DCC vs Flexalite Variable Fan Control for FM Spal kit

[Pfunk]

Are any of you running either the DCC or Flexalite variable fan control? If so, have you had good or bad experiences with it? I still have the idle drop from the heavy draw of the Spal main fan when it kicks on and am looking to fix this before summer really hits, if I can. When the a/c is on and the main fan engages it is enough to stall the motor, sometimes, and summer in Japan is no joke with highs of 36-40C and humidity of, oh, 300%.

I've been searching for information on both the DCC unit (http://www.dccontrol.com/constant_te...ontrollers.htm) and the Flex-a-lite unit (http://www.summitracing.com/parts/flx-31163)

From the Ford, Chevy, and Factory Five forums, neither option has full recommendations. The DCC stuff, when it works, works well, but if you have a problem customer service is non-existent, and lead time has been more than two months for some customers.

Some folks who've run the FAL kit have had it fail within a year.

Spal used to offer their own controller but apparently there were many issues reported by users so they discontinued it.

[— kung fu jesus —]

Wish I could help. What is the draw? would a higher-output alternator help?

[Pfunk]

According to Keith, it's as much as 27 amps when they both kick on. A higher-output alternator might help, but Dimitris is running an alternator from an RX-7 and he said that at times the extra drag on the motor can bog it down.

[— kung fu jesus —]

Is that drag a fair comparison to your lump, though?

[Pfunk]

Fair point; I'm wondering how the motor would behave at idle. It's odd, of all the possible issues I thought I might face with the built motor, having the fans draw too much current wasn't one of the worries I had.

[— kung fu jesus —]

First world problems?

[Pfunk]

Sadly not even that. First world annoyance is about all I can rate it. Can you feel my pain?

[—Martin—]

Is it possible to use a big-ass capacitor?

[Pfunk]

I keep asking that because that was my first thought-- buffer it like a huge amplifier uses but so far no one has confirmed it. I've a query into Spal now.

[Pfunk]

I've found that many Spal users have this issue, on Ford, Honda, BMW, Chevy, Dodge, and Mazda cars. Some swear the cap works others say it doesn't. Several, including Emilio, suggested using PWM to control this. Spal once had a PWM controller they discontinued, in fact. I've no idea how to use the MS2 to control the PWM for the fans, however. Any ideas?

[— kung fu jesus —]

Beyond my skill set. Just make sure the controller goes to eleven, please.

[Pfunk]

Spal got back to me and said either my battery is weak or the relay is wired incorrectly. Given what I've read in other forums this sounds a bit dubious, but I'll check.

[cbaylis77]

Now I'm curious what fan control my car came with. It has the same Spal fan kit and although it's never stalled you can't miss when they kick on.

[Pfunk]

Given the draw approaches 30A if both trigger (which I've seen happen), I find it hard to believe Spal thinks that wouldn't tax the system.

[— kung fu jesus —]

Are there OEM equivalents you could use for fans? I don't know the electrical draw of other fans, nor the CFM they push or pull, but I know the Bimmer guys like to replace the engine-driven fan with an electrical one and retain the AC fan that is mounted further out front.