how many amps are al your guys' fans are pulling??? those proforms only pull 9

 

9 at full speed continuous or at start up? The biggest problem is at start up not continuous load.

A lot of controller issues are due to poorly terminated connections causing overheating and burning of the connector and or controller.

 

Besides my first controller having to small a relay(it was later corrected) I have had no problems with mine.

I have OEM Camaro fans on my truck, wired into 50 amp relays for each fan, which are then wired into my controller(which was designed to power the fans itself without relays).

It has been a great setup. Keeps the truck nice and cool. Most if not all cars come with electric fans now days, some trucks/suv's do also. To say electric fans are a hassle and unreliable can't be nothing more then installer/user error. NOW to deny that the mechanical fan isn't the most reliable cooling setup out there would be retarded on my fault. Anything electrical will burn up overtime, where as a mechanical fan, even if the clutch locks up, will still pull air.

I noticed a solid increase in MPG after my install. Never got track or dyno results, but to say that taking all that weight and wind restriction off the front of the engine doesn't help is border line retarded.

 

I would have done this last winter, but mannn, to many things that could go wrong. Need a good solid system that works long term. Galaxy mentioned Spal controllers, I've heard those were good. I debated a Mark VIII kit and the Troyer kit.

I think JMC runs a Troyer kit and he has had good luck, well I take that back, I think he went thru a couple controllers.

Personally , gauging the wiring is the easy part IMO. I never liked the idea of stabbing the radiator and controller problems.

I wouldn't mind an extra 15 hp and a little more torque from the light , but like Labnerd posted, they really wouldn't make a difference @ cruising speeds over a clutch fan that works properly.

I would do it with a sturdy, reliable system. Maybe this thread will convince me to go ahead with it lol.

 

about a year with my Mark VIII/DCcontrols combo. working fine so far.

 

Put mine on my V6 about 9 years and 120,000 miles ago. No problems whatsoever.

Cost me about $180 for a Flex-A-Lite universal fan from Summit.

I noticed about 0.5 - 1.0 mpg increase, but could not really feel any power increase. Lots of the guys with V6's who notice a power increase have a manual transmission.

Improvements include much quieter motor when the fan is not on, and the truck warms up quicker in winter (heat out of the heater sooner).

 

Obviously we don't know each others work around here but I'll just personally guarantee ya (for whatever that's worth) that my problems have not been installation / operator error. The Derale (Troyer) controllers are not really top shelf. Which is kinda odd cause the Derale fans are.

I'm pretty sure the Derales I have pull around 30-35 amps on start up. Forgot the normal pull but it's on their web site.

Oh, one thing Fatherford mentioned reminded me of something...my low temp fan (the one that runs the most) died after about 4 years. So add one fan replacement to my list of problems. Is 4 years good/acceptable? Guess each will have their own personal tolerance I guess, but I don't think so.

 

I've never had luck with aftermarket fans. Which is the reason I ALWAYS get OEM fans off of high performance vehicles. If it is good enough for OEM, it's good enough for me.

I'm a big fan of stepping up a bit on wires/relays. Fuses I leave the same, but everything else in the system I always do slightly more then needed. Also keep ALL electronics as cool as possible. My controller is mounted in a section of my truck that will get a cool breeze as I drive, and sense now that hardly any current runs throw it has yet to even hick up.

BTW my controller is the cheapos you can go down and buy at autozone...


So now not only should my truck have blown the engine about 8 times, chunked transmission left and right, twisted drive shafts, and make about 8 mpg, I can add my $75 LS1 fans and $40 autozone controller should have burnt down my truck also!

 

You must have the right touch. Common sense?

Or - Hell with it, we'll see what really happens,- in real time attitude lol...

 

I would rather build my own kit than buy one from vendors......it costs less and you can beef it up better.

My MarkVIII fan spikes at 60-70amps for a split secondand then eases off at around 25ish.....I used an audio fuse block which melted in the first month, but found the cheap maxi-fuses you can get at Walmart does the trick just fine. I am now been going for almost 3 years with my current set-up without a glitch.

 

Great Info! I like that Mark VIII kit. I've heard that before, but doesn't it pull the most juice when it first turns on ? Does it shut off and turn on quite a bit @ idle?

The extra ponies would come in handy, I move trailers around and place them, -sometimes 10 moves a day and some of those are heavy as hell lol.

 

9 amps is probably continuous, but think, if it does pull say 50 amps starting, its pulling that for what.... .0000003 of a second???

 

Ya about that.....my fluke was barely fast enough to pick it up once the fan engaged. I was still surprised to see it spike that much....the larger fuse block I used prior obviously got hot and melted the plastic from the amp spikes when I had my AC clutch wire connected to the high speed. The fan was engaging on and off frequently and the larger fuse block acted like a stove element.....never had a chance to cool down.

Jbrew,
Anytime you want to do the MarkVIII just let me know and I'll help you out....not that you need any though since you probably got a good idea of what you need.

 

A bit longer than that and certainly long enough to burn up poor connections and cheap controllers as people have already proven.

 

think i'm going to use glow plug relays for my fans