[slacker92104]

Has anyone been able to use the factory speed control in the contour fan? From what I have read it has it, but I haven't seen a write up on how to use it.

[SuB8HaVeN]

Mine had the factory one on the shroud, but I didn't think twice before ripping it out and installing the one I bought from Auto Zone. I just don't trust it, and I'm not 100% sure how that thing is wired.

[JeepHammer]

Throw me a picture of hardware, and give me a detailed description of what you want to do and I'll have a look at it.

I've set up (and posted wiring diagrams) for the dual Taraus fans, but I need to know if you wan them both to come on at the same time (The easiest), you want them to come on staggered, ect.

[slacker92104]

Originally Posted by JeepHammer

Throw me a picture of hardware, and give me a detailed description of what you want to do and I'll have a look at it.

I've set up (and posted wiring diagrams) for the dual Taraus fans, but I need to know if you wan them both to come on at the same time (The easiest), you want them to come on staggered, ect.

Unfortunately it's in the fan that I have already installed. It just came with the factory "resistor pack" that is mounted in the fan shroud and exposed to the radiator. I just want the fans to run slower when they can and speed up as the radiator warms up. I may wire in a bypass to run at full speed should I need it. I'm pretty good at wiring, I just need to know how the factory setup worked. I'm tempted to run down and bug the ford parts guys for a wiring diagram.

[JeepHammer]

Um, resistor pack doesn't have much to do with the fan speed control...

If there is a sensor in there somewhere (factory usually samples the engine water temp), that will tell a controller what wire to send power to, and then the resistor knocks back the current to that fan or fans...

How do you trigger your fans?
Are they 'On' the entire time the engine is?
Or do they come on when the engine heats up?
Do you use a thermostat switch?
Do you use a Relay?



If your resistors look something like this, then it's just a two speed fan.

There are a couple of ways to wire these things, so if you are actually interested, let me know and I'll whip up a couple of diagrams...

[slacker92104]

I think you're right on the two speed. I found a wiring diagram over at pirate. right now I'm using my old flex-a-lite controller to switch two relays. One for each fan. The controller itself didn't have the capacity to run both fans (possibly not even one if the 100amp spike comments I've found are true). I think what I would like the most would be for both fans to run at a variable speed depending on temperature, or both on at low and a full speed bypass for higher temps.

[JeepHammer]

Originally Posted by slacker92104

I think you're right on the two speed. I found a wiring diagram over at pirate. right now I'm using my old flex-a-lite controller to switch two relays. One for each fan. The controller itself didn't have the capacity to run both fans (possibly not even one if the 100amp spike comments I've found are true). I think what I would like the most would be for both fans to run at a variable speed depending on temperature, or both on at low and a full speed bypass for higher temps.

How about NOT RUNNING when the radiator tank temps are below threshold?
How about being able to shut things down before you dive off in water so the motors don't burn up and/or you don't pop fuses/breakers?

I'm working, it's going to take a few hours, believe that or not!... These diagrams take time to do correctly...

[slacker92104]

Well I would hope that the fan wouldn't run at all up to the temp set on my controller. When it hit that mark, i'd like to see both fans come on at low speed, and increase as needed. Of course the full power override I mentioned. I don't see a lot of water in SoCal, so I'd rather not have a kill switch.



Edit: Another reason for the variable speed would be for the "soft start" effect to avoid the huge spike in amps when the fans kick in.

[73jeep]

Your not really gaining anything buy using the resistors, they use the same amount of power on high and low, you might as well just run the fan on high.
How about two temp controlled relays one for each fan, with one set slightly higher than the other. So one fan will come on at full speed when needed and the other will come on when even more cooling is needed.

[illinicj]

Actually, by having resistors in the series, the current draw is lower, and therefore the power consumption is reduced.

[jscherb]

Originally Posted by slacker92104

Well I would hope that the fan wouldn't run at all up to the temp set on my controller. When it hit that mark, i'd like to see both fans come on at low speed, and increase as needed. Of course the full power override I mentioned. I don't see a lot of water in SoCal, so I'd rather not have a kill switch.



Edit: Another reason for the variable speed would be for the "soft start" effect to avoid the huge spike in amps when the fans kick in.

I''m a big believer in variable speed contollers. I've got the Contour fan on my Scrambler with a Delta Current Control FK-35 variable speed controller. The fans only run at the speed necessary to keep the coolant flowing back into the engine at the right temp, which most of the time is much less than full speed. On cooler days, the fan rarely runs when the Jeep is moving because airflow due to motion is enough to cool. Soft start and variable speed makes the fans very quiet. No current spikes.

[73jeep]

Originally Posted by illinicj

Actually, by having resistors in the series, the current draw is lower, and therefore the power consumption is reduced.

no, the same amount of energy is used, on low speed the energy that is not used to run the fan is expelled as heat thought the resistors(thats why they are mounted in the airflow of the fan).

[slacker92104]

Originally Posted by jscherb

I''m a big believer in variable speed contollers. I've got the Contour fan on my Scrambler with a Delta Current Control FK-35 variable speed controller. The fans only run at the speed necessary to keep the coolant flowing back into the engine at the right temp, which most of the time is much less than full speed. On cooler days, the fan rarely runs when the Jeep is moving because airflow due to motion is enough to cool. Soft start and variable speed makes the fans very quiet. No current spikes.

I'm thinking about it, but the price is a little steep for me.

[HackFabrication]

Actually, I don't find the price that high, considering the component you're getting. I ordered one this week.

[jscherb]

Originally Posted by HackFabrication

Actually, I don't find the price that high, considering the component you're getting. I ordered one this week.

I agree. By the time you buy some other "on/off" controller and the heavy duty relay you're going to need with it, you're not too far off the price of a very sophisticated controller with cool features. The DC Control unit is well worth the price IMHO.

Jeff