Intercooler fan set up.

[Bloodyaussie]

Going to fit a fan to my intercooler and wanted to know whats the go with have an auto set up??

I know I can hook a switch up easy enough but how would you go about having it come on withing certain temps??

[threedogs]

wouldnt you use a thermo fan switch and run the sender up the top hose

[the evil twin]

Certain temps of what?... Charge Air or Exchanged Air?
You need a thermal switch either way.
Charge air means plumbing into the outlet plenum whereas exchange air can be simpler as you can hang it under the I/C

[Bloodyaussie]

Well to be honest I am not sure... I thought I was going off my egt gauge as far as temps go??

Enlighten me some more to your wisdom...lol

[Winnie]

I have just wired mine to come on with ignition. Don't see any point in going to the trouble of using thermal switches and all that crap.

[the evil twin]

Dunno if Wisdom is exactly the term I would use...

I only ever bothered with a manual switch sama sama Winnie.
Towing or low and slow 4X turn it on and leave it, blatting around town turn it off and leave it.


For auto switching you could use the following scenarios...
EGT temps - would probably mean the I/C fan was on/off almost like your blinkers.
Simplest way to switch would be buy an EGT Display that has a switched alarm output

Coolant Temps - would probably mean the I/C fan was lagging IE when it got hot enough you already wanted it
Simplest way - existing (the one that drives the A/C boost fan) or after market coolant sensor switch as prev suggested by TD

Exchange air - would work OK, maybe a bit of lag
Simplest way - a thermo switch with the sensor just below the I/C

Charge Air - Easily the optimum way and means the fan is on whenever the charge air temp is high which is the end goal
Simplest way a thermocouple gauge (low range) with alarm plumbed into the I/C or a thermal switch sama sama

When I stopped arssing around in the mud and sand I took the Fan off as it does bugger all (on a CRD) over about 50-60 KPH anyway

[Bloodyaussie]

Dunno if Wisdom is exactly the term I would use...

I only ever bothered with a manual switch sama sama Winnie.
Towing or low and slow 4X turn it on and leave it, blatting around town turn it off and leave it.


For auto switching you could use the following scenarios...
EGT temps - would probably mean the I/C fan was on/off almost like your blinkers.
Simplest way to switch would be buy an EGT Display that has a switched alarm output

Coolant Temps - would probably mean the I/C fan was lagging IE when it got hot enough you already wanted it
Simplest way - existing (the one that drives the A/C boost fan) or after market coolant sensor switch as prev suggested by TD

Exchange air - would work OK, maybe a bit of lag
Simplest way - a thermo switch with the sensor just below the I/C

Charge Air - Easily the optimum way and means the fan is on whenever the charge air temp is high which is the end goal
Simplest way a thermocouple gauge (low range) with alarm plumbed into the I/C or a thermal switch sama sama

When I stopped arssing around in the mud and sand I took the Fan off as it does bugger all (on a CRD) over about 50-60 KPH anyway

Well manual switch it is then..... thanks guys very much.

[jff45]

I've just fitted a surface mount 50C thermal switch to my IC. They cost about 5 bucks from Jaycar.
I mounted it on the rear plate of the IC close to the IC outlet.
They work by closing the contacts inside so they can be wired to earth the fan relay.
They're about 20mm diameter with 2 x 6.4mm (1/4") flat blade connectors.

[Bloodyaussie]

I've just fitted a surface mount 50C thermal switch to my IC. They cost about 5 bucks from Jaycar.
I mounted it on the rear plate of the IC close to the IC outlet.
They work by closing the contacts inside so they can be wired to earth the fan relay.
They're about 20mm diameter with 2 x 6.4mm (1/4") flat blade connectors.

Do you have any pics mate...?

[jff45]

I can take pics tomorrow but here's the item on the Jaycar site.

I used 2 small screws because I couldn't get the pop rivet gun close enough.
...

[Bloodyaussie]

I can take pics tomorrow but here's the item on the Jaycar site.

I used 2 small screws because I couldn't get the pop rivet gun close enough.
...

Yes I would be interested in a pic if you could please.

So how would you know about the correct temp range??

[jff45]

Here's how I did mine. You should be able to enlarge the pic to see better.

I read up on what some of the ZD30 owners had done and they found that the 50 degree unit worked well.
By the time it senses 50 the charge air will be above that temp.
If you find it switches on too often, you can replace it with the 70 degree, for what they cost..

I'm also adding a small LED to tell me when it comes on so I'll add an override switch while I'm at it because I have pull the wires for the LED anyway.
...

[Bloodyaussie]

I ordered my fan yesterday and it arrived today... got to love that.

But I am stuck at home with 4 million kids as my nephews are here so cannot go and get the thermo switch till I am rescued...blah.

Bloodyaussie daycare service, reasonable rates and no care and barely any responsibility.

[Wizard52]

I've been thinking about it for a while so would like your thoughts if there is any improvement to fuel consumption and EGT's after installation.

[Bloodyaussie]

I installed my fan and thermo cut out out switch and so far from only local driving it has not turned on using a 50 degree switch.

[Ronin]

Where are you guys ordering the fan from ?

[Bloodyaussie]

I purchased this one... ordered it Tuesday and it arrived Wednesday.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/111770704129?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

[the evil twin]

I purchased this one... ordered it Tuesday and it arrived Wednesday.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/111770704129?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Jeez... I dunno BA... a 7 inch?

The body of the motor would block flow on more area of the core than the fan could pull thru the rest I reckon.

I was running the highest displacement 9 inch jobbie I could get which let me "up" the DP chip setting a notch for more grunt on slightly lower EGT's

[jff45]

I installed my fan and thermo cut out out switch and so far from only local driving it has not turned on using a 50 degree switch.

Mine neither but I see that as a good sign..

[jff45]

I'm running a Davies Craig 12" in a homemade cradle

...

[Bloodyaussie]

Jeez... I dunno BA... a 7 inch?

The body of the motor would block flow on more area of the core than the fan could pull thru the rest I reckon.

I was running the highest displacement 9 inch jobbie I could get which let me "up" the DP chip setting a notch for more grunt on slightly lower EGT's

I dont have a very big intercooler. .. that is the biggest that will fit.

I.figured when i got a bigger cooler i could use this fan on my oil cooler.

[the evil twin]

I dont have a very big intercooler. .. that is the biggest that will fit.

I.figured when i got a bigger cooler i could use this fan on my oil cooler.

Fair enuf...

[jff45]

This is mainly for BA's info.. Drove the car to Coles about 3 kms, it was at correct temp, 80C, when I got there and shut off.
Half hour shopping, start up and about a minute wait at lights, little LED comes on to tell me IC has kicked in.
Green light, drove normally up to 60 limit in about 100 metres and LED went out.
28C outside temp. I'm assuming there was a fair amount of heat soak by the IC while we were shopping.
At least I now know that it works and that seems like reasonably good conditions for it to kick in.

[Bloodyaussie]

This is mainly for BA's info.. Drove the car to Coles about 3 kms, it was at correct temp, 80C, when I got there and shut off.
Half hour shopping, start up and about a minute wait at lights, little LED comes on to tell me IC has kicked in.
Green light, drove normally up to 60 limit in about 100 metres and LED went out.
28C outside temp. I'm assuming there was a fair amount of heat soak by the IC while we were shopping.
At least I now know that it works and that seems like reasonably good conditions for it to kick in.

My thermo switch shit itself and was constantly on.... not sure if its because my intercooler is bolted to the engine and there is too much vibration?

I have a 70 degree one here and my chuck it on just to see....

[jff45]

You're sure it wasn't on because of the heat?

[Bloodyaussie]

You're sure it wasn't on because of the heat?

Yep.... i had it completely off the car but still connected and the fan was going flat out.. from the time it turned on it did not stop until i disconnect it and that was 4 hours of it.

[jff45]

I'm a bit surprised they would fail in the closed contact position. Are you running the fan current through it or just switch a relay with it?

[Bloodyaussie]

Fan current through it.... through the earth.

[jff45]

I don't think they're designed for that. I think they should only switch low currents like relays. If your 70* one does it too, that will answer the question..

[Bloodyaussie]

I don't think they're designed for that. I think they should only switch low currents like relays. If your 70* one does it too, that will answer the question..

Great.... so you are running your one through a relay??

[jff45]

As a general rule, I pass anything with a motor through a relay. I wouldn't use a manual switch either without a relay.
Too much current causes voltage spikes during switching which burn contacts over time. This will in turn cause a drop in volts across the contacts which, according to Ohm's law, will further increase the current.

[the evil twin]

Agree with using a Relay.

The start up current of the Fan motor will be way too high for reliable long term operation of those Jaycar switches IMHO

[Hodge]

That is exactly how a switch for IC fan on my Navara burnt out BA. It was all fed through the switch and contacts completely diminished after a while rendering it useless.
Fitted a relay and new switch, and a small LED letting me know when the fan kicks in, inside the cab. Issue fixed.

[Bloodyaussie]

Not sure what drugs i was smoking but i had fitted a relay....ha ha.

I changed the set up slightly and fitted another 50 degree switch.

See how this goes now.

[Yendor]

The thermal switch needs to be in the switching side of the relay. Not in the load carrying side. So it needs to be connected to either 85 or 86 of the relay.

For example connect 86 to ignition and 85 to the thermal switch and the other side of the thermal switch to earth.

[Bloodyaussie]

Well i wired it as Rodney suggested and yesterday with the heat we had in Melbourne the fan was on a lot but today with much cooler weather it hardly turned on at all so all seems to be working well. .. cheers guys for the help and advice.