Slimline fans -wiring

[easypops 8]

I’m having a bit of an issue with how to wire my slimline fans. I bought the set up years ago, with wiring already attached. This seems to incorporate the radiator switch leaving no place for the original wiring to plug into.

I’m hoping for an easier/simple solution that allows me to plug the rad switch plug in as normal. Both fans have a blue and black wire(+ and - I guess) . I would like somehow  to attach these to the original fan motor plug. I’ve had a search but still unsure. Do I join the 2 lives from the slim fans and then split them into the 3(stage 1,2,3) lives on the plug ? Or into one and then bridge the other 2?

Then  join the 2 negatives and put them to the earth in the plug?

Obviously it would be nice to locate the correct opposite of the plug to make it tidy, sure I read that there is one from another vw but I can’t find the old thread I saw it in?

Many thanks as always if anyone can help 😁

Pictures of the wiring I have installed on the fans

[science 0]

I think the opposite joining plug you need is from a Sharan. Not sure on the best way to wire them yet, I think you need to bridge the lives across the stages but don’t quote me on it. I’m guessing you want full power to the fans on all stages? Else you need to add a resistor.

Are the brackets still available? 

[Cressa 43]

Shaun has this set up on his i think. Hopefully he will jump in. He did tell me the same regarding the Sharan opposite plug. Good luck mate

[easypops 8]

13 minutes ago, science said:

I think the opposite joining plug you need is from a Sharan. Not sure on the best way to wire them yet, I think you need to bridge the lives across the stages but don’t quote me on it. I’m guessing you want full power to the fans on all stages? Else you need to add a resistor.

Are the brackets still available? 

I’ll look at eBay to see if I can find a plug, Sharan is a good shout 👍

No idea about the brackets, I bought these years ago. Yes, ideally I want it to run like factory 🤞😁

Long time no speak mate, you still in Glasgow? If so I think you might have been spotted a couple of times........posts on Facebook stating they’ve seen an unidentified green Corrado about the Clydeside expressway 😁

Edited July 23, 2020 by easypops

[easypops 8]

1 minute ago, Cressa said:

Shaun has this set up on his i think. Hopefully he will jump in. He did tell me the same regarding the Sharan opposite plug. Good luck mate

Thanks mate, I’m ideally hoping for an  absolutely idiot proof guide 😁👍

[science 0]

Haha yeah unidentified Clydeside Corrado seems likely, the wife has been using it as a daily. Can you message me a link to the Facebook post 
 

There’s  a few nice ideas and wiring diagram etc in this thread;

https://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?5810263-DIY-Dual-Aluminum-Fan-Shroud-Setup-for-your-Corrado&amp=1

[easypops 8]

11 minutes ago, science said:

Haha yeah unidentified Clydeside Corrado seems likely, the wife has been using it as a daily. Can you message me a link to the Facebook post 
 

There’s  a few nice ideas and wiring diagram etc in this thread;

https://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?5810263-DIY-Dual-Aluminum-Fan-Shroud-Setup-for-your-Corrado&amp=1

🤣 I’ll need to make a cuppa before I try looking at that 🤣

Let me look and I’ll see if I can find the post/posts on Facebook 👍

[fla 9]

I made up a new loom for mine which plugs into the fan controller harness and with two connectors to each of the fans. I think some details are in my build thread but I'll try and dig out the pics for you

[easypops 8]

5 minutes ago, fla said:

I made up a new loom for mine which plugs into the fan controller harness and with two connectors to each of the fans. I think some details are in my build thread but I'll try and dig out the pics for you

Superb mate, thank you 😁

[fla 9]

here you go:

[fla 9]

i basically cut off the old connector and replaced it with a pair of Golf Mk4 connectors.  The fans were wired in so that at low speed one fan ran and at speed 2 both were on.  I previously had them both running on speed 1 with a wire bridging to speed 2 just in case.  

This is much quieter now and just as effective, although i have 2 x11" spal fans.  I might actually take one out and use a 9" instead as there is more than enough cooling with the mocal as well - similar to your setup

Edited July 24, 2020 by fla

[1xshaunx1 27]

17 hours ago, easypops said:

Thanks mate, I’m ideally hoping for an  absolutely idiot proof guide 😁👍

I have no idiot proof guide easy, although I did manage to sort it and it’s still works. This is the fan you want for the plug

[1xshaunx1 27]

My wiring  is like this. I have two relays in case one packs in I will still have one fan. My fans are bigger than yours and Flas’ so I used relays rather than go through the plug with power. I also pulled the black connector off of the thermostat housing so stage three fan can’t come in and kill power from stage 2. I also have a switch in the cabin I can turn on to bring both on manually 

[1xshaunx1 27]

Looked like this near the end. The fan at the top comes on with stage 1 and both fans with stage 2. Stage 3 is not connected. 

[fla 9]

sorry Martin, mine were Mk5 plugs.  I used this drawing, although just three diodes as opposed to 6.  Essentially you're connecting each fan to ground and then each of the lives to speed 1 2 and 3.  You're then using a diode to make sure the power doesn't find an easier route!  Someone else on the forum created a nice harness which i basically copied.  Let me have a search and post up when i find it

Edited July 24, 2020 by fla

[easypops 8]

5 hours ago, fla said:

sorry Martin, mine were Mk5 plugs.  I used this drawing, although just three diodes as opposed to 6.  Essentially you're connecting each fan to ground and then each of the lives to speed 1 2 and 3.  You're then using a diode to make sure the power doesn't find an easier route!  Someone else on the forum created a nice harness which i basically copied.  Let me have a search and post up when i find it

This I think I can just about manage, any idea of diode size I should be buying?

Also, total layman’s question.......what does the diode do? Is it like a non return valve for power? 🤣

[easypops 8]

5 hours ago, 1xshaunx1 said:

My wiring  is like this. I have two relays in case one packs in I will still have one fan. My fans are bigger than yours and Flas’ so I used relays rather than go through the plug with power. I also pulled the black connector off of the thermostat housing so stage three fan can’t come in and kill power from stage 2. I also have a switch in the cabin I can turn on to bring both on manually 

Thanks mate, I’ll keep this in mind, I’m going to go with the easier one that Fla posted. I do like the idea of a cabin switch but as the car hasn’t actually started yet I’ll get it working first 😁👍

[fla 9]

16 hours ago, easypops said:

This I think I can just about manage, any idea of diode size I should be buying?

Also, total layman’s question.......what does the diode do? Is it like a non return valve for power? 🤣

Good questions - yes it allows current in one direction only.  I'll get some pics of the diode i bought.  Actually i only used 1 as i connected both fans to speeds two and three directly.  

I think i've got some spares - let me have a look and if i have,  send me your address i'll pop a few in the post to you

[oneohtwo 8]

Has anyone tried opening up the factory fan houseing and seen how the wiring works in there?

Was just thinking within the there must be existing wiring set up to take the relevant power outputs from the 3 stages and directing to the electric motor accoridngly, doing what we try to replicate with the new harnesses. Wondering if it would be easy to keep the existing and just reconnect the outputs?

Edited February 5, 2021 by oneohtwo

[fendervg 29]

Is it not just an earth and 2 live pins, 3 speeds are got using 1 or 2 and 1+2 together?

[oneohtwo 8]

I don't know, I've not really looked into it but sounds plausible. Would match the wiring diagrams above certainly. I have got a couple of the Comex/revotec fans so need to start looking into the wiring.

[oneohtwo 8]

Out of interest I opened up the existing motor, and partly in the hope of using the connector, which perhaps in hindsight was a mistake, but if anyone is interested it looks like this:

I've traced on the circuit routes below, as far as I can see them:

I suppose the only point of interest is that the flat disk (with the 046 stamp on it) on the outside appears to be some sort of resistor (possibly, electronics is not a strong point, but I did notice the hard white insulating material falling out as I took it apart) and the feed for speeds 1 and 2 are passed through this before going into the motor itself, connecting via the spade connector on the left/right before connecting up with the terminal that Speed 3 runs directly into, and then around the motor circuit.

Would this mean that the current for speeds 1 and 2 is regulated at the motor, rather than entirely by the control unit? Not sure if that needs any consideration for the slimline fan wiring.

Anyway, there we go. Have possibly broken a perfectly good fan motor for no good reason - although it probably did need refurbishment anyway.

 

[1xshaunx1 27]

12v in on all three feeds to fan.Power Resisted down in the fan unit, hence the wire sizes being different. 
pretty sure it shows this in the Bentley Corrado manual wiring diagram on the subject. 
Don't feel too bad about the fan it was after all 25+ years Old. 

[fla 9]

Some great info there. Confirms my(and others' ) thoughts of resistors stepping down the speeds inside the motor. 

If you dont mind would you be able to measure the resistance of each of the resistors there? I'm thinking of making another loom with the same resistances to mimic the operation with slimline fans. My current setup means i have speed 1 = 1 fan, speed two = 2 fans slow speed from fan control module, speed three = 2 fans high speed from fan control module

 

Your skills are more than sufficient to rebuild it to a better standard than it was originally!

 

Hasan

Edited February 23, 2021 by fla

[oneohtwo 8]

2 hours ago, 1xshaunx1 said:

12v in on all three feeds to fan.Power Resisted down in the fan unit, hence the wire sizes being different. 
pretty sure it shows this in the Bentley Corrado manual wiring diagram on the subject. 
Don't feel too bad about the fan it was after all 25+ years Old. 

Yeah, true! Just seeing how rare they are and how much they get flogged for on ebay...

I will dig out the Bentley manual and have a look.

34 minutes ago, fla said:

Some great info there. Confirms my(and others' ) thoughts of resistors stepping down the speeds inside the motor. 

If you dont mind would you be able to measure the resistance of each of the resistors there? I'm thinking of making another loom with the same resistances to mimic the operation with slimline fans. My current setup means i have speed 1 = 1 fan, speed two = 2 fans slow speed from fan control module, speed three = 2 fans high speed from fan control module

Good idea, if I've not busted it in the process, I will have a look and see what I get. Might also say in the Bentley.