Who can recommend an electric cooling fan for 440 w A/C? (New fan running.)

[myk]

Mike at  Rainbow called me back. His 17" fan is 2 speed using two 12V+ and one ground. This explained the higher CFM rates. (2600/3300) Fed through a pair of 40amp relays he said be expecting 50amp total on high. 

That's a hungry fan.  I think I'm running a 90 amp alt; how does one determine the amp potential of an alt?

[b5blue]

  Well in my case "at idle output" was (60amp) what had me pick my Denso, not total output. (120amp) So I selected my Alt. (years ago.) to handle this type situation.
  The 50amp draw is most likely as the fan speeds up, at speed the draw should be about half. (or less) I've no clue how you'd test your output at idle. The condition of your harnesses and Alt. along with any changes or problems will greatly effect that number. (Even idle speed RPM) 
  For me I spent hours looking at fans online. Trained in electrics I knew a fan rated at 1500cfm that draws 12amp was a lie. That fan's real output was most likely 900cfm at best.

[myk]

Yeah you're right.  When the fans initially kick in is where you see the sudden draw.  This goes for modern cars as well, I see it all the time.  Then the fans get going and the electrical system recovers...

[b5blue]

Okay ordered the 17" fan from Mike @ Rainbow. Thanks Ron! 

[firefighter3931]

Coooool 

I'm sure that one will get the job done 

I have the two hot wires tied together so it's full bore when the fans kick on ! 

Using a tough stuff 100A alternator and no problems with charging but my idle is higher than most (1100 rpm) which probably helps.

Here is the controller I'm using :

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

I have the on/off set at 175*F and it is adjustable. Works like a charm with the Rainbow fan 



Ron

[rebby]

Mase some L brackets and mounted to upper and lower radiator support. Yes it is on a thermostat. The pwm controller I use runs the fan at 60% until it see the need to increase speed. I dont think it has ever hit 100%. I use a high flow pump and thermostat too, not sure how much that helps.

What PWM controller are you using? I'm strongly considering making the leap to PWM.

[Charger4404spd]

Mase some L brackets and mounted to upper and lower radiator support. Yes it is on a thermostat. The pwm controller I use runs the fan at 60% until it see the need to increase speed. I dont think it has ever hit 100%. I use a high flow pump and thermostat too, not sure how much that helps.

What PWM controller are you using? I'm strongly considering making the leap to PWM.

So far it has worked flawless.
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/hda-3655

[rebby]

Mase some L brackets and mounted to upper and lower radiator support. Yes it is on a thermostat. The pwm controller I use runs the fan at 60% until it see the need to increase speed. I dont think it has ever hit 100%. I use a high flow pump and thermostat too, not sure how much that helps.

What PWM controller are you using? I'm strongly considering making the leap to PWM.

So far it has worked flawless.
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/hda-3655

I've been looking at that one as well as the Derale 16795. I've been leaning toward the Derale mainly because of the additional amp capacity. My fans are rated to pull 27a when running at full speed which is getting pretty close to the top of the range for the Hayden.

What type of temperature probe does the Hayden use? The Derale uses a dry probe that gets inserted into the radiator which I'm not a fan of. I'd rather run a wet probe.

[Charger4404spd]

The Hayden comes with a wet and a dry one. I prefer the wet one.

[rebby]

The Hayden comes with a wet and a dry one. I prefer the wet one.

I just got off the phone with Derale and they said that they could send me a wet one as well. That might be my winning choice then just based on the additional amperage capacity.

[b5blue]

Guys I'm using an 18.00 dry probe thermal switch to turn on a pair 40 amp relays. (One for each winding of the fan.) Your feeding the fan through your controller? (No relay?)

[rebby]

Guys I'm using an 18.00 dry probe thermal switch to turn on a pair 40 amp relays. (One for each winding of the fan.) Your feeding the fan through your controller? (No relay?)

The controller basically serves as the relay, internally. You connect the controller directly to the battery, both positive and negative. The fans are then powered up based on a number of variables (heat, A/C status, hard switch, vehicle speed, etc - depending on the controller). The PWM controls the actual fan speed which is what I'm after. With the system that I have in place now, like yours, the fans are either on or off (a pair of relays power the fans based on a number of switch inputs).

[b5blue]

  Powering for me with factory wiring, will be off ALT. output. My added 8ga. ("Fleet upgrade") will feed a small distribution fuse block so each fan relay and A/C has it's own under hood fuse. (The 8ga. has it's own 60amp fuse.)
  This keeps the A/C and fan current draw off the new stock harness/bulkhead/dash. I also control ignition and choke by tapping the ALT. main supply under the hood (Black wire off ALT.) using 2 relays controlled by ignition start/run that are tied together at the column switch (My Charger is a 70.) connector.
  By feeding off the ALT. output I put no demand on the battery that would require recharge to run through the harness's, gauge and bulkhead's connections. This leaves wiper/lights as the only large draw through/at the dash. As the 8ga. also runs to the car side Alt. gauge stud it sisters the factory harness/bulkhead so current can flow back a few inches to the factory main splice to help carry any loads.     

[c00nhunterjoe]

I can't figure out what part number and combo that would be? Fan/spacer/shroud info is all over the place! 

fan # 1818 Flex-a-lite
looking for the correct space, looks like you need one about 1 3/4 thick to clear the compressor, will get back to you after i find the #

X2. This is on my car with stock radiator and shroud. Idled at wildwood on the boardwalk for over an hour in line to exit in over 100° temp and water never went over 190 while countless other cars were being pushed to the side boiling over.

[b5blue]

We might think of making a data base on cooling combos that work? 

[b5blue]

  New fan is here, very impressed! Well made compact package. I'll post up pics soon, still thinking of best way to mount. Engineered to be a push or pull just by mounting in front or rear of radiator by how housing is made. (Clever designing.) Link to spec and manufacturer:
https://www.merlinmotorsport.co.uk/files/transfer/technical/doc/17inchslimlinefan.pdf
http://www.tripacfans.com/index.html

[b5blue]

  Okay I've figured out how to have this fan run on low anytime the A/C is on and still have the fan thermal controller kick in if engine temp reaches 180*. I've wired low speed relay with a diode fed by both A/C on and the controller. High relay operates operates just from the temp controller but because it is wired to both relays the fan comes on low and high if needed when the A/C is off. (Both low and high feeds need 12V to get high as this fan has 2 wires.)

[John_Kunkel]

OK, I'm thoroughly confused. b5blue orders a 17" fan from Rainbow Products that the original link says puts out 2500 and 3200 CFM, the one he gets is a Tripac 14-SL17R9 which the maker's own data sheet says puts out quite a bit less at 1800 and 2100 CFM. Which number to believe?

http://www.tripacintl.com/Tripac_Performance_PDF/Slimline_17_drawing.pdf  

[b5blue]

  You can be more confused than I am John.....after weeks of reading up on this crap and seeing ratings all over the map I went by 2 things, recommendation by Ron and the fact that the amp draw warrants power.
  Still waiting for electrical parts to have done I'll test in 2 stages. First just drive the car without the A/C running (Not even charging the system yet.) to see how the car likes having this fan with the condenser in front of the radiator under different conditions. If that's okay I'll charge the system and test with A/C running.
  I talked this all over with Mike, he was certain this should perform as expected. Getting electrics built to handle load ratings has turned a bit problematic. The gauge of the wires for my relay bases and some supplied connectors will be changed out to 10/12ga. to avoid any power choke points. (I've also reduced the distance of the runs to minimum.) If this can't handle it the backup plan is to fit a solid mount fan to the water pump and move the fan out front as a pusher in front of the condenser. (I've allowed for this in my harness setup if needed.) 

[John_Kunkel]

I'm thinking (uh-oh) that the deciding factor here isn't so much the size of the fan but the size of the radiator; I'll assume that everybody recommending fans here has a 26" or larger radiator. 

I'm shopping for a fan for a 23" radiator and the size of the Tripac is perfect for me but the question of CFM makes me hesitant to commit to one.

[b5blue]

  I'll know soon.  (yes mine is 26".) CFM Ratings are nothing to go by really, real world testing by competent users holds more value. I found Spal well regarded, why I bought the first fan set.
  In my kitchen I installed a 450CFM vent fan, clears the whole house out in minutes! 

[b5blue]

  Initial testing looks good. First start up a few adjustments to set temp on fan control and as the engine hit 180* the fan came on and held 180* at idle on my carport in 89 degree weather. (10-15 minutes.) I want to cool and cycle to 180* a few times to check things before a road test.
  Putting my hand in front of the new condenser a rag or sheet of paper would stick from the pull. Feeling the backside of fan output it's pulling a ton of heat out of the radiator. It makes a low humming sound when on that isn't too loud with no vibration at all.   

[b5blue]

Pics of my home made controller:

[rebby]

What type of controller did you make? Looks like you're triggering the fans via the relays but I don't recognize the other pieces in the picture, at least not right off hand.

What is everybody using for a thermostat/thermo-switch setup? I have a 180 tstat and my fan runs almost constantly due to the 185/170 switch that I (accidentally) have installed right now. I'm going to swap in a 195/180 switch and am hoping that keeps the fans off more often than not. If that doesn't do the trick, I'm getting a PWM controller.

[b5blue]

  Below the Beep Beep horn is a Hayden 3653. It turns on both hi and low 40amp rated relays to the left at whatever temp you set it to. To the right is a mini fuse block fed off alt output with 2 30amp fuses, one for each fan power to relay.