Half a croissant, on a plate, with a sign in front of it saying '50c'
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Hot Suit

 Emergency jumpsuit to survive extreme cold
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I had an idea about a jumpsuit that could save a persons life in a cold weather situation if they are stranded. My jumpsuit could be folded up and kept in the trunk of a car until needed. The suit is just a regular dickie style jumpsuit but with a radiant barrier built into the lining. Between the barrier and the lining are small wire heating elements which are connected to a small handcrank generator (like those emergency radios). Get stranded, pull out the suit, hop back in the car, put it on, crank the crank and stay warm enough to keep you alive until help finds you. Something like that has to be out there already, I have a history of reinventing history. Ideaguy
—ideaguy00, Apr 02 2003

Christie Love http://www.tvtome.c...ows/5/5/14-3886.gif
Sugah! '75 [thumbwax, Oct 04 2004]

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       Good idea, but what happens if you fall asleep, or have no energy from lack of food? I bet you'll get cold again pretty quickly after you stop generating electricity for the suit.
—Bert6322, Apr 02 2003
   

       Yeah, you're not going to get enough electrical power for any kind of suit o' heating elements out of a handcrank. That's good for something like a flashlight bulb, which ain't gonna warm very much of you.
I think you'd have to crank a bicycle style generator for a few hours to get a few minutes of that kind of power.
If you're looking to generate heat, chemical reactions or burning something would be better.
—roby, Apr 03 2003
   

       One could load the trunk with logs and an axe. Chopping wood and a crackling fire would warm both your sides, inside and outside.
—FarmerJohn, Apr 03 2003
   

       So this doesn't feature *Christie Love* wearing hot pants and a snug top? Damn.
—thumbwax, Apr 03 2003
   

       [Ideaguy], rather than a jumpsuit, it should be like a sleeping bag, to keep your extremities toasty warm.   

       I have slept in a few cars in my time and in winter too and I can tell you that a space blanket _outside_ the sleeping bag is more comfortable and less sticky.   

       Unless you are already hypothermic, battery powered heating is generally not necessary and you'll also run the risk of either draining your battery or poisoning yourself with CO, depending on whether you run the engine.   

       My favored strategy was to run the residual heater on the engine (some cars have 'em) at first. This uses only enough energy for a fan and lasts hours. I'd also carry snacks in the car - no use heating your outside if the body can't generate its own heat.   

       A tip: If desperate, I suppose you could siphon hot radiator water into a hot water bottle (or a few). You can always replace the water later. Be careful not to drink any of the water - even a small amount of antifreeze can make you very sick.   

       Another tip: Remember to put down a towel at the bottom of the windshield and windows to absorb moisture. If you have one, a space blanket under an army-surplus blanket that covers the windshield and windows will keep the whole passenger compartment warm and cuts condensation on the windows. Plus, it's easier to rid yourself of snow and ice when you want to get going.   

       Where I can see an invention waiting to be invented, is in heat reclamation. You can wrap up all you want, but a lot of heat escapes in your breath. If you are foolish enough to breathe the whole night into your sleeping bag, it gets sodden with the moisture in your breath, then the bag loses its insulative properties (unless hollow fibre) and you wake up dead. I reckon we need a heat exchanger that allows you to breathe fresh air, but leaves the majority of the heat in the bag and pre-warms the air you inhale. The intake/exhaust can even be hung out the window to prevent condensation build-up.   

       PS, [Thumbwax], who is //Christie Love//? - I can't access your link.
—FloridaManatee, Apr 03 2003
   

       Curious what level of protection you need? My jumpsuit is rated at –30F. If I’m going below that I wear thermal undergarments, and in high wind I also put a light windbreaker over it. Your car eliminates the wind factor in this example. <leaves out some automotive comments> Do you need more protection than 30 below?
—Shz, Apr 03 2003
   

       What's a magnesium heater?   

       Please, please tell me it's not a strip of burning magnesium in a diving suit!
—FloridaManatee, Apr 04 2003
   

       //Ice divers use a magnesium heater for drysuits in the arctic.//   

       Those are one man submarines, not exactly drysuits.   

       //You will not need much more than that.//   

       For what? [ideaguy]’s stranded in a car, not diving in the arctic.
—Shz, Apr 05 2003
   

       But what if [ideaguy]'s driving in the arctic and drives into a lake? Then he would be diving.
—-lines-, Apr 05 2003
   

       We make such stuff. It uses a polymer based heating system which is self regulating. Powered by rechargeable cells or plug into a car 12 volt outlet. Single battery pack which weighs around 300g will give over three hours heat.   

       Steve Mitchell D C Heat - Scotland
—beftoad, Oct 14 2003
   
      
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