F.A.S.T. cooler for helmets
12-10-2004, 05:44 PM
#1
Three Wheelin'
Thread Starter
F.A.S.T. cooler for helmets
A week or so ago, I asked if anyone knew where I could get my helmet modified for a FAST cooler. I found out, it was Pegasus in Wisc.
I also got a PM from a guy asking if he could make a fresh air cooler like a
F.A.S.T with a Colemant ice cooler and an electric blower motor. I had thought of that before I bought the F.A.S.T. cooler, and I thought I had better post as to why you don't want to do that. For those of you that don't know a F.A.S.T. cooler has an air to water heat exchanger in the bottom of the cooler, so there is no chance of water getting into the system. Actually your system.
My idea orriginally was to take a 16 Qt cooler, and put to holes in the upper sides of the cooler, and fasten the hoses to pipes glued into the cooler. Then I would put a 12 v electric blower on one hose, fed with outside air, and connect the other hose to my helmet, thereby blowing cold air into the helmet, after putting about 4 inches of water and ice in the bottom of the cooler. Anyway a friend of mine told me of a guy doing the same thing. When he went on the track for the first time, he was cool as a cukecumber. That is, untill he stepped on the brakes. When he braked the water and ice shifted and he got a quart or so of water blown into his helmet. The idea of drowning in a race car, on a sunny day, made me think, I had better buy a well engineered cooler, and the F.A.S.T. system meets the bill.
Bill Seifert
1987 944S Race Car
I also got a PM from a guy asking if he could make a fresh air cooler like a
F.A.S.T with a Colemant ice cooler and an electric blower motor. I had thought of that before I bought the F.A.S.T. cooler, and I thought I had better post as to why you don't want to do that. For those of you that don't know a F.A.S.T. cooler has an air to water heat exchanger in the bottom of the cooler, so there is no chance of water getting into the system. Actually your system.
My idea orriginally was to take a 16 Qt cooler, and put to holes in the upper sides of the cooler, and fasten the hoses to pipes glued into the cooler. Then I would put a 12 v electric blower on one hose, fed with outside air, and connect the other hose to my helmet, thereby blowing cold air into the helmet, after putting about 4 inches of water and ice in the bottom of the cooler. Anyway a friend of mine told me of a guy doing the same thing. When he went on the track for the first time, he was cool as a cukecumber. That is, untill he stepped on the brakes. When he braked the water and ice shifted and he got a quart or so of water blown into his helmet. The idea of drowning in a race car, on a sunny day, made me think, I had better buy a well engineered cooler, and the F.A.S.T. system meets the bill.
Bill Seifert
1987 944S Race Car
12-11-2004, 12:58 AM
#2
Race Director
I've found several sources for the blower used by FAST and have been planning on making my own. But, as I add up the costs of making my own, I'm not so sure it's worth the minor savings. The blower alone is $100. Then you need hoses, a cooler, the tubing (and I cannot find the aluminum heat sinks FAST uses) and other misc. stuff. I think my cost to assemble one wouldn't be worth my labor.
12-11-2004, 11:48 AM
#3
Three Wheelin'
Thread Starter
Geo I got mine at a local Stock Car swap meet, It's worth the effort looking. I got mine for $80. I didn't know you called that thing a heat sink, but it is real important to keep from drowning. I guess you could use a coiled hose inside the cooler, and glued to the pipes that would go through the sides of the cooler. I think that would work, but then you would probably have to put 2 or so gallons of ice water in the thing, and that would weigh over 14 lbs.
By the way, I got that ball joint, so I will mail the a arm and ball joint to you next week.
Bill
By the way, I got that ball joint, so I will mail the a arm and ball joint to you next week.
Bill