ordered electric fan, charging upgrade?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 232
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From: fairfax va
ordered electric fan, charging upgrade?
hello i ordered my mark 8 fan and controller from dccontrol.com. I have an 1980 vette, is there a direct bolt on alternator upgrade? if possible i would like to keep it simple. thanks
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
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From: Columbia Missouri
Read this, and decide if it's simple enough. There may be a stock option for a higher output alternator but I doubt it. You can either go with the more modern CS alternators or a modified SI alternator.
Something to keep in mind if buying a modded SI...they were not designed for an output of 100 amps or more so don't waste the money on one if you think you'll actually need around 100 amps.
If you think you'll need around 100 amps then seriously look into either the CS130 or CS144.
http://photos.imageevent.com/durango...%20Install.pdf
Something to keep in mind if buying a modded SI...they were not designed for an output of 100 amps or more so don't waste the money on one if you think you'll actually need around 100 amps.
If you think you'll need around 100 amps then seriously look into either the CS130 or CS144.
http://photos.imageevent.com/durango...%20Install.pdf
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 10,362
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From: San Diego - Deep Within The State of CONFUSION!
If the engine is above idle, the charge rate never dips negative when the fans come in. They are wired to come in together so it's a considerable current draw.
Racer
Joined: Jan 2005
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From: Enfield CT
Running the DC controller is great because it is variable speed controller!This means the fan does come on full speed its stepped up if its needed to go to full speed.This helps keep a strain off the Alternator
Race Director
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From: San Diego - Deep Within The State of CONFUSION!
Racer
Joined: Jul 2006
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I have dual fans on my 81 with L-88 (or L-82...can't keep that straight for some reason) The fans are great in every aspect....would never go back to engine driven fans......but I believe it is mandatory to upgrade to a 240 amp alternator. This may be overkill, but my engine purrs at idle now, no longer dragged down when fans come on. I also ran a second 8 gage wire back to the battery.
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2005
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I'd wait on the alternator upgrade, the worst case load that you'll have is at night in that the lighting, when you consider the headlights, tail lights, marker lights, and interior lighting is probably 20A, your windshield wipers are another 5A, and if you have fog lights, that's probably another 10A. But at night, when it's cool out, the fan will only draw about 3A. During the day, the lights, windshield wipers, and fog lights will all be off, and even then, it's unlikely you'll ever draw the full 30A from the fan. I'm still running the original 55A alternator on the Shelby and don't have any charging problems. The current draw per cfm can be found here: http://www.dccontrol.com/3018info.htm
Last edited by baskin1; Jun 2, 2007 at 03:02 AM.
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
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From: Springfield MO
St. Jude Donor '07
A splitting loom is available to control dual fans with the FK-35 or WP 35 / 50. SP-2 $4.95
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Team Owner
Joined: Jul 1999
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From: Orange Park Florida
MAYBE the CS series of alts is fine by now, I would hope, anyway, BUT I had 3 alts on my '87 vette in 3 years of ownership, and that is one of many reasons I ditched the car....and bought my '72 here, which immediately followed the '70 Lemand/GTO with the '79 Seville 17SI series alt...factory rated at 108 amps....rebuilt, who knows?? at any rate i'ts a AZ special with lifetime warrenty...I have exchanged it twice, and this last on is about 3? years old now...runs fine under all conditions....dual spals also full tilt....
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
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From: Springfield MO
St. Jude Donor '07
Gene, we've had this discussion before. 
Delco out-thought themselves with the CS130 alternators, it's not hard to modify one so that it won't burn up. The bigger CS144 is bulletproof.
Delco out-thought themselves with the CS130 alternators, it's not hard to modify one so that it won't burn up. The bigger CS144 is bulletproof.