P1000 (Hot Seat) 7" fan install P1000-3

Robobrainiac

Robobrainiac

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I could not find the bilge vs radiator fan thread?
I will add that the fan I installed is not loud.
You can only hear it when sitting still at idle.
I think the factory radiator fan makes more noise than the seat fan. Another plus is you could swap out this fan relatively fast and if your replacement fan had different bolt pattern just drill new holes. I think the radiator fans will probably blow the doors off the bilge fans.
This is the thread I made


So far it seems everyone is using bilge fans but I believe radiator fans would be more effective.
 
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mibracedude

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Scroll to the top of this thread for pics of successful fan install.
Thanks toolmaker. Wondering if putting the fan into a cut out on the vertical plastic below the front seat would have made it cool better, rather than enclosed in the engine compartment. I like what you did and thanks for connecting me to the pics. I just took a ride in mine and checked temps at Time 0 and after 30 minutes. Interesting that Honda has a real safety problem here and done nothing to remedy it. (outside temp was 76 degrees)The seat temp rose to 91 degrees, the vertical front plastic to 118 degrees, and the plastic around the seat belt attachment was 146 degrees! Skin will blister at 122 degrees. NEVER PUT A KID BETWEEN ADULTS in the front seat ! Serious harm will occur.
 
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bumperm

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This is the thread I made


So far it seems everyone is using bilge fans but I believe radiator fans would be more effective.

That could be the case, and I don't know for sure! But I do know that CFM (cubic feet per minute) only speaks to volume and that is not the only consideration. True, the radiator fan will move more air, but I'm guessing it will do that with less velocity than the bilge fan.

I received my 4" bilge fan today and set about measuring it's output with a digital anemometer (using two of them to compare readings). I measured 34 miles per hour a few inches away from the output. Did the math and that comes to 240 CFM, not surprising, even with high velocity, due to the relatively small outlet size of the blower at 11.79 sq". (270 CFM is claimed, BTW). I don't know what the output velocity of the radiator fan is, but I suspect it has lower velocity and, of course, more volume of air moved due to much larger fan area. So, what's better higher velocity or more volume? Does the radiator fan have high velocity too?

I think it will be easier to direct air at where it's needed with the bilge blower. But admittedly, that's a WAG at this point.
 
Robobrainiac

Robobrainiac

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That could be the case, and I don't know for sure! But I do know that CFM (cubic feet per minute) only speaks to volume and that is not the only consideration. True, the radiator fan will move more air, but I'm guessing it will do that with less velocity than the bilge fan.

I received my 4" bilge fan today and set about measuring it's output with a digital anemometer (using two of them to compare readings). I measured 34 miles per hour a few inches away from the output. Did the math and that comes to 240 CFM, not surprising, even with high velocity, due to the relatively small outlet size of the blower at 11.79 sq". (270 CFM is claimed, BTW). I don't know what the output velocity of the radiator fan is, but I suspect it has lower velocity and, of course, more volume of air moved due to much larger fan area. So, what's better higher velocity or more volume? Does the radiator fan have high velocity too?

I think it will be easier to direct air at where it's needed with the bilge blower. But admittedly, that's a WAG at this point.
The bulge fans are most likely more direct too. They have an inlet and outlet "tube" and I assume allows you to pinpoint the direction you want the air to go. The upgr8 tool maker used I believe was a 7" @ 1350cfm and the fan I am looking at is 1700cfm @ 8"
 
Toolmaker67

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Thanks toolmaker. Wondering if putting the fan into a cut out on the vertical plastic below the front seat would have made it cool better, rather than enclosed in the engine compartment.
IMO You're probably better off having the fan under seat enclosed rather than exposed and subject to the beating of getting in-and-out of your machine and the possibility of breaking the fan cage. I am installing vents in that area for fresh air intake to feed the fan.
 
Toolmaker67

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More food for thought on a radiator fan install. The fan itself is close to the motor crank case towards the bottom and at some point in time I could end up with a gooey melted mess of plastic.
We are plowing new ground, its all a big experiment to fix a very annoying problem. I have seen pics of melted bilge fan housings....
Could happen to my install.
 
bumperm

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More food for thought on a radiator fan install. The fan itself is close to the motor crank case towards the bottom and at some point in time I could end up with a gooey melted mess of plastic.
We are plowing new ground, its all a big experiment to fix a very annoying problem. I have seen pics of melted bilge fan housings....
Could happen to my install.

Good point. The bilge fan can be wrapped with the same insulation that's being used to block heat. PVC has a service temperature of around 150 F and starts to melt around 180 to 200 F. Vehicle air temperatures that high are usually only seen in Teslas.
 
Toolmaker67

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Update on my 7" fan install.
I added two 3" vents directly in front of the fan to let fresh air in. The fan area is in somewhat of a dead space, there's not much vent area to pull fresh air from besides under the machine and hot air coming back from the radiator under the drive train tunnel. I had to cut down my vents to make them fit, the flanges were too big. You have to be careful cutting these holes there is wiring harness right behind this area. Didn't have a hole saw so I used the drill and cut a series of holes and played dot to dot with a sharp knife.
BTW, Immediately noticed it's sucking a nice amount of air through these vents. It will hold a medium duty shop paper towel against event!
I still have not installed my welding blanket, that will be next it will happen.

20210721 054332 20210724 101502 20210724 103038
 
tdhanses

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I’m not sure the vents are needed, I think it pulls air from plenty of places. Keep us updated if it allows more hot air in when the fan isn’t on, might be cheap heat in the winter.
 
Toolmaker67

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Harbor Freight welding blanket install pics.
Took my wife & I about 1hr.
We folded the blanket in half so it is double thickness.
We went for a short ride afterwards but it was 104° on our back deck so it was HOT!
Test results coming soon.

20210727 180039 20210727 180601 20210727 184440
 
bumperm

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On the welding blanket vs. reflective foil insulation question:

The welding blanket will have some R value, but that is not it's design purpose, that being to block welding sparks, molten metal drops, perhaps UV from others and to protect adjacent areas etc. Insulation is not primary and there is little to no heat reflective value.

The foil or reflective mylar faced insulation (whether bubbles for dead air space or foam to accomplish same) will work to reflect radiant heat as well as block convective. So, at least to my sometimes muddled way of thinking, it *should* be better on both counts. However, the way the faced foil is being installed has me questioning at least some of its efficacy, as the foil is shiny side down to a sheet of factory rubber. I'd think that would take away a good part of blocking radiant heat - no?

milbracedude provides some info to consider in his post when he speaks to the temperature of the vertical plastic at the front of the seat. Insulating the inside surface of that area may be useful too - wouldn't have to be air tight, as there's no air flow through it (unless one cuts vents as some have - and that's not in my plan without first measuring the delta-p (pressure differential) between in there and the pax area. Bringing cool air in from without the pax area would be better if it's practical to do that.
 
Robobrainiac

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Looking very nice. I am excited to hear how it goes
 
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Toolmaker67

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Update on the welding blanket install.
We been running around the neighborhood and down to the lake for the last 3 or 4 weeks. My wife has noticed a big difference with everything I've done to correct the cab heat problem. The Harbor Freight welding blanket does a decent job of shielding the heat from the cab however the blanket itself does get hot and at this point I think the foil insulation would be better. So at this point I am not sold on the effectiveness of the Harbor freight welding blanket. The 7" radiator fan with intake vents under the seat has helped tremendously. The fan is wired directly to my single battery. I installed a Volt meter hooked in to the accessory key on auxiliary hot wire. Nice to see what's going on with the charging system. Consistently reads 14 volts with the engine running.
 

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