Diesel Radiator Fan Cut In Temperature?

[awemawson]

What temperature should the fan on a diesel engined vehicle 'cut in' ?

Currently my large generator has metal shutters across the radiator and the fan spins all the time as it's mechanically linked. The shutters are manually operated at the moment.

As this set will run unattended I am automating the shutters using a linear actuator driven between limits and initiated by a thermostat clamped to the radiator.

. . . but what temperature should the thermostat be? (I'm using modular non adjustable thermostats available in a range of temperatures)

 

[ajlelectronics]

The fan will normally come in a few degrees above the thermostat temperature. You should be able to look that up. There is no point in it coming on before the thermostat opens and it would be cooling a cold radiator! If you have a thermostat of 88C I would expect the fan to come on 95 - 100C

You can test the thermostat temperature by reading the thermostat housing with an IR thermometer. Take the reading when the top hose suddenly gets hot.

 

[ajlelectronics]

The fan will normally come in a few degrees above the thermostat temperature. You should be able to look that up. There is no point in it coming on before the thermostat opens and it would be cooling a cold radiator! If you have a thermostat of 88C I would expect the fan to come on 95 - 100C

If you don't have a cooling system thermostat, I would probably use the same figures, but I have zero knowledge of air coled engines.

 

[Barking Mat]

On marine applications we choose 85 degrees. It's not a car doing 70 mph.

Get a decent temperature senser and alarm for overheating.