MasterCooler rigid media pad falling in when soggy

My MasterCooler II has a 6-inch deep shelf for the rigid media pad (looks like corrugated cardboard). The pad is 8-inches deep, so there is 2-inches of unsupported pad on the inside. After 2 or 3 years the pad is soggy and starts leaning to the inside, which causes water to splatter onto the roof. Apparently the roof was wet all summer long and I didn't know about it until the fall. Now the roof is soft (water damaged).

Seems like the 6-inch deep shelf is a bad design. Why isn't the shelf 8-inches deep like the pad? I am replacing the pad every 2 years to avoid more water damage to the roof. But I think the pad could last 5 years if the pad where better supported.

Is there some DYI method for supporting the pad so it stays upright when the pad is soggy?

Thank you.

 

Is your cooler by chance hooked up to a water softener? The only time I saw those pads shrink and fall in, was on a dry cleaners that I service and their cooler was tied into one. I re routed the water line, replaced the pads and no problem since.

The shelf design is fine, as I've never seen those pads shrink or move, except for the instance I wrote above.

Also, if you are tied to a softener, soft water is corrosive to metal coolers and will rust them out faster.