Notices
1987 - 1996 F150 & Larger F-Series Trucks 1987 - 1996 Ford F-150, F-250, F-350 and larger pickups - including the 1997 heavy-duty F250/F350+ trucks

fan controller.....fried........

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Apr 6, 2012 | 12:46 AM
  #1  
traxx808's Avatar
traxx808
Thread Starter
|
Senior User
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 336
Likes: 0
From: on the garage floor. lol!
fan controller.....fried........

hey guys..........my spal fan controller fried today. i noticed that my temp wasn't going down and i smelled an odor like plastic or something pulled over on the freeway opened the hood and saw smoke coming from the control unit. why i don't know? so i had to mcgyver the wires to the battery and the fan was on constant till i got home. does anyone know other than spal where can i get my hands on another fan control unit. one that won't leave me stranded on the road again. for now i just have a toggle switch in the cab to run the fan. need help before the summer arrives and the heat kills me.
 
Reply
Old Apr 6, 2012 | 01:02 AM
  #2  
Midnite1987's Avatar
Midnite1987
Cargo Master
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 2,791
Likes: 8
From: Edmonton AB, Canada
Club FTE Silver Member

i was just about to ask about a very similar thing.... im installing the thunderbird fan and need a temp switch to control my relays . i was thinking about one of these
Hayden Automotive 3652 - Hayden Electric Fan Controls - Overview - SummitRacing.com
but not sure if that would be right for temps or not. id rather not have one of the ones with the adjustable ****. id rather have a sealed unit like this one.

the controller is the last thing im missing for my swap.
 
Reply
Old Apr 6, 2012 | 02:02 AM
  #3  
traxx808's Avatar
traxx808
Thread Starter
|
Senior User
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 336
Likes: 0
From: on the garage floor. lol!
hey midnite, does your ride have a/c. this unit has no relay for it. i have a thread in probe. i got a in line radiator hose drain from jegs and its mounted in the lower side hose and re-threaded for a 3/8 temp switch. i know that the lower side is the incoming side but, i felt that if the truck is moving then it should be cool enough until you are in stop and go traffic. that way the fan won't be cycling on and off all the time and putting a load on my electrical system constantly. i remember summit has 1 too but, the material for the re-thread was not as thick as jegs (iirc) and jegs is black. my spal unit was adjustable but i put in a 195 temp probe anyways and set it for that temp. it worked well until it crapped out today. i run a 16 in' fan and it pulls 2350 cfm mounted in sheetmetal and riveted to a modified truck fan housing.
 
Reply
Old Apr 6, 2012 | 12:23 PM
  #4  
Midnite1987's Avatar
Midnite1987
Cargo Master
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 2,791
Likes: 8
From: Edmonton AB, Canada
Club FTE Silver Member

I have the thunderbird fan the is suposed to pull around 4000cfm. Along with a fan relay setup from a Volvo. All I need it just a temp switch to tell the relays to turn on. The temp switch will be for low speed and the ac will be wired into the high speed. I will have a switch in the cab to run both low or high (incase the temp switch fails) along with led indicators to light up when either speed Is on.

your fan will run more often with the temp sensor on the inlet of the radiator as the temp will always be higher there then if it got the reading after the rad.

but that said the instructions for the kits all say near the inlet of the radiator
 
Reply
Old Apr 6, 2012 | 12:38 PM
  #5  
Midnite1987's Avatar
Midnite1987
Cargo Master
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 2,791
Likes: 8
From: Edmonton AB, Canada
Club FTE Silver Member

do you remember what size piece you got to screw a sensor into? 1.5"?
 
Reply
Old Apr 6, 2012 | 08:25 PM
  #6  
FORDF250HDXLT's Avatar
FORDF250HDXLT
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 20,375
Likes: 841
From: Mi'kma'ki
i run the '95 - 98 ford windstar dual fan assembly for my diesel, using delta current controls viable rate fan controller FK-85.
it's very efficient.iv been so impressed and happy with the thing since i ditched the relay based setup.yeah,it costs more,but it's been so worth it.
Welcome to Delta Current Control
that one can handle 85 continuous amps.i wasn't messing around.
it's likely the FK-55 would handle a single fan with ease since that can handle 55 amps continuous.
the fans just spike at these types of amperage,they don't draw it all the time.so you don't need to get carried away.
it's likely the FK-55 would handle the duals too.but it wasn't enough to match the dual stock windstar setup (iirc,it was a 40 and a 30 amp for 70 amp "peak") so i just made sure i went with the 85 for good measure.i didn't want to mess with it again.
 
Reply
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Woodsman_30350
1948 - 1956 F1, F100 & Larger F-Series Trucks
4
Feb 25, 2009 07:15 PM
460
1973 - 1979 F-100 & Larger F-Series Trucks
7
Feb 8, 2009 12:14 PM
slifer
General Automotive Discussion
3
Jul 11, 2008 09:39 PM
serving_time
Ford Inline Six, 200, 250, 4.9L / 300
10
Sep 14, 2003 02:53 AM




All times are GMT -5. The time now is 03:55 AM.

story-0
Top 10 Fords at 2026 Carlisle Ford Nationals

Slideshow: Top 10 Fords at 2026 Ford Nationals

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-06-09 11:10:08


VIEW MORE
story-1
3 Best / 3 Worst Parts of Modern Ford Ownership

Based on years of owning multiple modern Ford products.

By Brett Foote | 2026-06-09 10:53:36


VIEW MORE
story-2
10 Amazing Upgrades That Solve Common Ford Truck Owner Headaches

SPONSORED: From muddy boots to rain-soaked cargo, these upgrades address some of the most common frustrations Ford truck owners face every day.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-06-08 18:50:34


VIEW MORE
story-3
Every 2026 Ford Engine Explained

Here's everything you need to know about every Ford engine available for the 2026 model year.

By Brett Foote | 2026-06-05 12:58:01


VIEW MORE
story-4
10 Ugly Ford Trucks That We Still Kinda Love

Slideshow: 10 ugly Ford trucks that we still kinda love.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-06-03 09:51:16


VIEW MORE
story-5
10 Things Every Truck Owner NEEDS (2026 Edition)

Slideshow: the best gifts for dads & grads

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-06-03 15:43:58


VIEW MORE
story-6
Rezvani's Latest Post-Apocalyptic Monster Is a Ford F-150 Raptor Underneath

Slideshow: Called the Fortress, the 850-horsepower pickup combines Raptor underpinnings with military-inspired features, survival equipment, and a starting price of $285,000.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-06-03 11:38:36


VIEW MORE
story-7
Top 10 Most Expensive Ford Trucks Ever Sold on Bring a Trailer

Slideshow: 10 most expensive Ford trucks ever sold on Bring a Trailer.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-27 16:24:34


VIEW MORE
story-8
2027 Ford Super Duty Buyer's Guide (Every Model, Engine, & Package)

Here's everything that has changed for the latest model year.

By Brett Foote | 2026-05-27 16:17:28


VIEW MORE
story-9
Top 10 Ford Truck Tragedies

Slideshow: Top 10 Ford truck tragedies.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-18 19:34:33


VIEW MORE