Electric Cooling Fan CFM Rating Tests - DirtBound Offroad

[WebDog]

Alright got some more numbers. Engine on engine off and stock e fan from a 99 cherokee.

I was only able to measure amperage draw on my fans as the stock fan blew my meter, this does say something about power usage.

Notice that the DirtBound Kit is comparable to two stock 99 s blade fans.

I will be testing a 93 strait blade stock fan as soon as I get access to the vehicle.

DirtBound Offroad Fan:


Amperage:
Startup 9.32 A
Stable 6 A

Average: 1445.41 CFM

Kit Total CFM:
Average: 4,336.23
Min: 4,077
Max: 4,650

Stock 99 E Fan

Engine Off

Amperage:
Over 10A as it blew my meter.

Average: 2290.83 CFM

Dual Fan:
Average: 4,581.66
Min: 3,750
Max: 5,320

Stock 99 E Fan

Engine On

Amperage:
Over 10A as it blew my meter.

Average: 2304.08 CFM

Dual Fan:
Average: 4,608.16
Min: 2,842
Max: 5,390

Result our three fan setup is 200 - 300 CFM less than two stock e-fans, but our kit has dramatically less power draw.

 

[ehall]

Unlikely since he is selling the three fan set-up and not Taurus fans.

The big Taurus fan would probably prove to be massive overkill. Sure people would still do it, but it would also still be useful to have the data-point.

I'm digging the numbers being posted

 

[Demolition_x]

Awesome results thank you for going the extra mile on getting down to the nitty gritty after that previous thread.

I am sold on the system and the data just helps confirm my beliefs. When will the kits come with fan shroud like you had mentioned?

 

[srmitchell]

Awesome stuff. I've noticed a big load on the system when I turn my e fan on.

I'd love to see the shrouds you're doing.

 

[WebDog]

The big Taurus fan would probably prove to be massive overkill. Sure people would still do it, but it would also still be useful to have the data-point.

I'm digging the numbers being posted

If someone local to Los Angeles has one that is willing to stop by and spend a little time testing it I would have no problems with that, after all the more data the better.

Awesome results thank you for going the extra mile on getting down to the nitty gritty after that previous thread.

I am sold on the system and the data just helps confirm my beliefs. When will the kits come with fan shroud like you had mentioned?

I am going to be putting in a order for the sheet metal for the shrouds tomorrow and should have something to show later this week / early next week.

Awesome stuff. I've noticed a big load on the system when I turn my e fan on.

I'd love to see the shrouds you're doing.

Ill put photos up as soon as I have some of the shrouds!

 

[srmitchell]

Awesome! Thanks.

 

[jmaxj]

i have a question to these guys wanting "shrouds"

since the elec. fans already come with shrouds are you guys wanting the metal pieces to put in the empty spaces between the fans?

all i see that doing is blocking airflow through the radiator.

and to webdog. after reading this and seeing you testing your product, it makes me happy with my choice to run your fan setup. i'll be putting them through a huge test this weekend, playing in the sand

 

[GrimmJeeper]

Max I have a stock fan you're welcome to as long as you need it for testing. I believe it has S blades but it is the earlier style with less of them.

 

[Demolition_x]

i have a question to these guys wanting "shrouds"

since the elec. fans already come with shrouds are you guys wanting the metal pieces to put in the empty spaces between the fans?

all i see that doing is blocking airflow through the radiator.

and to webdog. after reading this and seeing you testing your product, it makes me happy with my choice to run your fan setup. i'll be putting them through a huge test this weekend, playing in the sand

Without the shrouds the fans only pull air through the radiator where the fan is (think the area the size of the fan is). having 3 round fans on a rectangular radiator leaves hot spots where only air passing through the radiator from forward motion will cool these spots.

If you set the fans back a little bit and create a box around the radiator and have the fan behind that box the fan is now pulling air across the whole radiator eliminating hot spots.

The shroud just makes the fans much more efficient.

 

[John D]

i'll be putting them through a huge test this weekend, playing in the sand

Please let me know your results, this is the only place I have cooing issues. Four or five long climbs and I need to putt around to cool back off. Dunes open here in less than a month, cooling issues won't come until June...

 

[jeeperjohn]

Without the shrouds the fans only pull air through the radiator where the fan is (think the area the size of the fan is). having 3 round fans on a rectangular radiator leaves hot spots where only air passing through the radiator from forward motion will cool these spots.

If you set the fans back a little bit and create a box around the radiator and have the fan behind that box the fan is now pulling air across the whole radiator eliminating hot spots.

The shroud just makes the fans much more efficient.

Also, with the fam mounted directly to the radiator it does not pull air through the center of the fan hub creating even more non cooled area.

 

[WebDog]

Right now the fans sit about 1/2" or so from the radiator core to help alleviate that issue.

 

[GrimmJeeper]

I just checked the one in my 95, it has 8 s blades, i also have another one sitting here that has 9. if either of them is of use to you let me know.

 

[WebDog]

I just checked the one in my 95, it has 8 s blades, i also have another one sitting here that has 9. if either of them is of use to you let me know.

They might be, the one I tested has 12 blades and was from a 99.

Are they in a vehicle or not? Maybe I can shoot down one day this weekend and we can test them real quick.

 

[jmaxj]

Please let me know your results, this is the only place I have cooing issues. Four or five long climbs and I need to putt around to cool back off. Dunes open here in less than a month, cooling issues won't come until June...

i'll definentaly post up how it did. its gonna be put to the test hard for the next 4 days

 

[GrimmJeeper]

the 8 blade is in, the 9 is not (only because it has a different plug). I'll be in the garage working most if not all of the day on sunday, just give me a call if you need directions :cheers:

 

[Milford Cubicle II]

Result our three fan setup is 200 - 300 CFM less than two stock e-fans, but our kit has dramatically less power draw.

If you were using a 10 amp ammeter and the stock fans blew the fuse then the most you can deduce from that is that the stock fans pull just over 10 amps on start up, whereas the DirtBound kit is just under 10 amps on start up. So there's the potential for the amperage difference to be negligible.

Maybe test the stock fans while they're running rather than when you turn them on to get a more accurate amperage rating on the stock fans. Or just use a bigger ammeter. I'd be interested to know the amperage of the stock fans, I'm guessing they aren't much more than 10 amps start up and are probably under 10 amps continuous.

And don't forget that while the amperage rating of the DirtBound fans are lower, there is also 33% more of them

 

[Goatman]

We put an amp gauge on one of these fans (3 fan setup) and got 8-16 amps. Amps got higher as it ran longer and warmed up, off the battery and in the car. Don't know the difference, just throwing this out there since we checked them. It is very nice to get some real world testing of the CFM, it's so hard to know what to do without hard data. Also been waiting for CFM info on the stock aux fan. Thanks.

 

[jmaxj]

ok after 4 days in the dunes with this fan setup i have great news, good news and bad news.

first the great. the fans cooled excellent, running hard in the dunes the motor stayed around 200-220 the whole time when all 3 were running, when 2 were going it stayed around 220-240 but that was running high RPM'S playing in sand. when i was normal driving or wheeling they kept it around 210-220

now the bad. one of the fans motors decided to come apart the second day of the trip. i'm not sure exactly what happened but i can tell it separated and fell into the motor, i was just cruising down the dunes back to camp when it happened. so far all i can tell is there was a metal plate with 2 screw holes in the back that is now missing. i'll have more info when i pull it all out and inspect the damage but i am gonna need a new fan now thats all i know at the moment.


alas the good. the 2 fans kept it cool well enough that i could still play and have fun, just had to do it intermittently they couldn't keep it cool for long periods but kept it cool enough.


my overall performance report. they worked great when all 3 were working properly and when i was doing the rock crawling thing 2 were working very well. it was nice having that option of being able to turn the 3rd on when it was needed.

 

[WebDog]

Was the fan that came apart the one closest to the old fan pulley?