How does the CoolSurge work?

russ_watters

They had a full page ad in today's USA Today. Near as I can tell, it uses blocks of ice to make cool air: http://www.coolsurge.com/faq.cfm

WarPhalange

So it's like putting a fan next to some ice cubes?

lisab

Dang it! That's exactly how I cool my (south-facing) office - I arrange a big ice block, a box fan and a bucket! If I had only known I could sell this lame idea for money...

LowlyPion

I think that really borders on criminal misrepresentation and fraud. USA Today should be ashamed to allow such an ad.

Most especially the claims that it cools the air 10 degrees coupled with the claim that it uses 93% less energy.

This is patently not the case.

Edit: In fraud there may be misrepresentation by either commission or omission as in this Federal statute relating to stock fraud:

"... or to omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements made, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, ..."

russ_watters

I've emailed them before - maybe I'll email them about this one too.

LowlyPion

I didn't see it, I almost never see USA Today unless it's shoved under a hotel door and I pick it up to keep from slipping on it, so I don't know how to reference it to them. But surely their attention should be drawn to it. If they were good citizens they would do a piece on exposing it even. Maybe even find a quotable physicist for them if need be. But I wouldn't expect them to do that. The monied suits still want those ad dollars.

Basically though it boils my juices to see people taken advantage of with this kind of hucksterism preying on the gullible.

russ_watters

Me too!...I'm traveling for work right now.

Moonbear

I think that's the USA Today's entire circulation, getting shoved under hotel doors. It's the only time I read it either.

The trick must be that you need to use someone else's freezer to make your ice block, otherwise it would be more efficient to put the fan in front of the open freezer, and we all know how useful that is.

NoTime

If you live somewhere that gets cold enough in the winter, you could harvest and store ice like they did in the days before refrigeration.

Moonbear

While I was on the phone earlier this evening to report a power outage, I had to listen to the power company's "helpful tips" while on hold. "If it's below 0 outside, you could consider freezing a bucket of water to place in your refrigerator to help keep it cold." It's August (and I don't think I've fallen off the Northern hemisphere yet). And if it were that cold outside, I could just put the refrigerator contents outside to keep them cold rather than waiting for buckets of water to freeze.

FredGarvin

Cool-Surge:
For $295 you get an old CPU case with a crappy fan and...wait for it...freezer ice blocks.

$300 to blow air over ice cubes.

These guys are simply amazing (read: morons). I hate to give them traffic to their web site especially since they are obviously catering to taking money from old people and the mentally challenged. I would love to meet one of these idiots on the street.

http://www.coolsurge.com/index.cfm

Pengwuino

and only $295? You might as well buy 2!

turbo

Uses only as much power as an 80 watt bulb - sure, as long as you don't have to pay for the refrigeration required to re-freeze the "glacier packs". Refrigerators and freezers operate on free power.

Notice the weasel words. The discharge air of this piece of crap can be "up to" 10 degrees cooler than the room air. Is that going to cool the room by 10 degrees? Nope. I'd like to catch these creeps, kidnap them, and put them in a windowless apartment (and make them pay the electrical bills) while their "miraculous" heating and cooling devices fight it out. I'd entertain them with mood rings and pet rocks and occasionally slap therm with a saturated Sham-Wow if they got sleepy.

Moonbear

Oh boy, I was wondering what to do with that old CPU box for the computer that's too old to use for anything anymore. I was thinking I might be able to sell it to some geek for parts for $10; I had no idea it was worth $300 if I just added a few freezer blocks!

Ivan Seeking

In light of yours and the following posts, I tend to think that any traffic generated by PF would not be very helpful to them.

Pengwuino

Sounds like someone needs psychiatric evaluation.

Ivan Seeking

Threads merged at post 11.