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Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to buy
anything else in order to install the variable speed system?
What size controller do I need?
My fan has a peak current draw of
105 Amps, will this controller work with my fan?
I haven't had much luck with radiator sensors, how is yours
different?
Can I use my temperature sensor with your controller?
Why do I need to connect the controller to the battery
specifically
Why does the FK system sense the temperature at the engine
inlet?
How difficult is this unit to install?
What is the U/D jumper?
Will this
controller work on the reverse-flow LT1?
What is the warranty period?
Controller
troubleshooting
General Cooling FAQ
Do I
need to buy anything else in order to install the variable speed system?
No, all of the FK, WP, and DK
kits are
complete control systems and come with everything needed for installation,
including a complete wiring loom, just add the appropriate fan.
Top
What size controller do I need
Our controllers are rated byway of their nomenclature to
indicate their current capability, as an example, an FK35 is capable of
providing 35A of continuous current, these ratings are given in consideration of
reliable operation under real world environmental conditions, so there is no
need to under rate the application. In other words, a cooling fan that consumes
35A of continuous current requires the use of an FK35 controller, and although a
60 series controller may be substituted, there is no real benefit in doing so.Top
My fan has a peak current draw of 105
Amps, will this controller work with my fan?
An electric motor generates its own voltage
when rotating under load that is typically about two thirds the input voltage, this generated voltage reduces the effective voltage applied to the
motor windings by a factor of three and the reduction in voltage lowers the
running current
by the same amount. When a voltage is applied to a non-rotating motor, this
voltage is not generated, and the effective voltage and current are not reduced,
so when full input voltage is applied to a non-rotating motor, a non reduced or
peak current occurs until the motor attains the working rotational velocity. The Delta controller ramps the
voltage up slowly, avoiding locked-rotor current conditions. Moreover, although the
Delta controller output devices have a peak current rating in excess of 400A,
the controller is internally current limited to 50A short term in order to
regulate peak currents and 35A long term in order to protect a shorted or
dragging fan. In other words, the peak current specification of the fan doesn't
need to be considered when choosing a controller.
Top
I haven't had much luck with radiator sensors, how
is yours different ?
Radiator sensors have attained a fairly bad reputation for
reliability, but the problem is design, not concept. Other sensors of this type
are made of copper, which has virtually no resiliency, to make matters worse,
most are coupled to a freon filled tube in order to operate a mechanical switch.
Radiator materials also have no resiliency, so regardless of how large the
sensor is made, it will always work loose. The DCC sensor uses a resilient
coating that is not only flexible, but actually conforms to your radiator as
it's heated, moreover, a high strand count wire is used for flexibility in order
to reduce mechanical stress on both the sensor and radiator. Because of these
attributes, a very small sensor can be used, so there is no damage to the
radiator from installation.
Top
Can I use my temperature sensor with your
controller ?
Most temperature sensors only have two modes, on and off.
The DCC controller is variable speed and so requires an actual temperature
reading in order to set the speed correctly. The controller will operate with an
on / off sensor, but without the variable speed capabilities.
Top
Why do I need to connect the
controller to the battery specifically
There are two reasons for this. With regard to connecting
the controller to the starter cable, when ever a current is applied to any wire,
the voltage at the end of that cable will initially drop to zero volts,
regardless of the gauge wire. During that time, that energy is used to build a
magnetic field around the wire. Once the field is built, the output voltage
returns to normal. If that same load is then suddenly removed from the wire, the
magnetic field collapses, and the output voltage will rise to several times the
input voltage. The electrical model for a trunk-mounted battery reveals a peak
output voltage of 150V if the load is released prior to the starter beginning to
spin. This, in fact, is the same method used in an ignition coil.
The second reason has to do with the controller itself. In
order to provide an efficient modulation of the fan voltage, the control unit
utilizes pulse width modulation, in that the output voltage is either zero
volts, or the source voltage. The duty cycle, or percentage of the time that the
voltage is equal to the source voltage, determines the speed of the fan. The fan
reacts in the same manor as the wire mentioned above, so, when ever the controller output voltage drops from
the source
voltage, the fan generates a negative voltage, again several times the source
voltage. With a reasonably short wire-run to the battery, the controller can
leverage this energy off of the battery in order to continue power the fan, even
when the controller output voltage is zero. But the longer the run of wire to the battery,
the more the controller needs to leverage this energy off of its internal
filter, and because this filter needs to be small enough to fit within the
controller package, the leveraging efficiency is much lower than that of the
battery, so the energy is simply dissipated as heat. A solution for either of
these lies in the surge protected filter offered in the accessories section,
which includes both a filter much larger than the internal filter and a 1500W
surge protector.
Top
Why does the FK system sense the
temperature at the engine inlet ?
It's a matter of control system design, there's a trade
off between loop gain and overall delay, the longer the delay in the system, the
lower the loop gain must be in order to have a stable system. The FK system will
typically keep an engine within + /- 1 1/2 degrees, this is only possible with
the short time delay from sensing at the radiator outlet. Moreover, this allows
the fan to shut off while the car is at speed, an advantage that a relay based
controller doesn't have.
Top
How
difficult is this unit to install?
While the operation of the Delta closed loop system is
complex, the installation and operation of the unit is extremely simple.
Basic hookup is limited to five wires; a battery positive and negative input, a fan positive and negative output,
and an ignition input. The
wiring harness is included with 3M connectors for easy hookup. Plug in the
temperature sensor and you’re done. That's not to say that there aren't a number of
configuration options.
An AC input is available in order to set the minimum
fan speed to 50% when the AC is on, a harness is included.
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.
The temperature can be fine tuned byway of input
jumpers for even more accurate temperature control. The temperature jumper inputs are
conveniently
located for in-car tuning.
Under drive pulleys tend to cause poor cooling and
erratic temperature regulation when used with relay-based controllers due to low
coolant flow. The Delta solves this problem by way of an U/D jumper, which sets
fan speed to a 10% minimum whenever the ignition is on in order to aid in
convection flow.
If you like, the unit can even be controlled and indicated from inside the car.
Full installation instructions are available in
printable form on this site.
Top
What is the U/D jumper?
Under drive pulleys tend to cause poor cooling and
erratic temperature regulation when used with relay-based controllers due to low
coolant flow. Although the variable speed control will typically resolve this, the Delta
has an included option of an U/D jumper, which sets
fan speed to a 10% minimum whenever the ignition is on in order to aid in
convection flow if needed.
Top
Will this controller work on the
reverse-flow LT1?
Yes, the Delta controller has been tested with
the LT1 and is very stable. Moreover, the higher AC fan speed makes a
significant difference in the performance of the anemic R134 air conditioning
output temperatures.
Top
What is the warranty period?
90 days parts and labor. Top
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