Cascade Crew

chevymad · Posted: Sun Jul 08, 2012 5:01 pm Post subject: Electric fan issues

Of course when things start getting warm is when your cooling system takes a dump. Anyway a few weeks ago I was in Longview, just warm day not hot and my temp hit 230 at a stop light. New aluminum radiator, dual 12" fans, 160 thermo. Cooled off once I got moving, so obviously not enough air flow. The 12" aftermarket fans really only have an 11" blade, and since they are only shrouded around the blade itself I was only cooling two 12" spots on the radiator. Figured that was my issue.

So off to the junkyard and I bought a dual fan/shroud setup off a 97 minivan. Fits awesome! Fan's are true 14" and move lots of air. I install and let the car idle. Fans come on at 190 cool to 165 and off they go to cycle again when it warmed back up. Perfect!

So today I actually drive it into longview again to try it out in the sunshine. First few lights are fine then back to 230. Sad

Pull into Lowes(going there because my house thermostat stuck on heat and wouldnt shut off!!) No fans running.

Check the relay, works, but isnt clicking when I plug it into the controller. Controller has power and ground etc. Cut a peice of wire and bypass the relay, fans run. Runs below 190 all the way home. Do a bit more trouble shooting and find the Hayden dual fan controller is dead. Never blew a fuse or anything.

So now I get on Summit's website to figure out when I got the thing and what the warranty is. Doesnt say warranty, but haydens site says a year. I find my order # at summit and it was 8/24 last year.. Hmm just in time. Call summit, give the guy my order # and tell him it died. He says he'll send one out first thing in the morning!! Cool

Just put the old one in the box and throw it on the porch for UPS to pickup.

Great service Summit!

And cause no post is good without pics, here we go.

aaron_sK · Posted: Sun Jul 08, 2012 5:05 pm Post subject:

Shroud looks better, Brandon. Chrysler minivan?

chevymad · Posted: Sun Jul 08, 2012 5:07 pm Post subject:

Yup. I havent even peeled the pentastar sticker off yet. Laughing

aaron_sK · Posted: Sun Jul 08, 2012 5:14 pm Post subject:

I noticed. Wink

Is your Hayden the type with the radiator probe and the dialback thingy?

chevymad · Posted: Sun Jul 08, 2012 5:17 pm Post subject:

You can see it near the battery there. It's made for dual fans, has 2 15amp circuits but uses a single relay. Mine has a coolant probe screwed into the intake and theres a small adjustment pot on the control unit itself.

aaron_sK · Posted: Sun Jul 08, 2012 5:21 pm Post subject:

It might be over capacity. The Taurus fan going into Banana pulls more than that on low speed.

chevymad · Posted: Sun Jul 08, 2012 5:24 pm Post subject:

It's never blown a fuse. And it didnt blow on the fan supply side. The switched ground for the relay died.

Twilightoptics · Posted: Mon Jul 09, 2012 8:45 am Post subject:

My MR2 fans only draw 7 amps (measured) when on and they move so much air I only use one on the rotary and it stays cold, to the point that when it's cool out the heater is noticeably cooler.

Also never had a problem with the dual fans on my car as far as keeping things cool.

Alphius · Posted: Mon Jul 09, 2012 9:24 am Post subject:

What's the spinup current draw though? As the fan is getting up to speed it draws significantly more current. My IROC dual fans draw 30-31 amps while spinning up then settle to less than 20 running with both fans on.

Twilightoptics · Posted: Mon Jul 09, 2012 9:39 am Post subject:

Like 8.

chevymad · Posted: Mon Jul 09, 2012 4:47 pm Post subject:

This definatly isnt an overload. Hayden fuses both fan circuits with 15amps apiece. Both fuses are still good. I have a 30 amp breaker ahead of the fan control unit as well.

All power supplies were still good. But the electronics in the fan control box switch the ground off/on to activate a 40amp bosch relay. That switched ground is what fails. Still power to the other side of the relay, but it never grounds to activate. Thats <1amp circuit. Anyway, Summit has my new one on the way!

chevymad · Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2012 7:44 pm Post subject:

New controller arrived today and works fine. It actually seems to adjust better.. Maybe the other one was always weak.

Schultzy89GTA · Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2012 8:17 pm Post subject:

Good news!

chevymad · Posted: Wed Sep 16, 2015 6:42 pm Post subject:

And this controller is now dead. Glad I found this thread. I thought I was using a Summit brand controller.. Now I know not to buy the Hayden again.

Also apparently my summit temperature gauge is no where close to correct. 160 thermo but the gauge reads over 190 when it starts to open. Had it up over 260* troubleshooting the fan controller. Turn off motor and not even a gurgle out of the radiator. Was even able to remove the rad cap.. No way it was over 260.

Twilightoptics · Posted: Wed Sep 16, 2015 8:27 pm Post subject:

I was less than impressed with the Summit gauges I put in the Chevette.

QwkTrip · Posted: Wed Sep 16, 2015 9:24 pm Post subject:

When a guy driving a Chevette says it wasn't up to his standards.....

chevymad · Posted: Wed Sep 16, 2015 9:39 pm Post subject:

It appears Summit no longer sells the particular gauge I've been using. It had a crap range on it anyway.

Going to replace that with a Bosch unit with a much better range and similar looks.

Been looking at fan controllers for the last several hours.. The hayden units have crap for reviews. Lots of em failed just like mine. Thinking pwm or multi speed unit. Some good reviews for dc controls but they build to order. Lots of people say it takes months to get one. So that is definitely out. The derale pwm unit looked interesting. Full on pwm and american made. But the unit continues to run after shut down until the shut off point is reached, and it uses a radiator fin probe. I don't like either idea.

Looked real close at the Ron Francis kit. Biggest draw back I saw was their proprietary sensor. It's built into a cable lug that you attach to an engine bolt. Supposedly you mount it somewhere out of the radiator air flow... but on a bolt that gets a good coolant temp reading. Confused

Saw people on several forums say it took alot of experimenting to find a good spot.

Looks like i'm going flex-a-lite. Lots of positive reviews, very few negatives. It's multispeed though not quite pwm. Has a soft start then will run the fans at 60%, 80%, and finally 100% as it warms up. Fans only stay on 30 seconds after shutdown. It also uses a sensor that actually threads into the water jacket.

Cheapest way would be a fan switch and build my own relay setup. But after my experiences with different parts store fan switches on the 87, I'm staying away from those too.

aaron_sK · Posted: Thu Sep 17, 2015 3:42 pm Post subject:

Because you're running a 160* thermostat you could readily find an aftermarket switch instead of running an OEM-style parts store unit.

Ironically I have had good luck with the Summit branded switches. Laughing

chevymad · Posted: Thu Sep 17, 2015 4:37 pm Post subject:

Only reason I'm running a 160 though is to give it more time before overheat when in traffic. If I can keep it cool with the water pump change and fan controller, I'd step up to a 180.

chevymad · Posted: Sat Sep 26, 2015 3:55 pm Post subject:

About to go on the maiden voyage. But idling in the barn with the new gauge, new water pump/dividers, and fan controller, I can see the thermostat open at exactly 160. It takes a little bit to build some more heat then the first stage of the fan comes on at 170. Runs for awhile and then shuts off. Old system would never shut off at idle, only once I was above 30mph or so. So on a nice fall northwest day I don't even seem to need the 80 or 100% fan speeds.