Re <VV> A/C Condensers & Fans (long)

[Rusty Rose]

Comments within...

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>From: Mikeamauro@aol.com
>Date: Sun, 30 May 2004 22:51:19 EDT
>
>With two electric puller fans mounted to the face of
the condenser, <snip>  Can even work on engine @ idle,
with A/C running, and engine deck lid open.

...Yep... the fans do allow you to run the A/C with
the engine lid open... but...

----------------------------
>From: VairMech@aol.com
>Date: Mon, 31 May 2004 10:35:36 EDT
>
<snip>
>Why not install 2 small electric fans to a 66-7 AC
condenser? They can be rigged to run with the
compressor running and you have no fear of lifting the
rear deck lid with the engine running. Obviously it is
not FACTORY STOCK but a practical solution to a
problem.
Ken Hand

... yep, you can wire them into the compressor circuit
to only run when the compressor is on.  A relay is
needed... but...

----------------------------
>From: "N. Joseph Potts" <pottsf@msn.com>
>Date: Mon, 31 May 2004 11:53:40 -0400
>
>I never thought of that: <snip> Are your fans in any
way thermostatically controlled (I know they sell fans
that incorporate that feature)? 

...The fans are not what is special, it is the switch.
 A trinary(sp?) switch can be put in-line or on top of
most aftermarket driers that picks up system pressure.
 The high/low switch does this as well, and when the
pressure gets too high (385 psi), it kills your
compressor to prevent damage.  The trinary version can
make your "dumb" fans "smart" in a similar way.  I
guess there may be fans that have this built in?

>I'm sure you've told us before, but would you mind
telling me the diameter (and other characteristics) of
the fans? You've already said they're pullers (that's
a spec), so I know generally what I'm looking for. I
assume the source is FLAPS (I've seen such being sold
there). And/or J. C.Whitney.

Joe Potts

... 8" pullers (2) work best for the size, but are a
little hard to find.  The 9" versions we carry (used
mostly in trunk installs) also work, but I have to
admit that I've not found a great source for fans yet
and I may be a few dollars higher than a local
place... you just have to check.  Don't worry about
performance, you are way overkilling the issue anyway!

All that said, here is the kicker....

Like I said earlier, I've been busting butt the past 4
months developing complete A/C kits for both early and
late Corvairs.  My goals were to create a kit that
worked well on R-134, could be installed by anyone
easily, looked slick enough to go on my cars(!), and
one that the average guy could afford.  In doing this,
I've been building several prototypes and doing gobs
(like that engineering jargon!) of testing.

I'll not go into details on the systems and testing as
a whole (will be adding that info to my site by
convention time), but I did do several "fan on the
condenser in the engine compartment" test.  I
personally didn't think adding fans would help, but
I'm not much for guesses and wanted to test.

Keep in mind, the test I'm referring to is on our
R-134 kit install and is on our new '66-67 condenser
repro specifically, but the test "should" be the same
on a stock condenser as well.

Bottom line, the fans made no difference (other than
the electrical load on the system)!  The head pressure
test done at idle showed no difference with and
without the fans on (2, 9" pullers on the condenser). 
 
Then we did a temperature/laod test under 3
conditions... idle, 35 MPH with gentle stop and go,
and at constant 65 MPH at 94 degree outside temps and
sun load.  We gathered over 3,000 data points over 5
locations on the car in 3 35 minute test with 2 cars. 
Even with all of that, there were no measurable
differences because of fan use.

Why?  Not sure!  I'd guess that the hole in the top
shroud that all the air moves through is only going to
move X amount of air, and that's it.  Adding fans will
change the pressure in the engine compartment, but in
our case, it didn't move "more" air overall across the
condenser.

I do sell fans, and would be happy to sell a couple of
fans and relays if you want/need fans for this
application, but our kits will not have them.



=====
Rusty Rose 
www.rustysonline.com


	
		
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