Add Electric Fan for Radiator

[AllDodge]

Talking to local dealer about my M9540 getting hot when it gets in the 90's. AC does ok but sure wish it would do better

He said I should add a electric fan to help move air in thru the coolers. Said the AC will be cooler and the heat will be reduced on the hot days. Should be able to install a 15 to 16 inch fan thru a relay and can have it turn on when AC is on

Anyone done similar and have any luck?

 

[Russell King]

Not sure this applies to your situation but there have been several threads about AC in cabs and how cleaning the evaporator coils improves the cooling efficiency immensely.

Perhaps you can make sure the current system is operating properly before modifying it?

 

[AllDodge]

I removed and had it hanging outside the cab a couple years ago. Made sure it was clean, hardest part was removing the seat. Also have full gauge set and verified pressures for R134a are within specs. The main issue is when temps get in the 90's.

Was thinking about adding a dark temp to the cab glass which would also help. As before talking to dealer and he mentioned the extra fan

Tractor was having the parking paw and gear replaced because the company I paid the have new tires installed, he broke it

 

[Russell King]

I have no idea about a fan installation so can’t be of any further help.

 

[#40Fan]

No electric fan will be able to move more CFM than the stock fan. A proper douching of the cooler pack will help more than anything.

 

[jaxs]

Talking to local dealer about my M9540 getting hot when it gets in the 90's. AC does ok but sure wish it would do better

He said I should add a electric fan to help move air in thru the coolers. Said the AC will be cooler and the heat will be reduced on the hot days. Should be able to install a 15 to 16 inch fan thru a relay and can have it turn on when AC is on

Anyone done similar and have any luck?

An electric fan is nonsense but you need to speak more precise about the problem if you expect reliable advice. THAT sounds like engine is overheating but you seem to be more concerned about ac cooling. It's a chore just seeing the trash and getting radiator and ac condenser clean on many Kubotas. Remove covers,use mirror and flashlight to look BETWEEN radiator and condenser for trash. Also make sure light passes through coils and fins. Exceptionally powerful garden hose pressure or minimal pressure washer pressure is what you need.

 

[AllDodge]

The radiator is clean, I wash it out at the beginning of each season. The condenser has been fully cleaned 2 years ago. I worry about the motor first and AC second.

When in the 90's and pulling a 15 ft batwing up/down hills the motor starts getting hotter than normal. When it gets to a point I stop the tractor, disengage batwing and let it cool down, than repeat

For the most part just forget it, when a dealer which has been in business for a long time tells me about a fan I'll believe him before folks on a forum, and he specifically was talking about my series of tractor

 

[JasonW]

Are you thinking about replacing the mechanical fan with an electric? Or adding an electric in front of the ac condenser as a pusher fan?
Several vehicles have a pusher fan setup with a clutch fan before most swapped to all electric fans.
You say it gets hotter than normal? Have you measured with a temp gun on the radiator? Cannot really go off the factory dash gauge.

But to troubleshoot the ac while it’s “hot” check the air temperature coming out of the vents, then spray down the ac condenser with water and see if the temperature at the vents drops.
If it does then yes an electric pusher fan will help.

Have you considered tinting the windows?
When I used to run heavy equipment we would let them run during lunch because if they were shut off for 15-20 minutes in the sun the ac would never catch up the rest of the day from the heat coming off the underside of the cab.

 

[McMXi]

When in the 90's and pulling a 15 ft batwing up/down hills the motor starts getting hotter than normal. When it gets to a point I stop the tractor, disengage batwing and let it cool down, than repeat.

What did your dealer say about that? Did they make any suggestions re the cooling system? I pull a 4,000 lb Land Pride folding cutter up/down hills with my M6060 in hot weather too, and the tractor runs as cool as can be, so cool in fact that I have to turn the blower in the cab down a setting or two.

It sounds to me like the root cause of the problem should be solved rather than applying a Band-Aid in the form of an additional fan. If the tractor was under-designed and overheating is normal then perhaps another fan is the answer. Basically, has the tractor and cutter always performed this way or has it become worse over time? Maybe a cooling system service is in order. Is the system maintaining pressure, is the coolant pump working properly, is the thermostat working properly, is coolant flowing properly, is there sufficient coolant in the system, does the coolant have the right chemistry. I would argue that the cooling system is one of the most overlooked aspects of tractors and vehicles in general. But perhaps your dealer has signed off on all of this.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

hmm... wondering if the fan belt needs a wee bit of tightening ??

 

[AllDodge]

Or adding an electric in front of the ac condenser as a pusher fan?

Yes, pusher

Have you measured with a temp gun on the radiator? Cannot really go off the factory dash gauge.

Yes, have IR temp gun in the cab

Have you considered tinting the windows?

Yes, and that is one thing that could help the cab, but I'm thinking about motor currently

 

[GBJeffOH]

Talking to local dealer about my M9540 getting hot when it gets in the 90's. AC does ok but sure wish it would do better

He said I should add a electric fan to help move air in thru the coolers. Said the AC will be cooler and the heat will be reduced on the hot days. Should be able to install a 15 to 16 inch fan thru a relay and can have it turn on when AC is on

Anyone done similar and have any luck?

You pull the roof to get to the evaptor.

 

[Botamon]

The radiator is clean, I wash it out at the beginning of each season. The condenser has been fully cleaned 2 years ago.

When bushhogging I clean my radiator and condenser daily. If its exceptionally dusty then twice a day. I can actually watch the coolant temperature gauge creep up from where it normally runs as chaff and dirt accumulates in the screens and radiator.

 

[AllDodge]

You pull the roof to get to the evaptor.

No
It's under the seat

 

[chim]

My first assumption is that the system is fine as designed and if the charge is good and you have a functioning compressor I'd suspect the condenser is getting plugged up. Of course it's more difficult to get to the bottom of the issue from afar. A year or two after buying my L4240 with just under 1000 hours on it the TXV failed. I replaced it and it's been fine ever since. Doubt that's your problem if the pressures look good.

I posted a while back (link below) about the crud I found in my condenser, radiator and oil cooler. I had good tools for blowing the debris out of them but the amount of junk that came out when I thoroughly cleaned them was way more than I expected to see. Here's the discharge temp on my tractor one day when outdoor temp was 90°F.

My, What dirty fins you have

The goal today was to clean the radiator and condenser fins. Funny how tasks have a way of increasing in scope. It was a successful day though. What really surprised me was just how dirty the fins were. I do use compressed air and the two tools shown in the first/second photos and felt my...

www.orangetractortalks.com

 

[jaxs]

My first assumption is that the system is fine as designed and if the charge is good and you have a functioning compressor I'd suspect the condenser is getting plugged up. Of course it's more difficult to get to the bottom of the issue from afar. A year or two after buying my L4240 with just under 1000 hours on it the TXV failed. I replaced it and it's been fine ever since. Doubt that's your problem if the pressures look good.

I posted a while back (link below) about the crud I found in my condenser, radiator and oil cooler. I had good tools for blowing the debris out of them but the amount of junk that came out when I thoroughly cleaned them was way more than I expected to see. Here's the discharge temp on my tractor one day when outdoor temp was 90°F.

My, What dirty fins you have

The goal today was to clean the radiator and condenser fins. Funny how tasks have a way of increasing in scope. It was a successful day though. What really surprised me was just how dirty the fins were. I do use compressed air and the two tools shown in the first/second photos and felt my...

www.orangetractortalks.com

He said condenser is clean. But if you talk to ac techs and they will tell you they would like $1 for each time they found dirty coils after being assured they have already been cleaned.
That evidently isn't true for "a dealer that has been in business for a long time"

Seriously, with all the possible issues listed by McMXi above , it's wishful dreaming to expect accurate diagnosis without inquirer providing many accurate technical details. This is not to single OP out, to the contrary it's an all to common occurrence. I'm going to try posting a link that demonstrates what I'm referring to. The inquirer has been a member for 5 years but that evidently only makes it more difficult to admit his limited understanding of electrical. If ignorance were a hanging offense, you could hear a pin drop because every single one of us are on countless subjects. My advice to those surfing for silver bullets, ask instead for help in understanding whatever gives you most trouble and as time allows cover them one at a time. In case you get bored or you are the type that always reads the last chapter first, the punch line comes in post #77.
(34) Puzzled by trailer lights not working | Yesterday's Tractors Forums

 

[chim]

He said condenser is clean. But if you talk to ac techs and they will tell you they would like $1 for each time they found dirty coils after being assured they have already been cleaned.
That evidently isn't true for "a dealer that has been in business for a long time"

Seriously, with all the possible issues listed by McMXi above , it's wishful dreaming to expect accurate diagnosis without inquirer providing many accurate technical details. This is not to single OP out, to the contrary it's an all to common occurrence. I'm going to try posting a link that demonstrates what I'm referring to. The inquirer has been a member for 5 years but that evidently only makes it more difficult to admit his limited understanding of electrical. If ignorance were a hanging offense, you could hear a pin drop because every single one of us are on countless subjects. My advice to those surfing for silver bullets, ask instead for help in understanding whatever gives you most trouble and as time allows cover them one at a time. In case you get bored or you are the type that always reads the last chapter first, the punch line comes in post #77.
(34) Puzzled by trailer lights not working | Yesterday's Tractors Forums

Brain flatulance can happen to anyone. Reminds me of the time my bud (one of the best electricians out there) called about LED trailer lights he was installing for a friend. I asked him "Remember what the "D" in LED stands for?". Brief moment of silence before I heard an "Oh sht" from his end.

 

[Russell King]

@AllDodge

The only suggestion I can make on the electric fan is to look at NAPA online parts. They have a plethora of different sizes and styles. There are some pretty small height dual fans that might fit in front of the AC coil. You will probably have to bolt or weld on some sort of supports. I think I would try to get some kind of screen in front of the fan to avoid driving stuff into the fins. Assuming there is some space and some access to lean it.

Some of the fans can be used to pull air through the heat exchanger but I have no idea if there is a way to get the fan between the radiator and the AC coil.

Good luck

 

[DaveFromMi]

A pusher fan may help the A/C if the condenser is not plugged, but probably won't affect engine cooling. Make sure the engine fan is centered in the shroud and shroud not broken. There should be rubber or plastic seals between the condenser and radiator to form an airflow tunnel from the condenser to shroud. There should also be plastic or rubber seals between the radiator and hood to prevent hot air from back of fan from getting pulled back into the condenser.
How would you control the electric fan? Key on, compressor clutch volts, pressure sensor? Most autos use a Pd sensor to activate an electric fan relay. How many amps will the fan draw; will the electrical system support the fan and everything else?

 

[Fedup]

I've added electric condenser fans more than once. My suggestion is this. Place the biggest fan you can fit in front of the condenser forcing air towards the radiator. Just wire it up with jumper leads directly to the battery for openers. Try it out when you work the tractor on the next hot day and see what difference it makes. Try it for a while then turn it off and try it. Then decide if it's worth the effort. My guess is you will keep it.