Since we are on the subject of electric fans...

[LCAM-01XA]

Haha, well 3200 cfm is what a single Taurus fan pulls on its low setting IIRC, probably won't be anywhere near enough to cool an IDI. Then there is the issue of the computer fans running less than 12V so you'll have to get creative with wiring all that mess...

 

[93cc7.3]

well like i said it was one of those non traditional (crazy) ideas but the pc fans do run on 12v and my original idea was to use the setup to keep the ac condenser ice cold plus i didn't know the tarus fans pulled that much i have a 1200 cfm 15 inch and another 12 inch off a capri right now just looking for better

 

[GenLightening]

slightly off topic but not really
me and my friend were talking yesterday and came up with a non traditional electric fan setup.
120 millimeter computer fans built into a grid to cover the radiator and ac condenser we did the math with 24 fans that's 3200 cfm and the fans sell for 8 bucks for 2 then you wouldn't have to worry about shrouds and such

Considering how often those fans fail in a closed environment of a computer or such, having them out in the elements should kill them toot sweet....
Not to mention (but I will) the fan housings may block more air flow than the fans will provide.

 

[93cc7.3]

well its what happens when u get bored at work lol

 

[GenLightening]

Well, if you have lots of them, and time, go for it!

 

[93cc7.3]

lol well ive got some but i don't got like 40 of em

 

[FORDF250HDXLT]

lol 93cc.don't have have salvage yards where you are?
i wound't try that idea.how many amps each do they draw? the cool thing though,you could have 'em come on in like rows of 10,for an easy startup draw.
no no......im not gunna do it.........im not participating in your crazy at work fantasies lol.

 

[93cc7.3]

ya well i just haven't been to any yards in awhile but i did get REALLY bored at work one day and found that a particular fan im looking at is a 120 mill fan 0.7 amp draw and 177 cfm
thats each .

and yes me and my buddy bounced around ideas like separate rows for ac and separate rows with separate tstats and even having a controller inside with fan speed rad temp and even individual leds showing when a fan craps out for replacement yes i know way to much time on my hands

 

[Agnem]

Being an I.T. person, I can tell you that even if computer fans worked, they would not last. They are not designed to deal with that kind of heat. They are also, dollar for dollar, a more expensive way to go.

 

[Simp5782]

I am looking at installing the 2 Taurus fans, found 2 local here at a yard for $50 for 2 of em. I have the 130amp alternator on my truck right now. Would I need to have it sent out to get it built up to 200 amps or so?

 

[Agnem]

130 should be fine. that's all I'm running.

 

[82F100SWB]

I run a fan setup on my 460 off of an 01 Chevy malibu with a 60 amp 1G alt... 130 should be fine for the taurus fan setup.
Keep in mind that while e-fans will keep an empty/lightly loaded truck cool, the clutch fan moves in the area of 14,000 CFM, and no e-fans are going to keep a heavily loaded hard working truck cool.
Heck, I had issues with the stocker keeping up with my 6.9 on 100 degree days towing, but, I'm talking 20-22,000 LB GCWR's and holding 12-13 psi of boost for hours.

 

[Simp5782]

Mel, Do you run the high setting wire off your taurus fans to the a/c switch, or do u have a manual switch inside to engage to high and just run em on the low setting for basic driving? I have a hayden adjustable thermostat control for the normal running, but i thought bout putting a manual switch for the high setting incase it starts climbing and i dont wanna run the a/c. Not to worried bout 100 degree days here, hell it snowed in July here :/ It been as high as 88 this year.

 

[oldmisterbill]

Well on a silly note - could I put a computor fan in my hat to cool me while I am mowing with my tractor -its been in the 100s here-to hot for my ole heart.
How about some input -do any of youe guys think an electric fan will add to the air flow at highway speeds,or at what speeds do they stop adding to the flow? I have been thinking about a mod on another vehicle and possily adding a elc fan to my truck.

 

[Agnem]

Mel, Do you run the high setting wire off your taurus fans to the a/c switch, or do u have a manual switch inside to engage ....

Moose Truck does not have A/C, so I didn't worry with any of that. I do have a switch inside that lets me do a manual override of low speed if I wish it.

I disagree that electric fans cannot meet the needs of a loaded truck. I'm not sure where that 14,000 CFM statement comes from with the mechanical fan, but that would be at what RPM? Electric fan speed is constant, and the RPM's are higher then the mechanical fan at most speeds. I think a lot of the suspicion that they cannot cool properly probably comes from the fact that a lot of IDI cooling systems are not 100% already. Radiators are partially clogged, water pumps not factory OEM, and other deviations that can result in a cooling system that is not at it's maxiumum potential. I'm not a physics major, but my gut feeling is that if you have adaquate air flow of the cooling fins of the radiator, your going to remove whatever heat is there and that the air to water heat transfer rate is determined more by available surface area, then by the speed and volume of air that passes over it. Think about it... put your hand over your air conditioning unit outside your home, and realize that if you slow the air down, the air gets hotter. Clog up half the cooling surface with grass and crap, and the air gets cooler. The air gets hotter when the fan slows because it has more time to absorb the heat. The efficiency rate increases. If the air was unable to absorb more heat, it would not get hotter. It gets cooler when the surface area shrinks because there is less heat transfer. All of this with an electric fan. I firmly believe it is the inability of the radiator to transfer heat to the air, rather than the inability of the fan to draw the air through. The fan clutch locks up on a mechanical fan when the air has absorbed the maximum amount of heat that it can. At that point, and only at that point, is additional air flow needed to compensate. Prior to the clutch locking up, the fan is not really doing anything. The radiator is being cooled by the motion of the truck through the air. The mechanical fan locks up and forces the fan to turn at whatever speed the engine is going. It does that because it has no way to turn the fan at some speed less than that, which may be all that is needed. So when we hear a fan roar, we equate that with what is needed to cool the truck, when in fact it is actually something less than 14,000 CFM or whatever, but more than just pushing the radiator through the air at 35 MPH going up a hill. If you don't believe electric fans can cool sufficiently, then explain how a 3000 HP locomotive is cooled by 3 electric fans.