motorcycle AC anybody?

[rushes]

was wondering if anyone knows of an ACTIVE rider cooling system. I know about the passive vests but am thinking of something more effective.
I've spent some very hot days traveling although in general it's not so bad up here in MN. I've often wondered how the people in TX, FLA, AZ, and other southern states take it.

Anyway I've been thinking about a system that would have a liquid cooled vest and seat. Saddlebag would have a heat sink of ice or maybe CO2. a small pump would circulate coolant thru the heat sink and then the seat and riders vest. alternative would be a compressor and evaporator on the bike but that would get pretty complicated. not sure how long the ice would last, i.e., long enough to be worth it?

seems a pretty basic idea and was wondering if anyone was aware of something similar already on the market.

Here's what I did yesterday...

Ya tuck in behind the windscreen 'till ya feel the sweat runnin' down everywhere...

Then ya stand up on the pegs fur a while.... I know, people look at ya funny, but I actually shivered in 106 degree heat.....

Moisture + airflow = RELIEF!

Ya might check out one a them cool vests... Ya soak it and it stays wet fur a long time...

I met people at NAFO that swear by it... I'm gittin' one... :thumbsup:

 

[Fred W]

That's what I was thinking. Evaporative cooling would be the way to go. The big problem is that if you're ATGATT you don't get the nice airflow down on your skin where you need it. So somehow, you need to transport the cooling evaporative action to the surface of the ATGATT.

 

[Crash Cash]

I know a guy that took a 12VDC model airplane fuel pump (the type used to fuel a plane on the ground using a car battery) and hooked it up to a small tank and a fine mist sprayer nozzle. He had the nozzle mounted on top of the instruments, so when he hit the switch, it would wet his mesh-style jacket. Mechanical Engineering student, of course...

And the "long johns with aquarium tubing" is what astronauts wear underneath their space suits to control body temperature.

 

[Fred W]

And the "long johns with aquarium tubing" is what astronauts wear underneath their space suits to control body temperature.

Astronauts have the disadvantage of not seeing a lot of wind...

 

[EODSarge]

"long johns with aquarium tubing" is what we used on the bomb squad to wear under the bomb suit on hot days. There's a belt pack with a small battery powered pump and a 1 quart bottle. We'd fill the bottle, leaving about 2 inches or so of air at the top, and freeze it; then fill that 2 inch gap with water and hook it to the suit. It did a very good job of keeping you cool, but we'd melt that ice block in about 20 minutes. You have no idea how hot those damn suits are. We also tried vests with pockets that you could put those packets of "blue ice" like they sell for coolers in; but keeping that much cold stuff right up against your chest tended to make you feel woozy and didn't do anything for the rest of your body. The long johns worked best, but I really don't remember how much they cost. Since they were marketed at bomb techs, I expect they were pretty pricey. "Paint it black, call it SWAT, a cop will buy it" translates to "Put an EOD crab on it and they'll buy it" in the bomb squad world.

 

[Rob]

Not sure if a Swamp Cooler would work on a bike. As for ATGATT, well just completely soak all of your gear and then go for a ride. When it dries find a quarter car was and re soak. Boy I'll tell you I should get paid for some of these ideas.

 

[Fred W]

Not sure if a Swamp Cooler would work on a bike. As for ATGATT, well just completely soak all of your gear and then go for a ride. When it dries find a quarter car was and re soak. Boy I'll tell you I should get paid for some of these ideas.

The way the thunder boomers have been rolling in every afternoon herein New England, soaking one's gear has not been an issue. I feel like I moved from New Hampshire to the tropics for gawds sake...

 

[v65]

Then ya stand up on the pegs fur a while....

That doesn't work so well these days, other cars will pace you waiting for the wheelie. Not so bad unless they happen to be police cars. Damn stunters.