which way to wire fan,thermal fan sensor

dastang2

Active Member
Dec 11, 2003
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hey, i got a taurus fan. instead of getting a dc controller, i was wanting to put a thermal switch in series of the power source and fan. is there a stock 2 prong sensor i can buy that will work like this. i know about the permacool part. is that at parts store or do i need to order it. i want something i can just pick up. also, do i need to put a relay on the fan. i don't see why i need a relay and i would like to do away with that if possible. what is the normal operating temp. i have a dual 1 inch core aluminum radiator.
 
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The relay helps switch the power to the fan, which draws a lot of current. It is very easy to burn up a toggle switch or the wiring feeding the fan if you use too small a wire size.

Forget to turn the fan on and you toast your engine. Forget to turn the fan off and you run down your battery. Those two reasons are enough to spend a few extra $ for a proper relay controller or DCControl unit.

See http://www.fordmuscle.com/archives/2003/02/electricfan/index.shtml for a fan controller that will do the job. Not nearly as good as a DCControl, but usable.
 
Since you mentioned a two prong sensor: Luke87GT on the Corral has a write up in his sig for using the VW switch that Monte Smith recommends. The cost involved would make it more of a permanent solution however (get with Fett in here if you want info on the how-to - he just installed one).

The controller JR mentioned is how I'd do it though - esp. for a temp solution.

Good luck.
 
Yea, the biggest thing to using the VW switch is FOLLOWING DIRECTIONS! Something I didn't do...twice. I tried to shortcut a few things and it ended up not working. With a lot of help and explainations from HISSIN50, I followed the directions and it is working perfectly. Out of the three possible ways of hooking up a thermoswitch (DCC, VW, and Imperial), I would say that the VW switch falls #2.

The DCC method is the "best", the VW switch would come in second, and the Imperial controller would come in third....in MY opinion.

I am not a fan of having a spider web of wires, and I don't trust "through core" thermo senders.