JEGS Adj Dual Fan Control Kit with Dry Temp Sensor

[SR20DETdatsun510]

I bought a JEGS Adj Dual Fan Control Kit with a Dry Temp Sensor. 

It is basically a thermo-coupler inside a ring lug that you bolt to the block. 

I have researched and allot of people use this type of temp sensor with success. 

And The control module us actually pretty nice. It has 2 50amp Relays and 2 circuit 

breakers instead of fuses. 

 

My question here is the possibly of converting it to a "Wet" temp sender. 
Is it possible to somehow use a regular temp sensor rather than this probe type? 

 

If, where would be the best place to install this thermal-couple? 

Thanks

[Wicked Saint]

Hey John, I'm no expert in thermocouples but we do use them at work. They are 2 dissimilar metals welded together at the tip. they put out a varying voltage as they change in temperature. They will read the temp of whatever is closest to their joint. I have seen them run in open air or tied off to surfaces. I think your best bet for what you want to do might be to find a brass bolt with the thread pitch of one of your fittings( I think you have a bleed plug on your outlet you could use). I would turn down the end of the bolt to resemble a coolant temp sensor probe and tack weld a nut on it so you can get proper depth and have an insertion and extraction method. place the eyelet of that thermocouple over the end of the bolt and you are 1 lock washer and nut away from done.

[Wicked Saint]

BTW, the reason I would not think to put the end in the stream is depending on the type of thermocouple they use different metals that may not play well with water or ethelyne glycol.

[SR20DETdatsun510]

Thanks Justin! I think that is the best way to use what I've got. 

Make allot of sense.

So do your normal (in flow) temp senders act in a similar way? 

[Wicked Saint]

This is just an educated guess, and barely educated at that but I believe most temp sendind units have the thermocouple sheathed inside of the brass and end at the plug, then you use a standard wire (copper/nickel) to carry the voltage back to the controler or gauge. If you wanted to be real trick you could have another temp sender on your inlet pipe and have a gauge that measures the delta to tell you the cooling efficiency of your radiator and fans.

[oldskoolvws]

Good responses.

 

There are typically two types of fan control switches. Switched and analog.

 

Switched is normally two bimetallic leads that in the normally off position, do not touch each other. When heated though, they expand and touch or bend and touch closing the circuit to turn on the fan. When they cool, they return to their original position of not touching which then turns your fan off.

 

 

 

Analog is a scaled voltage or resistance based as Saint has pointed out. The higher the temperature, the higher the resistance. This changes the voltage (normally in mV) value being transmitted to the logic board, in your case the Jegs Kit. Based on this voltage, the controller will dictate the the threshold to latch in the relays for the fan to kick on and off. When you make temperature adjustments in the control box on the rheostat, your changing the resistance value.

 

To answer your question though, the simple answer is yes and no. You have an analog controller. Wet systems are typically switched. But I'm sure you could find an analog wet probe. You can change to other types though such as thermal well or push in exterior probe.

 

If I had what you have now, I would likely remove 1 bolt from the water pump and replace it with a long stud. Then torque down the water pump with a nut. On top of that, place your probe and then another nut and tighten. This would be the closest to "water" temp that you'll likely get and it's constant. Now if I was going to change the setup, I'd get an exterior push in probe for the radiator. On my install, I have horizontal tanks, and placed mine at the very top of the fin assemblies between the tank and fins, in the middle of the radiator and siliconed both ends shut encapsulating it. I had my doubts about the exterior fan probe as well on my first install but that thing is rock solid and constant. I do them all like that now. Here's what I usually get: http://www.dccontrol.com/

 

Probe:

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/der-16760

[oldskoolvws]

Do yourself a favor too, put a switch going to 12V on that A/C wire. This will bypass the temp. input in case you ever want to run this manually.

[Tristin]

I have researched and allot of people use this type of temp sensor with success. 

 

Then why change how it works?

[oldskoolvws]

I know when I did mine, I had sensor envy.

[SR20DETdatsun510]

Good responses.

 

There are typically two types of fan control switches. Switched and analog.

 

Switched is normally two bimetallic leads that in the normally off position, do not touch each other. When heated though, they expand and touch or bend and touch closing the circuit to turn on the fan. When they cool, they return to their original position of not touching which then turns your fan off.

 

 

 

Analog is a scaled voltage or resistance based as Saint has pointed out. The higher the temperature, the higher the resistance. This changes the voltage (normally in mV) value being transmitted to the logic board, in your case the Jegs Kit. Based on this voltage, the controller will dictate the the threshold to latch in the relays for the fan to kick on and off. When you make temperature adjustments in the control box on the rheostat, your changing the resistance value.

 

To answer your question though, the simple answer is yes and no. You have an analog controller. Wet systems are typically switched. But I'm sure you could find an analog wet probe. You can change to other types though such as thermal well or push in exterior probe.

 

If I had what you have now, I would likely remove 1 bolt from the water pump and replace it with a long stud. Then torque down the water pump with a nut. On top of that, place your probe and then another nut and tighten. This would be the closest to "water" temp that you'll likely get and it's constant. Now if I was going to change the setup, I'd get an exterior push in probe for the radiator. On my install, I have horizontal tanks, and placed mine at the very top of the fin assemblies between the tank and fins, in the middle of the radiator and siliconed both ends shut encapsulating it. I had my doubts about the exterior fan probe as well on my first install but that thing is rock solid and constant. I do them all like that now. Here's what I usually get: 

 

Wow, with you and Saint together, I have no doubts about the setup now. 

Whew, with all the things going on, it is a relief to put this one behind me! 

Many MANY Thanks guys. 

Then why change how it works?

I have also heard/read of people having trouble with them or not liking them. 

(not sure if it was like oldskool said, people with just sensor envy. LOL)

Without my own experience with these I was conflicted so I brought it to you guys and BAM, Problem solved.

(cause of course I trust a Ratsunier more than the web. LOLOLOL) 

[SR20DETdatsun510]

Do yourself a favor too, put a switch going to 12V on that A/C wire. This will bypass the temp. input in case you ever want to run this manually.

What kind of switch would be best?

Cause with the switch in "off" mode, you still want the signal to pass to the controller right?

And would there be any type of conflict if I had the switch on and the controller wants ti switch on?