I think it just greatly depends on the implementation, your unit may have been undersized? Out by my place near Joshua Tree National Park most the homes and es

I think it just greatly depends on the implementation, your unit may have been undersized? Out by my place near Joshua Tree National Park most the homes and establishments use evap coolers. On the extremely hot days I'll usually go to the public library in town that has an appropriately sized modern evaporative system cooling the entire facility. It seems like no matter how hot it gets outside, it's cold in the library. The staff wear long sleeves or even jackets in the peak of summer, it's kind of funny juxtaposed against 115F outdoor temps. They just don't work when humid, we don't generally have that problem here, not even at night. We're also lucky to have abundant water underground, however ancient it may be. One could argue it's inappropriate to squander that water on cooling though, I might even agree with that argument. But with all the illegal agriculture going on in the vicinity (massive weed grows) I think cooling is the least of our water wasting problems...