s13 and altima fans - fan controller optional?

[Kalypso]

my redtop needs some sort of cooling for the time being, but I dont have a fan controller like this...



do these require a fan controller?

if anyone knows a way, post a quick diagram.

im going to improvise it otherwise and see what happens.
Modified by Kalypso123 at 10:22 PM 9/20/2008

[lrb_2000]

that's a crazy controller.. I wired one straight to my battery using a 30A relay, and the other runs off a switch in the cabin incase my temps go up to high, then I can flip it on.

or you can go to autozone or wherever, and get a thermo switch. That way your fans will come on automatically when the temp gets high.. you can usually adjust the temp they come on at.. they're like $30

[Chris28]

^exactly right

My setup is a mishimoto rad with altima fans. Controlling it is a thermo switch from napa, running to a 30 amp relay. I think this is the best setup because you don't want to pull all the amperage that the fans require through the little thermo switch. I'll draw a diagram if you're interested lol.

[Kalypso]

^ if you have a moment i'd like that.

that fan controller above is a hefty $120, and $30 napa thermo is more to my liking.

I dont understand the basic concept of wiring into a relay, but im sure I could figure it out with a quick explanation.

[RINGSPUN]

i would like to know as well how you made the thermo switch run.

[icex01x]

I have mine wired like in the first post of this thread with the exception that I'm using a second relay for the high-speed pulling the power from the battery and using the A/C as a switch. I also have 30A inline fuses on both lines coming off of the battery so they'll blow before the relay if anything goes wrong.http://zilvia.net/f/tech-talk/....html

It has worked pretty good for my for the past year or so using a stock radiator on the KA.

[Chris28]

Good luck!

[Chris28]

That's the switch that I used, the metal thing is the through-radiator sensor.

[Chris28]

Lol sorry for the triple post, but with the diagram I drew it will have your fans on whenever the temperature is over like 180 degrees (whatever the switch is set to). In order to have the fans shut off with your car, instead of wiring it directly to the battery, wire it to a switched wire that is only on when your ignition is on. I have mine running through the fuel pump fuse, so if you would like me to draw that also I can.

[Kalypso]

fuel pump fuse?most definitely, that diagram above is money,

please continue

[NISSAN240SX12]

I used a thermo sensor off a 89 240sx that was used for the A/C. I linked it into the upper radiator hose and wire had one wire to the battery with a 30 amp fuse and the other wire to the fans. Grounded the fans to the fram. that works great for me.

[Chris28]

It's hard to draw, and I'm not with my car at the moment. (college...thanks) Basically what I did is went to radio shack and found male connectors that go in there the fuel pump fuse went, then like made it look like a fuse but it was really 2 wires, then spliced a wire off of that and with the other 2 wires i connected the fuel pump fuse. Now that i think about it, hold on, here's a diagram showing how i did it haha.



I'll take a pic when I get home if you are still interested, but that won't be till next friday. Hope this helps

edit: Make sure you still run a fuse on the wire! 30 amp fuse is good, since everything else on the system is 30 amps. I don't think the fuel pump fuse is 10 amps, i just put a 10 there to make it look more like a fuse lol.

[Kalypso]

chris28 and nissan240sx

thanks a lot.

this should be the new definitive altima fan thread, because no one really worked it out thoroughly until now. altima fans ftw, I got mine for 16$ at the junk yard once mine is setup and done ill post pics, and maybe even do a write-up with credit to both of you.

just need to find my camera

[jessetang]

I find out that the Altima fan's plug is the same as the 240sx ac fan, so I tapped the 2 stock relays for power. On the setup that I have, the thermo switch is a ground switch that taps into both of the stock relays. If you want to play with that high/low settings, you either need that Dif fan controller, or you need two thermo switch. I know that the S14 uses 1 relay for each setting for the fan, but it works fine if I use 1 relay for full power on 1 fan.

I think one of the biggest debate is the a/c. However, I do not care about it.

[Kalypso]

^ that also works, I didn't find my fan plug(didnt look hard enough )

this thread is the now the official how to wire altima fans in an s13 thread.

thanks everyone, NICO saves again

[hungryjoseph]

i wired my fans straight into the ignition

[Chris28]

Striaght to the ignition? Sounds a bit sketchy to me, pulling all that power through the ignition and everything...something is going to fry. As for A/C, I have another diagram like the one I posted that also has a/c wired in, so if it's not hot enough for the thermo switch to make the fans kick on then when you hit the a/c button they will, or at least one...you can wire both fans or just one. Lol sounsd complicated but it is actually pretty easy, it just uses another relay and the a/c switch instead of a thermo switch. Maybe when I get home this weekend i'll draw that one up so this will really be the definitive fan wiring thread lol.

[RINGSPUN]

thanks you guys, now at least i have an idea what to do!

[Kalypso]

Maybe when I get home this weekend i'll draw that one up so this will really be the definitive fan wiring thread lol.

we'll be here if you do

[dickie]

neat stuff.

[White Comet]

[QUOTE=Chris28] [QUOTE]i have one just like this that i'll sell, its never been used and instead of going through the radiator, i was going to install it by putting the sensor in the rubber rad hose

[Kalypso]

^ I just got one of those today - 17$ autozone

how were you planning to attach it to the rad hose

NISSAN240SX12 did it, but

it looks like he is using a coolant temp sensor for that, it seems like a better way. I am going to install mine tommorow ill take some cell phone pics

[NISSAN240SX12]

the way i set it up is very easy and it works with no problems. I used the coolant temp sensor off the 89 240sx and worked it into the top rad hose. like in the pic above. I'm telling you this is the fixed for a low budget electric fan build that works great! Check this diagram out its not perfect but i did my best.

[Kalypso]

ok im with you, but let me rephrase my question:

my thermo fan switch uses the metal rod to detect temps.your thermo fan switch uses a coolant temp sensor to detect temps,

did you buy yours that way? or did you modify the one that WC posted.

[NISSAN240SX12]

I bought it like that. No modifications.

[Kalypso]

bet, if you find the link or product name, post it here. most of use are using the thermo's with the rod.

this is helpful,



wiring up my fans now, im setting them both for high speed! once the thermo kicks in.

I bought mine for 17$ from a junk yard so i have very little to loose.

[White Comet]

^ nice the reason im dotching that fan controller is cuz im using the sohc stock coolant temp sensor installed in the lower rad hose.

the aftermarket controller i have is def not the same you guys have then. mine was $50

[Kalypso]

I mean I got the fans for 17, but the thermo switch was also 17 new from autozone.

it definitely works, im halfway done now and its very neat. I also mounted the fans nice and tight so they sit well.

pics coming soon

[N240sxRUS]

any updates so far? just cant wait to see what you guys have done so far

[Kalypso]

ouch... I dont have a decent camera.

I wired mine with the thermo and 30 amp fuse. but the fuse blew the moment I connected the battery!?

Im going to wire a switch into it instead. but no pics sorry

the car is in storage for the winter.