Cooling Vest

[bluestratos]

I suffer a lot from heat, something to do with being a diabetic. I purchased a cooling vest which has tubing stitched into it and then plugs into a an ice filled cooler. The one that came with it was less than ideal so i bought a new 30 quart hard cooler with a plastic liner. I transferred the pump and plumbing into this which makes for the perfect set up. I have a spare power outlet built into the aftermarket seat heater so I pick up the power off of that.

The system works by putting a bag of ice into it followed by a quart of ice. Depending on how long it is used it will last about 3-5 hours on a bag of ice. I am now looking for a drain valve so I can quickly empty the water out when I am done or need to add another bag of ice.

I can see that running it all the time would be too cold on some days and reaching around back to pull/reinsert the power plug would be a pain so I built a timer that allows me to cycle the pump on an off: 3 minutes on, 2 minutes off. I also installed a mini three way toggle switch that allows me to go to full on, timer on and off. I will have to fine tune the timer cycles but it is easy to set. I am looking forward to mother nature turning up the heat now

 

[Grandpot]

Who makes the vest?

 

[wyliec]

I suffer a lot from heat, something to do with being a diabetic. I purchased a cooling vest which has tubing stitched into it and then plugs into a an ice filled cooler. The one that came with it was less than ideal so i bought a new 30 quart hard cooler with a plastic liner. I transferred the pump and plumbing into this which makes for the perfect set up. I have a spare power outlet built into the aftermarket seat heater so I pick up the power off of that.

The system works by putting a bag of ice into it followed by a quart of ice. Depending on how long it is used it will last about 3-5 hours on a bag of ice. I am now looking for a drain valve so I can quickly empty the water out when I am done or need to add another bag of ice.

I can see that running it all the time would be too cold on some days and reaching around back to pull/reinsert the power plug would be a pain so I built a timer that allows me to cycle the pump on an off: 3 minutes on, 2 minutes off. I also installed a mini three way toggle switch that allows me to go to full on, timer on and off. I will have to fine tune the timer cycles but it is easy to set. I am looking forward to mother nature turning up the heat now

That sounds like a great set up.:thumbup: Just wondering if you had tried a cooling vest that you wetted before wearing, and found that it didn't work well in your climate, and being a diabetic.

 

[Chupaca]

Wow...!

Looks like you have worked out all the short commings of the vest. You are now truly ready to face the heat of the summer. Where there's a will there's a way and you have found it. Let us know how it works out for you and maybe the time setting you finally settle on. Congrats...:2thumbs: enjoy some cool summer rydes....

 

[bluestratos]

Cool Shirt systems but there are several suppliers that you will find on My Cooling Store. I found one that looks like a motorcycle vest from a distance so a bit more in tune with what I wanted but they sell several different varieties.

I have tried the shirts you just wet down but several reasons I did into like them. On a bike the hot dry wind drys it very quickly and when you first put it on you get cold water shock and the wet shirt feels awful. This system starts out at room temp then cools as it starts to pump. Much better way to go

Who makes the vest?

 

[pitzerwm]

Pixs??

 

[Bfromla]

Anything like this? http://entrosys.com

 

[KX5062]

My wife suffers greatly in extreme warm weather, so I bought her this.

http://www.veskimo.com/

It works pretty well, but the cooling does not last as long as promised. About an hour in 100* temps is about it. If you're at 110*, which we've done by accident not intentionally, less than that. However, when it's running it works as advertised. Blocks of ice work much better than cubes, but trying to find blocks the right size on the road is almost impossible.

 

[markyodo]

The cold/hot reusable jel bead packs work well.
I am now looking to make my own custom sealed pouches which will slip inside the jacket liner, or attach with Velcro.
You can get packs of jel beads (15k - 25k) for less than $20. I plan on using the food saver pouches to store them in.

 

[pitzerwm]

The cold/hot reusable jel bead packs work well.
I am now looking to make my own custom sealed pouches which will slip inside the jacket liner, or attach with Velcro.
You can get packs of jel beads (15k - 25k) for less than $20. I plan on using the food saver pouches to store them in.

This what we did, with the gel beads. $20 for 3-4 pounds, that is enough for 20 vest. Get them wet/soaked then put in freezer. We rode on a 115f day and they lasted 2-3 hours. They still were working but we got where we were going. Just wet they work but not as long. Just to keep the vest from getting wet, the gel bags are in a sandwich bag.

I know ugly, but worn under the jacket no one sees them.:roflblack:

 

[markyodo]

This what we did, with the gel beads. $20 for 3-4 pounds, that is enough for 20 vest. Get them wet/soaked then put in freezer. We rode on a 115f day and they lasted 2-3 hours. They still were working but we got where we were going. Just wet they work but not as long. Just to keep the vest from getting wet, the gel bags are in a sandwich bag.
I know ugly, but worn under the jacket no one sees them.:roflblack:

From what I have read the magic formula is 1 cup rubbing alcohol for 2 cups water + silica beads.

Here is someone who made an entire jacket.

 

[bluestratos]

That is what I was trying to buy but they are sold out and on anther web site they say they went out of buisness so I had to take the next best thing.

Anything like this? http://entrosys.com

 

[bluestratos]

That is very simular to what I bought. My ice box was about the same size so I made my own that holds 30 quarts of ice to last longer. Luckily we don't find too many 100 degree days around this area so ice will last much longer.

My wife suffers greatly in extreme warm weather, so I bought her this.

http://www.veskimo.com/

It works pretty well, but the cooling does not last as long as promised. About an hour in 100* temps is about it. If you're at 110*, which we've done by accident not intentionally, less than that. However, when it's running it works as advertised. Blocks of ice work much better than cubes, but trying to find blocks the right size on the road is almost impossible.

 

[Bfromla]

My wife suffers greatly in extreme warm weather, so I bought her this.

http://www.veskimo.com/

It works pretty well, but the cooling does not last as long as promised. About an hour in 100* temps is about it. If you're at 110*, which we've done by accident not intentionally, less than that. However, when it's running it works as advertised. Blocks of ice work much better than cubes, but trying to find blocks the right size on the road is almost impossible.

Can u subsitute the ice? Some reusable freezer packs or dry ice maybe? I use to just use a camelback for most my needs. Airshows & few 1k mile summer trips. But now on spyder ive tripled my average distance honestly haven't done much past W of FT WORTH TX yet. (Fun loop round Dallas -Houston- back home)But know it will be no problem. Just planning


I wasn't there but I still care! POW /MIA VETS

 

[gparr]

I use the Glacier Tek cooling vest...a little expensive but does the job VERY well!!!

http://store.coolvest.com

 

[SPECTACUALR SPIDERMAN]

i bought a cooling vest last year from revzilla, it works for me