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Anybody tried a snorkel system in helmet?


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Had my first outing in my Battlefront Shock Trooper this weekend. Despite having a fan fitted in the helmet, the fact that the frown is filled-in means there is less than normal airflow, causing really stifling conditions.

So I was thinking of fitting a small flexible tube, venting to the underside of the helmet, with a mesh cap so I don't inhale flies (!), which I can use to breathe through. It won't be visible outside, but I'm thinking that at least it would keep moist air out of the helmet and allow me to breathe fresh air.

Anyone tried this?

Edited by humperdingle
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I have never ever heard of anything like this. Well, I guess you could try it out. Let us know how it works for you.

No, me neither! It just sounds too simple, no?

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It would likely work, but I don't see it as a huge improvement over a simple fan system.

Ā 

It would definitely make talking a bit harder. ;)

Yeh, but the fan really just circulated the warm, humid air around the helmet, so I was still re-breathing the same air most of the time.

Ā 

Gonna get me some clear tubing :)

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Keep in mind that a snorkel is an inch in id. And if you breath in and out you are getting less oxygen unless you breath slow and exhale lots. Pro athletes train on bikes and treadmills so their bodies get used to reduced o2. The last thing you want while wearing armour is a CO2 hit and pass out.

Ā 

If you're just going to breath in the tube and out your nose...just do that without the snorkel. Stick some towel material in where your breath hits and it well soak up some moisture. Use one fan owing up and one blowing down...well two up on eyes and one or two blowing down. This will circulate the air. The bottom of your helmet shouldn't make a seal with your neck seal and shoulders.

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Yeah, it could work. But I imagine that it might become a bit annoying. But hey, just get a tank and a regulator. You could be the first scuba diving Stormtrooper. ;)

He'd want a rebreather. He'd still be breathing out warm moist air.
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Also..

One fan? Ones never enough unless it's a tusken.

In Scotland I'm surprised he even needs 1 fan!

Ā 

In all seriousness 1 fan should be okay in this fine gaggle of nations of ours. Ā I have 2 but only run 1, even when trooping the Excel and on a warm day. The Excel was actually warmer than the nice day and 1 fan was still fine.

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In Scotland I'm surprised he even needs 1 fan!

Ā 

In all seriousness 1 fan should be okay in this fine gaggle of nations of ours. Ā I have 2 but only run 1, even when trooping the Excel and on a warm day. The Excel was actually warmer than the nice day and 1 fan was still fine.

Ā 

Honestly, I often only run one of my two fans here in SoCal.Ā  Only on the warmest days do I fire up fan #2.Ā  (makes it harder to hear, so 1 is usually adequate)

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In Scotland I'm surprised he even needs 1 fan!

Ā 

In all seriousness 1 fan should be okay in this fine gaggle of nations of ours. I have 2 but only run 1, even when trooping the Excel and on a warm day. The Excel was actually warmer than the nice day and 1 fan was still fine.

It's really just for indoor gigs. The weekend one got fairly busy. More bodies, more moist air, less airflow etc. Outside in Scotland isn't a problem. On the two rain-free days we get a year :D
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Keep in mind that a snorkel is an inch in id. And if you breath in and out you are getting less oxygen unless you breath slow and exhale lots. Pro athletes train on bikes and treadmills so their bodies get used to reduced o2. The last thing you want while wearing armour is a CO2 hit and pass out.

If you're just going to breath in the tube and out your nose...just do that without the snorkel. Stick some towel material in where your breath hits and it well soak up some moisture. Use one fan owing up and one blowing down...well two up on eyes and one or two blowing down. This will circulate the air. The bottom of your helmet shouldn't make a seal with your neck seal and shoulders.

Interesting stuff!

Must admit, I was going to use maybe 1/2" tubing, fixed with velcro and positioned in such a way that it can be pushed out of the way to speak or whatever.

I really don't want to overthink it :D If it works, great, if not, no loss.

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Get a handful of McDonald's straws and tape them together in a half inch bundle. Breathe through for dive minutes.

Ā 

A better idea would be a intake fan with a hose run down the chest armour and poking out the bottom of the side under the belt. Let it suck fresh air in that way maybe. Our royal guards wear fans on their legs that blow up into torso and helm. Same idea.

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Get a handful of McDonald's straws and tape them together in a half inch bundle. Breathe through for dive minutes.

A better idea would be a intake fan with a hose run down the chest armour and poking out the bottom of the side under the belt. Let it suck fresh air in that way maybe. Our royal guards wear fans on their legs that blow up into torso and helm. Same idea.

Aaw yeh, forgot I had bendy straws!
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Keep in mind that a snorkel is an inch in id. And if you breath in and out you are getting less oxygen unless you breath slow and exhale lots. Pro athletes train on bikes and treadmills so their bodies get used to reduced o2. The last thing you want while wearing armour is a CO2 hit and pass out.

Ā 

If you're just going to breath in the tube and out your nose...just do that without the snorkel. Stick some towel material in where your breath hits and it well soak up some moisture. Use one fan owing up and one blowing down...well two up on eyes and one or two blowing down. This will circulate the air. The bottom of your helmet shouldn't make a seal with your neck seal and shoulders.

You know, the more I read this, the more I think I disagree with it.

Ā 

For one thing, your NOSE is often less than 1" diameter (combined). Further, scuba divers use regulators with the same size opening as a snorkel every day. It's really not a problem. The only time that would be an exception would be for extreme sports where you may be seriously gasping for air as you overexert yourself. But for regular tasks, where you're not doing more than moderately heavy breathing, there is zero issue with the restriction.

Ā 

As to the increased co2 retention, there is some truth to that, but considering the small size snorkel under discussion (much shorter than your average 12-16" snorkel used for the ocean), the small amount of extra co2 would be negligible.

Ā 

There might be other reasons why this doesn't work out, but the size of the breathing tube and added co2 are not among them. Not on dry land with large amounts of ambient oxygen readily available.

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Air is delivered under pressure by mouth in scuba. Nose is not used even in a full face mask. Your nose is an inch long. All the co2 in it is expelled at speed and volume when you exhale normally. You also don't have a restriction like a tube condensing the gasses. Co2 is heavier than 02. It won't travel as far in a tube, a moist tube reducing the inner diameter even more from breath, and will be rebreathed. People over breathe snorkels all the time on the surface. People over breath regulators under water as well. I've done it. I've rescued people who've done it.

Ā 

If he uses a really short tube down and out the neck just to inhale and then breathes out his nose, should be fine except vapour build up.

Ā 

Wearing restrictive armour, in a hot day, will add to the work of breathing. Air in a tube has dead space to overcome ...basically air that doesn't contribute to gas exchange. People have tried to use really long snorkels...and passed out. Any more than about half a meter and it is really hard to suck good air down and you end up exhaling like mad to clear all that crappy air.

Ā 

Scuba delivers gas at ambient pressure so there is no gradient to overcome. Re breathers recycle the gas with less than 21% oxygen on the surface and add o2 to bring it back up to safe breathing.

Ā 

But, he's above water, and his tube will be a foot long hopefully not bend around any corners. A larger tube will work better than a narrow tube.

Ā 

But no better than a fan.

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Been sitting here for about 10 minutes, perusing the web, watching crud on TV, breathing through my 5 drinking straws...<br><br>

Perfectly comfortable :D<br><br>

I reckon this could be worth a go.

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Air is delivered under pressure by mouth in scuba. Nose is not used even in a full face mask. Your nose is an inch long. All the co2 in it is expelled at speed and volume when you exhale normally. You also don't have a restriction like a tube condensing the gasses. Co2 is heavier than 02. It won't travel as far in a tube, a moist tube reducing the inner diameter even more from breath, and will be rebreathed. People over breathe snorkels all the time on the surface. People over breath regulators under water as well. I've done it. I've rescued people who've done it.

Ā 

If he uses a really short tube down and out the neck just to inhale and then breathes out his nose, should be fine except vapour build up.

Ā 

Wearing restrictive armour, in a hot day, will add to the work of breathing. Air in a tube has dead space to overcome ...basically air that doesn't contribute to gas exchange. People have tried to use really long snorkels...and passed out. Any more than about half a meter and it is really hard to suck good air down and you end up exhaling like mad to clear all that crappy air.

Ā 

Scuba delivers gas at ambient pressure so there is no gradient to overcome. Re breathers recycle the gas with less than 21% oxygen on the surface and add o2 to bring it back up to safe breathing.

Ā 

But, he's above water, and his tube will be a foot long hopefully not bend around any corners. A larger tube will work better than a narrow tube.

Ā 

But no better than a fan.

I'm a Dive Master. I'm well aware of the gas exchanges involved.

Ā 

I would agree that it's not really better than a fan, but for the SHORT "snorkel" outlined, I don't see any issue. And it's not like he can't spit it out and suck regular ambient air if needed.

Ā 

In short, I don't see this as being a particularly effective option, but I don't see it causing any worrisome problems, either.

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Hi Mark,

I modified the Mic Tips of my helmet to air intakes and installed fans behind them. The result is a constant supply of fresh air from the outside. Might work with your helmet too.

Check my build thread to see how I built it.

Cheers

Christian

Edited by Novak Dimon
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Hi Mark,

I modified the Mic Tips of my helmet to air intakes and installed fans behind them. The result is a constant supply of fresh air from the outside. Might work with your helmet too.

Check my build thread to see how I built it.

Cheers

Christian

I'd thought about that but considered it was complex? I'll take a look :) Thanks.
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What about this. http://www.fogthief.com/

Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk

Yeh, that looks alright. Would be a pain if you also wanted the option of speaking, though? I reckon a short section of clear tubing would work the same, at a fraction of the cost. Also, you really want something easy to clean or even disposable, to stop any bacterial growth.
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