Alternative to Final Stage/Fan Controller For Engine Cooling.
06-08-2015 | 02:27 PM
#78
Thread Starter
Nordschleife Master
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 5,663
Likes: 23
From: North Country
Back here with the fan control stuff again. This time it was a fault of my doing, and I want to share a vital bit of information to those who will (or are) using the DC controller.
Had the system functioning flawlessly for about a year. After coming out of winter hibernation it was functioning fine for about 4 weeks until the fans would run at MAX even when the engine was off. I had to pull the inline fuse that fed the controller in order to stop them. I had checked ALL of the hardlines and there were no faults found. I called Brian at DC Controls and almost at once the problem was found. He had given me voltage parameters to check across the input and ground lug connectors. The issue lies with a blown transistor at the input lug. The reason for this failure was a fault of my doing. At the base of each of the lugs (voltage IN, Ground, voltage OUT to fans) there should be a small nut there holding the cover down which should NEVER be removed. Yep, you know what I did. I used the larger nut supplied to keep the wire connectors attached to keep the cover on. Apparently this caused the issue with the transistor. Brian was very good about this, and I am shipping the unit to him for the 10 minute fix. I am all thumbs with board soldering etc.
So for anyone out there with a DC unit, be sure to keep the cover nutted down with the small nuts and don't remove them.
When functioning, the FK95 unit works great with radiator sensor, torque converter temp sensor, air intake temp sensor, and high pressure refrig sensor all tied into the controller. Really nice control and well thought out by Brian in his design.
Add: See also - https://rennlist.com/forums/928-foru...ry-remedy.html
Had the system functioning flawlessly for about a year. After coming out of winter hibernation it was functioning fine for about 4 weeks until the fans would run at MAX even when the engine was off. I had to pull the inline fuse that fed the controller in order to stop them. I had checked ALL of the hardlines and there were no faults found. I called Brian at DC Controls and almost at once the problem was found. He had given me voltage parameters to check across the input and ground lug connectors. The issue lies with a blown transistor at the input lug. The reason for this failure was a fault of my doing. At the base of each of the lugs (voltage IN, Ground, voltage OUT to fans) there should be a small nut there holding the cover down which should NEVER be removed. Yep, you know what I did. I used the larger nut supplied to keep the wire connectors attached to keep the cover on. Apparently this caused the issue with the transistor. Brian was very good about this, and I am shipping the unit to him for the 10 minute fix. I am all thumbs with board soldering etc.
So for anyone out there with a DC unit, be sure to keep the cover nutted down with the small nuts and don't remove them.
When functioning, the FK95 unit works great with radiator sensor, torque converter temp sensor, air intake temp sensor, and high pressure refrig sensor all tied into the controller. Really nice control and well thought out by Brian in his design.
Add: See also - https://rennlist.com/forums/928-foru...ry-remedy.html
Last edited by MainePorsche; 06-08-2015 at 04:46 PM.
06-08-2015 | 08:42 PM
#79
Race Car
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 4,725
Likes: 26
From: Mechanochondriacism
Aw nutz. I recall this thread now, and that my eyes crossed with the technical exchange- electronics simply don't make sense to my brain. Nevertheless, my DC ordered a couple weeks ago shipped today. It's a mere FK45 that I intended to use to drive a pair of spals' in Hans' recent fan design....But I did not suspect or else effectively suppressed any notion that the wiring could be this nuanced. So if I were to drive to Maine....
;-)
Ah well, off to review from post #1, eighth or ninth read through something might gel for me. I'm going to need a lot of 'pictjahs' and post its....
Edit phew, thanks to Ducman's early post I'm more settled down, and understand now that many of the hijinks were to integrate existing S4 datapoints that I won't need to contend with- ie flaps. The TC heat monitor is interesting though.
;-)
Ah well, off to review from post #1, eighth or ninth read through something might gel for me. I'm going to need a lot of 'pictjahs' and post its....
Edit phew, thanks to Ducman's early post I'm more settled down, and understand now that many of the hijinks were to integrate existing S4 datapoints that I won't need to contend with- ie flaps. The TC heat monitor is interesting though.
07-02-2015 | 01:22 PM
#81
Thread Starter
Nordschleife Master
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 5,663
Likes: 23
From: North Country
Back here with the fan control stuff again. This time it was a fault of my doing, and I want to share a vital bit of information to those who will (or are) using the DC controller.
Had the system functioning flawlessly for about a year. After coming out of winter hibernation it was functioning fine for about 4 weeks until the fans would run at MAX even when the engine was off. I had to pull the inline fuse that fed the controller in order to stop them. I had checked ALL of the hardlines and there were no faults found. I called Brian at DC Controls and almost at once the problem was found. He had given me voltage parameters to check across the input and ground lug connectors. The issue lies with a blown transistor at the input lug. The reason for this failure was a fault of my doing. At the base of each of the lugs (voltage IN, Ground, voltage OUT to fans) there should be a small nut there holding the cover down which should NEVER be removed. Yep, you know what I did. I used the larger nut supplied to keep the wire connectors attached to keep the cover on. Apparently this caused the issue with the transistor. Brian was very good about this, and I am shipping the unit to him for the 10 minute fix. I am all thumbs with board soldering etc.
So for anyone out there with a DC unit, be sure to keep the cover nutted down with the small nuts and don't remove them.
When functioning, the FK95 unit works great with radiator sensor, torque converter temp sensor, air intake temp sensor, and high pressure refrig sensor all tied into the controller. Really nice control and well thought out by Brian in his design.
Add: See also - https://rennlist.com/forums/928-foru...ry-remedy.html
Had the system functioning flawlessly for about a year. After coming out of winter hibernation it was functioning fine for about 4 weeks until the fans would run at MAX even when the engine was off. I had to pull the inline fuse that fed the controller in order to stop them. I had checked ALL of the hardlines and there were no faults found. I called Brian at DC Controls and almost at once the problem was found. He had given me voltage parameters to check across the input and ground lug connectors. The issue lies with a blown transistor at the input lug. The reason for this failure was a fault of my doing. At the base of each of the lugs (voltage IN, Ground, voltage OUT to fans) there should be a small nut there holding the cover down which should NEVER be removed. Yep, you know what I did. I used the larger nut supplied to keep the wire connectors attached to keep the cover on. Apparently this caused the issue with the transistor. Brian was very good about this, and I am shipping the unit to him for the 10 minute fix. I am all thumbs with board soldering etc.
So for anyone out there with a DC unit, be sure to keep the cover nutted down with the small nuts and don't remove them.
When functioning, the FK95 unit works great with radiator sensor, torque converter temp sensor, air intake temp sensor, and high pressure refrig sensor all tied into the controller. Really nice control and well thought out by Brian in his design.
Add: See also - https://rennlist.com/forums/928-foru...ry-remedy.html
08-08-2015 | 10:12 PM
#82
Thread Starter
Nordschleife Master
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 5,663
Likes: 23
From: North Country
Replaced the controller unit with the new one Brian had fabricated and tested. It works like a charm, and I'm very happy with it. Is really a seamless alternative to the original system.
08-19-2015 | 02:05 PM
#83
Thread Starter
Nordschleife Master
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 5,663
Likes: 23
From: North Country
Just a follow up on the coolant system function.
Replaced radiator with a CSF unit from Roger due to a right upper end tank leak, and put the new DC controller through it's paces. A 3-4 day trip to the coast at about 250 miles from home. The system worked flawlessly, and as expected. Was hot and humid. Engine as cool as a cuke.
Replaced radiator with a CSF unit from Roger due to a right upper end tank leak, and put the new DC controller through it's paces. A 3-4 day trip to the coast at about 250 miles from home. The system worked flawlessly, and as expected. Was hot and humid. Engine as cool as a cuke.