View Single Post
  #28 (permalink)  
Old 11-05-2013, 06:06 AM
patrickt's Avatar
patrickt patrickt is offline
Half-Ass Member
Visit my Photo Gallery

 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Cobra Make, Engine: ERA #732, 428FE (447 CID), TKO600, Solid Flat Tappet Cam, Tons of Aluminum
Posts: 22,017
Not Ranked     
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Rick Parker View Post
3 Fans on 1 circuit is a poor idea. All the fans coming on line at the same time will create a huge surge of required current. Split the circuit, nuf said. Or just let the front ones spin in the wind.
I agree 100%. It's a design flaw with the ERA electrical system. Even on paper there is virtually no "safety margin" in the circuit, much less in real practice. Splitting the circuit up with a separate feed and a separate relay adds quite a bit of robustness to it all. In its original design, if any one of the three fans' motors starts to bind up, you're going to blow the single fuse and kill everything -- that means being towed home. If the one relay that controls it all breaks, unless you're able to switch it out by the side of the road, you're going to be towed home. And those pusher fans will let you get through traffic without the puller. They're not the greatest, but they do make a difference at slow speeds. If my main SPAL puller fails, or the main relay fails, or the main circuit breaker for the SPAL fails, and I'm in bumper to bumper traffic, I just flip the switch and those pushers will keep me from overheating and I'll be able make it home. I really hate being towed home.
Reply With Quote