29 replies to this topic

[Sphinx]

For those of you who built your own controllers per these instructions:  http://forum.specmia...44;t=003316;p=0, to what did you mount the transistor and terminal strip?  How then did you mount this stuff to the car?

 

BTW, fleebay is a good source of 1K linear pots.

Edited by Sphinx, 04-17-2016 01:29 PM.

[Sphinx]

bump.

[David L]

An even easier DIY coolsuit option is the "donjoy" type medical units found on ebay for less than 50$. They have the cooler, hoses and an adjustable temp controller and even better than that they connect right to most coolshirts.

 

http://www.ebay.com/...item41a88de274:

 

I used one for 5 years and never had any problems.

 

Sorry I couldn't actually help you but maybe someone in the future.

[pitbull113]

I have the donjoy as well. Has served me well for many years now.

[Sphinx]

For better or worse, I've already built my coolsuit cooler.  Just need to wire it up and bolt it into the car.

[Tom Hampton]

In the 4 years I had a cool suit, I've never wanted it anything except on and more on. I just wish it went to 11.

[speedengineer]

In the 4 years I had a cool suit, I've never wanted it anything except on and more on. I just wish it went to 11.

 

For $500 I'll build you one that goes to 12. 

 

https://xkcd.com/670/

[Tom Hampton]

For $500 I'll build you one that goes to 12. 
 
https://xkcd.com/670/

Well played, sir.
 

:slowclap:

[Sphinx]

In the 4 years I had a cool suit, I've never wanted it anything except on and more on. I just wish it went to 11.

 

On come on, now!  This is SM where every project has to be overengineered, overthought and overanalyzed!

 

Damn! Now that I've sourced all the parts, I guess it is a good thing I have a receipt for most parts.  Hey, anyone want to buy a NOS 1K Pot?

[Duane Polsley]

http://www.ghidinell...ol-shirt-system

 

text didn't make it on my original post. I'll try again=

 

Brians homemade coolsuit is great, and easy to put together. He did all the leg work including part numbers.

 

Hope it helps you out.

[Tom Hampton]

On come on, now!  This is SM where every project has to be overengineered, overthought and overanalyzed!
 
Damn! Now that I've sourced all the parts, I guess it is a good thing I have a receipt for most parts.  Hey, anyone want to buy a NOS 1K Pot?

 

To be completely open...I originally was going to have a low and high control option. But, in my rush to get on track, I just went with an ON switch. I figured I'd go back and add a low setting later.

Nope.

[av8tor]

The day I put a cool suit in my car for any race that last less than 4 hrs is the day I will give back my man card.  We used to fly the harrier for 4 hrs in North Carolina with no AC on the ground and 2 trips through the hot pits for gas.  We only carried a pint of water to drink and it wasn't ice'd down.   We also walked up hill both ways in a hell storm to get to the plane.  I have driven Barstow to Vegas and the Baja 500 with no cool suit, (no one uses them -the ice melts).  Man up girls.

[Sphinx]

The day I put a cool suit in my car for any race that last less than 4 hrs is the day I will give back my man card.  We used to fly the harrier for 4 hrs in North Carolina with no AC on the ground and 2 trips through the hot pits for gas.  We only carried a pint of water to drink and it wasn't ice'd down.   We also walked up hill both ways in a hell storm to get to the plane.  I have driven Barstow to Vegas and the Baja 500 with no cool suit, (no one uses them -the ice melts).  Man up girls.

 

Too late.  I'm married with children.  Lost my man card a long time ago.

[Tom Hampton]

Hell...I drove the minivan for so long it just quit.  I've shopped for drapes, antiques, and light fixtures.  I've had and raised 3 girls (no boys), and now I race a chick car to compensate?!

 

Yeah...I'll take av8tor's extra ice, please.

 

I still see zero reason to ever turn the thing DOWN!

[av8tor]

that's funny Tom.  Honestly though - does the cool suit really make that big of a difference.  It seems like a whole lot of effort and geez a 30min race is over before I realize I am hot.

 

Kevin

121 CFR

[Steve Scheifler]

Sit on the asphalt paved false grid in direct sun, 95F and humid as a steam bath, while they sweep up after an SRF race or work the oil dry following a small bore prod race. Then do the race. I don't care what kind of man you are, by the end you aren't 100% of what you could be.

[Tom Hampton]

What Steve said.  Once you get behind on heat management....its impossible to catch up.

 

Second, here in Tejas we run 50 minute races on Sunday.  That can be a long race in the Texas summer.

 

Finally, test days can get pretty hectic, and the 30 on / 30 off schedule can result in a slow loss to heat control....eventually having to give up on a session or two to get caught back up.  I'm not there to watch!

[Danny Steyn]

The day I put a cool suit in my car for any race that last less than 4 hrs is the day I will give back my man card.  We used to fly the harrier for 4 hrs in North Carolina with no AC on the ground and 2 trips through the hot pits for gas.  We only carried a pint of water to drink and it wasn't ice'd down.   We also walked up hill both ways in a hell storm to get to the plane.  I have driven Barstow to Vegas and the Baja 500 with no cool suit, (no one uses them -the ice melts).  Man up girls.

 

Coolsuits have NOTHING to do with comfort, they are all about cooling the blood flowing to your brain. The very origin of the coolsuit was the MASH army hospitals in Vietnam where the surgeons realized that they were making surgical errors due to the blood temp. Keeping the blood flow to the brain cool, helps to reduce fatigue induced errors, and that is why we use coolsuits. I use them even in sub-zero conditions where we have to unfreeze the lines in the car to get the cold water flowing. Don't give a damn about how they make me feel

[Bench Racer]

It's the best $400.00 spent for my Spec Miata. Didn't have one in my previous car and paid the price through heat later in races, and that's when I was younger.

[Steve Scheifler]

We had never used one before last July in Atlanta so I have very little experience with them. I never wanted the additional hassle, but the forecast for that weekend combined with memories of past races prompted me to do a rush install. A net positive for sure.