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Figarosmom

(8,570 posts) Thu Sep 4, 2025, 01:20 AM Sep 4

This is cool

Don't know if these are still made though.

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3 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

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This is cool (Original Post) Figarosmom Sep 4 OP

Water Evaporates, Carrying Thermal Energy away MrWowWow Sep 4 #1

I'm no expert, but I think the plastic spout means less than 100 years old, and isn't it burlap, not linen? FadedMullet Sep 4 #2

The Youtube poster acknowledges as much in the comments. sl8 Sep 4 #3

MrWowWow

(1,222 posts)

1. Water Evaporates, Carrying Thermal Energy away

Reply to Figarosmom (Original post)

Thu Sep 4, 2025, 01:39 AM

Sep 4

This leaves the bag of water at a lower temperature than ambient. It was what some folks did back in the last century... even though Glycol-based cooling fluid was commervcially available.

My experience with them:

We drove up to Mt. Palomar Observatory (above Los Angeles) with these unfilled "desert bags" in the trunk. Had to stop at a stream to fill them up when the motor started overheating. . It sort of worked. The car's motor overheated on the way up the mountain. It cooled down when we drove back down. I remember those Desert Bags draped over the radiator and the engine. It reminded me of the "Okies" in their jalopies as they migrated to California. You can see this in the movie, "The Grapes of Wrath."

FadedMullet

(505 posts)

2. I'm no expert, but I think the plastic spout means less than 100 years old, and isn't it burlap, not linen?

Reply to Figarosmom (Original post)

Thu Sep 4, 2025, 04:47 AM

Sep 4

sl8

(16,846 posts)

3. The Youtube poster acknowledges as much in the comments.

Reply to FadedMullet (Reply #2)

Thu Sep 4, 2025, 06:35 AM

Sep 4

From their pinned comment:

Note: a collector reached out and said the company, even though they changed their name in 1946, and Portland's historical museum dates the graphic to the 1920s said they continued to make this graphic into the 70s. Apologies for the confusion!

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