Fresh air systems...

[Blazer]

Can anyone shed any and all info on fresh air systems? I have done some research and still questioning the pros and cons.
I'm looking for everything from brand preferences, mounting, to seat/helmet situation.

I use an ISP seat with head supports. Assuming side mounted intake on the helmet would be an issue.

Are these things easy to disconnect in case of emergency exit?

Any maintenance involved for them?

Apologies for broad questions.
Thanks for your time!
-Coty

[diirk]

Well, there are helmets available with a top mount inlet, if that's required.

We use a tie wrap to help our hoses stay on the helmets, but the fit is loose enough that a tug will pull it right off. There's enough slack that it stays on over the course of the race.

The air filters on the pumpers need to be checked/cleaned/replaced as part of your maintenance routine.

[retroblazer]

What do you want to know exactly? First, imho, each person should have their own blower. Second, blower placement is important, depending upon whether you are putting the blower in an enclosed cab or an open buggy. Blowers can be set-up for remote air pick-up if you want to mount the blower in a hot or dusty location or to keep the weight of the blower lower in the car. For long distance use, I recommend squirrel cage blowers over in-lines, as the heat from the motor will be contained in the airstream.

[racer56]

If you are going to use a seat with side head supports, you will need to use a helmet with a top air inlet. I personally don't think a seat with side head supports would be good to use in off road racing.

[retroblazer]

One of the best buys in helmets is the G-Force Air. The air circulation is excellent from the factory, although any helmet will benefit from minor tweeking with some foam and a hot glue gun. Some helmets have no air at the shield and all of it at the mouth or the opposite. A little foam tape or rigid foam can re-direct the flow to where you want it.

[retroblazer]

I don't recommend zip tying the hose on your helmet. A properly fitting hose end shouldn't be falling off. I have rigged up a Velcro strap from the hose onto the helmet just to make sure I didn't unintentionally pull the hose off. There are two types of fitting harder plastic and dip molded plastic. My preference is dip molded, like parker pumper or fresh air systems. Hoses are plastic and will burn, so best to cover them at least until the last foot or 18 inches. Since you're in a hot part of the country, keep in mind there are very effective and cheap coolers that will drop the temp by 24-35 F degrees on ice.

[AZ1000]

One of the best buys in helmets is the G-Force Air. The air circulation is excellent from the factory, although any helmet will benefit from minor tweeking with some foam and a hot glue gun. Some helmets have no air at the shield and all of it at the mouth or the opposite. A little foam tape or rigid foam can re-direct the flow to where you want it.

I wore my SA rated HJC at BAP on Saturday, I could not keep my glasses from fogging up, very poor air flow, switched back to my M rated Shoie for Sunday, worked great. I need to tweak on the HJC. Needs more venting, definetly.
SNORE allows the Shoie's for this year.

[M.Harvey1600]

I wore my SA rated HJC at BAP on Saturday, I could not keep my glasses from fogging up, very poor air flow, switched back to my M rated Shoie for Sunday, worked great. I need to tweak on the HJC. Needs more venting, definetly.
SNORE allows the Shoie's for this year.

the HJC also has a poor seal... have heard it from many owners so its not just my carbon helmet... it lets dust and gravel in through the face mask sometimes... my next helmet will either be a pyrotech carbon fiber or an Impact... not sure yet!!!

[AZ45]

While they last, we have Bell Vortex 2 Helmets on sale from 599.95 to 399.95. It's a great helmet! I've worn one for years and think the fit, finish and air flow as the best you can buy in a sub 1000.00 helmet.

[diirk]

It's not a bad helmet. We have a few of them. The padding could be a little better, and finding room for the comm can be a little challenging. But, it can't be too bad because we keep buying them. I think they're tops in the "bang for the buck" category. BTW, they're also sold under a number of other names....

[Wendell #527]

I don't recommend zip tying the hose on your helmet. A properly fitting hose end shouldn't be falling off. I have rigged up a Velcro strap from the hose onto the helmet just to make sure I didn't unintentionally pull the hose off. There are two types of fitting harder plastic and dip molded plastic. My preference is dip molded, like parker pumper or fresh air systems. Hoses are plastic and will burn, so best to cover them at least until the last foot or 18 inches. Since you're in a hot part of the country, keep in mind there are very effective and cheap coolers that will drop the temp by 24-35 F degrees on ice.

I agree with your other comment about using a separate blower for each occupant. I tried the 150 CFM unit with a Y on it for two people, but there wasn't enough air flow. Two 100 CFM blowers works good---one for each guy. With my HJC helmets, no zip tie is necessary. They fit plenty snug by themselves. However, some of my friends have other helmets and their hoses fit too loosely. There apparently is not a standard size to those fittings on the side of the helmets. To use my friends' helmets, they HAVE to zip tie or duct tape it or it wouldn't stay on. I also found that the little paper filters you get cheap at race shops don't work for very long. Use a better screen type of filter and it will last longer. The filters we use are actually designed for an air compressor and they don't clog up until about 100 miles of silt. I'm interested in the coolers, though. I don't have the amps available to run a real cool air system, but I was considering something with ice. Do you have a recommendation?

[retroblazer]

the HJC also has a poor seal... have heard it from many owners so its not just my carbon helmet... it lets dust and gravel in through the face mask sometimes... my next helmet will either be a pyrotech carbon fiber or an Impact... not sure yet!!!

Additional foam around the eyeport can work wonders. Bell has the best foam tape for the purpose. They will sell you a little strip in a bag. Next best is open cell, sticky back foam that you can find at any hardware store. It's a couple of bucks per role, so it's not a bad idea to replace it every time you race.

[M.Harvey1600]

yeah I know a lot of people that had parker pumper put the foam tape on their helmets and they still get a ton of dust in the face... IDK wut 2 do

[retroblazer]

yeah I know a lot of people that had parker pumper put the foam tape on their helmets and they still get a ton of dust in the face... IDK wut 2 do

It's true, there is a big difference between how helmets seal. The motorcycle based helmets, like the Shoei's, are built with eye port seals and injection molded shields designed to stop wind noise. Most Simpson/Bell/Impact race helmet shields are vacuum formed and are not as precise of a fit. The Bell Vortex however is one of the better helmets with respect to visor sealing because it features a recessed gasket channel all the way around the eye-port. The reason a lot of helmets have sealing problems is that there isn't enough room between the shield and the helmet to get a foam tape seal.
You mentioned your friends having problems with having dirt pass though around the eye-port on a Parker Pumper helmet. Although it is convenient to use a Velcro strap on the shield, unless the shield is preloaded into the eye-port gasket, at speed the dirt will push through. Ideally, at the bottom of the eye-port is two layers of foam tape. The first would be closed cell, then open. The closed cell will stop most of the dirt migration and water.

One last note on dust in the helmet. A lot of it comes from the helmet blower. I haven't tried the 3M Filtrete product as a filter pre-wrap, but it appears to be a no brainer, but I would only try this on a 150cfm blower for fear of losing too much air flow. I used to use Filtrete for the filters on the helmet mounted fans.

[AZ45]

It's not a bad helmet. We have a few of them. The padding could be a little better, and finding room for the comm can be a little challenging. But, it can't be too bad because we keep buying them. I think they're tops in the "bang for the buck" category. BTW, they're also sold under a number of other names....

WHat helmet are you talking about?

[diirk]

WHat helmet are you talking about?

Bell Vortex 2. I was replying to your post.

[AZ45]

I thought so, but I didn't understand the "they're also sold under a number of other names" part.

[diirk]

I thought so, but I didn't understand the "they're also sold under a number of other names" part.

Fair enough. I think I was confusing the Vortex with the M2, which, in my understanding is rebranded for a number of other mfg's. Sorry if I added to any confusion.

[AZ45]

I know that Pyrotech says there helmet is the same as the M2, which it is not. The Pyrotech is made in China, the Bell is made in the USA. Also, the Bell and Pyrotech take differant shields which would mean they are not the same.

[CaptinCrash]

what are squirrel cage blowers

[retroblazer]

what are squirrel cage blowers

There are two primary types of blowers used in racing. The first and most common is a "squirrel cage" blower. It gets its name from the fact that the "fan blades" look more like a treadmill for a hampster, or squirrel. In this type of blower, the motor is outside of the airflow. Most of the blowers are made by ITT Jabsco and comes in two outputs, 105 cfm and 150cfm. The second type of blower is an in-line blower, which is basicly an overgrown hairdryer fan. The blade looks like a convetional fan blade and the motor is located in the airstream. The primary use of the blowers are in the marine industry for use in evacuating fumes from the engine compartment, or bilge blowers.
There are pluses and minuses to both. The squirel cage blowers will typically generate more pressure and are quieter and have advantage of not introducing more heat into the airstream. An inline has the advantage of being lighter and more compact.
As a general guide I recommend one blower per person. However, if you going to supply two people with air from one blower, use the 150 cfm.

[Ramsey_ElWardani]

Don't forget to use a "Skirt" to seal the bottom of the helmet, creating positive presure in the helmet to help keep dust out.

[Demp]

I wore my SA rated HJC at BAP on Saturday, I could not keep my glasses from fogging up, very poor air flow, switched back to my M rated Shoie for Sunday, worked great. I need to tweak on the HJC. Needs more venting, definetly.
SNORE allows the Shoie's for this year.

I use SCOTT MX Anti Fog Goggle Spray on the inside of my visor and my glasses ;)

[glamiskid395]

I have an arai helmet I picked up from Parker pumper for half price, it was made for a short course guy but wasn't the right color. I've used it twice, both times the shield has got dust build up inside, I'm guess it's from a bad filter on the blower, I'll find out when my truck is finished.

[racer56]

I have an arai helmet I picked up from Parker pumper for half price, it was made for a short course guy but wasn't the right color. I've used it twice, both times the shield has got dust build up inside, I'm guess it's from a bad filter on the blower, I'll find out when my truck is finished.

Are you sure it's not the seal around the visor?

[glamiskid395]

Are you sure it's not the seal around the visor?

Right where it seals the visor is clean. So does that answer your question?

[racer56]

Right where it seals the visor is clean. So does that answer your question?

No, make sure that when your visor is down, there is no gap in between the visor and seal. If there is a gap, you might have to replace the visor seal or adjust the visor pivots so there is no gap.

[glamiskid395]

No, make sure that when your visor is down, there is no gap in between the visor and seal. If there is a gap, you might have to replace the visor seal or adjust the visor pivots so there is no gap.

There's no gap there.

[Shannon]

What do you want to know exactly? First, imho, each person should have their own blower. Second, blower placement is important, depending upon whether you are putting the blower in an enclosed cab or an open buggy. Blowers can be set-up for remote air pick-up if you want to mount the blower in a hot or dusty location or to keep the weight of the blower lower in the car. For long distance use, I recommend squirrel cage blowers over in-lines, as the heat from the motor will be contained in the airstream.



Yes location is key, try not to mount to close to the fuel cell or overflow, been there done that, let me tell after racing through Baja for hours tasting fuel sucks!!!! On my build I bought 2 high flow(for 2 people) I'm going to plumb 1 driver 1 passenger then plumb them to together for as much fresh air as I can get!!! + if you have battery-voltage issues you could shut one off and still have air.


P.S. Don't put it where you can smell your farts either, hahahha....