Electric fan controller

-
younggun2.0

younggun2.0

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 27, 2012
Messages
4,793
Reaction score
1,516
Location
federal way, wa
I have recently re-wired my entire car with a painless harness. I am building a twin 14" 1400cfm. electric fan (9 amp draw ea.) system for the radiator. I am now looking for a thermostatically controlled fan controller. I want to be able to adjust the on/off temps. I am running a 160* high flow thermostate and would like my fans to kick on at 180 and turn off at 170. I would like to have a thread in temp. probe. I plan to have a bung welded to the top of the aluminum radiator tank. I am also considering a fan relay with just a switch to turn them on and off. I already have a switch panel in the dash with an available switch. It would be nice to be able to park the car and leave the fans on in the staging lanes at the track. what have you guys used?
 
This is what I used from Summit. I installed this on the water pump. The A/C wire on the relay was ran to a switch on my shifter to turn on/off manually.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/der-35020/overview

Its just to the left of the radiator hose.

vbpgimage.php
 
dude your plug wire routing looks killer! looks like you have TTI headers? do you mind showing me how you ran your # 5-7 and 4-6 wires? i want to run mine similiar to how you have yours but they will lay right across the pipes.


Chameleon said:
This is what I used from Summit. I installed this on the water pump. The A/C wire on the relay was ran to a switch on my shifter to turn on/off manually.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/der-35020/overview

Its just to the left of the radiator hose.

vbpgimage.php
Click to expand...
 
I bought two off rockauto about 6 mo.s ago, since only $28. Search for posts. The sensor screws in a water jacket (1/8" NPT I recall). The relay box has an adjustable temperature setting. Hayden model I recall that I saw elsewhere for >$50. Haven't installed either yet, but have several vintage cars that need fans.
 
1400 CFM is not enough, is that each or combined? you need to be able to pull at least 3000 CFM or it will overheat
 
66plyValiant said:
1400 CFM is not enough, is that each or combined? you need to be able to pull at least 3000 CFM or it will overheat
Click to expand...

actually i had my #'s wrong. they are 1650 cfm ea. here are the specs. copied and pasted right from the web site.

1650 cfm
8 Amps
Dimensions:(A) 14.125"
(B) 14.625"
(C) 4.000"
(D) 1.250"
 
70Duster440 said:
I used one like this in the past. There's a little pot on it to adjust the on/off range. Amperage draw may require two or a dual controller. 8/16 amps would be low. SPAL fans are worth investigating too. Their flow ratings are considered more accurate. I have a single 16" SPAL that moves some serious air.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/der-16749

Dual fan version here: http://www.summitracing.com/parts/der-16789/overview/
Click to expand...


that second controller is the exact one i have been seriously considering. it looks to be a quality piece and is pretty nice looking. i will have this most likely mounted in lower corner of the core support so it will be visible and am looking for a clean as possible install.
 
younggun2.0 said:
dude your plug wire routing looks killer! looks like you have TTI headers? do you mind showing me how you ran your # 5-7 and 4-6 wires? i want to run mine similiar to how you have yours but they will lay right across the pipes.
Click to expand...

Thanks man, I ran everything before the engine was installed. First I installed the wires, then the headers. I started dressing the wires at 7-5-3-1 then 8-6-4-2 from the plug to the distributor, then terminated at the cap. You should be able to see the thermostatic switch there too.

vbpgimage.php


vbpgimage.php


vbpgimage.php

vbpgimage.php
 
have you run the engine yet? do those insulator sleeves really keep the wires from burning? i have looked at mine and they look like they will sit right against the headers. i used a set of old wires to get my car started up and now i have a set of EXPENSIVE MSD race wires to put on the car permanently.
 
Yes, Ive been running the engine since last May and they are fine. I also have my starter wires running under (in heat shrink) there toward the front where the battery used to be.
 
Back to Younggun's original post if you don't mind, I've got some similar issues. I recently switched from a single fan that I hated from the moment I installed it, to a dual Spal set up. The original fan was wired thru a Flex-a-lite controller which really worked pretty well. When I installed the dual fan set-up I wanted to incorperate the same controller, which was only made for one fan, so I ran the drivers side fan thru the controller, and use a toggle on the dash to accuate the passenger side fan. So far the set-up works well with the single fan on the controller taking care of the lions share of the cooling, and the toggle accuated fan picking up the slack during high heat bumper to bumper traffic situations.
My problem is when I turn the car off, the fan on the controller keeps running for way to long, it stayed on for over 20 minutes the other day when I was at my buddies house. This has a pretty big (bad) effect on my battery.The reason is because the thermo sender for the controller is in the intake manifold and it does'nt cool off very fast. Younggun said he had a bung welded to his radiator for the controller's temp sender, is that the only way I can use my current setup, or is there another place that I can mount my temp sending unit so that the fan won't reflect the temp of the block, but the temp of the water inside.
thanks- pauly
 

Attachments

  • IMG_20130412_162425.jpg
    91.2 KB · Views: 608
  • IMG_20130412_162526.jpg
    75.5 KB · Views: 550
  • IMG_20130412_162501.jpg
    77 KB · Views: 558
  • IMG_20130412_162553.jpg
    108.5 KB · Views: 549
Derale.com Has just what you are looking for. # 16789 is a daul fan, daul speed, fully adjustable from 150*-240* with thread in probe.
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/der-16789

I just bought one of their setups for my 408 in my dart. I was have cooling problems with my old downflow radiator with a pusher fan. Moved onto a crossflow with a puller and shroud this time around.

old setup
dsc06177s.jpg



new setup
dsc06176n.jpg

dsc06174u.jpg

dsc06180f.jpg

dsc06179in.jpg
 
I run the hayden controller, easy to set, kinda clunky looking though.
Pauly have you thought about running your controller off of a relay that only sees power when the ign is on? I know it wont cool the car when it's off, but neither did the stock fan setup. Or maybe a time delay relay, check this out. Adjustable from 2 sec to 5 min...
 
i will be running my fans with a keyed hot wire to the main power supply, but...... the controller does have a manual bypass wire that allows you to wire a toggle switch to turn the fans on manually. like say in the staging lanes at the track or on the return road coming back coasting with the engine off? I plan to bracket race my car heavily and i dont want to loose races because i cant control the engine temp.
 
player1up said:
I run the hayden controller, easy to set, kinda clunky looking though.
Pauly have you thought about running your controller off of a relay that only sees power when the ign is on? I know it wont cool the car when it's off, but neither did the stock fan setup. Or maybe a time delay relay, check this out. Adjustable from 2 sec to 5 min...
Click to expand...

That's the setup I'd like to have. the bussbox that is pictured between the MSD box and fan controller are my relays. It was my understanding that the Flex-a-lite controller shut the fan off 30 seconds after turning off the ignition, which would be ideal.
I need to review the controller install directions and make sure there isn't a way to achieve this. Otherwise, I may just put some kind of timer inline between the relay and the controller since it wouldn't involve a great amount of wiring disassembly/assembly- done that too many times already!
 
71swing said:
Derale.com Has just what you are looking for. # 16789 is a daul fan, daul speed, fully adjustable from 150*-240* with thread in probe.
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/der-16789

I just bought one of their setups for my 408 in my dart. I was have cooling problems with my old downflow radiator with a pusher fan. Moved onto a crossflow with a puller and shroud this time around.

old setup
dsc06177s.jpg



new setup
dsc06176n.jpg

dsc06174u.jpg

dsc06180f.jpg

dsc06179in.jpg
Click to expand...

If thats the variable speed type of fan, I hope you have better luck with it than I did. Thats the model I just removed, though the one I had was a smaller diameter. It was fine on high speed, but during low speed use, it was very loud and sounded like it was falling apart -like it had bad bearings-.
until I discovered the dual 11" spal, it was the only fan I found that would fit into the space between the water pump snout and the radiator.
 
pauly v.100 said:
If thats the variable speed type of fan, I hope you have better luck with it than I did. Thats the model I just removed, though the one I had was a smaller diameter. It was fine on high speed, but during low speed use, it was very loud and sounded like it was falling apart -like it had bad bearings-.
until I discovered the dual 11" spal, it was the only fan I found that would fit into the space between the water pump snout and the radiator.
Click to expand...

Man I don't want to hear that. LoL I had design problems on my last setup causing heat issues so I'm revamping it all. I hope it works out. It's not easy to find a fan that will fit in the tight space I have. This was the biggest thinnest fan I could find only 3". I didnt look at any spal fans though. I plan to wire it to run high speed only. I wanted the same controller the OP bought and I listed above but my budget is coming to an end on this car. So I went with a Derale preset temp. Contoller so I would still have the funds for subframe metal. My controller is preset to turn on at 180* then back off at 170*. Which at that temp it may never shut off during the summer here until the cars off.
 
71swing said:
Man I don't want to hear that. LoL I had design problems on my last setup causing heat issues so I'm revamping it all. I hope it works out. It's not easy to find a fan that will fit in the tight space I have. This was the biggest thinnest fan I could find only 3". I didnt look at any spal fans though. I plan to wire it to run high speed only. I wanted the same controller the OP bought and I listed above but my budget is coming to an end on this car. So I went with a Derale preset temp. Contoller so I would still have the funds for subframe metal. My controller is preset to turn on at 180* then back off at 170*. Which at that temp it may never shut off during the summer here until the cars off.
Click to expand...

Should be fine on high speed only, in fact the fan overall worked pretty well. It was just the lower speed that was kindof annoying.
 
71swing said:
Man I don't want to hear that. LoL I had design problems on my last setup causing heat issues so I'm revamping it all. I hope it works out. It's not easy to find a fan that will fit in the tight space I have. This was the biggest thinnest fan I could find only 3". I didnt look at any spal fans though. I plan to wire it to run high speed only. I wanted the same controller the OP bought and I listed above but my budget is coming to an end on this car. So I went with a Derale preset temp. Contoller so I would still have the funds for subframe metal. My controller is preset to turn on at 180* then back off at 170*. Which at that temp it may never shut off during the summer here until the cars off.
Click to expand...

Mine was set to come on at 190° and the Hayden controller will shut it off at a preset value below whatever it's max temp is ( not sure what the actual temp range is ) . Here in FL mine never shut off in traffic in the summer time, but would never run while out on the hwy at 60+ mph ( slant six with aluminum 22" radiator ). You should be fine either way, the original fan setup never shut off either :lol:

Pauly, I personally don't worry about the cooling after shutdown as only some newer cars even run the fan with the engine off. I may worry about it when I get the 360 running and see how much cooling it needs.



OH, And for those of you reading this and are thinking about just wiring the controller straight to constant power. Do not work on your car unless you unhook the battery as the fan could come on at ANY time.

I had mine wired that way for a couple of days during the "winter" here in FL while I was redoing some of the wiring.....the thing fired up the fan about 10 min after shutting the car off as the engine bay heat soaked...I can only imagine what would have happened if my arms were down in there.
 
Pauly, I personally don't worry about the cooling after shutdown as only some newer cars even run the fan with the engine off. I may worry about it when I get the 360 running and see how much cooling it needs.

I'm not concerned with the temp after I shut the car down, I concerned about the length of time it takes for the fan to turn off after I shut the car down.
I can't stand those probe style thermostats that fit into the radiator fins, but I may have to bite the bullet and use one.
 
I also tried that same fan set up with a 22" downflow radiator and it worked fine as long as the fan was running but I think it is a design problem with the shroud itself because it doesn't let enough air flow through the radiator when you drive down the road. If you look at Pauly's new set up with the dual fans the shroud has little rubber flaps that will open up when you drive down the road to let air flow through the radiator. I ended up taking mine off and put the mechanical fan fan back on and it cooled fine. I'm getting ready to give the electric fan a try again without the aluminum shroud so that the radiator can breath when you drive down the road. Just my two cents.
Pat Faley
67 NB Barracuda 408 stroker 4 speed
69 Vert project
East Peoria IL
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top