Air-conditioned motorcycle helmet
- PostedPublished 12 September 2018
Hawaiian inventor Steve Feher, who pioneered the technology that provides the seat cooling now commonplace in luxury cars, has adapted it for motorcycle helmets.
The Feher ACH-1 is claimed to be the first self-contained air-conditioned motorcycle helmet and is already on sale in the United States, where it costs the equivalent of $A820, and reportedly has relevant type approvals for sale and use in the Australasian market.
Using a thermoelectric pump to dehumidify and cool air inside the helmet, It is claimed to reduce temperatures from the rear of the head to the forehead by up to 10-15 degrees in warm conditions, and should also reduce visor fogging.
Ambient air is drawn in through a vent at the top rear of the helmet, then cooled air is circulated through what Feher calls Tubular Spacer Fabric before being exhausted from a vent at the lower rear of the helmet. It otherwise lacks regular vents.
Power is drawn from the bike’s 12V system via a quick-release cable, or third-party batteries can also be used.
Because there is no in-built power source, the Feher ACH-1 weighs 1.4kg, which is around the same as a regular full-face helmet. Feher says it is produced in conjunction with a “leading helmet developer and manufacturer”.
- CategoriesIn SightGlass
- Tagsair-conditioning, SightGlass News Issue 14