Home » Public Forums » GMCnet » Electric Radiator Fans: Practical cooling from the mens mall to your coach! Part III (Test Results are in!)
 Electric Radiator Fans: Practical cooling from the mens mall to your coach! Part III [message #92627] |
Mon, 19 July 2010 21:46  |
|
|
Well, I finally got the test I wanted yesterday, it was cooler by a few degrees then saturday, but locally I couldnt find the heat I needed, so I started looking around at the usual hotspots in the southland, and decided to make a run up to Canyon Country/Santa Clarita where the forcast was for low 100s. this route also offered me some grades to climb up the 405, 5 and 14 freeways which would load up the engine, so at about 2pm I hit the road. coach had about 2/3rd full of fuel full water tank, and the Alternator was still the stock unit as I have not installed the CS 144 yet.
For the first part of the drive across the west LA basin was routine, the traffic was moving along at 65 MPH and the temp was abut 80. coolant temps hung around 200* though I noticed that there was not much of a "Ram Air" cooling effect as the temps still climbed and would cycle the fans about every minute. we got to the first climb over the sepulveda pass which is about a 5 mile climb before dropping into the valley, I could feel the air getting hoter as we approched the valley but still no noticable difference in the function of the fans temps were hovering around 200-205 on my Summit temp gauge.
The second leg of the trip took us across the San Fernando valley an mid 90 temps again the fans would cycle though they stayed on for longer intervols this time, they were set to come on at 210* and off at around 195 by the time we got to the I-5 we were firmly in the grip of 100 degree temps and the fans kept the coolant at 205* and this time they stayed on. finally on 14 climing the hill into Santa Clarita we were greeted by 105* temps and under load climbing at about 38 MPH the coolant temps edged just to about 210-215 the fans were on full tilt, coming down the hill the fans pulled the coolant temps back below 200 and breifly shut down before they cycled again. this time we hit the streets of Santa Clarita, and saw a temp sign in the shade that was at 103*. with no AC in the coach the temps were over 110! oooooo rah! the GF was bitching about the heat, anything over 80 and she starts sweating, I dont sweat till almost 100 so I'll roast if I have to, gives me an excuse to pound a cold beer later...
Well after driving around a bit I stopped at a gas station and readjusted the fan controller to allow a little more had space, I let it cycle a few times then hit the streets to get back to the pleasent upper 70s I had left. we pulled a grade the fans would come on and hold temps under load to 205-210 degrees the hottest it touched was 215 breifly and that was with 105 outside.
I was dissapointed by the seeming lack of any ram air cooling and that the fans had to cycle at all at freeway speeds. now that I know this system will work, I will refine it a little and seal the fan shrouds with pipe insulation to keep air from being pulled in from across gap between the fan and radiator. also I will move the temp probe to a spot right next to the inlet to get a more steady cycle. Next hot day should provide another oppertunity for further proofing of this system. I am also using the stock radiator, so I imagine that with an aluminum rad, these fans would really hum along...
I should add there will be a video uploaded of this little trip sometime this week...
73 Canyon Lands, (a.k.a. The Yellow Submarine) West Los Angeles CA
[Updated on: Mon, 19 July 2010 21:57] Report message to a moderator |
|
|
|
| Re: [GMCnet] Electric Radiator Fans: Practical cooling from the mensmall to your coach! Part III [message #92630 is a reply to message #92627] |
Mon, 19 July 2010 22:06  |
Eddie Pettit
Messages: 71
Registered: May 2009
Karma: 0
|
Member |
|
|
Nice test. Keep tweaking and keep updating. Thanks.
> -----Original Message-----
> From: gmclist-bounces@temp.gmcnet.org
> [mailto:gmclist-bounces@temp.gmcnet.org] On Behalf Of Shan Rose
> Sent: Monday, July 19, 2010 10:47 PM
> To: gmclist@temp.gmcnet.org
> Subject: [GMCnet] Electric Radiator Fans: Practical cooling
> from the mensmall to your coach! Part III
>
>
>
>
> Well, I finally got the test I wanted yesterday, it was
> cooler by a few degrees then saturday, but locally I couldnt
> find the heat I needed, so I started looking around at the
> usual hotspots in the southland, and decided to make a run up
> to Canyon Country/Santa Clarita where the forcast was for low
> 100s. this route also offered me some grades to climb up the
> 405, 5 and 14 freeways which would load up the engine, so at
> about 2pm I hit the road. coach had about 2/3rd full of fuel
> full water tank, and the Alernator was still the stock unit
> as I have not installed the CS 144 yet.
>
>
> For the first part of the drive across the west LA basin was
> routine, the traffic was moving along at 65 MPH and the temp
> was abut 80. coolant temps hung around 200* though I noticed
> that there was not much of a "Ram Air" cooling effect as the
> temps still climbed and would cycle the fans about every
> minute. we got to the first climb over the sepulveda pass
> which is about a 5 mile climb before dropping into the
> valley, I could feel the air getting hoter as we approched
> the valley but still no noticable difference in the function
> of the fans temps were hovering around 200-205 on my Summit
> temp gauge.
>
> The second leg of the trip took us across the San Fernando
> valley an mid 90 temps again the fans would cycle though they
> stayed on for longer intervols this time, they were set to
> come on at 210* and off at around 195 by the time we got to
> the I-5 we were firmly in the grip of 100 degree temps and
> the fans kept the coolant at 205* and this time they stayed
> on. finally on 14 climing the hill into Santa Clarita we were
> greeted by 105* temps and under load climbing at about 38 MPH
> the coolant temps edged just to about 210-215 the fans were
> on full tilt, coming down the hill the fans pulled the
> coolant temps back below 200 and breifly shut down before
> they cycled again. this time we hit the streets of Santa
> Clarita, and saw a temp sign in the shade that was at 103*.
> with no AC in the coach the temps were over 110! oooooo rah!
>
> Well after driving around a bit I stopped at a gas station
> and readjusted the fan controller to allow a little more had
> space, I let it cycle a few times then hit the streets to get
> back to the pleasent upper 70s I had left. we pulled a grade
> the fans would come on and hold temps under load to 205-210
> degrees the hottest it touched was 215 breifly and that was
> with 105 outside.
>
> I was dissapointed by the seeming lack of any ram air cooling
> and that the fans had to cycle at all at freeway speeds. now
> that I know this system will work, I will refine it a little
> and seal the fan shrouds with pipe insulation to keep air
> from being pulled in from across gap between the fan and
> radiator. also I will move the temp probe to a spot right
> next to the inlet to get a more steady cycle. Next hot day
> should provide another oppertunity for further proofing of
> this system. I am also using the stock radiator, so I imagine
> that with an aluminum rad, these fans would really hum along...
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> List Information and Subscription Options:
> http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
>
_____
I am using the Free version of SPAMfighter <http://www.spamfighter.com/len>
.
SPAMfighter has removed 210438 of my spam emails to date.
Do you have a slow PC? <http://www.spamfighter.com/SLOW-PCfighter?cid=sigen>
Try free scan!
_______________________________________________
GMCnet mailing list
List Information and Subscription Options:
http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
|
|
|
|
| Re: Electric Radiator Fans: Practical cooling from the mens mall to your coach! Part III [message #92631 is a reply to message #92627] |
Mon, 19 July 2010 22:22 |
Bob de Kruyff
Messages: 4260
Registered: January 2004
Location: Chandler, AZ
Karma: 1
|
Senior Member |
|
|
""Well after driving around a bit I stopped at a gas station and readjusted the fan controller to allow a little more had space, I let it cycle a few times then hit the streets to get back to the pleasent upper 70s I had left. we pulled a grade the fans would come on and hold temps under load to 205-210 degrees the hottest it touched was 215 breifly and that was with 105 outside. ""
That still seems high to me. Based on my mechanical fan clutch debacle, a well functioning system should stay at the thermostat setting even at 110f ambients.
Bob de Kruyff
78 Eleganza
Chandler, AZ
|
|
|
|
| Re: Electric Radiator Fans: Practical cooling from the mens mall to your coach! Part III [message #92640 is a reply to message #92631] |
Mon, 19 July 2010 23:08 |
|
|
Bob, I should clarify those temps were under load, and assuming my mechanical temp gauge is accurate. The stock temp was always just below the 1/4 mark which is always where it ran before. Also if the Tstat doesn't start to open till 195 so temps taken at the manifold will also be hotter then at the radiator where the fan controller is.
| Bob de Kruyff wrote on Mon, 19 July 2010 22:22 |
""Well after driving around a bit I stopped at a gas station and readjusted the fan controller to allow a little more had space, I let it cycle a few times then hit the streets to get back to the pleasent upper 70s I had left. we pulled a grade the fans would come on and hold temps under load to 205-210 degrees the hottest it touched was 215 breifly and that was with 105 outside. ""
That still seems high to me. Based on my mechanical fan clutch debacle, a well functioning system should stay at the thermostat setting even at 110f ambients.
|
73 Canyon Lands, (a.k.a. The Yellow Submarine) West Los Angeles CA
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Re: Electric Radiator Fans: Practical cooling from the mens mall to your coach! Part III [message #92669 is a reply to message #92627] |
Tue, 20 July 2010 10:52 |
|
|
I also forgot to mention when driving over flat land temps held just below 200. I will seal the shrouds and this will boost airflow through the radiator. I will say that the fans did do their job, and kept the coach from over heating and kept it on the road. Given the proper resources I believe I could design an electric fan totally capable of cooling a coach. But for adapting from an existing application like the Thunderbird SC it is possible to recreate these results for about $175...
73 Canyon Lands, (a.k.a. The Yellow Submarine) West Los Angeles CA
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Re: [GMCnet] Electric Radiator Fans: Practical cooling from the mens mall to your coach! Part III [message #92696 is a reply to message #92671] |
Tue, 20 July 2010 13:11 |
|
|
Larry,
Thhe stock alt worked its ass off that I can tell you! But I was running no extra accessories so the full 80 amps were available for the ignition and fans. Had I been running the dash AC would have been a touch too much for it. The charge wire was hot but it held up. It was hard to tell if it was hotter then normal because the ambient temps were so damn high. I have the CS 144 waiting to go in, my new 140 amp isolator for delcotron alts just got delivered yesterday. Set me back a whopping 35 bux from overstock.com and its even made in the USA! So hopefully I can get it installed this week sometime. The alt is off a 95 caddy and at 140 amps should be enough to run everything including the fans. Got the alt from a mens mall for 25 bux and it was a nearly new unit 
| ljdavick wrote on Tue, 20 July 2010 11:07 |
Shan,
You didn't mention any issues with the alternator. Do you think your current setup is sufficient for those fans?
Larry Davick
On Jul 20, 2010, at 8:52 AM, Shan Rose <defconfx@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
> I also forgot to mention when driving over flat land temps held just below 200. I will seal the shrouds and this will boost airflow through the radiator. I will say that the fans did do their job, and kept the coach from over heating and kept it on the road. Given the proper resources I believe I could design an electric fan totally capable of cooling a coach. But for adapting from an existing application like the Thunderbird SC it is possible to recreate these results for about $175...
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> List Information and Subscription Options:
> http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
_______________________________________________
GMCnet mailing list
List Information and Subscription Options:
http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
|
73 Canyon Lands, (a.k.a. The Yellow Submarine) West Los Angeles CA
|
|
|
|
| Re: Electric Radiator Fans: Practical cooling from the mens mall to your coach! Part III [message #92698 is a reply to message #92669] |
Tue, 20 July 2010 13:19 |
Bob de Kruyff
Messages: 4260
Registered: January 2004
Location: Chandler, AZ
Karma: 1
|
Senior Member |
|
|
| Duce Apocalypse wrote on Tue, 20 July 2010 09:52 |
I also forgot to mention when driving over flat land temps held just below 200. I will seal the shrouds and this will boost airflow through the radiator. I will say that the fans did do their job, and kept the coach from over heating and kept it on the road. Given the proper resources I believe I could design an electric fan totally capable of cooling a coach. But for adapting from an existing application like the Thunderbird SC it is possible to recreate these results for about $175...
|
I might have missed it in a previous thread, but are you running electric only without the mechanical fan?
Bob de Kruyff
78 Eleganza
Chandler, AZ
|
|
|
|
| Re: Electric Radiator Fans: Practical cooling from the mens mall to your coach! Part III [message #92715 is a reply to message #92698] |
Tue, 20 July 2010 15:03 |
|
|
Yeppers, actually I'm running a pair of electric fans....
| Bob de Kruyff wrote on Tue, 20 July 2010 13:19 |
| Duce Apocalypse wrote on Tue, 20 July 2010 09:52 |
I also forgot to mention when driving over flat land temps held just below 200. I will seal the shrouds and this will boost airflow through the radiator. I will say that the fans did do their job, and kept the coach from over heating and kept it on the road. Given the proper resources I believe I could design an electric fan totally capable of cooling a coach. But for adapting from an existing application like the Thunderbird SC it is possible to recreate these results for about $175...
|
I might have missed it in a previous thread, but are you running electric only without the mechanical fan?
|
73 Canyon Lands, (a.k.a. The Yellow Submarine) West Los Angeles CA
|
|
|
|
| Re: [GMCnet] Electric Radiator Fans: Practical cooling from the mens mall to your coach! Part III [message #92725 is a reply to message #92696] |
Tue, 20 July 2010 17:29 |
fred v
Messages: 999
Registered: April 2006
Location: pensacola, fl.
Karma: 0
|
Senior Member |
|
|
| Duce Apocalypse wrote on Tue, 20 July 2010 13:11 |
Larry,
Thhe stock alt worked its ass off that I can tell you! But I was running no extra accessories so the full 80 amps were available for the ignition and fans. Had I been running the dash AC would have been a touch too much for it. The charge wire was hot but it held up. It was hard to tell if it was hotter then normal because the ambient temps were so damn high. I have the CS 144 waiting to go in, my new 140 amp isolator for delcotron alts just got delivered yesterday. Set me back a whopping 35 bux from overstock.com and its even made in the USA! So hopefully I can get it installed this week sometime. The alt is off a 95 caddy and at 140 amps should be enough to run everything including the fans. Got the alt from a mens mall for 25 bux and it was a nearly new unit
| ljdavick wrote on Tue, 20 July 2010 11:07 |
Shan,
You didn't mention any issues with the alternator. Do you think your current setup is sufficient for those fans?
Larry Davick
On Jul 20, 2010, at 8:52 AM, Shan Rose <defconfx@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
> I also forgot to mention when driving over flat land temps held just below 200. I will seal the shrouds and this will boost airflow through the radiator. I will say that the fans did do their job, and kept the coach from over heating and kept it on the road. Given the proper resources I believe I could design an electric fan totally capable of cooling a coach. But for adapting from an existing application like the Thunderbird SC it is possible to recreate these results for about $175...
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> List Information and Subscription Options:
> http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
_______________________________________________
GMCnet mailing list
List Information and Subscription Options:
http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
|
|
a lot of guys change out the alt. wire that goes to the isolator and use a heavier wire like a #8 battery cable rather than the #10 OEM wire.
Fred V
'77 Royale RB 455
P'cola, Fl
|
|
|
|
| Re: [GMCnet] Electric Radiator Fans: Practical cooling from the mens mall to your coach! Part III [message #92726 is a reply to message #92725] |
Tue, 20 July 2010 18:00 |
jw mills
Messages: 199
Registered: September 2006
Karma: -30
|
Senior Member |
|
|
When I reran the wire from my alternator to the isolator I just used
what I had on hand - some #5. Even if I upgrade the alternator I don't
think that I will have a problem the THAT wire.
--
Jim Mills
Greeley, CO
1973 CanyonLands 260 TZE-063V100731(under renovation)
1973 Glacier 230 TZE-033V101993
On Tue, 2010-07-20 at 17:29 -0500, fred veenschoten wrote:
>
> Duce Apocalypse wrote on Tue, 20 July 2010 13:11
> > Larry,
> >
> > Thhe stock alt worked its ass off that I can tell you! But I was running no extra accessories so the full 80 amps were available for the ignition and fans. Had I been running the dash AC would have been a touch too much for it. The charge wire was hot but it held up. It was hard to tell if it was hotter then normal because the ambient temps were so damn high. I have the CS 144 waiting to go in, my new 140 amp isolator for delcotron alts just got delivered yesterday. Set me back a whopping 35 bux from overstock.com and its even made in the USA! So hopefully I can get it installed this week sometime. The alt is off a 95 caddy and at 140 amps should be enough to run everything including the fans. Got the alt from a mens mall for 25 bux and it was a nearly new unit :)
> >
> > ljdavick wrote on Tue, 20 July 2010 11:07
> > > Shan,
> > >
> > > You didn't mention any issues with the alternator. Do you think your current setup is sufficient for those fans?
> > >
> > > Larry Davick
> > >
> > > On Jul 20, 2010, at 8:52 AM, Shan Rose <defconfx@gmail.com> wrote:
> > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > I also forgot to mention when driving over flat land temps held just below 200. I will seal the shrouds and this will boost airflow through the radiator. I will say that the fans did do their job, and kept the coach from over heating and kept it on the road. Given the proper resources I believe I could design an electric fan totally capable of cooling a coach. But for adapting from an existing application like the Thunderbird SC it is possible to recreate these results for about $175...
> > > > _______________________________________________
> > > > GMCnet mailing list
> > > > List Information and Subscription Options:
> > > > http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > GMCnet mailing list
> > > List Information and Subscription Options:
> > > http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
>
> a lot of guys change out the alt. wire that goes to the isolator and use a heavier wire like a #8 battery cable rather than the #10 OEM wire.
>
_______________________________________________
GMCnet mailing list
List Information and Subscription Options:
http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
|
|
|
|
|
|
Goto Forum:
Current Time: Tue Oct 08 09:20:17 CDT 2024
Total time taken to generate the page: 0.02555 seconds
|
GMCforum
Search
Help
Register
Login
Home
