Jim Lane

This was not really meant to be a How To but just an article on how I installed a pair of auxiliary electric fans.

Ok guys; first of all please excuse the dirty truck.

Here is the setup that I have installed on my truck; I have installed dual 16” PROCOMP “S” blade rated at 2500 C.F.M. configured as a pusher electric fans to the front side of my air conditioning condenser for a total airflow of 5000 C.F.M.

I found this company is local to me but I originally found them on e-Bay
http://www.procompelectronics.com/in...ategory_id=781

This is the fan that I am using.
http://www.procompelectronics.com/in...oduct_id=36842



The first requirement was that it must be a clean installation and not require cutting up the body or the grille.



It took some planning but everything is tucked neatly behind the grille, obviously this can only be installed on a non-intercooled truck.

This was so well planned out that the entire install only required 2) ¼” holes to be drilled in the center support while all of the rest of the supports use existing bolts.



The fans being staggered was not an accident, I planned it that way to clear the hood safety latch.



Because of the shape of the condenser part of the fans venturi was open so I blocked off the airflow using a piece of expanded foam.

The trick to get the maximum available air through the condenser and radiator is that the outer ring of the fan housing or venturi must be in the best possible airtight seal to the face of the condenser.

I was a bit concerned with the fan sitting against the condenser but I figured the fan is an injection molded thermoplastic and will be much softer that the aluminum condensed face but still I mounted it tight against the face to minimize vibration and buffing.



Each fan has its own relay to control its functions; this is still in the design stages so for now both of the triggers are tied together and signaled by the A/C compressor relay.

There will also be a switch and indicator in the cab so I can activate them either singly or in tandem as needed should I have an overheat condition; again their residence is only temporary. As I get this part completed I will try to remember to update this post.



Although the grille has quite a few squished bugs here you can see they are pretty inconspicuous hidden behind the grille.



Ok so now you are going to ask, so how good do both of those fans work, well I can tell you they really suck.

With both fans running (with the engine OFF and on only battery power) I tossed a fairly heavy bath towel against the grille and as you can see it was sucked into the grille and held there, again this is with just the electric fans running and not using the engine driven fan.



So why did I go to all of this trouble to install these?

My truck does not run hot, it will creep up a bit past normal if I hold it above 70-MPH for any amount of time but it is still well within the normal range but the main reason that I installed these was for my air conditioner as most of you know I have an AC that will freeze the cab as long as I am getting a decent airflow BUT I also do a lot of stop and go city driving and I also find myself parked idling under a tree somewhere doing some paperwork or on my phone confirming jobs.

Last week it was over 100* I had a hour to kill waiting for my wife so my daughter and I was in Target parking lot and I turned up the A/C and I rolled up my jacket and laid my head against the window, big mistake I woke up an hour later freezing with a stiff neck it was the cold that woke us up and my daughter said she was freezing, the truck was sitting there idling as it was when I last remembered it with the temperature gauge right in the center.

Back to why.
With both of these fans running I can sit idle and my air conditioner will be as cold as it I was going 65 M.P.H.

I also need to install a fast idle solenoid to hold the RPM’s around 800

How loud are these? Not really bad, they just sound like a small vacuum cleaner is running but as soon as the engine is started all of the sound goes away.

I was going to go to the wrecking yard and look for some electric fans but as of yet I have not had the time but I might play around with removing the engine driven fan and see what happens.

This all started out as an idea and turned out into another finished project.

Let me know what you think and feel free to ask any questions.

Jim

RollinCoalSmoke

Another great job and article Jim. Too bad a little more room is not available to install this setup on an i/c truck. Your work is top shelf in my book. Wish I had more understanding of the relays and how they work and why they work the way they do. In the near future i'm going to copy your a/c blower fan relay setup and the headlight setup. On your fan setup do a good writeup on the wiring schematic so we can follow your lead on good safe clean install. Thanks for all the of your input past and present on these ole trucks.

TJE

Looks good. Again too bad they won't fit with an intercooler Looks like another one for the sticky.

Good Job Man.

Tony

Mike T.

Excellent job.
Do you think these fans would work if used as a puller replacing the stock fan on an ic truck and would there be enough room?

Thanks

BearKiller

Very professional installation.

Just how thick are those fans, or how much clear territory do they need ??

For better A/C, I would not hesitate to re-design the whole grille on the wife's I/C-ed truck.

That big huge hunk of plastic Dodge calls a grille does not lend itself very well to re-modifications.

Mike T.

I think this is it.

http://www.procompelectronics.com/in...oduct_id=36842

cougar

Jim, measure the thickness. They say 3.2", if it is no more than that it can be used as a puller with no problem.

snowjoker

Nice work as usual ! I wish i had a/c in my truck lol

Jim Lane

Just an update,
It has been in the upper 90's to 100's for the last couple of days and my air conditioner is producing cold freezing air while both idling in downtown traffic as well as parked along side the road under a tree doing paprework.

Now when I come to a stop the A/C temps will no longer fluctuate as the condenser ram air decreases.

I still need to install an override switch to control them manually.

If you need a reason to install these condenser fans, check your A/C head pressures when it is 100* outside with no air to cool the condenser.

I have seen pressures exceeding 375 - 400 PSI when the fan clutch was slipping.

apwatson50

Its too bad there is no room on a IC truck to fit a fan in behind the grill. Its an even bigger bummer that horton no longer makes their electric fan clutch as that would be the best of both worlds!