Stock Radiator Fan or Electric Radiator Fans

[33 IMP]

I couldn’t find the Engine Masters electric fan test. And at the risk of starting some **** I’m going to question some things.
1. Not such thing as free energy. So if an electric fan requires X amps to produce X cfm. That can be equated hp=VA/745.6. So if an alternator needs to make a that amount of amperage if is going to use a the same amount of hp.
2. The only way an electric fan can use less hp than a mechanical fan is to move less cfm, or visa-versa.
3. You can level the spike of load on the alternator with the battery, but in the end energy used
has to be = energy created.
4. Thus the only way an electric fan can use less hp than a mechanical fan is to move less air or the fan blade design be more efficient. I have a hard time believing one fan design for a car can use 10-20 less hp than a different design.
What say you?

I say a direct drive giant seven blade fan with eat more horsepower than a clutch fan... and a BUNCH more power than an electric or two.
I think my plastic flex fan is somewhere in the middle.
Funny thing. I have two giant electric fans on one of my cars. Idles at 950 with both fans on. Care to guess what it idles at with the fans off? (I'll give you a hint....950)

 

[JARRETT LYNCH]

They also make brushless electric fans that draw a lot less amperage and controllers to set fan speed as desired like new cars do.
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[68-500]

33 IMP and Jarret, I’m not questioning your results just thinking out loud. I wonder how does little .3 hp (proform link) can move 2900 cfm. When EM testing showed at least 8hp for the smallest draw mechanical fan. I wonder how many cfm the factory clutch fan moves? Like I stated above energy has to come from somewhere. Can it be the electric fans of nowadays are that much more efficient design?

 

[JARRETT LYNCH]

33 IMP and Jarret, I’m not questioning your results just thinking out loud. I wonder how does little .3 hp (proform link) can move 2900 cfm. When EM testing showed at least 8hp for the smallest draw mechanical fan. I wonder how many cfm the factory clutch fan moves? Like I stated above energy has to come from somewhere. Can it be the electric fans of nowadays are that much more efficient design?

They did a fan clutch test in that video and it still lost a good amount of power but it was better than all the other fixed fans. Yes, almost all new fans of today are brushless which draw a lot less amperage and they are controlled so used at different voltage percentages based on temperature. If you need your fan when you driving on the hwy or fwy then you have an inadequate radiator/water pump/thermostat/

 

[JARRETT LYNCH]

Long story short, if you're not worried about all out horsepower then use the fan clutch and factory style blade. If you want maximum power savings than use brushless fan with variable speed controller. cheers

 

[Unkle Krusty]

I am inclined to agree with Jarret above.
The E fan is drawing no power, most of the time.
That is the case with my Suzuki bike. the fan only comes on at about 100C, and that is only achieved when stopped.
Using a belt driven fan, the clutch type seems to be the best.
Thar is what I used on my farm truck. 350 Chev.

A practical test of E fans would be helpful, to determine how many amps they draw, and how many watts are used to calculate hp. I use 750 watts per hp. The 30 amps quoted in the dyno test is less than 1 hp. But 30 amps is still a lot of amps. I have an E fan ready for testing, but other engine issues need to be sorted first.

The Bradford van by Jowett did not use a fan, and did not overheat when under load

 

[JARRETT LYNCH]

Heres a good vid- brushed electric vs brushless fan.

 

[RJRENTON]

I suggest that a bigass fan will move more air than an Itty bitty one at the same rpm. Is that hard to understand?

BIG *** FAN rating = New terminology for CFM @ 0.xx static pressure (in inches of water or PSI). In my fan reference catalogs, (Chicago Blower, New York Blower, etc) I could not find the comparisons between "itty bitty" and "big ***" fans for any type (propeller, non overloading forward/backward inclined wheels) for any given RPM. Since you don't list any physical measurements or types of fans, it's IMPOSSIBLE to make any determination.....it's like saying: how high is up or why is there air or how much is too much ??? ......need better explanation.....or real numbers.......
BOB RENTON

 

[forphorty]

33 IMP and Jarret, I’m not questioning your results just thinking out loud. I wonder how does little .3 hp (proform link) can move 2900 cfm. When EM testing showed at least 8hp for the smallest draw mechanical fan. I wonder how many cfm the factory clutch fan moves? Like I stated above energy has to come from somewhere. Can it be the electric fans of nowadays are that much more efficient design?

Of course an electric fan uses no hp when it's off. One of my cars has an electric fan activated with a simple toggle switch. About the only times I need to turn it on is in slow city driving. At the track, I have it on in the burnout box and switch it off when I stage.

 

[440 4 speed]

Seems to me that this thread mainly pertains to maximum hp.
Not to mention someone that enjoys a fairly stock car and would like to drive it possibly over 1000 miles or more to a Mopar get together.
I quit showing off on the street ages ago. When I get the car together and (if someone pulls up on the street, and thumps their pedal at that old guy. My reply, meet me at the street legals. Spend 50.00 and just see how fast you are!)
Back in the 1990’s that comment didn’t work with very many showing up.
We did organize certain Friday Street Legal evenings to recognize our Saskatchewan Mopar Club. Which donated money to the track which is a charitable organization owned by the members.
We had fun and ran against all brands. It surprised a lot of people actually how fast their car ran.