Questions about adding a pusher fan for A/C?

Technical info on the Pontiac Vibe and Toyota Matrix including do-it-yourself info
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pushead
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Joined: Wed Feb 22, 2012 5:45 am

Questions about adding a pusher fan for A/C?

Post by pushead »

I have not looked under the hood yet but got the idea of adding a pusher fan to bring down the a/c temp. I am getting a reading around 48 now but I know it can get better. So I was wondering if anyone here has added a pusher fan to the condenser and if so did you see much difference both at idle and driving?Do you think I would be better running a relay from the compressor or the fan to turn on the pusher fan? I don't think either would be a problem but would like some input from others.
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Water boy
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Joined: Thu May 29, 2008 12:29 pm

Post by Water boy »

On my '08 the temp gauge needle has never gone above mid-point. No matter if driving 80+ on the interstate in the summer or crawling along the interstate in the summer.
2008
47,891 Added new horns
47,900 Yokohama Avid 205/55-16 $492.40 drive out w/TPMS rebuild kits
69,036 Added sound deadening
70,395 Battery
106,019 Yokohama YK580 205/55-16 $589.19 drive out
pushead
Posts: 23
Joined: Wed Feb 22, 2012 5:45 am

Post by pushead »

Sitting at a red light at lunch today I watched my a/c vent temp go up 10 degree's. Then when the light changed and I started moving it went back down. Its time to look for some fans and get this started. I need to measure still but I think I can fit 2 10" fans in there.
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Water boy
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Joined: Thu May 29, 2008 12:29 pm

Post by Water boy »

Anything above 35mph and the fans mean nothing.As you have mentioned, after you left the red light the temp went down.Unless you spend a lot of time at idle.......Just my 3 cents.
2008
47,891 Added new horns
47,900 Yokohama Avid 205/55-16 $492.40 drive out w/TPMS rebuild kits
69,036 Added sound deadening
70,395 Battery
106,019 Yokohama YK580 205/55-16 $589.19 drive out
pushead
Posts: 23
Joined: Wed Feb 22, 2012 5:45 am

Post by pushead »

I already took into account traveling above 35 MPH. Good point though, this may help others decide if this is benafical to them. This darn city is so grid locked with trafic getting over 35 on the way to work, at lunch or over the weekend in most places is almost impossible. Sad thing is I drive 30 miles to work every day on the expressway. So I think this will cool me down allot. I found a couple fans for under $50 on Amazon I am going to research on. I don't want to spend the money for a quailty fan until I know what kind of diffrence this is going to make. Well that and I just got a transmission code on my truck so I have to use my disposable cash for the next few weeks buying parts to fix it. I will post up when the fan is on order.
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Water boy
Posts: 398
Joined: Thu May 29, 2008 12:29 pm

Post by Water boy »

Tinted the windows yet?
2008
47,891 Added new horns
47,900 Yokohama Avid 205/55-16 $492.40 drive out w/TPMS rebuild kits
69,036 Added sound deadening
70,395 Battery
106,019 Yokohama YK580 205/55-16 $589.19 drive out
pushead
Posts: 23
Joined: Wed Feb 22, 2012 5:45 am

Re: (Water boy)

Post by pushead »

Super dark windows. Before I bought the vibe it was living in Michagen. I am guessing they can have darker tint than in Florida because I can barley see out the back window or the prior owner was a 89 year old crack dealer. I was thinking about having them re-tinted to a lighter shade. But the fear of gaining heat is stopping me.
Canker
Posts: 52
Joined: Tue Jan 24, 2012 3:38 pm

Re: (pushead)

Post by Canker »

You can barely see out the rear window with no tint on it too
03 Pontiac Vibe95 Mazda Miata
cq358
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Joined: Sat Nov 22, 2008 5:19 am

Re: (Canker)

Post by cq358 »

pushead
Posts: 23
Joined: Wed Feb 22, 2012 5:45 am

Re: (cq358)

Post by pushead »

LOL. I may live in the south but I was born a yankee. I don't think I would have ever thought that one up.
pushead
Posts: 23
Joined: Wed Feb 22, 2012 5:45 am

Re: Questions about adding a pusher fan for A/C?

Post by pushead »

Well it only took around 4 months but the fan will be here hopefully by the weekend. I could not take my teenage kids whining about how it was getting cool enough in the back seat any longer. I should have some results to post early next week.
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Water boy
Posts: 398
Joined: Thu May 29, 2008 12:29 pm

Re: Questions about adding a pusher fan for A/C?

Post by Water boy »

Remember ....
PICS
2008
47,891 Added new horns
47,900 Yokohama Avid 205/55-16 $492.40 drive out w/TPMS rebuild kits
69,036 Added sound deadening
70,395 Battery
106,019 Yokohama YK580 205/55-16 $589.19 drive out
pushead
Posts: 23
Joined: Wed Feb 22, 2012 5:45 am

Re: Questions about adding a pusher fan for A/C?

Post by pushead »

Sorry I didn’t take any pics. It’s only a fan and one relay so not much to take pictures of. Any how the fan is in but I have not had any time to really test it out yet. The temps have dropped and the humidity is through the roof thanks to the tropical storm sitting in the gulf. However I did get to do a brief test Friday night during my teardown. I separated the radiator and condenser by a few inches so I can get my hand down to put the straps through the fins. I had not installed the fan yet and it was turning dusk so I decided to just run the ac for a while and go in the house to see what happens. At 91 Degrees outside with crazy humidity I saw the best readings I ever seen at idle. My normal operating temp for the a/c has been 50 deg. It dropped down to 42.8 Degrees. So I am very hopeful this fan will payoff in the end. I will report back in a few weeks. The weather man says we are going to get pounded by this storm for another week.
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