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Contour Electric Fan Install
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73hornut View Drop Down
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Points: 3130 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 73hornut Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Feb/21/2020 at 10:27pm
Originally posted by Mike/Mass Mike/Mass wrote:

I picked up a genuine Contour/Cougar dual fan setup with some original wire harness, and yes its stamped on the shroud "Ford" made in the USA. Anyway... I have a couple of questions.

1.  One of the fans has a connector with one #10 gauge wire and one #12 gauge wire.  The other connector must have been destroyed in the removal process as the wires were simply cut... but both appear to be #12 gauge. Was that normal for actual production pieces?

2.  I previously had a late '90's Volvo 2-speed 15-1/2" fan which was similar to the Taurus fan... three (3) wires; one ground wire, one wire for low speed, another wire for high speed.  I thought the Contour fans were 2-speed, but how does the 2-wire setup accommodate that? 
Many of the contour fans, were single speed, (2 wire), with a resister to reduce voltage for low speed. I run this fan, but I run them in series for low speed and parallel for high speed, no resister.


Edited by 73hornut - Feb/21/2020 at 10:29pm
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Points: 19676 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote farna Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Feb/23/2020 at 8:31am
I am running mine on high speed only, each off individual thermostats and staggered -- one comes on, then the other at about 10 degrees higher. I find that they are rather loud at high speed, so I may re-wire so that one t-stat controls low speed on both and the other switches to high ~10degrees higher.

73hornut, I'd be interested in seeing how yours are wired, and how much difference there is in noise/cooling between series and parallel operation.
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Using standard relays with these fan motors probably subjects the relays to contact arc damage over time due to the inductive voltage spike. That spike can be hundreds of volts. 

Wiring the fans in series will give you twice the inductance of a single motor, and the higher the inductance is, the higher the voltage spike is.  Wiring them in parallel (the way the factory did it) will give a total combined inductance equal to 1/2 the inductance of a single motor. So the difference in inductance between the two wiring methods is a factor of 4.

I haven't dissected the Volvo relay assembly, but I expect they have built in surge suppressors to protect the relays from the voltage spike. 
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Points: 3130 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 73hornut Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Feb/25/2020 at 7:56am
Originally posted by farna farna wrote:

I am running mine on high speed only, each off individual thermostats and staggered -- one comes on, then the other at about 10 degrees higher. I find that they are rather loud at high speed, so I may re-wire so that one t-stat controls low speed on both and the other switches to high ~10degrees higher.

73hornut, I'd be interested in seeing how yours are wired, and how much difference there is in noise/cooling between series and parallel operation.
It uses 3 relays and a 2 speed thermal switch, 2- 4 post and 1- 5 post, through the first 4 post then one fan, passively through the 5- post and through the second fan to ground, this gives series on low speed, the third 4 post is wired to the send fan, and activates with high speed is switched. when high speed switch activates, it grounds the 5 post putting first fan at high speed and the third relay activate second fan at high speed. for parallel.
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Points: 19676 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote farna Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Feb/26/2020 at 5:46am
Interesting. From the notes on the diagram I assume this is a standard GM practice, at least in the early 2000s (Pontiac was gone after 2010). 
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Points: 3130 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 73hornut Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Feb/26/2020 at 7:42am
Originally posted by farna farna wrote:

Interesting. From the notes on the diagram I assume this is a standard GM practice, at least in the early 2000s (Pontiac was gone after 2010). 
There are many similar diagrams for this circuit, mainly I run main power from the battery through a 50a bus fuse, to the relays to run the fans, and switching power from the starter relay to a 40a bus fuse to the relays, where it say PCM, this is your 2 speed thermal switch. In essence it runs all automated, just like modern cars. my only override is when turning on a/c uses a relay to swtich the low speed to ground before switch would engage.




Edited by 73hornut - Feb/26/2020 at 7:46am
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I'm working on my Fan Shroud mockup right now, and eventually... I'm going to get one of the modular fan controllers that can handle two fans and different speeds. In the interim, I need to cobble something together that will be safe, and running the fans when needed... like when the temp hits 195, then shuts the fans when it cools enough, maybe down to 175-180?

Someone in another forum suggested this setup from Speedway to get me going.  Don't know if 40 Amp is enough... is it?

http://www.speedwaymotors.com/the-tool/wiring-dual-electric-fans/29438 - http://www.speedwaymotors.com/the-toolbox/wiring-dual-electric-fans/29438

What I don't know is where that extra temp sensor will screw in. I've seen some "T" type lower radiator hose fittings that have a NPT thread, because my fitting in the intake manifold is already occupied by the sender for my SpeedHut temp gauge. The Speedway Sensor also shows one blade but the diagram shows two... maybe its hidden in the artwork?

And I don't want to risk anything with wiring... so should I splice in a #10 gauge wire a few inches from the new plug? I have one OEM with the #10 green/orange wire and #12 black ground wire and that one is about  36" long.  To facilitate easy removal down the road, I guess I should also use some kind of two post connector for the power and have separate leads for the grounds or is it OK to have a 4-pin/blade connector for power and grounds.
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Points: 19676 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote farna Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Mar/03/2020 at 6:28am
A 40A relay should work with no issue -- one for each fan, like the Speedway diagram indicates. The fans will surge a bit more than 40A on start, but it's only for a fraction of a second. They run on about 20A. I ran on on a 30A relay for years. It did finally quit, but it was a pulled relay from the 88 Comanche I got the 4.0L from. I used it with an electric fan from 2000-2008, and it was a daily driver 2000-2007 with an average of about 6K miles a year on it. It had just under/over 100K miles on it when I bought the wreck (I forget how many, was a good running engine), so the relay had some use on it already. I couldn't tell you what it originally did though, so may have been very lightly used those first 100K or so miles.

You can use the lower hose sleeve with a temp sensor bung or a probe type sensor. I'm using two adjustable probe types on mine to set the fans at different temps. Using probes because I have a temp gauge sender in the factory location like you, and I wanted to be able to adjust them. Rather then in the hose I have the probes pushed in the radiator fins. Not as accurate, but works well. I usually make a minor adjustment to them when the temp changes a lot -- like from mid winter to the start of June here in central South Carolina. Speedway has the probe type, but they are much cheaper on Amazon. You can order a 80A relay while on Amazon...




Your original link showing wiring:
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Points: 6 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mike/Mass Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Mar/26/2020 at 9:46am
Well, I've built two 3D "models" to test fit the system and #2 looks good, so I've drawn it up in an AutoCAD format so we can feed it into the CNC Plasma Cutter. I did go back to the diagonal placement of the fans because of my serpentine setup. I'll post some pix:


Thats my test fit of the 2nd model, plenty of room to slide the model with fans attached down into position. The channel on top of the radiator is hollow and meant to be used to attach things like a shroud. the top "fold" of the shroud will be 90° with a 1/2" return and that will secure it to the radiator up top.


Did this in Photoshop just to get an idea across, how the "wings" will sit under the overhanging 1/2" or so, also helped with putting some dimensions on it.


Did this in Photoshop as well, basically an illustration in scale showing sheet metal after being cut by CNC Plasma Table.


Thats a scale drawing created in VISIO 10 but saved as an AutoCAD (DWG) file.  I am not CAD savvy LOL, so improvisation is necessary. I'd like to get a handle on CAD programs like CorelCAD or LibreACD, but the learning curve is very difficult and even YouTube "tutorials" are more of an introduction to the program than a learn basic CAD type... they assume you are already somewhat familiar with a typical CAD program and you're just looking for an alternative to the super expensive packages.

SO right now, being stuck in the house for who knows how long, all I can do is prepare stuff.  One thing I'd like to do is put together a basic budget two fan controller that won't burn up when I try it out! Eventually, I'm going to look at a modular approach, maybe Derale, maybe the one from the Auto-Cool Guy https://www.autocoolguy.com check it out.  But another new compact one is coming that looks even more attractive from https://www.powersystemsmanagement.com so take a look at that too.

But for the moment maybe simple is better to get something wired up, perhaps a variant of the Volvo type deal? I also think any temp sensor to control fans should be on the lower hose going to the water pump on a chevy... any thoughts?
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Way back someone mentioned "why you would need" an electric fan.  I have two answers.  One, my car seems resistant to getting a shroud to fit properly.  Whether crash damage, cobbled up stuff by previous, and maybe current owners, or a combination I don't know.  My car runs hot in traffic.  My particular car has more power than most so that might be a cause.  Second, I drag race my car on occasion.  I have a slow car, inappropriate some would say, and have, for bracket racing.  Nevertheless I take it seriously.  At a big race, lamenting my difficulty cooling between rounds, a competitor with a 9 second street car looks at me and says, "don't you have an electric water pump?"  when I say no he says, "you at least have an electric fan, don't you" when I said no, he says, "well, then, you're screwed".  so watching this guy run 9.30 after 9.30 round after round in the heat, I got the messsage.  I can cool down now between rounds.  Cheap front mount fan worked for that, but still wasn't enough for sitting in traffic.  So I am on the Contour fan mission.  Good news, for those that have read this far.  Contour fans are available brand new from Rock Auto for about $130.  Which was about half what the Flexilite 420 I had picked out was going to run me.  Thanks to all who have contributed to this thread.
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