Fans
Hard drive fan - [ front view of fan ] - [ side view of fan ]
Using it in a head (thanks, Diadexxus!) [ 9v battery, adaptor and splice ] - [ inside the head, showing splice and fan ]
Matrices' method of using fans in the head - http://www.matrices.net/fans.asp
From: Lex Nakashima
Subject: Staying cool/fans/cutting fur
Re: using fans to stay cool:
Flinthoof suggested the use of the tiny, quiet fans used to cool cpu's in computers. An excellent suggestion! They can be pricey if purchased at name-electronic stores: look for an electronics or computer surplus store. I've gotten them for about $8-10, and I've heard of folks getting them for even less. The ones I'm trying are about and inch square and about a quarter inch thick. Since they are usually around twelve volts, they run forever when hooked up with a makita battery (the 9v. batts–we use them for just about everything as they are durable, quick to charge and reliable as all get).
The best active method to keeping a suit cool is to try and create air flow. since so much heat is lost through the head, concentrate here first. Cut as many nickel-to-quarter sized holes in the top of the head (but not through the fur!). Install a fan here if you like ( you want the fan to blow out the top: heat wants to go up, and though blowing down might feel OK, you'll dissippate more heat if you suck it out. Also, this will pull air in through the mouth of the head, creating a nice facial breeze). Here's where design can help too: give your character an open mouth–this can be your greatest source of air, as well as a nice bit of visibility. Cut holes in the base of the ears (another potentially good air vent, and a possible aid to hearing…). Noses are another good source of air holes. Depending on the neck fur and head design, you can also cut holes around the base of the eyes and at the top of your character's throat, and cover them with fur, mesh, whatever. The neck hole is an especially good source of cool air for your mouth.
Something the Japanese costumers (the ones who make the Ultraman and Power Ranger costumes) do is to use spandex where ever they can get away with it: under the arms, insides of the legs and crotch, backs of the legs/knees. This aids in both movement (for those wacky stunts) and heat transfer.
Marcwolf had added cooling fans to his suit and has a few pointers here http://www.marcwolf.org/construct/Cooling/index.html
“One of the things than many people forget is that these small computer fans are available both in 12V AND 5V varieties. The advantage of using a 5V one is that it runs of 4 x AA batteries, and that you are using the full capacity of the fan. With the 12V ones - at 9V you are only working at 3/4 fan capacity”
also
“CO2 is one of the big dangers for costume wearers. If a suit's head does not have a good flow through of air you can get pockers of CO2. CO2 is heavier than normal air, and even a small quantity will leave you with a stuffy closed in feeling. That is the bodies natural defence to a build up. I have a small fan in my muzzle pointing directly on my face so i always have a nice cool breeze of FRESH air when performing. It certainly helps”
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