--- BRUSHLESS FANS ARE NEW STUFF. A NEW LEARNING CURVE WAS NEEDED (at least for me) --- This image comes from the below linked article on the Differences between Brushed and Brushless DC Motors. haydonkerkpittman.com/learningzone
In 2023 I began looking closer at brushless fans after I saw some videos and test data which suggested some BRUSHLESS fans can significantly out-perform old-school BRUSHED fans, offering higher speeds, more airflow, and all while using LESS AMPERAGE. My 240 has a high-performance alternator powering very cold 32ºF AC
that works awesome even in 100ºF plus temps. And it has a big custom
radiator, which can handle all that in any climate, even going up
endless grades. My previous fan was a monster Lincoln Mark VIII. It was
fine with all this, but I soon discovered that BRUSHLESS fans can be
even BETTER.
I'll get to some performance test data further down, but
there's one very interesting thing I have found during testing that I wasn't
aware of (since I wasn't experienced with these). These fans often become MORE efficient
at HIGHER voltage levels. I began testing brushless fans at 12.7v static battery
levels and then later at 14.5v with the engine running. In many tests I found a
brushless fan spins faster and pushes more airflow with LESS AMPERAGE DRAW when used at HIGHER voltage levels.
.
-- NOTABLE BRUSHLESS FANS --
I'm interested in
learning about any other brushless fans that you may have found useful for projects, especially if they can be made to work in an our OLDER VOLVOS.
For convenience sake, I would also like to identify more fans which can be
made to fit a 240 or 740 radiator width without a lot of trouble.
If you come
across any useful fans and can offer useful info, please let me know. CONTACTDELTA PAG BRUSHLESS FANS If you happen to notice that DELTA PAG is the FIRST FAN listed in this page, it's not a coincidence.After you read more, I think you'll agree that these should be at the top.
There are a few videos showing Delta PAG fans performing very well. In 2015 Delta PAG https://deltapag.com
introduced a 16 inch brushless fan which is shown in the first video below.
Delta PAG also offers a digital controller with digital displays for programming the temp-speeds.
Ratings and Tests in LOAD versus FREE-AIR Delta PAG rates their 16 inch fan at 3200 CFM at 13 volts, using
about 22 amps. Maximum RPM is about 2900. They've stated their
test ratings are made using a radiator in front of the
fan. Putting a radiator in front of a fan reduces air flow. If you instead test a fan in free-air (nothing in front of the fan), the CFM
results will be much higher. That is a valid test, but not very realistic.
Delta PAG also states
that they're able to achieve 25% more airflow
than other brushless fan designs
because of their unique motor design (with a much smaller center hub). With that smaller
center hub, an impressive improvement is made in air flow. Pretty
much all other brushless fan motors have huge center hubs in comparison,
because other fans
contain speed control electronics inside the hub. Delta PAG has made
their
speed
control module a separate part, which is mounted nearby and out of the way from airflow. It seems logical that this can offer a significant improvement to airflow.
A mechanical drawing of their 16 inch fan is shown in their web site.
For a Delta PAG fan, the 16 inch measurement refers to the overall width of the fan assembly
at the outside (16.00 inches). So this means the actual fan blade diameter is actually a bit smaller, closer to about 15 inches. This
type of advertised measurement seems to be fairly common with most fan
manufacturers, so keep this in mind when considering the fan size you
want.
Power Consumption vs CFM
I've seen comments from Derale (they sell fans too) thatyou can generally expect about 100 CFM for each AMP that a high output fan uses.
Example: A 3000 CFM fan might use 30 amps. If that's accurate, then the people at Delta PAG didn't follow it. They've
achieved a far greater airflow to amps ratio. Do the math: The 16 inch fan above makes 3200 CFM from 22 amps? Pretty damned good. Using less power is good for your charging system. 18 inch Delta PAG Fan
The larger Delta PAG 18 inch fan was introduced more recently. It's rated by Delta PAG at 4100 CFM at 13
volts, using only 26 amps. Another awesome airflow achievement using minimal current. Maximum RPM is about 2900. Again their CFM rating is assuming there's a
radiator installed in front on the fan. Some manufacturers don't rate their fans that way. Putting a radiator (and maybe a condensor and intercooler) in front of a
fan
creates an air restriction and REDUCES flow. This reduction is much more than I would have expected before I
did some testing for myself. Any fan will be affected, but a very strong
fan like this one will do a better job of overcoming a restriction
than a weak fan.
RELIABILITY OF ANEMOMETER (CFM) TESTING
Testing CFM air flow using an ANEMOMETER is how I compare fans that I
test. It's pretty consistent as long as you use accurate calculations.
I'm always curious as to what calculations some people are using in
their
own anemometer tests. I was curious about that 5100 CFM
test in the above Delta PAG video. Delta PAG rates that 18 inch fan at
4100 CFM with the restriction of a radiator. Soif a Free-Air Test is that much higher,it
appears we need to accept that a radiator restriction can reduce air
flow by 20% or more (5100 to 4100 CFM in this case). When I first saw this, it seemed like a lot of airflow drop to
me. Later (my tests are further below) I was able to do some of my own FREE
AIR testing and with some fans, INSTALLED testing with my radiator, AC condenser and intercooler.I did these tests with my old brushed Mark
VIII fan and also with the big Jeep JK brushless fan I installed. I have confirmed that a big drop in airflow
is definite going to happen when restrictions are in front of the fan. It's significant!
-- DIMENSIONS -- With respect to advertised fan size, I will point out this 18 inch
Delta-PAG fan (BELOW IMAGE)doesn't actually have 18 inch fan blades (I added the red text to this image).
This fan measures 18.11 inches at the outside of the shroud assembly. So the actual fan blade diameter is around 17 inches.
I'm not saying this fan might disappoint you. This fan actually out-performs many larger fans from
other manufacturers. I only point out the actual blade size
because I don't think enough people pay attention to this when comparing
fans across different manufacturers.
Also I think some people on the internet are
incorrectly using ACTUAL FAN BLADE SIZES when calculating their own CFM tests. Accuracy matters. Accurate anemometer
tests require accurate fan area measurements to be used. I've saw one test of THIS SAME 18 inch fan above using an anemometer, where the tester ignorantly used the FAN AREA for an 18 inch fan(instead of the correct 17 inches) and then he ALSO failed to deduct the area of
the center hub. Then he published a finding of 3900-4000 CFM. A test like this is probably NOT accurate. Entering an exaggerated cubic foot value into an anemometer always results in an exaggerated CFM reading.
Ultimately, I think you can use anemometer CFM tests as an estimation tool,
but true comparisons are probably not possible unless the fans are tested with
the same anemometer or same method, and of course a must is having consistent fan area calculations.
HOW FAR OFF COULD SOME CFM TESTS BE?
Using the above example, if someone uses the area calculation for an 18 inch fan when they actually have
a 17 inch fan, it can result in an exaggeration of about 6%, or about 250 CFM.
And if that person fails to deduct the area for the center hub,
this will result in error too. Delta-PAG fans have a really
small center hub, so it would be a smaller error in this case. About 3% or about 120 CFM. This
kind of
error with other brushless fans with much larger center hubs can result
in errors of 6% to 8%.
Are there any draw-backs to a Delta PAG fan?
I have not found any draw-backs with these fans (although I don't own one). I certainly would consider owning one. I think these are really great fans. When
I first began looking at these fans, their digital speed controller was
able to trigger a separate fan speed for AC ON, but it could only offer
full-speed for that option. As of December 2023 this has changed. Their
controllers now offer the ability to control AUX SPEED,so you now have some variable speed options for when AC is ON.
This is a nice option if AC is important to you. I'm one who likes to
choose a middle speed (around 50%) for when the AC is on. Full speed is rarely needed for that if you have a powerful fan.
If you're interested in a LOT more information
about these particular fans (NOT posted in their page), there's a long-winded
technical discussion in this linked Corvette C7 forum below. This link below takes you to page 3, where the serious discussion begins. Some good info. tbssowners.com/threads/c7-pwm-brushless/page-3
USING A DELTA PAG FAN IN A VOLVO This is absolutely possible, however I know that most old Volvo owners are more inclined to look for the CHEAP solution. This is not the CHEAP solution. But it is an elegant one.
Certainly the 16 inch or 18 inch fan shown above can be used with a stock size Volvo 240 radiator or a large custom one.
You would need to come up with afan shroud(or have Delta Pag make one to your specs, which they will if you ask).
Or I think one of these fans might just fit in a Volvo mechanical fan shroud. The 740 Turbo fan shroud would probably work considering the overall dimensions of the Delta PAG fans. If you decide to pursue a Delts PAG in a Volvo, please let me know how it goes. I'd like to post more info about these fans.
I believe Spal first introduced their line of aftermarket
brushless fans in 2014 with sizes up to 16 inches. These were called the
"NUOVA" series. An announcement believed to have been dated 2014 is below:
SPAL USA INTRODUCES NEW BRUSHLESS FAN TECHNOLOGY TO THE AUTOMOTIVE AFTERMARKET SPAL
USA, a global leader in the production of high quality electric cooling
fans and accessories, is excited to announce their new “NUOVA”
brushless fan line. SPAL “NUOVA” series brushless fans features include: •Completely sealed/waterproof/dustproof motors with integrated power and signal electronics, •"Soft start” technology (eliminates electrical in-rush spike), •Digitally controlled for smooth and reliable operation,temperature sensor options for full variable speed control. •Reduced axial dimensions and low weight, •High efficiency, low noise, along with excellent resistance to vibration and harshness (NVH) levels. In
addition, the brushless design reduces the number of wear components
versus standard brushed technology to deliver extremely long-lasting
motor life as well as provide automatic power de-rating to guarantee
performance in over-temperature operating conditions. SPAL
brushless technology is specifically designed for applications where
low power consumption, fuel economy, low weight, advanced electronic
control and high efficiency are key requirements.
SPAL THEN INVERTED THE PWM SIGNAL RAMPS ON THEIR AFTERMARKET FANS
I don't know what year this change was made. I have been told by others that Spal
discovered that they were selling lots of their "smart" sensors needed to
run these new fans, but instead of selling a lot of new (expensive)
aftermarket fans, they discovered people were using the sensors for less
expensive OEM fans from C7 Corvettes (2014+) and Gen6 Camaros (2016+), which were all made by Spal for GM. So then Spal decided to discontinue the "smart"
sensors which worked with Corvette and Camaro fans and they created a new line of sensors
which CHANGED the PWM duty cycle ramps. And then they changed all their
new aftermarket fans to match the new "smart" sensors. I know this may be confusing. The new aftermarket fan series was
then called the "PLUS" series and the old NUOVA series was then eliminated. From that point forward all new Spal "smart"
sensors would only work with their second generation PLUS series fans, and OEM (Spal) Corvette and Camaro fan users were mostly tossed out in the cold (for a little while).
SPAL "SMART" SENSORS
3/8 NPT threaded end. 4-pole electrical connector: Deutsch
DT04-4P Receptacle (female).
Mating plug you'll need may be 4-pole connector: Deutsch DT06-4S Plug (male) or Amphenol AT06-4S Plug (male). More more information about these Deutsch or Amphenol connectors, go here: https://www.240turbo.com/crimps.html#deutsch
FIRST GENERATION "SMART" SENSORS(for Nuova fans. No longer available from Spal).
PWM duty cycle ramp is set for LOW speed = 85%. HIGH speed = 15% (Negative polarity).
SBL-TS01: Turn on 140F - Max at 165F.
SBL-TS02: Turn on 165F - Max at 185F.
SBL-TS03: Turn on 190F - Max at 215F. If you still need one of these,CLICK HERE for Vintage Air sensors.
SUMMARY of the CHANGE from 1st Gen to 2nd Gen: Spal NUOVA series (first generation aftermarket):
Fan speed decreases as PWM duty cycle signal increases. This is an INVERTED ramp. OEM C7 Corvette and Gen6
Camaro brushless (Spal) fans also use this type of PWM signal. Spal PLUS series (second generation aftermarket): Fan speed INCREASES as PWM duty cycle signal increases (OEM fans all retained the old PWM ramps).
SECOND GENERATION "SMART" SENSORS(for PLUS series fans) PWM duty cycle ramp is set for LOW speed = 15%. HIGH speed = 85%
(Positive polarity). SBL-TS-165P: Turn on 140F - Max at 165F.
SBL-TS-185P: Turn on 165F - Max at 185F.
SBL-TS-195P: Turn on 175F - Max at 195F.
SBL-TS-215P: Turn on 190F - Max at 215F. (Note: Multiple fans can be run using ONE sensor) NOTE: SPAL FANS REQUIRE A 100 Hz PWM FREQUENCY. The connectors on these Spal fans are this Yazaki 4-pole MALE plug above.
The matching FEMALE connector BELOW can be found here: Spal PN 30130628 in Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CTDGNGT. FYI, this is the same mating plug needed for the Camaro fan and also the Jeep fan further below in this page. This kit comes with several different sizes of terminals for wire size up to 8 gauge.
Can Spal "Smart" Sensors be used for OTHER Brushless Fans? Yes, for some. Spal fans require a controller (or sensor) which uses a 100 Hz PWM frequency.
Some other fans use that same frequency. If you find a fan which uses 100
Hz, that fan must also use a PWM duty cycle ramp like that used by the
Spal Plus series, one that powers the fan at low speed when the PWM duty
cycle is low (Positive polarity). There are work-arounds if you need to adapt a fan that doesn't match.You can use a device which can invert or even completely change a PWM frequency (shown further down in this page).
Keep in mind that some fans from different manufactures may share the
same
frequency, but the duty cycle ramp may be INVERTED. For more
information on how this can affect PWM signals or how PWM signals work, CLICK HERE for PWM Info section.
If you have a need to INVERT the polarity of a PWM signal or alter the frequency, it can be done EASILY. There are some devicesSHOWN HERE which can do this for you.
WIRING A SPAL FAN SENSOR
Here's a Spal diagram below showing how one of the above Spal sensors is
wired to a Spal Plus aftermarket brushless fan. While these sensors
will work, there are plenty of other options to control a Spal fan if
you decide you want something better. Note that when wiring a brushless fan this like, it always has both
power and ground going to the battery (or the ground may go to a good chassis ground). The
fan speed/temperature control for this type of fan is regulated through the PWM signal wire. Here are my personal feelings about using a "smart" sensor like this to regulate temp/speed: I don't really care for it. If forces
you to choose one temperature range and live with it. It allows no custom
adjustments, so hopefully it's just right for your car. Changing sensors is really expensive. Check the prices of
those. A Spal sensor can cost several hundred dollars.
Also if you have AC and if you want the fan to come on at a higher speed with the AC, your
only choice is to wire it so the AC triggers the FULL SPEED
override.
Maybe some people are OK with the fan running full
speed when your AC is on. That won't be too be bad if the fan is
smaller, but when using a big, high-output fan, I prefer to be able to
choose a custom speed for the AC (such as 50%,
70%, etc). Ok, I know you can't ALWAYS
have everything you want, but going brushless is more expensive,
so I would like to get more satisfaction for my money if I can.
Keep in mind that full speed with a high-output brushless fan can move a
LOT MORE AIR. It might be more than you need and it might use more amps than you want. Should a RELAY be used with a Brushless Fan? According to Spal:
“Relays are used with brushed fans, and NOT used with brushless fans. As
brushless fans are growing in popularity, we have had a few customers
try to add a relay to a brushless system when a relay isn’t required. We
don’t need a relay with brushless fans because they always do a soft
start. In a brushless fan system, the fan is connected to constant power
– directly to the battery. When the brushless fan receives the command
signal to run, it makes a connection internal to the motor and runs.
When the command signal goes away, the brushless fans enter quiescent
current (sleep) mode.”
SOURCE: https://www.streetmusclemag.com/tech-stories/fuel-cooling-ignition-tech/the-7-best-practices-for-wiring-automotive-fans-with-spal-usa/. Spal
catalog info sometimes makes references to a fan being a
puller or pusher. As you'll see in the below image for some Spal 16 inch
"PULLER" fans, the airflow is pulled from the side with the fan blade center hub through to the
side where the motor is. This type of fan is made to be
inserted and mounted into a
shroud using the outer flange on the fan grill edges and with the fan motor facing to the REAR and the fan center hub facing the front, or the rear of the radiator.
From info I found in the Spal fan engineering catalog, the
faster 2430 CFM fan above (which uses a 500 watt motor) will use about 30-33 amps at full speed. The
slower 2053 CFM fan (with a 300 watt motor) will used about 20 amps.
These results are probably better than the performance numbers for
the similar Spal brushed fans.
Note about PUSHER or PULLER fan designations.
Most fans are designed to run only ONE DIRECTION. Many are designated as either pushers or pullers. Most fan blades (especially curved ones) are designed to be most efficient in only one direction. In most cases a PUSHER fan will be on the FRONT of a radiator (sometimes as a condenser fan). In most cases a PULLER fan will be BEHIND a radiator. The most efficient way to move air through a radiator is by using a PULLER fan with a fan shroud.
What is FLUSH MOUNT? If you look closer at any
aftermarket Spal fans offered online, you'll find that some are call
Flush Mount. This means that the fan is designed to be mounted FLUSH on a
shroud surface as shown below, where most of the fan is inside the shroud.
SOME 12 VOLT SPAL BRUSHLESS FAN INFO LISTED BELOW
Part Number
Spal info.
VA195-ABL40.4/N-107A/SH
5 inch pusher (mfg PN: VA195-ABL40.4/N-107A/SH)
VA193-ABL40.5/N-117A/SH
6 inch pusher (mfg PN: VA193-ABL40.5/N-117A/SH)
VA193-ABL40.3/N-125S/SH
6 inch puller (mfg PN: VA193-ABL40.3/N-125S/SH)
30107089
10 inch pusher with 300 watt motor (mfg PN: VA109-ABL321P/N-109A/SH)
30107059
11 inch puller with 300 watt motor (mfg PN: VA99-ABL315P/N-101A/SH)
30107087
12 inch puller with 300 watt motor (mfg PN: VA89-ABL320P/N-94A)
VA90-ABL320P/R/A/N-94A
12 inch puller with 300 watt motor (mfg PN: VA90-ABL320P/N-94A)
VA113-ABL511P/R/A/N-94A
12 inch puller with 500 watt motor (mfg PN: VA113-ABL511P/R/A/N-94A)
30107102
14 inch puller with 500 wat motor (mfg PN: VA116-ABL505P-105A)
30107103
14 inch puller with 300 watt motor (mfg PN: VA116-ABL324P-105A)
30207125
15.2 inch pusher with 300 watt motor (mfg PN: VA91-ABL326P-65A)
30107328
15.2 inch pusher with 500 watt motor (mfg PN: VA207-ABL523P/R/A/N-65A)
30107101
16 inch puller with 500 watt motor (mfg PN: VA117-ABL506P/N-103A)
30107090
16 inch puller with 300 watt motor (mfg PN: VA97-ABL322P/N-103A)
VA164-ABL806HT/R-116A
18 inch puller fan with 800 watt motor (mfg PN: VA164-ABL806HT/R116A)
VA164A-ABL1002HT/R-124A
18 inch puller fan with 1000 watt motor (mfg PN: VA164A-ABL1002HT/R-124A)
SPAL big 18 inch fan.
Spal shows a couple 18 inch 12v brushless fans in their catalog info: https://www.spalautomotive.it/brushless.
It seems to be hard to find these large fans for sale. The motor on this
fan is believed to be 800 watts. It may be the same motor used in the
18 inch Camaro SS fan. AIRFLOW DIRECTION: Air will flow from the side with the center fan hub to the side with the fan motor. So looking at the image above left showing a view of the fan motor, this side will face AWAY from the back of the radiator. The image above right showing the center fan hub
will face the radiator. Keep in mind that this center hub protrudes
some toward the radiator compared to the fan outer mounting surface.
That can be seen in the below drawing.
Spal catalog info sometimes makes reference to a fan being a
puller or pusher, but not always. Even airflow direction is not always
shown in their fan descriptions. As you'll see in the below image for this bigSpal 18 inch
fan, the airflow is pulled in from the side where fan blade center hub is, and it exits past the fan motor. This is a PULLER FAN. The above drawing of the 18 inch fan PN VA164-ABL806HT/R-116A comes from a Spal catalog found at: https://www.spalautomotive.com/documents/20182/94723/brushless_catalogue.pdf/
VOLVO 18.25" XC90 Brushless Fan (2003-2014) I'm pretty sure that not all Volvos during these years got BRUSHLESS fans, but it certainly appears most or all XC90s did.
These Volvo fans are made by BOSCH. There is more than one part number out there. Here we have PN 31111543 and PN 30749761. -- DIMENSIONS -- THis fan is often described as a "19 inch" fan, although the actual FAN BLADE diameter is 18.25 inches.
The internet exaggerates, although 18 plus inches is certainly a pretty big fan.
This fan REPORTEDLY has an inverted PWM duty cycle ramp (Negative PWM polarity), meaning the fan will run slower when up near 90% duty cycle and it'll run full speed when down near 10%. I have not actually tested this fan.
I have seen references to people using 128 Hzfrequency for this fan, but it seems that Volvo brushless fans will reportedly work between 100 and 315 Hz.
This plug has 3 wires. 1. Large BLACK wire (ground). 2. Large RED wire (+12v). 3. not used. 4. Small VIOLET wire (PWM signal).
I'm not yet familiar with this type or make of
connector or a source for finding a mating plug, other than in another
Volvo.
I'm
hoping that a "MIDDLE SIZED" fan might be found between the
above 18.25" and this 15.25" fan. If you find such a fan, please share that with me. VOLVO 15.25" S60, V70, XC70 Brushless Fan (2004-2009?) A fan like this may be a good choice to trim and fit into a fan shroud that fits a stock size Volvo radiator.
Since I no longer use a stock size radiator in my Volvo, I'm relying on
others who might share some info if they try fitting a fan like this. -- DIMENSIONS -- This
fan pictured is Volvo PN 8616762 and reportedly came in the following Volvos: 2004-07 S60, V70 2.5T, R
T5; 2005-09 S60 2.5T; 2005-06 S80 2.5T; 2005-07 - XC70 Base and Ocean Race.
Scott A. bought one and he wrote and provided the above dimensions for this fan and some test info below.
This fan responds to PWM signals as follows: 1. OFF PWM Signal: 92% to
100%. Sometimes coming UP from 91%, (thru 92,93,94,95, etc) fan
will stay on at MIN speed, but MOSTLY turns off. 100% is always
off. Going DOWN from 100% (99,98,97,...,93,92) fan will always be
OFF. 2. ON PWM Signal: 91% (runs at MINIMUM speed) and then it increases speed as duty cycle % increases up to "NORMAL MAX" at 10%. 3. HyperMax PWM Signal: 5, 6, 7, 8, or 9% fan stays on "HYPER MAX" for any and all of these values. 4. OFF PWM Signal: 0% to 4%. OFF for these values (possibly these values are used for some kind of diagnostic mode).
I have seen references to people using 128 Hz frequency for this fan, but it seems that Volvo brushless fans will reportedly work between 100 and 315 Hz.
WATTS MEASUREMENTS (not Amps)
At MINIMUM the fan uses about 29 watts.
At NORMAL MAX the fan uses about 428 watts.
At HYPER MAX the fan uses about 510 watts.
It's suspected the fan is equipped with a 600 watt motor.
Highest amperage recorded: 45 Amps (about 42.5 Amps continuous). With
fan connected to running alternator at 14.01V, NORMAL MAX reduce voltage
to 12.84V, and HYPER MAX to 12.65V. This plug has 3 wires. 1. Large BLACK wire (ground). 2. Large RED wire (+12v). 3. not used. 4. Small VIOLET wire (PWM signal).
I'm not yet familiar with this type or brand of
connector or a source for finding a mating plug, other than in another
Volvo. If you try fitting a fan like the above one to a standard Volvo 240 radiator, I'd be very interested in seeing how it was done.
Stock Volvo 240 radiator dimensions. Volvo 240 Radiator Overall: 17.5 inches high, 22 inches wide, 2 inches deep.
CAMARO 18 inch Brushless Fan
(2016+ SS or ZL1) This fan is original to the Gen 6 Camaro SS and ZL1 versions. This
appears to be the car that got the biggest brushless fan in the GM car
line-up. I believe a similar fan may also used in some later Cadillac CT
and CTS supercharged V8 models. These Camaro fans were made by Spal for GM. The internet refers to this fan as having an 850 watt motor.
That might be true, but it appears Spal may not actually make motors in
50 watt increments, so it may be 800 watts, which is also used in one
of their 18 inch aftermarket fans. I bought a used
2019 Camaro SS fan on eBay with the intention of installing it in my car.
The
fan I bought turned out to have some collision damage, so it got returned. Before I sent it back I did
some measuring and testing. Those results are here below. This is NOT really a 19 inch fan as some people think or claim. See more below.
The fan pictured is GM PN 23332215. I believe some other GM part numbers for this fan will be 23455465 and 84100128.
-- DIMENSIONS -- This fan will be called a "19 inch fan" by many people all over the internet. It's NOT REALLY a 19 inch fan.The actual fan blade diameter is 18 inches. The outer ring on the fan blade is 19 inches, but that ring does nothing to push air.
So it's more technically accurate to call this an 18 inch fan, but if you like calling it a 19 inch, fine.
The connector on this fan is this 4-pole MALE plug below LEFT. This fan uses 3 wires, so only three poles are used on this plug. I found this matching FEMALE connector kit after searching for Spal PN 30130628 in Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CTDGNGT. This is the same plug used for the Spal aftermarket fans and the Jeep JK fan in this page.
This fan has some fascinating performance.
From internet info, I expected this fan would have a standard PWM duty cycle ramp
because there are sources on the internet which say that. The OPPOSITE is
true. During my testing, I found this fan has an INVERTED PWM ramp (Negative polarity). So keep in mind the internet can be a liar.
Negative polarity means LOW speed begins when duty cycle is near or below 85-90%. HIGH speed maximum is at 10% duty cycle. THIS FAN REQUIRES A 100 Hz PWM FREQUENCY.
Camaro SS Brushless Fan Testing (2023) I
bought and tested one of these, but this fan never got installed by me,
so I don't have "installed/loaded" tests here. I do have some info
about this fan in the Dewitts section below showing this fan can pull 4188 CFM installed with a radiator in front. I put together these tests below in FREE AIR. Free
air means there are no obstructions.
If this fan were to be *installed* with a
radiator, intercooler and AC condenser in front of the fan, the CFM results
would be lower. I didn't get the chance to install this fan because it got returned.
Test voltage: 12.7v (static): 10% duty cycle; 5300 CFM (2600 RPM). 50 amps.
12.7v (static): 20% duty cycle; 5200 CFM. 45 amps.
12.7v (static): 25% duty cycle; 5000 CFM. 38 amps.
12.7v (static): 30% duty cycle; 4600 CFM. 32 amps.
12.7v (static): 35% duty cycle; 4400 CFM. 27 amps.
12.7v (static): 40% duty cycle; 4000 CFM. 23 amps.
12.7v (static): 45% duty cycle; 3800 CFM. 18 amps.
See video below for 50% duty cycle test.
12.7v (static): 60% duty cycle; 3000 CFM. 11 amps.
12.7v (static): 65% duty cycle; 2600 CFM. 9 amps.
12.7v (static): 75% duty cycle; 2000 CFM. 6 amps.
12.7v (static): 85% duty cycle; 1360 CFM. 4 amps. A few tests were done with engine running for full voltage (14.5v). These tests were in FREE AIR. 14.5v: 50% duty cycle. 3300-3400 CFM. Using 13.6-13.9 amps. 14.5v: 10% duty cycle (full speed) 5690 CFM (at 2800 RPM). Using 50-53 amps. Yes,
50 amps is a LOT, but I can't think of many reasons why you would need
this fan to run at full speed very much or for very long. However if you do, I strongly recommend a super high output alternator
with dual V-belts or a very good serpentine belt system with a lot of belt
wrap around the alternator pulley.
These last two tests above are shown in the below video (except for RPM speed). The low amp draw at 50% (3400 CFM free air) is very impressive.
The full power test with engine idling pulled the battery voltage down from 14.4v at (50% speed) to 13.7v (at full power).
In my opinion, you really SHOULD NOT NEED TO RUN THIS FAN AT FULL POWER, except maybe for a trip to the sun. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZ9Vi3JUjsA
VINTAGE AIR CUSTOM FANS with SHROUDS Here are some interesting custom fan assemblies that Vintage Air
is offering. These all appear to have the big Spal brushless fans mounted in
custom, compact shrouds. These are not cheap, but it's a very nice effort by them
and it gives you some very nice ready-made choices if any of these will fit your
radiator. The reason I've placed these
items in my page is to show more possibilities for these fans if you need something with a more compact shroud.
Jon S. bought one of these Vintage Air fan/shroud combinations (PN 280478 found HERE)
and did some testing. He sent me the below info. These tests below were
with the fan installed, pulling air through the radiator, transmission cooler
and intercooler.
DUTY CYCLE %
AMPS
Airflow ft/min
Airflow CFM
6 to 15 (this puts fan in full reverse)
20
3
885.6
1275
25
3
885.6
1275
35
5.9
1200
1728
45
10.5
1771
2550
55
17.9
2223
3201
65
27.8
2597
3740
75
41.9
2991
4307
85
61.3
3404
4902
95
75.2
3542
5100
The
6% to 15% setting where the fan goes into full power reverse is a bit
strange. I guess you should avoid that unless you have a
reason to use a full reverse setting.
More info can be found in a PDF for the above fan at https://vintageair.com/content/280480.pdf Below image is from the PDF.
Some other Vintage Air fans available shown, which all use big Spal fans. Fan PN 371252
DeWitts Custom 18" Brushless Fan and Shroud This
is a fan and shroud combination designed and assembled by DeWitts (a
performance radiator builder) to fit a 2014-19 C7 Corvette. The fan appears to be a
Spal 18 inch (with 800 watt motor) which I think is the same as found in late model Camaros (same as this one). The shroud is a custom aluminum part they have created. This package is very nice and quite expensive.
This item can be found here: dewitts.com/c7-corvette-19-electric-fan Note that they are calling this a 19 inch fan. It's actually an 18 inch fan. You can see my explanation in the Camaro fan section above. This fan has reportedly been tested installed behind a radiator pulling 4188 CFM.
Source: corvetteforum.com/forums/4314951-dewitts-19-fan -- DIMENSIONS -- The connector on this fan is this 4-pole MALE plug. This
fan uses 3 wires, so only three poles are used on that plug. I found the matching FEMALE connector kit after searching for Spal PN 30130628 in Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CTDGNGT. This is the same plug used for the Spal aftermarket fans and the Jeep JK fan in this page.
The reason I have placed this fan above in my page is to show more possibilities using Spal fans if you need
one with a shroud that's smaller than the big factory Camaro shroud. This compact fan-shroud combo *could* also be re-created by you if you
have some fabrication skills. Also it could be turned 90 degrees and it
just might be a decent fit for a factory sized Volvo 240 radiator. If you try fitting a fan like the above one to a standard Volvo 240 radiator, I'd be very interested in seeing how it was done.
Stock Volvo 240 radiator dimensions. Volvo 240 Radiator Overall: 17.5 inches high, 22 inches wide, 2 inches deep. 2014-2019 Corvette C7 Z06 14 inch Brushless Fan These
fans were made by Spal for GM. It appears two versions were made. One used a 500 watt motor for the C7 Stingray and a more powerful version used a600 watt motor for the C7 Z06 (Source: forum.hptuners.com/SPAL-Brushless-Fan-Control-issue).
A 14 inch fan may seem
small, but when used with a strong 600 watt motor, it's likely this fan will pull plenty of air.
Possible GM part numbers 15-81914, 84486697, GM3115306. Spal PN VA103-ABL600P-105A, which denotes the 600 watt motor. The one below right shows a 500 watt motor. So be sure to check the PN if you're buying a used fan.
This fan might also be available as an aftermarket part made by
TYC (China). TYC PN 624320, however the motor wattage is unknown in this one.
A version of this fan has reportedly been tested installed behind a radiator pulling 2916 CFM.
Source: corvetteforum.com/forums/4314951-dewitts-19-fan This link below doesn't have any Volvo
content, but if you would like to see how this fan was fitted to a Honda
S2000 radiator, see here: s2ki.com/forums/corvette-brushless-fan -- DIMENSIONS --
The connector on this fan is this 4-pole MALE plug. This
fan uses 3 wires, so only three poles are used on that plug. I found the matching FEMALE connector kit after searching for Spal PN 30130628 in Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CTDGNGT.
This is the same plug used for the Spal aftermarket fans and for my Jeep JK fan installation project in this page below.
JEEP JK "19 inch" (nope, 18 inch) Brushless Fan Plus installation shown here into my 240 is shown below.
Separate installation of the WM Fan Controller is shown HERE.
This fan is found on 2012-2018 Jeep
JK Wrangler vehicles with a 3.6 liter engine. I bought a new
aftermarket version of this one and installed it in my car.
This fan is sometimes called the "Pentastar" fan on the internet. Some original factory fan labels are shown above. I believe the Mopar PN is 68143894AB, which I have not seen on any actual fan label.
These labels above show the manufacturer as Johnson Electric and "Made in
Italy." The original labels also show a date of manufacture,
which will probably be sometime between 2011 and 2017 if you buy a used
factory fan.
AFTERMARKET VERSIONS of this fan are also available: Dorman
621-601 is shown below. Also I have seen at least one other aftermarket manufacturer (unknown who), which seem to be common on eBay. I bought, tested and used this Dorman fan.
-- DIMENSIONS -- This fan will commonly be called a "19 inch Pentastar"
by lots of people on the internet. The actual fan blade diameter is 18 inches.
The outer plastic ring on the fan blade is larger
(19 inches across), but that outer ring does nothing to push air. So I
think it's more accurate to call this an 18 inch fan. NOTE ABOUT DIFFERENT BLADE COUNTS:
The above images in the dimension photo (which I stole from the internet) show a 9 blade fan. The Dorman aftermarket fan I bought has
7 blades.
So I took a closer look at a number of usedoriginal Mopar fans on eBay and every one I found had 7 blades.
So I'm not sure where the 9 blade fan is from. And I have no idea if 7 blades or 9 blades makes any difference in
performance for this fan. I suspect not.
CONNECTOR The connector on this fan is this
4-pole MALE plug below left. This fan has 3 wires, so only three poles on the plug are used. The matching FEMALE connector kit may be found by searching for Spal PN 30130628 in Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CTDGNGT. This is the same plug used for the Spal aftermarket fans and the Camaro fan in this page.
The above kit came with several sets of terminals, which were made for different sized cable. I used the largest ones with 10 gauge wire in my installation. They appeared to be large enough for 8 gauge if you want to go bigger. The below video from 2016 discusses this brushless Jeep fan and compares it to
the previous 17 inch BRUSHED fan that this fan replaced in Jeeps
beginning in 2012. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2so93C02W9Q
Below are tests I made of the Dorman version of this fan. Dorman
PN 621-601. I
don't know what the WATT RATING is for the Dorman motor,
but
it appears not quite as powerful as the Camaro fan I tested (800w). If I
had to guess, I would say around 600w. This fan also ramps up a bit
slower from zero than the Camaro fan. My initial plan was to install a Camaro fan,
but the one I bought was damaged and I sent it back. Then I changed to
this Jeep fan. Please don't think I'm disappointed in the lesser CFM.
I'm not. My previous fan was the Lincoln Mark VIII brushed fan and this Jeep fan surpasses the performance of the Lincoln fan while using less current.
This fan has a STANDARD PWM ramp (Positive Polarity), which is opposite of the Camaro fan.
This means LOW speed begins when duty cycle is at 10% or higher. HIGH speed maximum is achieved at 85% or higher duty cycle. THIS FAN REQUIRES A 10 Hz PWM FREQUENCY.
I've been told a 10 Hz frequency is also used by Mercedes. Jeep JK Brushless Fan Testing (2023) I figured since I was installing this fan I'd try to add do some extra testing.
A bunch of speed and CFM tests were done at two different voltage levels
(12.7 volts on battery only and 14.5 volts with engine running and
charging).
They were also done with the fan in FREE AIR and also INSTALLED/LOADED (installed results below are in BOLD). Free
air means there are no obstructions (this fan pulled 5000 CFM).
Installed means there's a
radiator, intercooler and AC condenser in front of the fan. This makes a
big difference in airflow due to the restriction of the radiator, AC
condenser and intercooler.
Also
of note, the lower 4 inches of the INSTALLED fan has a barrier that
might have some minor obstructing affect. That barrier can be seen in the below installation photos.
Duty Cycle
RPM at 12.7v
CFM at 12.7v
Amps at 12.7v
RPM at 14.5v
CFM at 14.5v
Amps at 14.5v
10% Free Air
730 rpm
1180 cfm
1.3a
760 rpm
1280 cfm
1.25a
10% Installed
730 rpm
800 cfm
2.7a
740 rpm
850 cfm
1.35a
15% Free Air
860 rpm
1360 cfm
1.8a
---
---
---
15% Installed not tested
---
---
---
---
---
---
20% Free Air
980 rpm
1750 cfm
2.5a
20% Installed
1000 rpm
1100 cfm
2.7a
980 rpm
1150 cfm
2.7a
25% Free Air
1100 rpm
1900 cfm
3.5a
---
---
---
25% Installed not tested
---
---
---
---
---
---
30% Free Air
1225 rpm
2200 cfm
5.0a
---
---
---
30% Installed
1280 rpm
1350 cfm
5.3a
1230 rpm
1420 cfm
4.7a
35% Free Air
1350 rpm
2450 cfm
7.0a
---
---
---
35% Installednot tested
---
---
---
---
---
---
40% Free Air
1475 rpm
2800 cfm
8.3a
---
---
---
40% Installed
1475 rpm
1880 cfm
9.0a
1475 rpm
1720 cfm
7.6a
45% Free Air
1600 rpm
2900 cfm
11.0a
---
---
---
45% Installednot tested
---
---
---
---
---
---
50% Free Air
1720 rpm
3100 cfm
13.0a
1740 rpm
3200 cfm
11.0a
50% Installed
1720 rpm
2200 cfm
14.2a
1720 rpm
2550 cfm
11.9a
55% Free Air
1840 rpm
3300 cfm
16a
---
---
---
55% Installednot tested
---
---
---
---
---
---
60% Free Air
1970 rpm
3500 cfm
19.8a
---
---
---
60% Installed
1970 rpm
2800 cfm
21.7a
1960 rpm
3000 cfm
17.8a
65% Free Air
2100 rpm
3800 cfm
24a
---
---
---
65% Installednot tested
---
---
---
---
---
---
70% Free Air
2200 rpm
4100 cfm
29a
---
---
---
70% Installed
2270 rpm
3200 cfm
31a
2200 rpm
3300 cfm
26a
75% Free Air
2320 rpm
4250 cfm
34a
---
---
---
75% Installed not tested
---
---
---
---
---
---
80%-- not tested
---
---
---
---
---
---
85% Free Air
2460 rpm
4600 cfm
40a
2580 rpm
5000 cfm
39.0a
85% Installed
2420 rpm
3700 cfm
42.8a
2580 rpm
3800 cfm
43.5a
NOTE: 85% is MAXIMUM SPEED. This fan will run at values above 85%, but
entering above 85% resulted in no increase in speed or
power consumption. It's interesting how in some tests this fan produced more air flow with less amp usage at 14.5 volts compared to 12.7 volts. It seems that brushless fans really like to run higher voltage levels.
Some installation photos for my Volvo. Since
this fan is taller than my 17 inch tall radiator, several inches of the
shroud will hang below the radiator. So that portion must be sealed off
on the radiator side with a barrier wall at the bottom. I
began with a piece of aluminum angle bar stock to give the barrier stability.
It looks like it's really close to the blades in the above photo, but it's actually more
than 1/2 inch.
Some thin aluminum sheeting was fitted to close the bottom.
Edges sealed with duct tape. And some useless holes in the shroud were covered with some pieces of the ABS plastic (with epoxy).
View of the bottom from the back-side of the fan.
Electrical connection. I used 10 gauge cable on the left side of this plug for wires going to the battery.
Top brackets made with some aluminum straps.
Lots of EXTRA room between the fan and engine. There's even more room now,
compared to the Mark VIII fan I used to have in there.
This fan has been used in my car for about 3000 miles of cross-country
driving in a variety of hot summer weather. Verdict: IT'S AWESOME. It needs very little power to keep things nice and cool.
Further installation info for this fan (and controller) can be found further below in the Fan Controller Section HERE.
CUSTOM RADIATOR
If you're curious about my radiator in my Volvo 240, I had a new custom one made by Griffin Radiator in 2022. Dual 12 inch Chevy Volt Brushless Fans This fan assembly is found in a 2011-15 Chevy Volt.
These fans were made by Spal for GM, so an original Chevy Volt fan
assembly will have a Spal label like these. Original PN: GM3115258.
Spal rates their 12 inch aftermarket brushless fans (PN
VA89-ABL320P/N-94A) at 1800 CFM (at 13v) per fan, using about 23-27 amps at full
speed (per fan). So I would expect this dual fan to pull up to about 3600 cfm. There are also AFTERMARKET Chevy Volt fan assemblies that are made by Four Seasons or TYC. TYC PN 623170:www.amazon.com/TYC-623170.
This fan assembly is too wide for most Volvo 240s, unless you have a
much wider radiator than stock. Since this fan is popular among
hot-rodders, the info is a good addition here. The connectors on thisare a
4-pole MALE plug. These fans have 3 wires each, so only three poles are used.
The matching FEMALE connector may be found by searching for Spal PN 30130628 in Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CTDGNGT.
Activating a Brushless Fan
You got to see a preview of one way a brushless fan can be activated in the Spal section above.
This section below will go into much more detail. SIMPLIFIED BRUSHLESS FAN DIAGRAM
Keep in mind that there are a number of PWM fan speed controllers
available now, however many are specifically made for DC BRUSHED FANS. Those controllers are not
designed for use with a
brushless fan, because the way they connect to a fan is very different.
Brushed fans are not controlled the same as brushless
fans.
If a brushed fan controller
manufacturer claims theirs will work for both brushed and brushless
motors, that should be questioned and verified. This question is discussed more in a section below.
Feel free to ask me for clarification or if you have a comment, please email: CONTACT.
A BRUSHLESS DC motor has at least three wires. 1. Power to Battery Positive 2. Ground to Battery Negative or chassis ground. 3. PWM signal wire. 4. A 4th wire may be present on some brushless fans (Spal aftermarket for example).
It will probably be an "Analog" signal wire used for other options.
Controlled by a PWM SIGNAL A PWM signal (Pulse Width Modulation) is used to communicate with a brushless fan. It uses a Frequency Speed combined with a Duty Cycle to activate and regulate fan speed.
A PWM signal is generated at a specific frequency, which is measured in Hertz (Hz). A Hertz frequency will be measured by the number of cycles in one second. The above example is 10 cycles in a second, so this would be a frequency of 10 Hz.
A 10 Hz frequency is used by the Jeep JK brushless fan and also by Mercedes Benz.
A 100 Hz frequency is used by Spal and Volvo fans (and some others).
A simple explanation of a duty cycle is to think of it this
way. (ABOVE IMAGE): A 25% duty cycle can be viewed as a voltage signal that quickly pulses
25% ON and then 75% OFF. The fan speed is changed or regulated by the
duty cycle varying the ON-OFF relationship. It can be changed to vary between ZERO% and 100% ON.
AN EXCEPTION: Some brushless fans (so far only Spal aftermarket that I know of) can be connected to run WITHOUT any controller or any PWM signal. In
these cases the fan will just run at full speed. For all other brushless fans a controller with a PWM signal is
needed to activate it or regulate speed. POLARITY:
Some brushless fans are designed to accept a POSITIVE polarity duty cycle signal. Some are designed to use a NEGATIVE polarity duty cycle signal.
If you see a fan which speeds up as the duty cycle is increased, then that fan has
POSITIVE POLARITY. This type of fan reads and responds to the voltage "ON" portion of the signal at the TOP of the duty cycle.
Some fans have NEGATIVE POLARITY. This type of fan will slow down as the duty cycle is increased.
This type of fan reads and responds to the voltage "OFF" portion of the signal at the BOTTOM of the duty cycle. -------------------------- Can a NEGATIVE Polarity Fan be used with a POSITIVE Polarity PWM signal?
No, it should not be used that way, however there are ways to convert it. It's possible toINVERT the polarity of a PWM signal. There are some devices in this pageSHOWN HERE which can do this. In the below video, an inexpensive PWM signal generator is used to test
and run a 2010-2012 Ford Fusion brushless fan. The user has the frequency set for 100 Hz. Then he activates and varies the fan speed by reducing or increasing the duty
cycle to different percent levels. As mentioned previously, some fans use an INVERTED PWM signal (Negative Polarity).
This one in the video is a good example of that. This fan comes on at 85 or 90% (slow speed) and then speeds up as
the duty cycle is reduced, with full speed at or near 10% duty cycle. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMEXpVuxNhk
Activating a BRUSHLESS Fan using a BRUSHED Fan Controller??? Can you activate a BRUSHLESS
fan using a controller designed for a BRUSHED fan? I don't know for sure YET, but my first thought was probably NOT. Am i WRONG?
I began using an AutoCoolGuy controller for my Mark VIII brushed fan in 2018. More about that is in the
Cooling Fan Project Page 1 HERE.
If you look at the Autocoolguy site,he claims (ABOVE) his controllers can control BRUSHED or BRUSHLESS fans. Since I don't know, I began asking questions.
Darryl at Autocoolguy told me that if you have a brushless fan, which can be made
to run at full-speed (like a normal fan) by connecting certain wires to power and ground,
then the fan speed can be controlled using an Autocoolguy controller.
From my research so far, the only BRUSHLESS fans that can be made to run at full-speed this way are those with FOUR WIRES (such as Spal aftermarket).
A 4-wire fan has two smaller wires; a PWM wire and an Analog wire. If you review the below linked document for Spal Drive Control Modes,
it will explain how a Spal aftermarket brushless fan (which has 4
wires) may be connected without a controller or sensor in a number
of specific ways. Some of these connections will force the fan to run at
full-speed (similar to any normal DC brushed fan). spalautomotive.it/DRIVE+CONTROL+MODES.pdf
Two such listed "Drive Modes" (Interface Mode 1 and Interface Mode 2) are activated by connecting the power and ground cables normally, then the
Analog wire is connected to the power cable and the PWM wire is connected to the ground cable.
When I sent a follow-up email to Darryl at Autocoolguy and asked him if he could provide any more specific
information on how his
controllers will connect to and regulate brushless speed in this situation, he stopped responding to me.
So my only guess is he means for his controller to be connected to the
fan MAYBE in the same manner as a brushed fan, using the ground cable to the fan as
the PWM speed regulator???. Hopefully a brushless fan
will respond to this as he thinks it will? It would be a shame if this
caused problems or damage to a
brushless fan. Also the question of polarity comes to mind. I
would love to offer a better explanation here, but he's no longer
responds to my emails. THE FULL ANSWER IS STILL NOT KNOWN.
If anyone knows more, please email me: CONTACT. BRUSHLESS FAN CONTROLLERS There are a number of aftermarket
modern engine management systems that will offer programmed (or
programmable) PWM signal
outputs for activating a brushless fan. Some of them can be fully
customized. Also some OEM engine management systems will offer
this, such as GM LS engine systems.
I will not be going into detail on LS systems, since there's a lot of
info and each system is different. For now, I'll discuss the below STAND-ALONE controllers.
DELTA-PAG
I've listed detailed information about the Delta-PAG brushless controller in the above Delta-PAG section. I have not personally tried one of these fans or controllers. I would welcome your comments if you have any to offer.
SPAL
I have already discussed the Spal "Smart" Sensors in a previous section.
Those were designed for Spal Plus aftermarket brushless fans, but they
may be used for other brushless fans, as long as the fan uses a 100 Hz PMW frequency and a
STANDARD duty cycle ramp (Positive Polarity). These sensors will generally NOT be compatible with a any brushless fans with negative polarity, unless you use a device that can modify or invert the polarity,such as these devices LOCATED HERE. Lingenfelter VSFM-002 Variable Speed Brushless Fan & Pump Temperature & Speed Controller Lingenfelter offers a programmable controller:lingenfelter.com/L460320002.html.
They have a detailed PDF user manual at: lingenfelter.com/PDF/L460320002.pdf.
Size of this controller is 3.6 x 4.3 inches. The below diagram was found in their user guide. This
controller appears to be quite versatile. A large number of difference
OEM and aftermarket temperature sensors can be used with it. It can be made
to control a wide variety of brushless fans from a number of different
manufacturers, including OEM fans from Spal or Bosch or most other makers.
It offers the option of an override or FULL-SPEED switch. If you need an
AC override, it will trigger a fan to run at FULL-SPEED when the AC is
activated.
The only draw-back I see for this controller is that the AC override DOES NOT OFFER an ability
to select any speed other than FULL-SPEED. If I'm
using a super high-output fan, I prefer to not have it run at FULL-SPEED
unless necessary. It might not be necessary to use a big, powerful fan
at FULL-SPEED when using AC. Having an option for something less extreme for the AC, such as 50% speed, would be nicer. I have emailed Lingenfelter a few times to ask some questions about AC stuff, but they don't respond.
The below video was made by JeepSpeedShop.com, who does custom engine installations in Jeeps. In this video they show a
special version of the above Lingenfelter controller, which appears to have been modified for them by Lingenfelter with a
custom feature which offers an optional fan AC override to run the fan at 30% when activated.
This shop offers the controller here: https://jeepspeedshop.com/product/lingenfelter-controller/
The only draw-back I'm aware of is mentioned in the video. This change appears to eliminate the optional manual override toggle switch option. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4tlqvVu_Vg
Using a Widget Man Universal Brushless Fan Controller I began using one of these in 2023 for this Jeep brushless fan installation in my Volvo 240. When
I first saw this item on eBay I was skeptical, mostly because the
price was low. After
reading more about it, and after thoroughly reading the extensive
instructions, I thought it was worth a try to see what it could do. So I bought one.
If you're old-school and used to
running an ON-OFF fan switch sensor in your radiator or coolant stream,
then something like this, which uses variable temp sensing for variable
fan speeds will be a big step toward technology. So even if you're
running a two-speed setup and you think you've really stepped into the
future, think again and keep reading.
One
feature that helped my decision was an optional Force-On feature which can be selected for
50% or 100% fan override when the AC is activated.
I've mentioned previously how such a feature was missing from most other brushless fan
controllers.This is an optional setting where you can trigger either a FULL-SPEED override or a 50% override.
If the 50% override is triggered (such as for the AC "ON" circuit),
the fan will run 50% higher than the current speed setting. So for
example, this means if the fan speed is "OFF" (engine not warm
yet), then the 50% override will run the fan at 50%. If the
fan is already running at 20%,then the 50% override increases it to 70%.This is a nice feature.
Also the seller of this device was VERY RESPONSIVE to emails and he's
been offering great suggestions. This has been very refreshing to
someone like me who was still in a steep learning mode when it came to brushless
fans and I certainly had questions.
This item (Universal PWM Fan or Pump Controller) can be found at: https://gkgoodcheapparts.com/products/fpm-brushless-fan-control Direct link for PDF instructions: https://drive.google.com/file/d/pli=1
Other devices from this seller can be found at https://gkgoodcheapparts.com.
NOTE: This controller is typically referred as an "FPM" in the Widget Man literature (maybe refers to "Fan Pump Module?").
In addition to the above controller, I purchased a universal temperature sensor and an
adjustable power supply. I ended up using the power supply, but NOT the universal temp sensor. I found that using my Volvo temp sensor was just so much simpler. This universal temp sensor is optional and not required. You can easily use almost any factory or aftermarket sensor with the Widget Man controller, but I thought I just might want to try this sensor, so I bought one. In the end I did not use this
sensor. I used my original Volvo coolant temp sender in my engine
instead (which will be detailed below). This Widget Man RTD Temperature Sensor above is basically a universal sensor, which can be used instead of using a temp sensor you might already have in your car:
https://gkgoodcheapparts.com/products/widget-man-fpms-ring-mount-rtd-temperature-sensor.
I bought it to learn how it works, in case it became a good option for
this project or maybe this info will help someone else who sees this. In the end I didn't use this sensor. If
you're curious,
an RTD (Resistance Temperature Detector) is a passive device in
which the resistance output changes as temperature changes. The
resistance vs
temperature relationship is reliable and repeatable. This sensor
requires power. That power should be a consistent voltage if
possible. If your charging system voltage at the battery moves around
with load changes (more than a few tenth of a volt), a sensor like this
would benefit from a stable regulated power supply. The below device could be
considered.
Widget Man says this sensor can be placed anywhere, but
they recommend the placement to be near an existing coolant sensor or
near the thermostat housing, or even bolted to the thermostat housing.
Alternately, you
can use many other factory or aftermarket sensors with this controller. I ultimately decided to use the VDO Volvo temp
gauge sender in the cylinder head of my 240, which is shown a further below.
Adjustable Power Supply
This Widget Man adjustable power supply above is an optional item https://gkgoodcheapparts.com/products/adjustable-sensor-power-supply-with-built-in-pullup-resistor. It's not required, but it can be useful if you think you need to stabilize voltage to your controller. I DID use one of these as you'll see. This power supply is typically referred as a "CTAS" in Widget Man
literature. It can be used to provide a stabilized voltage level
for the fan
controller input, or for any 12v device (consuming under 1 amp). It's
output is adjustable from 1.25 to 12.55 volts. A
stabilized voltage level may not be needed for every car, but if you
find that your car system voltage can fluctuate more than a few tenths
of a
volt
when the alternator is under load, then it can make sense to provide an even voltage level to
these devices for better consistency.
I used this power supply to provide a stable 12 volts to the fan controller. This way the controller would not experience any voltage fluctuations, which can be a pretty common thing in an old Volvo.
A good example of using this power supply for something different is
how I also tried one out for a 240 gauge cluster to replace a failed 10v regulator. All
240 gauge clusters have a small 10v voltage regulator, which provides regulated
10v power to the temp and fuel gauges. I discovered the original regulator was not
working as it should on a spare gauge cluster I had. This power supply fixed that perfectly. More on that is HERE in my Gauge Electrical Page.
BACK TO THE FAN CONTROLLER Here's a diagram below I made showing the use of the Widget Man fan controller
for a brushless fan I installed. Plus I added the optional power supply and an an optional/alternate use of the universal temp sensor (which I decided to not use). The temp sensor I used is the VDO Volvo factory temperature sender in my cylinder head. I think that turned out to be a better choice for my Volvo. FORCE ON FUNCTION INFO
The FORCE-ON function may be activated TWO WAYS. 1. When 12v is present at the Force-On input pin, or . . . 2. When an open circuit is present at the Force-On input pin.
Force-On will always be DEACTIVATED when a GROUND is present.
If you're using the AC to activate Force-On, the AC clutch 12v ON circuit will provide a suitableground circuit when it's OFF, so a wire from that AC clutch circuit to the Force-On terminal is sufficient to make this happen. OPTIONAL DASH OVERRIDE SWITCH
The optional dash override switch wired as shown above will create an OPEN circuit to the Force-On pin when toggled ON. This will turn on the fan to the pre-set
Force-On speed (dip switch option for either 50% or Full Speed). This is the Volvo Coolant Temp Sender (for a 240 dash temp gauge). My plan was to use this sensor output to provide the temperature signal for the controller.
The below tests may seem unnecessary, but I was curious about the range of readings coming from this COOLANT SENDER.Now that I've done these tests, you don't need to if you decide to do something like this too.
This VOLTAGE test is not the same as an OHM test, like the Ohm readings
shown above for the temp sender. An Ohm test is for sender calibration
only to make sure your gauge reads right. These tests below were done to find out theVOLTAGE values between this 240 temp sender and the temp gauge. The temp gauge needle reacts to these voltage value changes. When the gauge receives MORE voltage, the needle goes DOWN (colder). Less voltage and it goes UP (hotter).
This test was done on a kitchen counter using a 12 volt DC power supply and with the sender immersed in heated water.
These values were also used to decide if I should use a5v or a 12v sensor
input setting on the Widget Manfan controller(this setting is selected with dip-switch 6). According to the manufacturer, the 5v
setting is the best option because it provides higher resolution, but if the fan TURN-ON
point and FULL-SPEED point that I would be choosing were found to be over 5v, then the 12v
setting needed to be used. In this case, all values were over 5v, so I found that the 12v sensor settingwas
required for this sender.
1984 Volvo 240 cluster temp gauge to sender voltage. Voltage value readings were taken at the sender output.
This sender is a new VDO Volvo 460191. Input voltage from my power supply to the cluster was set at 12.8v (typical battery voltage).
SENDER TEMP °F
VOLTAGE
77.3
10.00
Room temperature.
90
9.16
100
9.00
110
8.82
120
8.57
130
8.32
140
8.08
150
7.69
160
7.31
1/4 needle at 160-165 F.
170
6.86
180
6.59
1/2 needle was at 185 F.
190
6.32
200
5.90
210
5.63
Almost 3/4 needle. Just below RED.
Side Note about BAD Used Volvo Senders I found:
My 240 uses the VDO Volvo sender (Volvo PN 460191) shown. I had
some used ones in my parts bin, which I was pretty
sure worked when I got them or removed them years ago. But when I tested
them with an Ohm meter, I couldn't get any readings. It was like
the sensors weren't
connected inside at all. I questioned my Ohm meter until tried a
different
meter. Then I
ordered a new sender and suddenly it worked fine.
MORE Notes about this Coolant Temp Sender VDO/Volvo PN 460191.
GENUINE VOLVO versus Aftermarket. This
sender image below represents the original factory calibration numbers.
This should be consistent if you're using an original FACTORY VDO/Volvo
part. You should know that if you purchase an FAE aftermarket sender (available
from iPd or possibly other places), it's not calibrated quite the same. On later 240s with
functioning temperature compensation boards, this may not be noticeable,
but on early 240s or on cars with bypassed compensation boards, an FAE sender will put the needle slightly higher at operating temperature. This is why I paid more for a new GENUINE VOLVO sender when I needed one for my 1984 240. MY INSTALLATION on the Widget Man Controller:
Widget Man devices are sealed or potted, except for the dip switches
on the fan controller. Those switches can be vulnerable to moisture, which
could disable the controller. If the fan controller is to be placed in
an engine bay, Widget Man recommends that the dip switches be sealed
with RTV after the setup is complete. I didn't want to put sealer on
the switches and I felt it would be a better idea to further protect these
devices by putting them in an enclosure. The fan controller and
voltage regulator are attached to the bottom of this box with some double-sided
tape.
This box is advertised as "waterproof." The top comes with a silicone gasket in a recessed channel, so it
should do pretty well. Widget Man suggested that if I wanted to further protect the device, I
could smear some dielectric grease on the dip switches. I didn't do that. These devices are rated
for 225°F. It's best to place it in a less hot area in the engine bay, certainly not near a hot exhaust or turbo.
This controller produces very little heat on its own, so internal
heat will not be an issue inside a box. Amazon sells this project box
and has it in a number of different sizes: amazon.com/dp/B07S6PKW2L
The cable exit uses an inexpensive plastic gland nut that required a
7/16 inch drilled hole. I used the smallest size gland nut in this assortment: amazon.com/dp/B01GJ03AUQ
PROGRAMMING STEPS
During
installation and INITIAL PROGRAMMING of this controller in my car, I decided to write down the steps I took for my
own future reference. I added it here for anyone doing a similar installation.
1.
Controller was wired according to instructions and the Force-On terminal
was temporarily GROUNDED. This pin must be grounded during this procedure. 2. Dip switch 7 was temporarily set to ON (to the left) for a fan test. 3.
Engine was started and idling. LED began flashing FAST Yellow and the fan slowly
ramped up to full speed. This was a good first test to confirm the fan was working so far.
4. I moved Dip Switch 7 back to OFF (right), where it
will be for normal running. The next steps will involve temperature learning.
5.
As the engine began to warm, I held down the GREEN button until
the LED began SLOW flashing RED(it's now in low-temp learning mode). 6.
I monitored the engine temp using an IR temp reader pointed to the top radiator
hose near the thermostat. And I occasionally checked my dash gauge as is began coming up. I
waited for my
desired low-temp set point, which I decided would be about 175°F. I chose this set point
because the temp gauge would bejust below the middle at that reading. 7.
When it reached the low-temp set point, I quickly pressed the GREEN button. The LED changed to solid YELLOW.
This confirmed the low-temp set pointhad been programmed. 8. As
I waited for the engine to continue warming, I held down the RED button until the LED began FAST flashing RED(it's now in high-temp learning mode). 9. I continued monitoring
the engine temp and when it reached a desired high temp point (about
200°F according to the IR temp reader), I quickly pressed the RED button. The LED
changed to solid GREEN, confirming the high-temp set pointhad been programmed. The fan began working faster immediately and
it slowly began to bring the engine temp back down to normal. The fan then began to keep the temp and gauge needle where I wanted.
10. The temporary GROUND on the Force-On terminal was removed. Programming was complete.
After
watching the fan and my dash temp gauge in action for a while, I
decided I wanted to slightly re-adjust
the low-temp set point to a slightly higher setting, still putting my
temp gauge at just slightly below the middle, but just a bit higher.
1. I temporarily GROUNDED the Force-On terminal.
2. I moved Dip
Switch 7 temporarily to ON (to the left). This allowed the fan to slowly ramp up to high speed and it began to
bring the temp down to a point below my first low-temp set point. My gauge soon began dropping well below the middle. 3. After the dash gauge showed the temp well below the middle, I then moved Dip Switch 7 back to OFF (right). The fan turned off and the engine temp began slowly rising again. 4. As
I waited for the engine to warm again, I held down the GREEN button
until the LED began SLOW flashing RED (low-temp learning mode). 5. I
waited for my new desired low-temp set point (and watched for my gauge needle to be just right) and then I quickly pressed
the GREEN button. The LED changed to solid GREEN. The low-temp set point had been re-set and the learn settings were complete.
6. The temporary GROUND on the Force-On terminal was removed. Programming was complete.
Additional Notes for Force-On: SEE BELOW
Additional Force-On Notes: Using the AC clutch power wire to activate Force-On.
In reference to the AC compressor circuit being connected to the Force-On pin in the controller, I thought this needed a more complete explanation.
The Force-On circuit is designed to be turnedON when
12V is present or whenever an open circuit is present at the Force-On pin. It stays OFF whenever
a ground is present. So for this function to work as I wanted, I
needed 12V to that pin when the AC is ON and a GROUND to it when the AC is OFF. The answer turns out to be simple. The AC clutch
POWER wire will provide exactly what is needed, since it will provide a ground when the compressor is off. Here's more explanation: The coil winding in an AC clutch
offers about 3~12 ohms resistance when off. This low resistance translates to
enough continuity to be called a GROUND when the power is OFF. It would not be enough of a ground for a 12v powered device, but for
digital signaling purposes that's sufficient for a ground. So this AC clutch circuit works perfectly for the Force-On function.
Here are a couple pics showing the new controller in it's enclosure and mounted.
ROAD TRIP TESTING This controller was tested with the Jeep fan in a 3000 mile
cross-country trip in hot summer weather. It worked flawlessly and
I have the fan speed set to keep my gauge temperature just below the middle ALWAYS. It stays there in any
hot climate, with the AC on, and going up any grade. If you're curious about the thermostat I'm using, it's a 92°C type (fully open at 197°F). Here are some OTHER devices from Widget Man which might come in handy for brushless fan conversions.
This PWM Frequency / Polarity Changer
may be useful for getting a 10Hz positive fan (Jeep or Mercedes for example) to
work with a GM LS
ECM, which needs a 100Hz negative frequency . This device lets you arbitrarily multiply or divide the Hertz rate and INVERT the polarity if needed.
The only thing it won't do is adjust the off, on, and max speed
thresholds. https://gkgoodcheapparts.com/products/widget-man-pca-pwm-frequency-polarity-corrector
Methods Used to Test Brushless Fans Keep in mind that most fan manufacturers are rating their advertised CFM tests to reflect a fan that is
attached to a radiator, which in
theory, restricts and reduces airflow by some amount. How is that
simulated? Can there be any consistency? Who knows? So testing a fan
yourself might be the best way to find the truth. These items below are what I've been
using to test fans. If you use something else and you want to
share that info, feel free to email me: CONTACT
Most brushless fans cannot simply be connected to a battery to make them
run for testing. This PWM signal generator below may be used to activate
and run a brushless fan at any speed.
There are up to FOUR connections, but only three are needed in most cases.
The left two wires above are the BATTERY POWER and CHASSIS GROUND.
The PWM wire on the fan is then connected to the PWM
slot shown above on the right. The extra GND wire
next to the PWM slot
can
be
grounded also, but in most cases it doesn't need to be. It's a ground
specifically for the PWM signal only. So if you have this signal
generator connected to the same battery as the fan, then the extra
ground is not needed. In some lab settings, the power and ground for a
brushless motor may be from a different source than the power or ground
for this generator. In those cases the extra PWM ground would be
needed.
HERE'S A DIAGRAM SHOWING HOW TO USE A PWM GENERATOR If
you have a fan which you're unsure of the frequency needed to make it
run, it will usually be just fine you need to experiment with different
frequencies to search through frequencies or a frequency range the fan
will accept.
PWM Signal Generator. Price: $14.00 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07P848DYQ
Fan speed (RPM)
testing was done using an inexpensive hobby optical tachometer:
Turnigy Micro Tachometer. This meter can be set to measure 2 to 9 blade
fans. It was priced under $20.00. Amperage usage was measured using this Digital 0 to 100 Amp meter. Price: $15.00. amazon.com/DROK-Digital-Multimeter My CFM airflow testing was done using an Aiomest AN-846A anemometer. Price: $69.00 amazon.com/dp/B088QZ3689 This is the same airflow meter used by Fast Monty's Garage in this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYkuNP1RnoM&t=26s. The same fan area calculation methods were used for my testing.
If you watch Fast Monty's video, you'll probably have to pause and
re-watch this math calculations a few times. It's a but much for a
normal human brain. So I've placed the easier calculation steps I used below. Aiomest CFM Meter Calculation: Begin with the (actual) fan diameter: 18 inches, for example.
1/2 of that is the radius: 9 inches.
9 ÷ 12 = 0.75.
0.75² (or 0.75 x 0.75) = 0.5625.
0.5625 x 3.14159 (Pi) = 1.767.
1.767 is the sq.ft. area of an 18 inch fan. Now we must calculate the center hub area.
I used 7.4 inches for the Jeep fan.
1/2 of 7.4 = 3.7 (radius).
3.7 ÷ 12 = 0.308.
0.308² (or 0.308 x 0.308) = 0.0948.
0.0948 x 3.14159 (Pi) = 0.2978.
0.2978 is the sq.ft. area of the center hub. Now deduct the hub area from the fan area. 1.767 - 0.2978 = 1.469 (sq.ft.). 1.469 is the final result of the fan area. So now you can set the meter on 'CFM' and enter your calculation. I entered the rounded number of 1.47 below for the FT²setting. If you have any questions, comments or find any potential concerns, please send me an email: CONTACT.
