How To: Build your own cool suit system (with pictures) (Page 1 of 2)

OK all, here is all the info I can provide on our system.  Ours has kind of evolved as we have seen what worked and what didn't.  The first one worked, but the ice didn't last long enough, and since Jay wouldn't let us add ice in the hot pits, we had to engineer a solution.  Racing in South Carolina in the summer w/o a driver cooling system is just not an option for us.  Feel free to ask any questions.  I'll be glad to help.

For an overview, the basics of a good system IMO are:

1. More ice = longer cool time.

A bigger cooler holds more ice. Fit every bit of ice you can get into that cooler.   Our first cooler was a 20 quart, but we stepped up to a 48 quart.  Yes, it is heavy, but you have to sacrifice something to avoid heatstroke right?

2. Block ice > crushed ice because it takes longer to melt. 

Crushed ice is easy, but it melts pretty quick.  Old 2-liter and 20 oz plastic bottles work well for making the ice blocks.  Freeze water in them and leave them in a separate cooler until the morning of the race.  When you are ready to start the race cut the plastic bottles off an just leave the ice.  If you leave the plastic it will actually insulate the ice from the water giving you less of a cooling affect.

3. Decrease the run time of the system.

Cycling the pump on and off helps the ice last longer as well.  Our cycling is done via an automatic programmable 12V timer, but you can do it manually just using a toggle switch as well.  In other words, switch it off when you aren't working as hard in the car (like during caution laps) and the ice will last longer. 

4. Make An Overflow Provision.

As the ice melts, the water will want to slosh out the lid in the turns.  Lots of teams were black-flagged during race for leaking water out of their cool-suit coolers because understandably the flaggers couldn’t tell the difference between leaking water and leaking fuel.  Sealing the lid sounds like a simple solution, but as I discovered that isn't as easy at it sounds.  I tried to make a gasket and it just wouldn’t hold up to the constant opening/closing of the lid.  Therefore I added an overflow tube (see it in the pics) that purges the excess water underneath the car.  Wait, you can’t spill water on the track right?  Well the trick is to locate the exit of the overflow tube directly over the exhaust piping.  When the cold water hits the hot pipe it turns to steam...thus no leakage on the track.   To make sure the tube hits the “right spot” I welded a pipe coupling to the floor and drilled a hole through it.  The vinyl tube is inserted into the coupling loosely so it is aimed properly and the cooler is still easy to remove.  BTW, it doesn’t piss water out onto the exhaust the entire time.  Assuming you locate the overflow at reasonable level, once the excess water has been purged it will be sustained at that point until you add more ice.

OK, now for the construction.  I'll try to describe what I did as best I can.  Here are the materials I used:

1. Cooler

I used a 48-quart cooler called "The Cube" made by Igloo.  It's a square “cube” (hence the name) and fits the car well. Costs about $25.  I used angle brackets bolted thru the sides of the cooler and sealed the holes with silicone where the bolts pass through the cooler.  The brackets are then bolted to (not thru) the floor via nuts welded to the floorboard.  I also added small latches to the lid to keep it closed.  Some use a ratchet strap to hold the cooler and/or lid in place, but that I do not like that method.  To each his own, just keep the lid and cooler secure in your car.

2. Pump

I used a simple Atwood brand 12 volt bilge pump from Walmart.  Cost was approx. $25. I attached it directly to the bottom of the cooler with screws.  I used silicone around the screws to prevent leakage.  In the pictures you will notice a small “cage” around the pump.  This is to prevent the heavy ice blocks from bashing against that little plastic pump and rendering it useless.  I actually used a wire basket from the dollar store, cut it to fit, and secured it to the cooler with screws and plastic wire clips.

3. Pipe Fittings

This is where you will have to just "figure it out".  I used standard NPT 3/8" fittings from Lowes for most of the plumbing in/out of the cooler itself.  I used brass adapters (see the pics) to go from the large pipe elbows to the smaller vinyl tubing.  You may have to use adapters or whatever.  Just make sure you seal everything to prevent leakage.  I just used marine-grade silicone from Wal-mart, but RTV will work just as well.

4. Hoses/Dry-break fittings

I was lucky and I started with an old EB-Ice system we got from Ebay so I already had the hoses to go from the cooler to the shirt.  You can use standard (1/4" IIRC) vinyl tubing from Lowes,  just remember you need to insulate it.  You can use regular foam pipe insulation for that.  I already had the correct "dry-break" hose fittings already, but you can buy them from McMaster-Carr on-line.  Do a search and you will find the appropriate part number from MMC.  Make the hoses long enough so the driver has some slack in the line.  Also they need to be routed to the driver’s left side if you are using the official Cool Shirt brand shirt because that is the side their hoses exit the shirt.

5. Cool-Shirt

You can try to build your own if you want, but we decided to pony-up and just go and buy the official "Cool Shirt" and be done with it.  It ain't cheap (about $140) but you won't regret it.  Some folks have been able to score a used one on Ebay, so look around and maybe you can do the same.  Also remember to buy the shirt one size SMALLER than your normal shirt size.  The cooling works much better when it tighter to your body.

One tip for people with one-piece fire suits, cut a slot slit inside your left pocket (assuming you have pockets) to route the cool shirt’s tubing outside your suit.  Obviously if you wear a two-piece fire suit routing the tubing won’t be an issue.

Build Pictures

Here are links to the pics of our setup.  Some are shown from the first version, but the only difference in the newer version is the cooler is larger.  Also you'll see the “cage” I added around the pump. 

Making the fittings

In/Out fittings to shirt for vinyl tubing

Sealing fittings inside the cooler

Another pic showing wiring to pump

Brackets to attach cooler to floorboard

Inside showing pump, in/out fittings, and overflow (top)

Cage to protect pump

Overflow tube

Overall view (version 1.0)