Comments on: Cool Surge – what’s up with that? http://www.alternativeconsumer.com/2009/05/22/cool-surge-whats-up-with-that/ The Alternative Consumer provides product reviews, eco news and green info to the next wave of smart consumers. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 02:47:56 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: twila http://www.alternativeconsumer.com/2009/05/22/cool-surge-whats-up-with-that/comment-page-1/#comment-518568 twila Wed, 05 Oct 2011 22:20:08 +0000 http://www.alternativeconsumer.com/?p=12717#comment-518568 I got two cool surge two years ago, it heats and cools just fine. Warm water helps the heat, just hot like you get out of your sink, and the ice cubes if you wanna cool, I live in Seattle Washington, and it does get cold I have found if you leave them going in the house I rarely turn the central heat on. At the end of the season I clean and maintain the devices. I like my two cool/heat surges, they work just fine. I got two cool surge two years ago, it heats and cools just fine. Warm water helps the heat, just hot like you get out of your sink, and the ice cubes if you wanna cool, I live in Seattle Washington, and it does get cold I have found if you leave them going in the house I rarely turn the central heat on.
At the end of the season I clean and maintain the devices. I like my two cool/heat surges, they work just fine.

]]> By: nyree http://www.alternativeconsumer.com/2009/05/22/cool-surge-whats-up-with-that/comment-page-1/#comment-484874 nyree Sat, 08 Jan 2011 19:20:05 +0000 http://www.alternativeconsumer.com/?p=12717#comment-484874 i have one and i dont have a problem with it. it cools and heats with no problem....mayb all of yall got a dud. have a great day!! i have one and i dont have a problem with it. it cools and heats with no problem….mayb all of yall got a dud. have a great day!!

]]> By: vince palumbo http://www.alternativeconsumer.com/2009/05/22/cool-surge-whats-up-with-that/comment-page-1/#comment-482328 vince palumbo Fri, 24 Dec 2010 13:47:42 +0000 http://www.alternativeconsumer.com/?p=12717#comment-482328 I purchased the cool surge and am completely satisfied with what it was inteneded to do. No it wont cool or heat the whole house, but it does provide the warmth and cooling of my frontroom which is most needed. My thermostat is located in the frontroom and when my cool surge is in use, my thermostat shuts of whether heat or cold and saves me much money. Quick tip for cooling: I Keep ice cold water in my fridge and pour the cold water in as needed along with ice cubes and the provided ice packs. It assists in cooling down my home tremendously!. Very satisfied with this product! I purchased the cool surge and am completely satisfied with what it was inteneded to do. No it wont cool or heat the whole house, but it does provide the warmth and cooling of my frontroom which is most needed. My thermostat is located in the frontroom and when my cool surge is in use, my thermostat shuts of whether heat or cold and saves me much money. Quick tip for cooling: I Keep ice cold water in my fridge and pour the cold water in as needed along with ice cubes and the provided ice packs. It assists in cooling down my home tremendously!. Very satisfied with this product!

]]> By: Gregory E. Love http://www.alternativeconsumer.com/2009/05/22/cool-surge-whats-up-with-that/comment-page-1/#comment-400354 Gregory E. Love Wed, 14 Apr 2010 20:12:40 +0000 http://www.alternativeconsumer.com/?p=12717#comment-400354 I fell for the ad that ran in the USA Today last year and bought two Cool Surges. I didn't try them out until recently (April, 2010). After unpacking and following the directions for setup and freezing the ice packs that came with the unit, I turned it on. I got nothing but a breeze from the unit; not a cool breeze, just a breeze. I then went to the internet to research the Cool Surge and found that the Cool Surge was nothing but a scam. I was mad! I had been ripped off! I was about to throw both of these units out when I decided to add ice cubes to the water compartment instead of the ice packs. When I did, I noticed the ice cubes melted rather quickly but I also noticed the air from the Cool Surge seemed to be somewhat cooler than before. I decided to freeze some water to make bigger chunks of ice to add to the water compartment of the unit. With the water at it's minimum level I added bigger chunks of ice to the water compartment. I then added ice cubes (I had not frozen enough water) to bring the water to just above the maximum level. I turned the unit on. BINGO! Ice cold air came from the unit just like from an air conditioner. Before, I was using a fan to circulate air in my room in conjunction with the Cool Surge operating at it's highest speed. I have since turned the fan off and turned the Cool Surge down to it's slowest speed. In a nutshell, the ice packs that come with the Cool Surge are a waste of time and don't work! I still believe that the Cool Surge is highly overpriced for what it does. It is an inconvenience to freeze water to make bigger pieces of ice to go into the water compartment (ice has to be added twice a day and I would imagine three times a day when It really gets hot as well as draining the water to minimum level before adding the ice) but it's the only way that I've been able to get the unit to work and it's worth it to me. Once again, the ice packs that come with the Cool Surge do not work! You will have to add ice to the water compartment to get ice cold air from the unit. Though I believe I overpaid for the two Cool Surges I have, I'm going to keep them. I fell for the ad that ran in the USA Today last year and bought two Cool Surges. I didn’t try them out until recently (April, 2010). After unpacking and following the directions for setup and freezing the ice packs that came with the unit, I turned it on. I got nothing but a breeze from the unit; not a cool breeze, just a breeze. I then went to the internet to research the Cool Surge and found that the Cool Surge was nothing but a scam. I was mad! I had been ripped off! I was about to throw both of these units out when I decided to add ice cubes to the water compartment instead of the ice packs. When I did, I noticed the ice cubes melted rather quickly but I also noticed the air from the Cool Surge seemed to be somewhat cooler than before. I decided to freeze some water to make bigger chunks of ice to add to the water compartment of the unit. With the water at it’s minimum level I added bigger chunks of ice to the water compartment. I then added ice cubes (I had not frozen enough water) to bring the water to just above the maximum level. I turned the unit on. BINGO! Ice cold air came from the unit just like from an air conditioner. Before, I was using a fan to circulate air in my room in conjunction with the Cool Surge operating at it’s highest speed. I have since turned the fan off and turned the Cool Surge down to it’s slowest speed. In a nutshell, the ice packs that come with the Cool Surge are a waste of time and don’t work! I still believe that the Cool Surge is highly overpriced for what it does. It is an inconvenience to freeze water to make bigger pieces of ice to go into the water compartment (ice has to be added twice a day and I would imagine three times a day when It really gets hot as well as draining the water to minimum level before adding the ice) but it’s the only way that I’ve been able to get the unit to work and it’s worth it to me. Once again, the ice packs that come with the Cool Surge do not work! You will have to add ice to the water compartment to get ice cold air from the unit. Though I believe I overpaid for the two Cool Surges I have, I’m going to keep them.

]]> By: Fred (Plant) http://www.alternativeconsumer.com/2009/05/22/cool-surge-whats-up-with-that/comment-page-1/#comment-288926 Fred (Plant) Sat, 25 Jul 2009 21:34:27 +0000 http://www.alternativeconsumer.com/?p=12717#comment-288926 I should have known better; I usually check feedback from others. This time I didn't; oooops! I live in a mobile home and as you know there is not much insulation in the ceiling (if any), so they heat up fast and get hotter than it actually is outside. When it's 90 outside, on a sunny day, the temp goes over 100 without AC running. I thought I might save a littlt bit of my cooling costs. What a mistake. Here in Florida, it doesn't pay to make a mistake. I even tried to make it more efficient; so I filled the bin with ice cubes, laid the frozen blocks on top of the ice, then poured in cold water that I had in the fridge to top it off. Well, the breeze felt nice for awhile, but with room temps over 90, it doesn't take very long for the ice to melt. It's not an insulated compartment. I checked the rear of the cabinet and found that they have a woven wick that runs from the top of the cabinet all the way down to the bottom of the water bin. Sure didn't take a genius to design this. So, all I have now is 2 fans in very fancy cabinets. Nobody's fault but mine; they didn't force me to buy them. Hope this helps somebody else from making the same mistake. They didn't even send an invoice showing the tax and the shipping charges. I sent them an email and asked for it. I know; don't hold my breath. Duh!!!! I should have known better; I usually check feedback from others. This time I didn’t; oooops!
I live in a mobile home and as you know there is not much insulation in the ceiling (if any), so they heat up fast and get hotter than it actually is outside. When it’s 90 outside, on a sunny day, the temp goes over 100 without AC running. I thought I might save a littlt bit of my cooling costs. What a mistake. Here in Florida, it doesn’t pay to make a mistake.
I even tried to make it more efficient; so I filled the bin with ice cubes, laid the frozen blocks on top of the ice, then poured in cold water that I had in the fridge to top it off. Well, the breeze felt nice for awhile, but with room temps over 90, it doesn’t take very long for the ice to melt. It’s not an insulated compartment. I checked the rear of the cabinet and found that they have a woven wick that runs from the top of the cabinet all the way down to the bottom of the water bin. Sure didn’t take a genius to design this. So, all I have now is 2 fans in very fancy cabinets. Nobody’s fault but mine; they didn’t force me to buy them. Hope this helps somebody else from making the same mistake. They didn’t even send an invoice showing the tax and the shipping charges. I sent them an email and asked for it. I know; don’t hold my breath. Duh!!!!

]]> By: Jaynie http://www.alternativeconsumer.com/2009/05/22/cool-surge-whats-up-with-that/comment-page-1/#comment-288079 Jaynie Wed, 22 Jul 2009 22:42:57 +0000 http://www.alternativeconsumer.com/?p=12717#comment-288079 Yes, I just received mine today and there were no instructions in the box so I came online to look for them. As with others, I asked approximately how many btu's was it equal to or how large a room would it cool and finally got a guess, I think. After reading through these, I am now on the phone after finally finding the number in one of these posts and am currently on hold for the longest, but I am persistent. Yes, I just received mine today and there were no instructions in the box so I came online to look for them. As with others, I asked approximately how many btu’s was it equal to or how large a room would it cool and finally got a guess, I think.

After reading through these, I am now on the phone after finally finding the number in one of these posts and am currently on hold for the longest, but I am persistent.

]]> By: Jan http://www.alternativeconsumer.com/2009/05/22/cool-surge-whats-up-with-that/comment-page-1/#comment-287812 Jan Wed, 22 Jul 2009 03:27:16 +0000 http://www.alternativeconsumer.com/?p=12717#comment-287812 I am so glad I ran into this website. I, like a few others here was about to buy a Cool Surge. Actually 3. I always check stuff out via testimonials. I too have an a/c on the blink and actually dying and cannot afford the 5k for an entire new system, esp. for a house that will be just a weekender. Nonetheless, won't be buying these suckers! Thanks again! I am so glad I ran into this website. I, like a few others here was about to buy a Cool Surge. Actually 3. I always check stuff out via testimonials. I too have an a/c on the blink and actually dying and cannot afford the 5k for an entire new system, esp. for a house that will be just a weekender. Nonetheless, won’t be buying these suckers! Thanks again!

]]> By: Rose Ann http://www.alternativeconsumer.com/2009/05/22/cool-surge-whats-up-with-that/comment-page-1/#comment-287558 Rose Ann Tue, 21 Jul 2009 09:09:57 +0000 http://www.alternativeconsumer.com/?p=12717#comment-287558 I live in Southern CA; the temp in August runs into the 100's. Central Air costs us(3 Bedrm & 2 bathrm house) around $360.00 in Gas & Electric I just bought the Cool Surge. I don't expect it to cool down the entire house; just my bedroom and maybe the family room. If this turns out to be cost effective so much the better. I live in Southern CA; the temp in August runs into the 100′s. Central Air costs us(3 Bedrm &
2 bathrm house) around $360.00 in Gas & Electric
I just bought the Cool Surge. I don’t expect it
to cool down the entire house; just my bedroom and maybe the family room. If this turns out to
be cost effective so much the better.

]]> By: Mike Rogers http://www.alternativeconsumer.com/2009/05/22/cool-surge-whats-up-with-that/comment-page-1/#comment-286187 Mike Rogers Sat, 18 Jul 2009 18:49:39 +0000 http://www.alternativeconsumer.com/?p=12717#comment-286187 As the Consumer Reports piece notes, this scam item does provide some MINOR cooling from evaporation as well, but not enough to cool a room a most cases you'd what to. Worse, the process of freezing the packs in your frig actually creates more heat in your house! See also http://greenhomesamerica.wordpress.com/2009/06/20/another-scam%e2%80%94the-cool-surge-portable-air-cooler/. And DO NOT BUY ONE! Thanks, Mike As the Consumer Reports piece notes, this scam item does provide some MINOR cooling from evaporation as well, but not enough to cool a room a most cases you’d what to. Worse, the process of freezing the packs in your frig actually creates more heat in your house! See also http://greenhomesamerica.wordpress.com/2009/06/20/another-scam%e2%80%94the-cool-surge-portable-air-cooler/. And DO NOT BUY ONE!

Thanks,
Mike

]]> By: mike http://www.alternativeconsumer.com/2009/05/22/cool-surge-whats-up-with-that/comment-page-1/#comment-283524 mike Tue, 14 Jul 2009 12:47:36 +0000 http://www.alternativeconsumer.com/?p=12717#comment-283524 Hey nice catch on this scam. Live in a retirement community here and this ad was in our "Daily Sun". There are some MONSTERS out there preying on anyone they can get there hands on. Hey nice catch on this scam. Live in a retirement community here and this ad was in our “Daily Sun”. There are some MONSTERS out there preying on anyone they can get there hands on.

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