You've been getting a lot of love recently on a couple threads on the 500E board. I posted your latest video in our existing "Electric Fan Conversion" thread.
Awesome! Thank you! Weather has not been letting me work on the rest of it. The car is outside and I get home at night and it's been raining on the weekends. I'm going to finish it as soon as possible. Thank you for sharing.
Yeah these can be fun sometimes. But when done right really work great. I low the fan control unit. I’ve used Davey Craig fan controllers. They’re smaller and a little easier to find a spot to place them.
Another great video: Outta curiosity two questions: I assume you're converting to electric fan due to/or to prevent overheating so : a. I'm sure you know that for the hot climate countries back in the day Mercedes came up with a "tropical" fan clutch for the W124 which kicks in at lower temp ,why not use that? b. Why not wire the high speed AC fan with a toggle from the cabin that you can flip when the temp goes above normal?
Thank you! To answer your curiosity, I'm doing it out of curiosity haha. Basically I'm fixing something that isn't broken. I started with the question, "Could it be done?" and ran with it. To answer your other question, factory fan clutches are no longer available. I also don't want to use a toggle switch because I want everything to function like a factory fan should function. With this PWM module though, I will need to wire up a toggle switch but only as a failsafe. One of the seven contacts on it is specifically for that.
Great video! I have a 1992 3L M103 300E (wish I had a V8 W124). Upgraded it to a 90-150A alternator and a 100Ah battery. Planning on installing a 850W fan. What PWM device of those do you recommend? Oh yeah, we get close to 50C ambient here in good days in this part of Saudi Arabia. That's why the 850W fan. Haven't watched part two yet. Gonna when I get free. Thanks again for the video.
@@SG-cm7zq the one I'm using is the 150 amp AutoCoolGuy.com PWM controller. I suggest upgrading the alternator as well, which I plan on doing soon as well.
@@FriendlyMBTech Thanks! The fan I had my eyes on turned out to be a 600W W221 fan and just finished installing it before seeing your reply (looked for 850W and wouldn't find one). Stress tested it on the 90-150W alternator and 100ah 900a battery I upgraded to. It worked beautifully under stress with 13.5v charging at idle and 14v with little revving at 1k RPM. It worked very nicely in today's 45.5C afternoon. Do I have to use on of those controllers with an overhead amps, and compared to what, the alternator? The connections I'm using now are for test purposes. Running at 100% all the time will reduce it's life span. It's connected to a switch only.
@SG-cm7zq I'm actually thinking of switching the fan to a W221 unit. You don't HAVE to use a controller. I used one because then the fan will operate like a factory electric fan would. As temperature increases, fan speed increases. When coolant temperature are too low, the fan isn't on at all. This prevents the 0% to 100% current spikes of only using a switch and not putting undue stress on the alternator. I was sitting with the car idling the other day and noticed on my bluetooth adapter that the voltage was at 11.8v with the fan on 100%. Increasing RPM increased the voltage so I didn't get stranded. Maybe my alternator its because my alternator is on its way out? If I replace it, I'm upgrading it to a 143-150 amp unit out of a W140.
@@FriendlyMBTech Really? Had it installed by an old MB electrician and he didn't now how to do it. Any tips? I can't see a controller attached to it. Part no. is 2215000993 and it's 600W. Are you using a 115A alternator by any chance? AFAIK, these don't do well with high output mods, especially that it is 70A at the lower end (stamped 70-115A). AFAIK, both W140 and W220 alternators are direct fit for W124's. I recommend 150A but the flavor that has 90A at the lower end (90-150A). There's another that has 80A (80-150A). The 143A is 73-143A which is close to the lower end for the 115A. The lower end is what we need for these fans, I believe, if we are heavy city drivers. I'm mixing both W140 and W220 alternators, and only Bosch.
@SG-cm7zq The fan should have a module on it. It goes from 4 or 6 pin to 2 pin for the motor. I removed that module, so all I had was the two pin +/- to the fan motor itself. The AutoCoolGuy.com pwm controller I'm using, controls the ground side of the circuit. The directions included were very simple. Since my alternator is either the 70A or 100A version, and I want to install some kind of better sound system in the car, the alternator will need to get upgraded either way. What did you want tips on?
That fan controller is massive, and for what it does... way oversized. What is worse is it a fan controller (fan is underhood) reading sensors on the engine (sensors underhood) and its not even built in an acceptable way to be an under hood automotive component. Its a super simple device. If it was me, I would look for a different controller. Ideally one that does not have massive knobs and switches on the outside of it. knobs vibrate. switches hit knocked. If I was grading this design for an automotive application, it would get a D-. If it was for an industrial application where it lives in a metal box, it would get a B+
I apologize for just now seeing your comment. Yes, I agree, it is rather large. It is capable of being under the hood, size permitting. I just don't have the underhood real estate for it. Other applications might though. Such as older cars from the 60s and 70s with less busy under hood situations. Also, I have a higher amperage version. He also makes lower amperage versions like 125 amp and 85 amp, I believe. Don't quote me, but the 85 amp body might be smaller. When I bought this one he was working on a 24v version that was even bigger than the one I bought. Size and design aside, I chose this one for several reasons. One, its simplicity. Not only is the design and function simple, but the instructions were very well written. Two, the guy building them is local to me. I was able to meet him, and he even walked me through his work shop. Three, I wanted to support a local small business. This gentleman is retired and is building these to keep himself busy. If you call the phone number on the website, he answers. If you leave a message, he calls you back. So far, I am happy with the product. It still functions perfectly. I mounted it in the trunk, away from anything that might come in contact with it.
Yes, I'm going to keep the stock alternator, for now. That's one reason I'm using PWM to control the fan. No massive current spikes when the fan cycles from off to 100%. With PWM it will ramp up and down between 0% and 100% in increments depending on coolant temperature. Also, it will only turn on the fan 100% if needed.
You've been getting a lot of love recently on a couple threads on the 500E board. I posted your latest video in our existing "Electric Fan Conversion" thread.
Awesome! Thank you! Weather has not been letting me work on the rest of it. The car is outside and I get home at night and it's been raining on the weekends. I'm going to finish it as soon as possible. Thank you for sharing.
Nice work! Thanks for sharing.
@@meadedillon1715 you're very welcome!
beautiful information. thank you. will do this on my C36 and 500e
@@yellowjoe.2000 you're very welcome!
Yeah these can be fun sometimes. But when done right really work great. I low the fan control unit. I’ve used Davey Craig fan controllers. They’re smaller and a little easier to find a spot to place them.
Another great video: Outta curiosity two questions: I assume you're converting to electric fan due to/or to prevent overheating so : a. I'm sure you know that for the hot climate countries back in the day Mercedes came up with a "tropical" fan clutch for the W124 which kicks in at lower temp ,why not use that? b. Why not wire the high speed AC fan with a toggle from the cabin that you can flip when the temp goes above normal?
Thank you! To answer your curiosity, I'm doing it out of curiosity haha. Basically I'm fixing something that isn't broken. I started with the question, "Could it be done?" and ran with it. To answer your other question, factory fan clutches are no longer available. I also don't want to use a toggle switch because I want everything to function like a factory fan should function. With this PWM module though, I will need to wire up a toggle switch but only as a failsafe. One of the seven contacts on it is specifically for that.
Great video!
I have a 1992 3L M103 300E (wish I had a V8 W124). Upgraded it to a 90-150A alternator and a 100Ah battery. Planning on installing a 850W fan. What PWM device of those do you recommend? Oh yeah, we get close to 50C ambient here in good days in this part of Saudi Arabia. That's why the 850W fan. Haven't watched part two yet. Gonna when I get free.
Thanks again for the video.
@@SG-cm7zq the one I'm using is the 150 amp AutoCoolGuy.com PWM controller. I suggest upgrading the alternator as well, which I plan on doing soon as well.
@@FriendlyMBTech
Thanks!
The fan I had my eyes on turned out to be a 600W W221 fan and just finished installing it before seeing your reply (looked for 850W and wouldn't find one). Stress tested it on the 90-150W alternator and 100ah 900a battery I upgraded to. It worked beautifully under stress with 13.5v charging at idle and 14v with little revving at 1k RPM. It worked very nicely in today's 45.5C afternoon. Do I have to use on of those controllers with an overhead amps, and compared to what, the alternator?
The connections I'm using now are for test purposes. Running at 100% all the time will reduce it's life span. It's connected to a switch only.
@SG-cm7zq I'm actually thinking of switching the fan to a W221 unit. You don't HAVE to use a controller. I used one because then the fan will operate like a factory electric fan would. As temperature increases, fan speed increases. When coolant temperature are too low, the fan isn't on at all. This prevents the 0% to 100% current spikes of only using a switch and not putting undue stress on the alternator. I was sitting with the car idling the other day and noticed on my bluetooth adapter that the voltage was at 11.8v with the fan on 100%. Increasing RPM increased the voltage so I didn't get stranded. Maybe my alternator its because my alternator is on its way out? If I replace it, I'm upgrading it to a 143-150 amp unit out of a W140.
@@FriendlyMBTech
Really? Had it installed by an old MB electrician and he didn't now how to do it. Any tips? I can't see a controller attached to it. Part no. is 2215000993 and it's 600W. Are you using a 115A alternator by any chance? AFAIK, these don't do well with high output mods, especially that it is 70A at the lower end (stamped 70-115A).
AFAIK, both W140 and W220 alternators are direct fit for W124's. I recommend 150A but the flavor that has 90A at the lower end (90-150A). There's another that has 80A (80-150A). The 143A is 73-143A which is close to the lower end for the 115A. The lower end is what we need for these fans, I believe, if we are heavy city drivers. I'm mixing both W140 and W220 alternators, and only Bosch.
@SG-cm7zq The fan should have a module on it. It goes from 4 or 6 pin to 2 pin for the motor. I removed that module, so all I had was the two pin +/- to the fan motor itself. The AutoCoolGuy.com pwm controller I'm using, controls the ground side of the circuit. The directions included were very simple.
Since my alternator is either the 70A or 100A version, and I want to install some kind of better sound system in the car, the alternator will need to get upgraded either way.
What did you want tips on?
That fan controller is massive, and for what it does... way oversized. What is worse is it a fan controller (fan is underhood) reading sensors on the engine (sensors underhood) and its not even built in an acceptable way to be an under hood automotive component.
Its a super simple device. If it was me, I would look for a different controller. Ideally one that does not have massive knobs and switches on the outside of it. knobs vibrate. switches hit knocked. If I was grading this design for an automotive application, it would get a D-. If it was for an industrial application where it lives in a metal box, it would get a B+
I apologize for just now seeing your comment. Yes, I agree, it is rather large. It is capable of being under the hood, size permitting. I just don't have the underhood real estate for it. Other applications might though. Such as older cars from the 60s and 70s with less busy under hood situations. Also, I have a higher amperage version. He also makes lower amperage versions like 125 amp and 85 amp, I believe. Don't quote me, but the 85 amp body might be smaller. When I bought this one he was working on a 24v version that was even bigger than the one I bought. Size and design aside, I chose this one for several reasons. One, its simplicity. Not only is the design and function simple, but the instructions were very well written. Two, the guy building them is local to me. I was able to meet him, and he even walked me through his work shop. Three, I wanted to support a local small business. This gentleman is retired and is building these to keep himself busy. If you call the phone number on the website, he answers. If you leave a message, he calls you back. So far, I am happy with the product. It still functions perfectly. I mounted it in the trunk, away from anything that might come in contact with it.
Are you running the stock alternator? Any power concerns?
Yes, I'm going to keep the stock alternator, for now. That's one reason I'm using PWM to control the fan. No massive current spikes when the fan cycles from off to 100%. With PWM it will ramp up and down between 0% and 100% in increments depending on coolant temperature. Also, it will only turn on the fan 100% if needed.