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Manual Override for cooling fans

7K views 27 replies 8 participants last post by  Ron-323 
#1 ·
Would like to install a manual override for the cooling fans on my 2007 Exige.

Searching the forum I came up with one thread where it was almost done https://www.lotustalk.com/forums/f313/elise-cooling-fan-relay-question-112899/ but this requires splicing up the oem wiring which I would like to avoid.

Can you simply run 12v from a fused ignition source thru a double pole single throw switch to the positive side of each fan input and leave the oem wiring.
Should the oem thermostat switch turn on at the same time as the manual switch they both would have the same power source, (both fans would come on anytime the manual override is on).

This method would only require adding a small pig tail two wires in one wire out at the fan itself and oem wiring would remain intact.

The negative/ground wire has continuity to the chassis continually.

Would appreciate input from electrical gurus, Thanks
 
#2 ·
Would like to install a manual override for the cooling fans on my 2007 Exige.
Ron,

I looked at the schematics really quickly and the problem is that the fans are either run in series or parallel based on low or high speed, respectively. So, supplying power to just the fans is going to cause a short when the fans are in low speed mode. Not a good idea!

Later,
Eldon
 
#4 ·
Plan B
Add two relays just before each fan where it the oem circuit goes thru the normally closed circuit until power is applied by the added auxiliary circuit to the relay coil and looped to the NO contact. This would break the NC oem circuit and you could send power to the fans on the NO side of the relay?
 
#3 ·
What problem are you trying to solve?
 
#7 · (Edited)
Texas heat is the problem.

Here is link to just how hot it can be on the asphalt https://www.cactushugs.com/science-temperature-hot-asphalt-insanely-hot/

I track the car and many times you can go to the grid with an unpredictable wait time with the grid temp at 100+

If you wait for the oem thermostat to kick on the fans in series the car is over 208 degrees and 217 degrees before turning on full speed and rising quickly. This means you going out on the track many times at 220 degrees and it does not cool down at high rpms and Texas heat.

You can bump the ac on and off to start the fans but this is problematic as they will only run for a short time.

I would like to start both fans at 170 - 180 and try and keep it as low as possible.
 
#10 ·
I have a 170 degree thermostat installed now, but idling in heat without air movement the temps rise quickly.

I am thinking of trying the Mishimoto 155 degree thermostat - in this heat I believe the ecu 160 degree rpm limit would not be a problem.

It would be great if Boe could lower the ecu fan on temp as I have a Fastworks tune. Please let me know their answer.

Thanks
 
#12 ·
Thanks so much for the input (especially EldonZ)

I have reached out to BOE to see if they would do this via my Fastworks, but they have not responded.

Here is the configuration I have come up with to install a manual override switch (all would be done pigtail style so oem configuration could be reverted easily)

Manual Cooling Fan Override Switch / Relay Configuration
Spst toggle ign switch 12v chained to all relay coils (activation)
Relays are Bosch style automotive relays 14V DC 40/30A SPDT 5-PIN WATERPROOF

Common Relay to Fans 1 & 2
Relay 1 configured NO - 12v (20amp fused) common terminal & connects to (fan1)Purple Grey Wire
& (fan2) grey wire after relays 2 & 5
Fan 1
Relay 2 configured NC - Breaks Circuit of Purple/Grey Wire from oem relay to Fan 1
Relay 3 configured NC - Breaks Circuit of Blue/Grey Wire Fan 1 return to oem relay
Relay 4 configured NO - Has grd as common terminal & connects grd to fan 1

Fan 2
Relay 5 configured NC - Breaks Circuit of Grey Wire Fan 2 from oem relay to Fan 2

Am I on the right track? Is there a better way to configure or would it be simpler just to disconnect the oem and go with a separate fan controller like this: https://www.summitracing.com/parts/der-16759
 
#13 ·
At the A/C control module or the ECU, you can ground circuit 363 (Blue wire with Slate [grey] stripe) it will cause the fans to run at low speed. If you ground circuit 363 (Blue wire with Slate [grey] stripe), and circuit 364 (Blue wire with Yellow stripe) it will cause the fans to run at high speed. This is how the ECU turns on the fans when the coolant temperature calls for it, or when the A/C clutch is engaged. I've attached a wiring diagram for reference if it helps.
 

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#14 ·
I agree with Jetblast. Grounding those two signal lines should do the trick. The ECU most likely uses a FET or transistor to pull these two signals down to ground when it is controlling things. Grounding those signals should do no harm to the ECU.

BTW. The schematic has an error by showing Control Relay contact in the normally closed position going to pin 87 of the relay. It should show it going to pin 87A. The schematic can be misinterpreted if you aren't aware of this.
 
#15 ·
Ron-323, you are way over thinking the problem and solution. If you are going to use relays, only two are needed. I believe @Jetblast has the easiest and simplest solution. Grounding the two outputs from the ECU is the best way to override the fans. The only thing I would be concerned about is checking what happens if both the high and low speed are selected at the same time. I have not looked in detail at the schematics but I'm sure @Jetblast has so he should be able to answer this. The outputs from the ECU are most likely what are referred to as "Open Collector". These can be used in a "wired Or" configuration with no harm occurring to the ECU electronics.

Later,
Eldon
 
#17 ·
The only thing I would be concerned about is checking what happens if both the high and low speed are selected at the same time.
Eldon
Selecting both the high and low at the same time isn't an issue since one of the two wires you ground for the high-speed setting is one of the wires used to trigger the low-speed. If a person hot-wired only the low-speed wire and the temp rises, the ECU will request cooling and start the low-speed circuit, since that is already running nothing will change. If the temperature continues to rise or the A/C is requested, the ECU will request high-speed and the fan speed will increase. In other words, the ECU will never notice that the system has been hot-wired and it will continue to function as it did from the factory.

And @Ron-323, it doesn't matter where you make the connections to ground the circuit, I would choose a place that is easy to get to, protected from rain or road grime, and also easy to route the wires to whatever you're using for a switch. I don't believe that you'll need any sort of relay since it should be a low-current switching circuit (the factory relays will continue to do the heavy [current] lifting). Even though it's a ground circuit, make sure to do it right, solder connections if possible, heat-shrink exposed wires, use dielectric grease for terminal connections, and secure the wiring to prevent chaffing and vibration. Good luck and we look forward to seeing your final result.
 
#19 ·
Eldon, that is correct, both circuits have to be grounded for the high-speed to work. The ECU will ground circuit 363 (Blue wire with Slate [grey] stripe) to activate the fans at low-speed, and the ECU will then also ground circuit 364 (Blue wire with Yellow stripe) to activate the fans at high-speed when both circuits are grounded.
 
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#20 ·
@Jetblast - Thanks for the clarification!
@Ron-323 - So, take a DPDT switch that is On-Off-On and you would have the choice of Slow or High speed fans with one switch. To the common of the switch, wire 363 to one set of contacts and 364 to the other set. Wire ground to both sides of the 363 side NO contacts. Wire ground to one side of the NO contacts for the 364 side of the switch.

Later,
Eldon
 
#21 ·
@Ron-323.... Not trying to be a wise acre, but I have a much simpler solution to deal with your heat build-up due to lengthy wait-times when on grid....turn off the car. I have no fans on my 2-11 and run in very HOT temps during the summer (Southern Nevada) and that works for me when stuck on grid....just saying. ;)
 
#23 ·
No offense taken, all the discussion on this thread has been really helpful.

Turning the car off is what I attempt to do now and it does work 8 out of 10 times. When I go the grid I want my to focus on driving not car, and when released to track again I want to focus on the driving. Going on the track "cool" lets me accomplish this better.

I am thinking you are a more seasoned / experienced driver an can handle these situations in stride. I am trying to get there.

Thanks,
 
#22 ·
Jack's recommendation works for track days (20+min cool down before sessions).

For autocross it doesn't work that great since time in grid is way shorter, it's just not fast enough at reducing temps before your next run. Your best option to mitigate heat is to convert to an Electric Water pump and run that with the fans in grid with engine off.
 
#24 ·
Your best option to mitigate heat is to convert to an Electric Water pump and run that with the fans in grid with engine off.
...Or, since the Elige's were equipped with an electric water pump, he could just hot-wire the heat soak pump and let that do the circulation when the engine is turned off. Admittedly it's not a huge pump and the factory settings let things get pretty hot before switching it on, but these engines are susceptible to what Lotus calls "...localised boiling within the cylinder head" if the engine is turned off under certain conditions.

It's nice that the system is there and the ECU is smart enough to use the pump and even the cooling fans for up to twenty minutes for heat soak management, but for those of us with aftermarket batteries, I don't think my little PC625 would run things for very long.
 
#26 ·
You're correct, it pumps the coolant through the heater matrix. They designed the heat soak management system with rise and fall switching temperatures for both the recirculation pump and radiator cooling fans so one can only assume they intended the system to provide a measure of engine cooling under certain conditions.
 
#27 ·
After all the messaging about the topic, I decided to do the same to my car since it's torn apart right now, and I'm considering a move to Nevada in the near future.

I found a convenient spot in the cabin where circuits 363 (Blue/Slate) & 364 (Blue/Yellow) are accessible under the center console. I pre-wired the switch with about 10-12" of wire and tapped into the wires just forward of the shifter, I used a shifter mount bolt for a grounding point. I mounted the switch on the front of the console below the CDL switch.

For splices like this that are protected from the elements, I like to use 3M Scotchlok connectors because they provide good contact and are minimally invasive to the factory wiring:
https://www.waytekwire.com/item/3056...ap-Connector-/

There's a close-up of the switch, notice how I looped the ground from one terminal to the next. On the six terminals of a DPDT switch, you'll have the wires that you tapped into circuits 363 & 364 going one each to the center terminals of the switch and a ground connection on both sides of the 363 wire, and a ground connection on one side of the 364 wire. The sixth terminal is blank.

You can see where I found the wires to tap into just in front of the shifter. I made the switch and pig-tail on the bench and then just had to make the final connections in the car.

There's a closeup of where I made the connections. I used a grey wire to connect to circuit 363 (Blue/Slate), and a blue wire with a homemade yellow stripe to connect to circuit 364 (Blue/Yellow). You can see where I connected the ground wire using the shifter mount bolt.

Obviously, I haven't covered the wires back up, I have some large corrugated plastic tubing or maybe spiral wrap to protect everything. I haven't done the operational check on it yet because other things are disassembled at the moment, but I'm pretty sure it'll work...fingers crossed...
 

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