Helmet fan recomendation

[RandomRanger]

I'm looking to install some fans to my helmet for all the obvious reasons. Does anyone know if there are any particular fans that work well without costing a ton? I can lookup general laptop fans on amazon, but I feel like a number of those devices are price infalted because they're specific to some laptop model and in limited supply. I found this post from earlier in the year, but quite frankly didn't read through all of it as I didn't want to do a whole ducting system: Helmet Fans, Ducting, & Padding
The ones I'm finding sell for around $15-20, which seems like way too much for a simple fan.

Something like this: Miniature 5V Cooling Fan for Raspberry Pi (and Other Computers) but idk if I want a traditional fan style, or a blower style design.

What's your guy's experience with fans. What works, what doesn't?

 

[mkshane81]

I'm working on a couple helmet commissions now. Here is what I am going to be installing in those.

Dual Modular Ball Bearing 4500rpm Fan Kit With 2 Switches for Mounting in a Helmet / Mask for Trooping / Cosplay. - Etsy

This Costume Hats & Headpieces item by HenrysHelmetFans has 1243 favorites from Etsy shoppers. Ships from Preston, WA. Listed on Mar 5, 2024

www.etsy.com

 

[RandomRanger]

I'm working on a couple helmet commissions now. Here is what I am going to be installing in those.

Dual Modular Ball Bearing 4500rpm Fan Kit With 2 Switches for Mounting in a Helmet / Mask for Trooping / Cosplay. - Etsy

This Costume Hats & Headpieces item by HenrysHelmetFans has 1243 favorites from Etsy shoppers. Ships from Preston, WA. Listed on Mar 5, 2024

www.etsy.com

Those are a bit more expensive than what I was planning to pickup... but with the included wires, buttons, cables, and etc. it might just be worth it for the ease of setup Thanks for the share!

Update: I bought these: Dual Modular Ball Bearing 5500rpm Fan Kit for mounting in a helmet , costume, mascot , cosplay . same product but with faster fans for an extra $0.50, thanks for the recommendation, these look great!

 

[mkshane81]

Happy to help! I didn't even see those kits, and they're by the same supplier! Good find.

-Matt

 

[Frozensnot]

I love the kit! I like that it has the usb attachment. Looks super easy to use too! For my helmet, I used a small 12v blower fan like the kit presented earlier, stripped the wiring, soldered it to a battery pack and called it good. You can find a 50mm x 50mm x 15mm blower fan for a decent price on ebay. Amazon sells them too.

I like the blower fans because I can direct air flow in a certain direction. For example, I have my blower fan pointed towards my visor. Can't really do that with a traditional fan.

 

[RandomRanger]

I love the kit! I like that it has the usb attachment. Looks super easy to use too! For my helmet, I used a small 12v blower fan like the kit presented earlier, stripped the wiring, soldered it to a battery pack and called it good. You can find a 50mm x 50mm x 15mm blower fan for a decent price on ebay. Amazon sells them too.

I like the blower fans because I can direct air flow in a certain direction. For example, I have my blower fan pointed towards my visor. Can't really do that with a traditional fan.

Dang, this is what I was originally looking for... oh well, I've got a neat kit on the way now.

 

[merc4now]

Those are a bit more expensive than what I was planning to pickup... but with the included wires, buttons, cables, and etc. it might just be worth it for the ease of setup Thanks for the share!

Update: I bought these: Dual Modular Ball Bearing 5500rpm Fan Kit for mounting in a helmet , costume, mascot , cosplay . same product but with faster fans for an extra $0.50, thanks for the recommendation, these look great!

I might order these later this week, any ideal how loud they are in person?

 

[RandomRanger]

I might order these later this week, any ideal how loud they are in person?

I haven't recieved them yet, so I haven't heard them. If I had to guess though, given that they're 5500rpm, I'm gonna bet they're relatively loud and high pitched, but that also depends on how well my Raspberry Pi can deliver power to it. I'll let you know for sure once I have them setup.

 

[Elcorio]

I'm looking to install some fans to my helmet for all the obvious reasons. Does anyone know if there are any particular fans that work well without costing a ton? I can lookup general laptop fans on amazon, but I feel like a number of those devices are price infalted because they're specific to some laptop model and in limited supply. I found this post from earlier in the year, but quite frankly didn't read through all of it as I didn't want to do a whole ducting system: Helmet Fans, Ducting, & Padding
The ones I'm finding sell for around $15-20, which seems like way too much for a simple fan.

Something like this: Miniature 5V Cooling Fan for Raspberry Pi (and Other Computers) but idk if I want a traditional fan style, or a blower style design.

What's your guy's experience with fans. What works, what doesn't?

RandomRanger That post you referenced was mine and here is the link to the actual product I purchased. A pack of JST connectors and a portable battery bank for a few more dollars, and old USB cable to carry power, and your all set. I only used 2 of those fans in my helmet, dissected one to get measurements for the ducting and still have two more.

Total fan set up for me was probably a total cost of about $25.00.

Amazon.com

My fan set up is practically the same thing as the kits. Just far cheaper since I pieced it together myself and did all my own wiring.

 

[Jocko03]

So, Elcorio how loud is it in your helmet?

 

[Elcorio]

With the placement of the fans in the helmet (front & rear), it wasn't bad at all. Obviously there was a constant humming, but I also had a wireless lapel mic mounted inside the helmet and you couldn't hear the fans in the voice amplifier mounted in my chest piece. My wife served as my handler for the con and she would just tap my arm and tell me to turn around to take a picture and I could hear her just fine without her having to raise her voice at all. When people would ask me to take pictures with them, I could hear them just fine. However, I also cut out the small square areas at the back of the visor and put some computer mesh over those to somewhat give me an open area in the helmet that was closest to my ears.

I used a cell phone decibel meter app with the fans running and it showed 65db which was the equivalent of a conversation.

Long story short...................they weren't loud at all for me.

 

[Dirtdives2424]

So, Elcorio how loud is it in your helmet?

WHAT?!?! EH?!?!