, and the cold air is ducted in. In some cases, several smaller spot coolers, ranging around 1- to 5-ton capacity are used. Smaller units may be used inside or outside of the space, depending on noise and size limitations.
The benefit to using several smaller units instead of one large unit is that you have a backup in the event one unit were to stop working.
How Big Is Your Tent?
The size of the tent you are hosting the party in will make a difference regarding the cooling you require. For instance, the general rule of thumb is that for every 100 to 150 square foot of space in a tent, you’ll need around one ton of cooling capacity. This might sound like a hefty amount of tonnage but keep in mind that you must compensate for thin tent walls that will lose a lot of cool air. Plus, a lot of active bodies in one space will heat things up quickly. Things like food heaters and lighting equipment will add even more heat to the space.
It is important to calculate heat load in order to decide if you need to be on the high or low end of the range. Other factors that will influence your decision include time of day, time of year, weather predictions for that day, how many people will be in the space, what type of activities will be taking place, and the use of heat-generating equipment like food heaters and spot lights. We always recommend getting a little more cooling than you need, because it’s better to be safe than sorry.
For indoor events, the cooling formula changes to around one ton of cooling for every four-hundred to six-hundred square feet of space.
What About Evaporative Coolers?
Evaporative coolers are commonly used when power supply is limited. They can operate on standard residential power. These machines can reduce the temperature by around 5 to 15 degrees. They are not as effective but work well in certain climates or circumstances. You must have a garden hose as they require a water supply. A hose offers an automatic fill method, but they can also be manually filled as needed. A fan is located inside of the unit to help pull air across a space.
Keeping Cool Air in The Tent
Keeping cooling equipment outside of the tent is usually the preferred method. This prevents eye sores and reduces noise. You will want to direct the air upwards into the tent to prevent losing air, as well as to prevent blowing it directly at party guests. Cold air falls and creates a nice comfortable temperature, before it falls all the way down and is sucked back into the return air duct and re-cooled.
This is another benefit to several smaller units as they keep the cool air supply moving throughout the entire tent, reducing the chance of cold and hot pockets throughout the event space.
You could also pressurize the tent with no return ducts, this provides even cooling distribution throughout the enclosed space. Ultimately, the best option to keep the tent as cool as possible relates to the size of the tent, outside conditions, and so forth.
Need a Power Supply?
At Cooling Power, we’ve got you covered on all ends – from spot coolers to power generators. We are your one-stop-shop for throwing a temperature-controlled party people talk about for years.