Hey all, I'm fitting a pair of electric fans to my 13 this weekend, and I have got myself a thermostatic fan controller as well. My question is, should I wire both fans to be switched by the fan controller, or could it be worth having one wired using the controller and one on a switch on the dash. This way I can manually control of one fan and have the other fan on automatic control? I would have them both on a switch, but I'm forgetful and the controller should stop me frying things. I was looking for peoples experiences on this, as I am unsure what to do. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
The last electric fans I installed (pair) I ran off a thermostatic fan switch... However it was just for road, electric fans on race cars have been either switched via a dash switch or on all the time when the cars fired. Tbh I'd stick with the viscous and cowl on a 13 though, you can't better it!
Maybe fit one on the controller and one on a switch and wire a warning light to go off at a pre set temp to remind you to turn the other fan on?? Just a thought!
+1 on the viscous fan dude, you wont beat it tbh, we used the same set up with switchs on the gen1 rx7 v8 turbo we built in work and tbh if there was any way that a viscous could've been used, we would've. i know thats shit advise as youve already spent the money to but the fans and switch but seriously, sell them on and refit the viscous, or keep one fan, mount it the other side of the rad and put it on a switch, just an idea
I did a simple thing in my Lada: in-car switch parallel to thermostatic one. You can either let the thermo do its job or switch them on manual. Just remember to use relay because thermostatic switch nor in-car switch wouldn't cope with high current while starting two big electric motors. Maybe some proper spec motorsport ones would, but it's simpler to do this the right way.
Put them both on the controler and parallel up with a manual switch. That way you can switch either way. The benefit if electric fans is the ability to keep cool air circulating after shutting down a hot engine. After you stop an engine water keeps circulating due to the syphon effect so it can be a benefit to keep cooling the rad, especialy on a turbo engine.
sorry for jumping in....but could you guys explain how to wire in the switch parallel to a controller via a relay please.
It depends what kind of controler you have. if it operates on the earth side of the relay just run another wire to eatrh through the switch. If it operates on the +12v side do the same but switch through a 12v supply.
i removed the viscous and cowling for several. my engine really doesnt get hot enough to worry keeping it my cowling was damaged. i wanted to free up some engine power along with getting light weight pulleys and removing AC i can cool after the car has been turned off Can turn on/off at will i have two 12inch fans wired up to a relay and a Rocker switch with missile cover on the dash next to fog switch, my temp still remains low, but i can turn it on and off at will, unlike a viscous.
Basically, you have 4 contacts on relay. One pair is for "main circuit" and other is for control signal that opens "main circuit". Main circuit is simple: 12v -> relay -> fans -> ground. That's the thing you want your relay to control i.e. switching on the fans. Control signal is not complicated too: 12v -> switches (solder your in-car switch parallel to thermostatic controller) -> relay -> ground. That's the thing that controls your relay. I hope I remembered the sequence correct. edit. works for thermostatic controller that just simply closes the circuit then reaching desired temperature. I have no idea if there are other types.
Positive -> fuse holder (10 amp fuse) <--> fan switch <---> feed pin on relay <----earth Positive --> fuse holder (25 amp fuse) <--> switched pins <--> positive wire on fan. Fan - negative wire <--Earth For extra switch, just send a 12v to feed pin on relay via a switch.
Google image Search cooling fan wiring diagram - will save me drawing you some kind of fan wiring for dummies sketch! 12v feed to a 30A relay then from the relay to the fan. Earth from the fan to ground. Another 12v feed bridged from your other 12v feed to the other terminal on the relay. Then run an earth from the relay to the thermo fan switch (assuming it's negatively switched) can use a switch to bridge the thermo fan switch out for a manual override?? Simples!!
Yeah, I forgot about fuses. I fused just main circuit though. The current on control circuit is very small, but you can fuse it too.
The reason I got the fans is because I was offered them cheap, and the IC pipework needed chopping about as the pipework to my ICV caught on the viscous for some reason. The cost if the fans and controller was cheaper than having the pipework modified. That's why I have decided to go this way. Thanks for the advice, if anyone has any more please keep them coming.
Righto, fitted the stuff the other day, just want to check the wiring is correct as I cannot find much on wiring a pair of fans in. I am going to run both fans off the controller with a 30amp in-line fuse on the power wire. Will wiring this way allow the relay for the controller to provide enough power to both fans without causing damage or kersploding, or should I wire in a second relay, in-line with one for the controller, to provide a separate power source for the second fan?
cooling fan wiring diagram - Google Search Replace temp sender with toggle switch or controller depending which fan or what your doing?? I ran 2 slim line fans from a single 30A relay switched with a temp switch.
