Electric VS Viscous fan
- WESKUSKLONG
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Electric VS Viscous fan
I want to change the viscous fan to a electric fan .
The plan is to put a temp switch on the engine and a override switch inside the cab.
What is your thoughts about it?
The plan is to put a temp switch on the engine and a override switch inside the cab.
What is your thoughts about it?
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Re: Electric VS Viscous fan
I would suggest you think twice and if you then come to the conclusion that you need to go electric, think again
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Re: Electric VS Viscous fan
CasKru wrote:I would suggest you think twice and if you then come to the conclusion that you need to go electric, think again
If I may ask why do you say no for electric?
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Re: Electric VS Viscous fan
If you are planning to do off roading, wading through water is a problem with electric fan. Accept for this, a viscous fan can never fail where an electric can.WESKUSKLONG wrote:CasKru wrote:I would suggest you think twice and if you then come to the conclusion that you need to go electric, think again
If I may ask why do you say no for electric?
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Re: Electric VS Viscous fan
I would also like to know pro's vs con's.
As I have it: electric fan draws about 400 w electrical power, say 30 amp. Can your alternator continiously deliver that witoput burning out (when it delivers power to other loads as well?)
Mechanical fan darws about 1.2 kW (always), even when you don't need it (high speed), but what will happen with dune driving with an electric?
C
As I have it: electric fan draws about 400 w electrical power, say 30 amp. Can your alternator continiously deliver that witoput burning out (when it delivers power to other loads as well?)
Mechanical fan darws about 1.2 kW (always), even when you don't need it (high speed), but what will happen with dune driving with an electric?
C
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Re: Electric VS Viscous fan
Even if the viscous do fail, you can always "jam" it, so it will always turn while driving if you are in the middle of the bush.CasKru wrote:If you are planning to do off roading, wading through water is a problem with electric fan. Accept for this, a viscous fan can never fail where an electric can.WESKUSKLONG wrote:CasKru wrote:I would suggest you think twice and if you then come to the conclusion that you need to go electric, think again
If I may ask why do you say no for electric?
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Re: Electric VS Viscous fan
What about if you install 2 elec fans, what's the chance of both failing at the same time?
And wading through water: easy to install a switch to disable the fans, not so easy with a normal fan that can then put blades through the rad, or throw water on the plugs/dissy?
And wading through water: easy to install a switch to disable the fans, not so easy with a normal fan that can then put blades through the rad, or throw water on the plugs/dissy?
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Re: Electric VS Viscous fan
cprinsloo wrote:What about if you install 2 elec fans, what's the chance of both failing at the same time?
And wading through water: easy to install a switch to disable the fans, not so easy with a normal fan that can then put blades through the rad, or throw water on the plugs/dissy?
That is the plan and the reason for the conversion is to gain power and save fuel as I use my bakkie 70 % on road .
I have a 140 A alternator should handle it.
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Re: Electric VS Viscous fan
Electric fans are4 OK .... just have to remember to switch off and then to switch on again before and after water crossings. They don't like muddy water though and as Cassie says, there is the possibility that it fails you at the worst possible time. Yes you do gain a fraction extra power, but the alt works harder and drains a bit of that back, so IMO it's not really worth it to do just for the power gain aspect if one weighs up all the pro's and con's.
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Don't take life too seriously ..... no-one gets out alive.
It's not about waiting for storms to pass. It's about learning to dance in the rain.
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Re: Electric VS Viscous fan
Question is if the difference will be so much that you will realise the difference in fuel consumption. If it uses 1.2kw like Chris said I doubt that you will see a big difference in fuel consumption.
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Re: Electric VS Viscous fan
From my understanding, the difference is only noticeable if you have been carefully and accurately monitoring your consumption and continue to do so. In terms of the rands and cents, I would wonder how long it would take before you see a return on your outlay.
When your road comes to an end ...... you need a HILUX!.
Life is like a jar of Jalapeño peppers ... what you do today, might burn your ass tomorrow.
Don't take life too seriously ..... no-one gets out alive.
It's not about waiting for storms to pass. It's about learning to dance in the rain.
And be yourself ..... everyone else is taken!
Life is like a jar of Jalapeño peppers ... what you do today, might burn your ass tomorrow.
Don't take life too seriously ..... no-one gets out alive.
It's not about waiting for storms to pass. It's about learning to dance in the rain.
And be yourself ..... everyone else is taken!
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Re: Electric VS Viscous fan
If it is not broken don't try and fix it
You will get better results changing your driving habits
You will get better results changing your driving habits
Only Dead Fish Go With The Flow!
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Re: Electric VS Viscous fan
In the past I use to built fast cars without turbos and was very successful because I enjoy a challenge . One day a friend of mine said to me if you want a challenge build something that is light on fuel or runs on alternative fuel .pietpetoors wrote:If it is not broken don't try and fix it
You will get better results changing your driving habits
So I find my challenge my Hilux is using 1l of fuel for every 10 km's and that is with a lift and 33" tyres.
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Re: Electric VS Viscous fan
If it is a challenge, go for it, you then have enough reason to do it and even if it saves you 0.05km/l you have achieved something
We would love to hear the feedback and learn from you.
I don't think that it can be bad cause many conversion runs electric fans, most of them.
If water crossings is the main disadvantage of an electric fan, then add an extra switch in the cab so that you can switch off the fan at a real big water crossing you might encounter once in 3 years.
We would love to hear the feedback and learn from you.
I don't think that it can be bad cause many conversion runs electric fans, most of them.
If water crossings is the main disadvantage of an electric fan, then add an extra switch in the cab so that you can switch off the fan at a real big water crossing you might encounter once in 3 years.
Only Dead Fish Go With The Flow!
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Re: Electric VS Viscous fan
With Bolt I tried the elec fans route, issue I had was noise! A viscous fan is pretty quiet, while an electric fan(as I learnt) can be pretty darn noisy. The noise eventually got the better of me and I went back to a viscous fan!
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Re: Electric VS Viscous fan
Especially on a trail I presume?The noise eventually got the better of me and I went back to a viscous fan!
Only Dead Fish Go With The Flow!
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Re: Electric VS Viscous fan
Ya, the first trail we did, 2 Oceans, if was a real pain, having the fan running flat out when driving slow!pietpetoors wrote:Especially on a trail I presume?The noise eventually got the better of me and I went back to a viscous fan!
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Re: Electric VS Viscous fan
I had an electric fan on Kaspaas that worked on a thermal switch (85°C) with manual override, because there was no place to fit a viscous in front of the 7MGE motor. Worked fantastically, but I would have preferred a viscous.
Firstly if a viscous fails, it is "allways on", where-as an electric is "allways off". Building in redundency (a spare fan) is also not always practical, and extra expense.
Electric fans are noisy as B said. In thick sand, and on rocky trails the fan was always on...
Water crossings can be accommodated with clever use of switches, but the fan motor does not like muddy water, and bearings and internals fail suddenly and unexpectedly.
If you want to do it to get aan extra 2 kW out of your motor, it is not worth it. If you want to do it for a challenge, and to try it out,and you have the parts available, go for it...
Firstly if a viscous fails, it is "allways on", where-as an electric is "allways off". Building in redundency (a spare fan) is also not always practical, and extra expense.
Electric fans are noisy as B said. In thick sand, and on rocky trails the fan was always on...
Water crossings can be accommodated with clever use of switches, but the fan motor does not like muddy water, and bearings and internals fail suddenly and unexpectedly.
If you want to do it to get aan extra 2 kW out of your motor, it is not worth it. If you want to do it for a challenge, and to try it out,and you have the parts available, go for it...
Thys de Jager
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1997 Jeep Wrangler TJ 4.0 Sport. The original SFA. AGA... Gooi kole
email: thys@teamoffroad.co.za
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Re: Electric VS Viscous fan
Ek stem saam Pieter, verander jou bestuurs tegniek, as jy steeds lus is vir n challenge, join ons op n GTG.
- WESKUSKLONG
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Re: Electric VS Viscous fan
Dankie vir almal se input , maar ek moet se ek het nooit gedink aan die geraas faktor nie .
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Re: Electric VS Viscous fan
When I had the 3c in Rokorok I had an electric fan and shroud from a volvo 2.0T
in the cab I fitted a 3 way switch (always on, always off and auto on via a temp switch)
when it was in the always off position it lighted a red LED and in the always on position it lighted a green LED
was going to mount the LEDS in the cluster but never got around to it so they remained taped to the dashboard until I removed the 3C
Now that I have fitted the 22R I have gone back to the viscous. the wiring is still there so I could revert to the electric again if necessary
in the cab I fitted a 3 way switch (always on, always off and auto on via a temp switch)
when it was in the always off position it lighted a red LED and in the always on position it lighted a green LED
was going to mount the LEDS in the cluster but never got around to it so they remained taped to the dashboard until I removed the 3C
Now that I have fitted the 22R I have gone back to the viscous. the wiring is still there so I could revert to the electric again if necessary