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Dakota Digital PAC-2800BT Electric Fan Controller Installed


jrhone

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About 10 years ago, I installed a SPAL 12" high performance electric fan and used the e21 fans switch to control it.  It worked.  I was never completely happy about the turn on and off points.  I used a cooler fan switch and that one just kept the fan on pretty much all the time.  So I lived with it.   Because I am a nerd at heart, I love the idea of being able to tweak and customize things, like the 123 Bluetooth Dizzy.  I even posted the desire to have a fan controller with that type of app controllability a few years back.  Well my tech loving prayers have been answered and Dakota Digital now makes a programmable electric fan controller with an iOS app to control it via bluetooth.  It allows you to set the fan on and off temp, use various temp switches or stock temp sender as an input, control multiple fans, turn on with AC, supports 2 speed fan operation, and has customizable timer for fan to run after engine shutoff.  Install was a snap, instructions were thorough and easy to follow.  It comes with a relay so nothing else was needed other than some wire.  I have a VDO temp gauge in addition to the stock gauge in the cluster so I used the VDO sender as the temp input.  Opened the app, connected the bluetooth on my phone and I set the sender type as VDO, and then set the on and off temp.  The diagnostics page shows the temp reading and allows you too calibrate the sender.  Once you get the fan on and fan off temps the operation is rock solid.  What was not exact before with the e21 switch is perfect every time.  So all in all you get a very reliable fan controller and you have the ability to use the stock temp gauge sender or various aftermarket temp senders making wiring easier and cleaner.  A nice option for anyone wanting more frills than just the fan switch.

 

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1976 BMW 2002 Fjord Blue Ireland Stage II • Bilstein Sports • Ireland Headers • Weber 38 • 292 Cam • 9.5:1 Pistons • 123Tune Bluetooth 15" BBS

2016 BMW 535i M Sport

1964 Volvo Amazon Wagon
http://www.project2002.com

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I got my negative Nantsy Pantsys on here-

 

we use that kind of connector at work, and it's

likely to get pretty warm at 12a in that form factor.

How much does your fan suck?

 

t

uses a toggle switch for the 'almost a Luddite' counter- approach.

"I learn best through painful, expensive experience, so I feel like I've gotten my money's worth." MattL

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35 minutes ago, TobyB said:

I got my negative Nantsy Pantsys on here-

 

we use that kind of connector at work, and it's

likely to get pretty warm at 12a in that form factor.

How much does your fan suck?

 

t

uses a toggle switch for the 'almost a Luddite' counter- approach.

Must be some big contacts in that relay, needing 12a to flip 'em.

 

:P

Ray

Stop reading this! Don't you have anything better to do?? :P
Two running things. Two broken things.

 

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Will check the heat as thats in the cabin...but it uses the relay for all the heavy lifting.  Also Dakota Digital has been using this form factor for years and I havent seen this issue.  Its not like Dakota Digital just started making fan controllers...they just added bluetooth to their controller.  

Edited by jrhone
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1976 BMW 2002 Fjord Blue Ireland Stage II • Bilstein Sports • Ireland Headers • Weber 38 • 292 Cam • 9.5:1 Pistons • 123Tune Bluetooth 15" BBS

2016 BMW 535i M Sport

1964 Volvo Amazon Wagon
http://www.project2002.com

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Oh, you mean there's an external relay for high current switching?

 

Then nevah mind!  Nothing to see here.

 

I've just seen a goodly number of that 'not- euroblock' melt off the 

back of supposedly 'low current' amplifiers.

 

And yes, DD was pretty cheezy in an 80's way when it first came out.

But also very high- tech in a 'Kit, go get me an ice cream cone' way.

 

t

 

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"I learn best through painful, expensive experience, so I feel like I've gotten my money's worth." MattL

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Yes Toby...its got an external relay...lol..

 

To be fair...I should have spelled it out a little more clearly.  This is just the control unit that mounts in the car, and runs to a 30 amp relay in the engine bay to power the fan.

1976 BMW 2002 Fjord Blue Ireland Stage II • Bilstein Sports • Ireland Headers • Weber 38 • 292 Cam • 9.5:1 Pistons • 123Tune Bluetooth 15" BBS

2016 BMW 535i M Sport

1964 Volvo Amazon Wagon
http://www.project2002.com

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3 hours ago, uai said:

Isn't PWM the way to go nowadays?
So it's just a fancy controller for an antique switch. A two stage thermo switch would be more reliable and less expensive.

 

Yes. Yes. Yes, but it's not easily adjustable, which is the point-  guy wants to be able to adjust stuff.

Dave.

'76, totally stock. Completely.

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The Haltech can be set up both ways, relay switching (on/off) or digital duty cycle (pwm) to a fan controller.  I use a Ford Fusion fan controller digital duty cycle controlled and sense the radiator outlet temperature (fan cools the radiator, thermostat controls the engine inlet temperature, engine outlet temperature floats depending on engine load).

 

Without the help of another FAQer I wouldn't have found a good controller.  Fan power frequency (controller output frequency) is important for fan bearing life.  It's quiet, the fan speed ramps up, no electrical power surge 

A radiator shop is a good place to take a leak.

 

I have no idea what I'm doing but I know I'm really good at it.

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2 minutes ago, irdave said:

 

Yes. Yes. Yes, but it's not easily adjustable, which is the point-  guy wants to be able to adjust stuff.

agreed: So let's call it a noise controller (for the fan)

When I take the radiator outlet and have the fan full on at 93°-95° and 1/2 speed on at 87° and off at 82° all is said and done.

Engine temperature is controlled by the thermostat not by the water temperature (if it is sized accordingly) .

If I want to be "in control" I take an electric waterpump - then I am in control of engine temperatures and benefit of the free horsepower that the waterpump eats. And the control unit of the waterpump also controls the fan.

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Uai, are you using a multi-speed fan, or is there a resistance inserted in the circuit for 1/2 speed ? 

 

So far I'm satisfied with the luddite electric fan scheme (but the car's only been on the road for a few hundred miles in cold weather)-

   -12" SPAL electric fan in front of radiator

   -ON/OFF thermostat switch at the radiator outlet, activating relay feeding fan with an individual fuse for fan motor. 

   -Switch in cabin to activate fan manually (haven't needed to yet). 

   -LED indicator in cabin to show that fan is getting power. 

 

With careful grounding and suitably sized wiring, no headlight dimming, no noticeable voltage drop.  Yes, it turns on briefly after engine shutdown like production cars early in the electric fan era.  Doesn't seem like a bad thing.

 

Almost the minimum number of parts for an electric fan, no reliability concerns.

 

Perhaps I'll get bored some day and find a web-enabled 128 bit controller and let Google or the green energy authorities remotely decide when I need cooling.

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13 minutes ago, calw said:

Uai, are you using a multi-speed fan, or is there a resistance inserted in the circuit for 1/2 speed ?

I am not doing any fancy stuff on my own car but nearly the same like you.
A couple of friends have installed electric waterpumps.
In my case only full on or off, switch is near water outlet in the Radiator bottom 87°C on 82° off.

Fallback (I've once had a failed thermo switch) in Water outlet on engine 100° C on 95° C off.

Manual override with a switch from inside and a control lamp to see if it's running or not.

I'm not using a conventional relais but abuse a SolidState relais from a pwm controlled fan in limp home emergency mode (from a Mercedes A Class 10€ on ebay) .

It has the feature if there is no PWM signal it goes into full speed but with soft startup and shutdown.

 

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Never thought of electric water pump. Uai, are your friends using it in 2002s?

 

I'm curious if a block off plate would be needed and how that is handled. Or just remove the pulley...

 

But I digress. 

 

I love the idea of the speed controller. My current car has belt driven fan but my other car had electric and while it cooled fine it was tiring to have the abrupt up/down of the fan. Wanted a soft start, etc.

 

~Jason

1973 2002tii (2764167), Baikal, sunroof, A/C, 5spd OD, 3.91 LSD, etc. Rebuild blog here!

In the past: Verona H&B 1973 2002tii (2762913); Malaga 1975 2002; White 1975 2002

--> Blog: Repro tii cold start relay;   --> If you need an Alpina A4 tuning manual, PM me!

 

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They made a small production run with lasercut & anodized plates that replace the water pump on M10 engines.

A simple plate with Water spigot on an e36 IIRC.

Pump & controller from Davies Craig no thermostat any longer needed.

I'll see if I can find the link to some pics.

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Dear Gott,

 

do NAWT mess up the waterpump!

 

Have you priced N54 pumps?

 

Gaaaa!

 

t

Fully Luddite, now!

 

 

"I learn best through painful, expensive experience, so I feel like I've gotten my money's worth." MattL

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