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E fan coming on at startup (cold)?

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Old 09-20-2006
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E fan coming on at startup (cold)?

I bought my e fan during the group buy, and installed it about 2 weeks ago. On two occasions, I've noticed the e fan turn on when I start up my truck when the engine was cold. This may have happened at other times, but I've only noticed it twice. Normally, the fan works correctly and doesn't turn on until the engine reaches the set running temperature. I haven't moved the position of the temp setting, and I have all of the wires hooked up correctly with the exception of the green wire that goes to the AC -that one is capped off because I have no AC at the moment.

I'm not too worried about this, for now as long as the fan is running I am happy, but what could be the cause of this, could it be user error?
 
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Old 09-20-2006
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Could possibly be the controller. Have you gone through any water lately or anything?
 
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Old 09-20-2006
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Originally Posted by 04lvl2
Could possibly be the controller. Have you gone through any water lately or anything?
you are asking him if he has gone through water? lol.......remember his pics from Warton.....lol

check your controller.....prolly got a little wet.....
 
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Old 09-20-2006
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No there shouldn't be any water on/in the controller, I switched over to the e fan after the ranger's last trip to Wharton. It shouldn't be seeing any water now that I have the Bronco up and running.
 
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Old 09-20-2006
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awwwww.....i see.......
 
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Old 09-20-2006
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For the water and controller idea...

We've been having alot of dew in the mornings lately, maybe some of that got in the controller? I'm wondering if this could be the issue, because on both occasions where I noticed the e fan running at startup it was in the morning. Then when I started it up in the afternoon, it was functioning properly.
 
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Old 09-20-2006
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contact Bob and see what he says.....i bet he might change out your controller...
 
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Old 09-20-2006
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Yeah, guess I will. Maybe there's a more simple solution.
 
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Old 09-20-2006
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Originally Posted by winks
Yeah, guess I will. Maybe there's a more simple solution.
no kidding you know how we always seem to over think things.....
 
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Old 09-20-2006
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the controller is sealed in epoxy, its unlikely that moisture has damaged it. submerged, maybe. dew, no way. we will send you a new controller, no prob.
 
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Old 09-20-2006
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now that is customer service right there.........^^^^

i like that....
 
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Old 09-20-2006
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Thanks Bob, I'll be in contact with you.
 
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Old 09-20-2006
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My guess is similar to what my homemade controller does.

Since it's measuring temperature in some way, it's possible for the battery voltage droop seen during startup to look like a high temperature.

The reason for this is that most sensors used in automotive work are NTC thermistors -- a fancy name for a sensor whose resistance goes down as temperature goes up (negative temperature coefficient = NTC). Most controllers apply a current through a resistor to one end of the sensor, and connect the other end of the sensor to ground. The voltage across the sensor is then inversely proportional to temperature -- that is: is goes down as temperature goes up.

So, the voltage droop causes that voltage to also droop and it looks to the controller like the water is hotter than it is.

My controller often turns the fan on briefly when I start the vehicle. Yours could be doing the same thing.

Or it could be whacked, lol...
 
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Old 09-22-2006
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My controller did that =[
 
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Old 09-22-2006
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my controller did that also, i got sent a new one aswell... bob and kris take care of their customers...
 
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Old 09-22-2006
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Ha ha! Well, for my simple thing I made, it's normal -- so I guess I won't send me anything...
 
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Old 09-22-2006
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Just after installing my efan (thanks again Jeff!) a couple of days ago, I had a wierd problem with the a/c today after driving around houston all day, everytime I started the truck the a/c would cut out/lag for a couple of minutes (really annoying as it was hot as hell today), just idling, then would pick back up when I started driving and would be fine.. the fan also comes on when I start the truck (with or without the a/c being on). Any ideas?
 
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Old 09-22-2006
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Does the fan come on when you put the AC on? If not, that's your problem. The fan MUST run (at least when stopped) when the AC is on or the condenser stops working properly and the AC system cuts out.
 
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Old 09-22-2006
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I JUST checked it, the fan hadnt been running the ENTIRE time i was out! I just checked my connection for the ignition wire and it was bad, crimped it again and the fan came back on
 
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Old 09-22-2006
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Is it supposed to come on upon a cold startup even with the a/c off?
 
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Old 09-22-2006
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I think it depends on the controller. Most probably shouldn't, but it's hard to say.
 
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Old 09-22-2006
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Originally Posted by bwester04
Is it supposed to come on upon a cold startup even with the a/c off?
no... did you set the dial or no? because that could be whats going on...

although for your it wont be an issue because you dont have sub zero temps when you wont want your fan blowing cold air onto your engine...
 
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Old 09-22-2006
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Originally Posted by bwester04
as it was hot as hell today
Damn must be nice it was a low of 38 last night and a high today of 70 here in ohio, lmao

Ive been using the heater

Rocky
 
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Old 09-23-2006
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Originally Posted by 4X2XLT
no... did you set the dial or no? because that could be whats going on...

although for your it wont be an issue because you dont have sub zero temps when you wont want your fan blowing cold air onto your engine...
I left it at whatever it was at when i got it, havent touched anything on that controller.. the instructions said it should already be at an "optimal" setting, or something like that, so i just figured, eh what the hell. Funny thing is, I was flooring it everywhere earlier today and the fan hadnt been running, in 90 degree weather, and no signs of overheating, just the a/c cutting out, but that is all fixed now because i re-did the connections with heat shrink butt connectors.
 
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Old 09-23-2006
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Originally Posted by bwester04
(really annoying as it was hot as hell today)
I'm sorry...hot as hell? High of 70 here...

Im just not gonna help you now because of that.

(plus I don't know the answer)
 


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