E-fan question
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From: DFW
I have indicator lights on my dash for my fans
Red and blue lights above the fan switches above my knee. If the fan comes on b.c the controller gets hot, then the indicator will come on even if my switch isnt on.
this is before i got that panel painted and finished my wiring on the fans, but you can see the light come on and you can hear the fan kicking in too
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BeucpZk6Qm4
Red and blue lights above the fan switches above my knee. If the fan comes on b.c the controller gets hot, then the indicator will come on even if my switch isnt on.
this is before i got that panel painted and finished my wiring on the fans, but you can see the light come on and you can hear the fan kicking in too
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BeucpZk6Qm4
Last edited by Patman; Jun 4, 2008 at 01:54 PM.
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Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 75
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From: Rapid City, SD
OK. So, I've been looking for fan controllers now for a couple of months, and still haven't gotten one over the following question:
How does the controller know you're doing over 30-40mph to automatically shut off the fans? If the fans continue to run while driving down the highway, they actually hinder airflow, not help it.
I like the idea of the DC controllers "soft start." Apparently Flex-a-Lite has a similar set up:
http://www.flex-a-lite.com/auto/html/vsc.html
Ideas? Preferences? I'm just kind of confused right now. I'm going to be making a 600 mile highway trip w/o any fan at all here in a couple weeks, even though I have a pair of PermaCool 14" 2950cfm fans that are still in their boxes, because I haven't gotten an answer to these questions.
Also, these PermaCools are the direct radiator mount type, and I've heard they can cause eventual radiator leaks. I don't intend to take this truck offroading, but still want to make sure it doesn't fail on me out there. Mounting ideas?
Thanks
How does the controller know you're doing over 30-40mph to automatically shut off the fans? If the fans continue to run while driving down the highway, they actually hinder airflow, not help it.
I like the idea of the DC controllers "soft start." Apparently Flex-a-Lite has a similar set up:
http://www.flex-a-lite.com/auto/html/vsc.html
Ideas? Preferences? I'm just kind of confused right now. I'm going to be making a 600 mile highway trip w/o any fan at all here in a couple weeks, even though I have a pair of PermaCool 14" 2950cfm fans that are still in their boxes, because I haven't gotten an answer to these questions.
Also, these PermaCools are the direct radiator mount type, and I've heard they can cause eventual radiator leaks. I don't intend to take this truck offroading, but still want to make sure it doesn't fail on me out there. Mounting ideas?
Thanks
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From: DFW
the controller doesnt know how fast you are going, but theortically once you start moving there is enough air flow pushing through the controller probe to cool it down below the trigger temp
if you check out my video earlier, the fan turned itself off at about 25-30
The only problem ive had is i turned the controller down so the fan stays on at idle, and now that we have 100+ days running the AC on the highway the fan wants to stay on, which inturns hinders airflow like you already know.
Its all about hitting that sweet spot on the controller temp.
if you check out my video earlier, the fan turned itself off at about 25-30
The only problem ive had is i turned the controller down so the fan stays on at idle, and now that we have 100+ days running the AC on the highway the fan wants to stay on, which inturns hinders airflow like you already know.
Its all about hitting that sweet spot on the controller temp.
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Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 164
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From: Calgary, Alberta
Well if you think that radiator is big then you should see the one in my truck!! The physical size of the radiator is a moot point if it still barely does the job, and that's what the radiators in these trucks do...barely the job. Case in point, dual 16" electric fans. When I had my stock radiator I had my 16" S fans set to turn on at 205* and 212*. It was very common for both fans to run in the summer time either in traffic or when pulling a load or climing a hill at slower speeds. And he wants to run two little fans under those conditions. With my 2 core radiator, my second fan never turns on automatically under any conditions. Best way to really explain and see all this is intall a real water temp gauge.
Oh yea, I'm sure you've heard or know about this, but your factory temp gauge in the dash is a completely useless ornament. I have monitored mine with a real one and mine reaches the "normal" resting place right around 160*. I have seen my water temp at 230* and guess what that needle in the dash did...not a darn thing!! So unless you've got a real gauge you don't truely know what kind of job it's doing.
Oh yea, I'm sure you've heard or know about this, but your factory temp gauge in the dash is a completely useless ornament. I have monitored mine with a real one and mine reaches the "normal" resting place right around 160*. I have seen my water temp at 230* and guess what that needle in the dash did...not a darn thing!! So unless you've got a real gauge you don't truely know what kind of job it's doing.
My point is, the radiator is not the potential problem here. The rads in the new trucks are more then adequate. If a person decides to change the fan setup to a smaller CFM then stock then that certainly is not the fault of the rad. If you're installing Efans then I believe CFM should be higher then stock since most people are not installing shrouded efans.
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Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 4,920
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From: Washington
the only inadequate part in the cooling system IMHO is the oem clutch fan. my truck went into limp mode when ambient air temps were roughly 20* F at idle.
another time i was playing out through fields of snow, 50 mph max, mostly tire spinning at low speeds and went into limp mode. again obviously cold outside.
another time i was playing out through fields of snow, 50 mph max, mostly tire spinning at low speeds and went into limp mode. again obviously cold outside.