DIY Coolshirt systems

V

VWRalf

Well-known member
Bought myself a Coolshirt Systems shirt, but will be using one of the medical cooling units that are for sale all over the internet for a lot cheaper than the Coolshirt System unit.
For those of you that have used the Donjoy or Breg medical units, how did you control the voltage? Their voltage inputs are 6-7 Volts. Can they handle 12V and has anybody used a variable voltage regulator to control flow/cooling rate?
Thanks.
 
I did the medical unit from ebay about 12 years ago.

I used one of those cigarette lighter plugs with a switch for various voltages on it. None were exact but close enough.

But I found the flow to be too little and ended up making a cooler with a bulge pump in it.

Kyle
 
Easy and cheap: a "Coleman Personal 8" beverage cooler (the handle swings down and locks the lid down on this unit), some added weatherstrip to seal the lid, and a cheap solid-state Facet/Purolator electric fuel pump screwed to the outside, with a few fittings and bits of hose and a toggle switch. Secure it down with small cargo straps to help hold the lid tight. Add ice and water. Used one for many years. I did drain it after each weekend, then ran a few ounces of isopropyl alcohol thru the pump only, followed by a squirt of WD-40. The pump never rusted...
 
I already bought a Breg Polar Care unit that takes 6 Volts. Just wondered, for those that used a similar unit, what your solution was to bring voltage down from 12V. (Or if those motors can handle 12V and last.)
 
I built one for my SM and learned that you absolutely must buy a cooler with a real built in lid gasket.....they are called dry boxes. Engel is a good brand is this is the exact unit I purchased:

http://www.amazon.com/Engel-USA-Cooler- ... dry+cooler


Otherwise the lateral G's slosh water all over the place making a mess and distracting the driver.....never mind losing the water! This is a $50+ cooler but well worth it. A side benefit is that the insulation is MUCH better on these high quality coolers so the ice lasts longer. Joel may be an exception but every other person I've talked to that tried to fabricate their own effective gasket failed and wished they had spent another $30 on a dry box. You could duct tape the lid as well but that is pretty half assed IMHO.

All the rest of the stuff is a no brainer except be sure to route all of the tubes and electrical outlets out the top lid.......that way you don't have to deal with sealing and gasketing to hold the water in. Just leave a little slack so you can open it and service the pump if needed.
 
One more small trick I learned the hard way.....even though the boat bilge pump (using a submerged pump is superior since it is mainly self priming in nature....but not 100%) I used was totally submerged I sometimes lost the prime and no water would flow to the shirt.

To resolve, drill a small .060" diameter hole in the underwater outlet fitting that feeds the hose to the shirt. Yes you will lose a little water to the shirt and into the reservoir but the pump has much more flow capacity than you actually need to remain fabulously frigid.

You won't lose the prime this way........and the hose becomes self draining after you dump the ice and water.

Some time ago I also posted a schematic of a simple $10 variable speed pump motor controller ..........but honestly once I hooked everything up I aways ran the motor at WOT. SM's are HOT inside.
 
Used a readily available round cooler from WalMart type stores. Usually with Gator Aid logos on it. Three gallon size, round, barrel shaped cooler, with a screw on lid. That screw on lid solved the problem of leakage. Placed the in/out water tubes on the sidewall, just below the top mounting segment. Used an elastic net, with included hooks, used for a motorcycle cargo rack, to secure it. Placed eye bolts on the mounting deface to attach the net hooks.
 
Don't worry about size of cooler. after some calculations of my own i had my HVAC engineer ck and a small amount of ice, 6 pack size cooler, will easily make a race. His concern was frost bite until i explained how hot it can get. as to tube i used clear vinyl from home center. i also made, with my mother's help, the shirt from irrigation drip tube.
 
VWRalf":3o0n65ff said:
Bought myself a Coolshirt Systems shirt, but will be using one of the medical cooling units that are for sale all over the internet for a lot cheaper than the Coolshirt System unit.
For those of you that have used the Donjoy or Breg medical units, how did you control the voltage? Their voltage inputs are 6-7 Volts. Can they handle 12V and has anybody used a variable voltage regulator to control flow/cooling rate?
Thanks.
Click to expand...

We initially bought one of the Coolshirt bag/pump setups not thinking we needed too much cooling. A family member had a medical unit sitting around and I did remove the variable resister and switch it over to a 12V cigarette lighter feed. It handles 12 volts fine. As noted above the lid does not have a seal like a proper Coolshirt setup. By using some Home Depot foam seal we get about a 90% seal as long as the lid is bungied down. The hose ends on our unit were compatible with the Coolshirt. Total price was a few bucks since we had the free medical pump setup.
 
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