Fan Controller

88GThatchback

Founding Member

Jul 8, 2002

226

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16

Livermore, CA

Jun 15, 2004

#1

• Jun 15, 2004

• #1

Does anyone use a Derale fan controller? Summit sells them and it looks ok to me. I want the one with the 3/8" probe that threads into a water jacket. I was wondering if the hole in the back of the intake would be ok for a fan sender? I have heard that it is not as accurate as the front one, but i don't know if it would still work ok? I will be using this with the Ramcharger fan. Heres a link to the Derale site: http://www.derale.com/electricfanaccess.shtml

Thanks,
Clay

 

HISSIN50

"How long does it take to get help in here?

15 Year Member

Nov 29, 1999

31,179

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129

Jun 16, 2004

#2

• Jun 16, 2004

• #2

i will toss out my two cents, though im not familiar with the controller you are lookin at.
unless it is cheap, i would probably go with the controller Michael Yount uses. it is DCController IIRC. very nice progressive unit.

ok, location for a probe. the rear lower intake port is not as accurate (IIRC, coolant pools more than flows back there, so the coolant's temp there will not be as 'real time' accurate.
however, if you are using an adjustable controller and HAVE to have it there, you could tune the controller to work (get the fan to kick on at a given temp from an aftermarket gauge, and not just setting the rheostat at a given temp, which would likely be off).
some folks have used the stat housing for a sender....i think Michael had a custom port put on his radiator. i think Tom also runs one, and im not sure where he installed his probe.

good luck, Clay.

 

Michael Yount

Mustang Master

Apr 10, 2002

9,039

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Charlotte, NC

Jun 16, 2004

#3

• Jun 16, 2004

• #3

I tried 2 Derale controllers - both were broken right out of the box. I would not try them. Only one way to control an electric fan -- www.dccontrol.com. MUCH better than any other control system out there - no comparison.

 

tmoss

Gettin Wired

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Jun 28, 2001

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Saint Louis, MO

Jun 16, 2004

#4

• Jun 16, 2004

• #4

tapping the balnk hole in the stock thermostat housing is a MUCH better place to put the sensor as it has flow across it after the stat opens. I use the Delta control (dccontrol) also and it is a very nice piece.

 

conartist

Member

Dec 4, 2002

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Windsor, Ontario, Canada

Jun 16, 2004

#5

• Jun 16, 2004

• #5

For what it's worth, I used the Flex-a-Lite #31147 adjustable temp control with my new setup this year. I have to say that I was skeptical about the quality of the part, but after having it on the car for a couple of weeks now, I'm more than happy. It keeps the car right at the temp that I want it to be and wasn't very expensive. I think it's really a nice piece. My 2 cents.

 

Michael Yount

Mustang Master

Apr 10, 2002

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Charlotte, NC

Jun 16, 2004

#6

• Jun 16, 2004

• #6

Just one thought about tapping the hole in the t'stat housing -- it's on the 'cold' side of the t'stat. So if something happens and the t'stat isn't functioning properly or gets stuck closed, temps will continue to rise in the block, but the sensor or switch won't see them. Just something to keep in mind - as Tom suggests, when I was using switches, I mounted one of mine there; mounted the second in the radiator tank just under the big hose from the t'stat housing.

 

tmoss

Gettin Wired

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Jun 28, 2001

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Saint Louis, MO

Jun 16, 2004

#7

• Jun 16, 2004

• #7

What you do Mike is leave the stock or aftermarket temp sensor on the block side and put the controller for the fan on the T-stat housing, so if that happens you'll see it - and if that happens the fan isn't going to help much.

 

88GThatchback

Founding Member

Jul 8, 2002

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Livermore, CA

Jun 16, 2004

#8

• Jun 16, 2004

• #8

So would the fan sender in the t-stat housing be better than one that goes in the radiator fins?

 

tmoss

Gettin Wired

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Jun 28, 2001

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Jun 16, 2004

#9

• Jun 16, 2004

• #9

Prob not much difference if their good parts. The dccontrol unit uses a probe that pushes into the radiator fins.

 

Michael Yount

Mustang Master

Apr 10, 2002

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Charlotte, NC

Jun 16, 2004

#10

• Jun 16, 2004

• #10

I'm with you Tom - agree that the fan won't help if the t'stat's closed. Just didn't want someone to move it there as their only switch/sensor source without understanding all the implications of that location. My coolant gauge is run off the stock location near the #5 runner.

 

J

jwcma

Founding Member

Aug 5, 2002

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Bay Area, CA

Jun 17, 2004

#11

• Jun 17, 2004

• #11

88GThatchback said:

I was wondering if the hole in the back of the intake would be ok for a fan sender?

Click to expand...

The rear hole in the intake sucks for a temp sensor. I had one there for an aftermarket gauge (to allow the stock gauge to work) and drove around for a while with both temp gauges working. I immediately noticed the aftermarket gauge was reading too cold from the rear hole. I didn't like that so I put the aftermarket sender in the stock location up front, and plugged the back hole. Only then did I realize how slow to respond that rear sender location was. The stock gauge no longer works, but I don't miss it much.

Bottom line: I would not use the rear hole for a temp gauge, much less something much more important, like controlling the cooling fan.

 

Michael Yount

Mustang Master

Apr 10, 2002

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79

Charlotte, NC

Jun 17, 2004

#12

• Jun 17, 2004

• #12

jwcma - coolant in the block enters at the front on both sides, travels to the rear on both sides, then up to the heads in the BACK, and travels to the front where it returns to the radiator to be cooled. It picks up most of it's heat in the heads, not the block. When you put the sender at the back, you're sampling coolant that has come out of the radiator (cooler) and hasn't absorbed much heat from the heads yet. That's why the factory puts the gauge sender at the front of the manifold. It's where the coolant temps are the highest.

 

BlackGT89

Member

Dec 16, 2002

774

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Huntsville, AL

Jun 17, 2004

#13

• Jun 17, 2004

• #13

I'm using the Flex-a-lite 31165 Variable Speed Fan Controller. It comes with everything you need and has some nice features and good instructions. Costs about $80 at Jeg's but it's pretty smooth. Comes on with the AC which you must have if you run your AC or the pressures will build astronomically. I also have a small light on the dash to reasure me that's it's all working when it should.

http://www.jegs.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ProductDisplay?prrfnbr=141551&prmenbr=361