DCC Fan Controller--Fan Runs After Key Off Adjustment?

[ZephyrEFI]

Hey, so this is probably a longshot, but does anyone who might happen to have a DCC controller, I have the FK45, know how to set whether the fan continues to run after you turn the key off? The directions that come with it tell you how to install it and set the temp the fan comes on, but nothing about that. I'm PRETTY sure it's a thing you can change, but I have no idea how. I'm guessing maybe you move one of the connectors to different pins or something, but I don't really know. I messaged the company, but haven't heard back. It's hard to tell if they're even there anymore.

 

[Noobz347]

If it is not outlined in the instructions then it seems to me that what you need to do is to feed the controller with an [ignition on] power source instead of connecting it through a battery-fed power source.

The alternative would be to install a relay in-line with your current power source (since you already know it works) and trigger that relay with an [ignition on] power source.

 

[ZephyrEFI]

Yeah, the directions for this thing don't say much. There are all these pins on it that there is no information about. It's all very mysterious. It's not like most mass produced products where you can find out pretty much everything there is to know about it with very little difficulty. Bare minimum doesn't even say it well enough. The websites is just pictures of the products with "Buy here" buttons and nothing else.

When I first got it, I think I was talking to someone on a forum somewhere about it giving me what I wanted to know at the time. But that was so long ago now, that knowledge has been lost to time.

Anyway, the directions being so sparse makes me think of an old school crabby mechanic you're kind of afraid of just throwing you the keys and walking away, "it's fixed". The directions do say run the postitive wire directly to the battery. That's what you do. Don't ask questions. Just do it. haha. I'm not against looking at using a relay though.

 

[Noobz347]

To be fair, most [switched] power sources will not handle the current. The relay is really the best way. It also has the added benefit of ensuring the controller is completely disconnected from the battery when the car is shut off (parasitic drain).

 

[AeroCoupe]

I have two of them and to my knowledge there is no option to have it run for X amount of time after the key is off. If you want it to run after the key is off then use 12V+ battery to the same wire as the 12V+ ignition and it will run until the setpoint is achieved. Be aware that it could drain your battery or discharge it just enough the car will not start. Another option would be to parallel a toggle switch with battery 12V+ with the ignition 12V+ wire (you will diodes). Park the car, flip the switch and then shut if off manually after a few minutes or again rely on the controller to shut off once the temperature gets below the setpoint.

Honestly, I see no reason for it to run when the car is shut off.

 

[Noobz347]

It was for "turbo timers" and cars with electric water pumps. They would run until the temp went down to the preset.

With just fans tho... You're really just cooling radiator water.

 

[ZephyrEFI]

I have two of them and to my knowledge there is no option to have it run for X amount of time after the key is off. If you want it to run after the key is off then use 12V+ battery to the same wire as the 12V+ ignition and it will run until the setpoint is achieved. Be aware that it could drain your battery or discharge it just enough the car will not start. Another option would be to parallel a toggle switch with battery 12V+ with the ignition 12V+ wire (you will diodes). Park the car, flip the switch and then shut if off manually after a few minutes or again rely on the controller to shut off once the temperature gets below the setpoint.

Honestly, I see no reason for it to run when the car is shut off.

Which ones do you have? I don't believe there even IS a 12V ignition lead on mine.

It does continue to run after I shut the engine off, and I DON'T want it to, that's why I'm asking about it. It doesn't run for more than a few minutes, but I would just rather it not do that at all.

 

[Blown88GT]

I still have the FK-35 which does this.
Auxiliary wiring
Ignition input
The control unit will shut itself off automatically soon after the engine is turned off. If an Immediate shut off is required, connect the yellow ignition input wire of the harness to the unit (pin 15) and to any source that is higher than 6 V whenever the ignition is on.

The FK-45 pinout is a little different & only has 14 pins. He may have eliminated this feature on FK-45, 75, 95.

Mine has never run with the ignition off. Do you have the temp sensor at the radiator outlet?

 

[AeroCoupe]

FK45’s. I’m not where I can put my hands on the installation paperwork but will be on Sunday if you don’t have it solved by then.

 

[ZephyrEFI]

Yes, I have the temp sensor near the radiator outlet.

I have the paper that it comes with. It says very little about anything. I'm pretty sure it's the same as the directions available on their website for the FK75.

I would LOVE to see a pinout. It's fuzzy now, but I think i remember seeing one back when I first got mine. Didn't bother to save it if I did... Ugh. But yeah, if I was thinking about a possible adjustment for how long the fan continues to run, it would have been through email with the company or talking to someone on a forum. It's not in the directions.

 

[ZephyrEFI]

Well, never heard back from the guy. Awesome. I bought an oil pressure switch. We'll see how that goes. I guess I need a relay too though. I know Dakota Digital sells a 75 amp one. Think that will do it, or do I need more amps?

 

[FastDriver]

I just ordered a DCC controller and read the FAQ page. I agree with Zephyr, the instructions don't go into great detail, and I'm not sure which, if not all, fans the FAQ covers, but here's the link and one of the comments in it about ignition switched power. Even the statement confuses me:

FAQ

The Delta unit, unlike other controllers shuts itself off quickly after the car is stopped. However, an ignition input is can be switched on with the car in order to shut the system off immediately when the ignition is switched off. Again, the loom is included.

I dislike electrical stuff, but I hope I can figure it out without resorting to a seperate relay. There's a whole section in the FAQ that addresses why you should connect to the battery, and it starts talking about magnetic field collapse and the controller's PWM... It's over my head, but I'm not gonna be happy with it running after the car's off.

I started thinking fancy about how I'd wire it on a 3way switch so I could shut it off, force it on, or leave it to the controller. Then, I realized that the fan is only going to draw ~1hp, and in the unlikely event that loses me a race, so be it...

Since a Mark VIII fan is 2-speed, I do think I'll wire in relayed power to the low-power circuit for cooling with the engine off, though. That will be helpful between runs and as a diagnostic if I ever have trouble.

 

[AeroCoupe]

Well now I feel like for not getting back to ZephyrEFI on the installation paperwork. Only saw this as FastDriver replied which put it back in the notifications under my user name. Not that its any kind of excuse but I have not received email notification of replies to subscribed threads in a couple years. Anyhow, I went back and looked in both the Mustang and T-Bird files and found the instructions to the FK-35 and FK-50P.

Again, my apologies as I am normally a follow through kind of person but I dropped the ball on this one for sure.

 

[FastDriver]

Well now I feel like for not getting back to ZephyrEFI on the installation paperwork. Only saw this as FastDriver replied which put it back in the notifications under my user name. Not that its any kind of excuse but I have not received email notification of replies to subscribed threads in a couple years. Anyhow, I went back and looked in both the Mustang and T-Bird files and found the instructions to the FK-35 and FK-50P.

Again, my apologies as I am normally a follow through kind of person but I dropped the ball on this one for sure.

I guess they're different now, as there's no mention of a yellow wire or connection for ignition. There are 14 pins. Not sure if any of them do what we want it to, but I would hope the guy didn't remove that functionality in these 'upgrades'.

 

[FastDriver]

I asked DCC about this, and here was Brian's reply:

.........................................diode
green wire (pin13) ----------->|----------- ignition

virtually any diode will work, you can find them on amazon

I may have wasted my money on the very nice Leash Dual 70 amp Relay module, but I'll throw it in a drawer and find a use for it at some point.

 

[Blown88GT]

I guess they're different now, as there's no mention of a yellow wire or connection for ignition. There are 14 pins. Not sure if any of them do what we want it to, but I would hope the guy didn't remove that functionality in these 'upgrades'.

No more FK35 or FK45, only FK75 and FK95. Instructions show the pin numbers but not what they do.

Instructions say this:
AC input, temperature sensor
Install the red connector on pins 12-14. If the vehicle has air conditioning and a factory installed electric fan, connect the blue AC input wire
of the harness to the unit and to the positive terminal of the OEM fan wiring harness. If the vehicle has air conditioning and originally came
with a mechanical fan, connect the blue AC input wire of the harness to the air conditioning compressor input. Install the white sensor
connector on pins 1-2.

The Parts List shows this:
1 low current wiring harness

There is no diagram of the harness that I can find. There is still info on his website that is no longer linked.
Here is an example:
http://www.dccontrol.com/fk35.htm

The original FK35 was a Microsoft Word document. Here it is in pdf format.

BTW, Brian has the 1st FK35 produced & I have the 2nd.

 

[FastDriver]

Just tinkering, and found this in the packet. Looks like I figured it out:

Brian's comment aligns with the green wire being pin 13. The blue wire, according to DCC's instructions should go to the A/C compressor clutch signal. Folks on corral are saying the A/C pressure switch is a better idea.

 

[AeroCoupe]

I have the blue wire on the AC pressure switch on both of my cars.

 

[FastDriver]

Yessir. I understood the reason why to use that line after doing it. That wire, the solid purple that is alone on the pressure switch, as opposed to the pair of wires at the other node on the pressure switch, stays hot as long as the switch panel has A/C selected. Whereas, the compressor cycles intermittenly, especially in my car where it cycles off whenever the pressure drops too low. I'd rather the fans run continuously.