2010 fans and spal
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 2,036
Likes: 2
From: Maine
You might want to go ahead and get a controller on order....the 2010 F-150 fans are on back-order !!....It's anyone's guess now when they will be available. At any rate...the DC Controller is what you want no matter what fan you go with, their bulletproof !
Senior Member
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 102
Likes: 0
From: Quad Cities, IL
I'm using the FK50P. Anything less than 50 amps is not going to control them both at 100% without blowing fuses or the older 35 amp controller. Previous to this I ran a 35 amp version of the DC Controller. The DC unit drove the main fan. The second fan was controlled with a Troyer controller (the better, new style). It was set to 10 degrees higher than the DC Controls fan and turned the 2nd fan on at 100% but only if the primary fan couldn't keep up (never happened). It also turned the 2nd fan on at 100% when the AC came on. I didn't like the sound at 100% so I purchased the newer 50 amp DC Controller. I don't believe DC Controls sells the 35 amp version any longer so you'll be fine ordering their new 50 amp controller and driving both fans on it.
FYI... use a large 50 amp fuse and heavy wiring. At 100% duty cycles it is possible to hit 50 amps (at startup only). I learned the hard way that 30 amps works great 95% of the time. However, if you park the truck and it heat soaks, and you start the engine with the A/C turned on its possible for both fans to immediately hit 100% duty cycle and blow a 30 amp fuse about half the time.
As to the AC wire....
When connected to the AC wire the fans will turn at 50% (both of them). Now that's if the fans haven't been triggered by heat at the temp sensor. If the temps are high enough to trigger the fans, the fans operate at 50% plus whatever speed is added by thermostatic control. Basically, if the fans would run at 10, 20, 30, or whatever percent because of engine heat, they will run at 50% plus that added percent.
Now, the controller has a jumper for underdrive pulleys which always keeps the fans at 10%. Instead of putting jumper on this connect it to the AC (use a 1 amp diode to clamp down on voltage surge when the A/C engages). With this setup the fans will run at 10% when the A/C kicks in plus whatever added speed the thermostatic control would add based on the temp probe. With this setup the fans run 40% less duty cycle with the A/C on.
I installed only the 2010 fans (with the integral shroud). No air damn unless you're talking about the one in front of the radiator which stays in place. The shroud covers the 2004-2008 radiator completely (100% of it with no overlap).
You secure the fans on the bottom with 2 clips like Troyers, shaped like this:
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The horizontal part of the clip should have a hole drilled through it large enough to put a bolt through it. Secure the bolt to the radiator shroud. I can get photos tomorrow if you want. I made my clips from 1/2 inch wide flat metal bar I bought I ACE hardware for about $5 (I still have 4 feet of the bar left). I would have used the Troyer clips but I sold those when I sold my Troyer fan kit so I duplicated them myself.
You don't have to connect to the underdrive pulley jumper. Its purely optional. The A/C connection will work fine with the normal A/C connection... just a matter of whether you want to have a little extra noise. At 100% duty cycle (rare) the fans can be heard inside the cab with the windows up and the A/C fan turned up to max if that gives you an indication of how loud they get. Under normal operation when they are just barely turning you can't really hear them.
I've considered selling kits since I already know how and where to cut the 2010 fan shroud, have pictures of my setup, wrote down all my install procedures and I have a wholesale account with Ford so I can actually resell a kit for less than most people can buy them (even online). I don't think you're going to find any aftermarket fan rated to last as long as the Ford OEM fans do (they are rated for the life of the vehicle). The Ford fan setup is much stouter, with large blades which don't flex unlike the aftermarket fans plus the shroud gives better cooling with less operation time since it draws air through 100% of the radiator instead of just the portion covered by aftermarket fans. Plus the Ford fans pull more air than any aftermarket fan could ever hope to pull. Based purely on my estimates (feeling the hot air flow with my hands) I'd say a single OEM fan pulls as much air at 100% as two Troyer fans do at 100%.
FYI... use a large 50 amp fuse and heavy wiring. At 100% duty cycles it is possible to hit 50 amps (at startup only). I learned the hard way that 30 amps works great 95% of the time. However, if you park the truck and it heat soaks, and you start the engine with the A/C turned on its possible for both fans to immediately hit 100% duty cycle and blow a 30 amp fuse about half the time.
As to the AC wire....
When connected to the AC wire the fans will turn at 50% (both of them). Now that's if the fans haven't been triggered by heat at the temp sensor. If the temps are high enough to trigger the fans, the fans operate at 50% plus whatever speed is added by thermostatic control. Basically, if the fans would run at 10, 20, 30, or whatever percent because of engine heat, they will run at 50% plus that added percent.
Now, the controller has a jumper for underdrive pulleys which always keeps the fans at 10%. Instead of putting jumper on this connect it to the AC (use a 1 amp diode to clamp down on voltage surge when the A/C engages). With this setup the fans will run at 10% when the A/C kicks in plus whatever added speed the thermostatic control would add based on the temp probe. With this setup the fans run 40% less duty cycle with the A/C on.
I installed only the 2010 fans (with the integral shroud). No air damn unless you're talking about the one in front of the radiator which stays in place. The shroud covers the 2004-2008 radiator completely (100% of it with no overlap).
You secure the fans on the bottom with 2 clips like Troyers, shaped like this:
|
|
| _______
| |
| |
|_|
The horizontal part of the clip should have a hole drilled through it large enough to put a bolt through it. Secure the bolt to the radiator shroud. I can get photos tomorrow if you want. I made my clips from 1/2 inch wide flat metal bar I bought I ACE hardware for about $5 (I still have 4 feet of the bar left). I would have used the Troyer clips but I sold those when I sold my Troyer fan kit so I duplicated them myself.
You don't have to connect to the underdrive pulley jumper. Its purely optional. The A/C connection will work fine with the normal A/C connection... just a matter of whether you want to have a little extra noise. At 100% duty cycle (rare) the fans can be heard inside the cab with the windows up and the A/C fan turned up to max if that gives you an indication of how loud they get. Under normal operation when they are just barely turning you can't really hear them.
I've considered selling kits since I already know how and where to cut the 2010 fan shroud, have pictures of my setup, wrote down all my install procedures and I have a wholesale account with Ford so I can actually resell a kit for less than most people can buy them (even online). I don't think you're going to find any aftermarket fan rated to last as long as the Ford OEM fans do (they are rated for the life of the vehicle). The Ford fan setup is much stouter, with large blades which don't flex unlike the aftermarket fans plus the shroud gives better cooling with less operation time since it draws air through 100% of the radiator instead of just the portion covered by aftermarket fans. Plus the Ford fans pull more air than any aftermarket fan could ever hope to pull. Based purely on my estimates (feeling the hot air flow with my hands) I'd say a single OEM fan pulls as much air at 100% as two Troyer fans do at 100%.
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 2,036
Likes: 2
From: Maine
Who are you directing your question to Windsor ??
Senior Member
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 102
Likes: 0
From: Quad Cities, IL
DigitalMarket, you think it would be worth your time to modify the fans and bend some brackets for $50-$75 (plus whatever wholesale discount you can get)? If so, PM me and I would be more than happy to make a deal with you.
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 2,036
Likes: 2
From: Maine
I'll have to wait until Tuesday, or Wednesday depending on when I get back. On a road trip. You can connect the normal way the DC Control instructions say until then. As to the 1 amp diode, I believe Ford Muscle has an online article explaining it. I also put clamp down diodes on the fan lines to keep current from coming back into the controller at high speeds when the wind blows the fan and generates current. They explain that as well.
Technical Article Contributor
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 4,387
Likes: 9
From: OH-IO
Digital, have you measured the actual amp draw on the 2010 fans? You said that they could run on a 30 amp fuse most of the time. I'm guessing you meant both fans. I curious what 1 fan pulls for start up current at 100% duty cycle. If it is at or below 30 amps then I could run the spal controller with a relay for the 2nd fan.
Technical Article Contributor
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 4,387
Likes: 9
From: OH-IO
The spal is only meant to run 1 fan, and can trigger a relay for the second fan. The spal can only handle 30 amps for the first fan. I believe it has a soft start feature so you can avoid the large start up current. As long as a single fan does not pull more than 30 amps, I can run the spal unit.
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 2,036
Likes: 2
From: Maine
I have been to Ford Muscle in reference to the 1 amp diode mod, but couldn't find it. If you could point me in the right direction on the site it would be much appreciated, Digital. Thank You
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 2,036
Likes: 2
From: Maine
Got my 2010 fan setup today from the dealer..for info, the full part# is AL3Z-8C607-A. This number shows up on sites like Tasca, but with no pricing, you have to call them or your local dealer, it did cost $200 and change. I haven't tried to install yet, just a quick set-up to check for operation and did get a couple of quick Pic :
This is the AMP draw with both fans at 100% speed 30 AMPS
So...to answer the question...a DCController FK50P is more than enough to power these puppies. Start-up Amps is over 60 Amp for about a millisecond, but the controller does a 'soft start' so NO PROBLEM
Nothing more at this point other than to say these fans REALLY moves some air at 100%
This is the AMP draw with both fans at 100% speed 30 AMPS
So...to answer the question...a DCController FK50P is more than enough to power these puppies. Start-up Amps is over 60 Amp for about a millisecond, but the controller does a 'soft start' so NO PROBLEM
Nothing more at this point other than to say these fans REALLY moves some air at 100%
Technical Article Contributor
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 4,387
Likes: 9
From: OH-IO
So your saying both fans combined pull 30 amps at 100%, could you measure the current draw for a single fan at 100% and report the results. I'm guessing one fan is about 15 amps but I would like to know for sure. I plan on running the spal controller if I can get away with it.