Flex-A-Lite 210 Fans + Overheating
04-18-2003, 01:18 PM
#21
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Location: Glendora, CA
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Nothing out of the ordinary. I'm very keen on maintenance. Other than it coming on spontaneously, it worked fine. After it burned up I gave up trying to contact Flexalite. They never responded. It just happened to fail a week after warranty was up. My only other complaint was how loud it was. Drive throughs were a pain. They can't hear you and you can't hear them.
dmode
dmode
04-18-2003, 01:53 PM
#22
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Sounds like a disgruntled customer to me. Funny, I got through to Flex-a-lite 3 times in a row on 2 different occasions 
They were more than happy to help, and gave me their personal office number if I had any questions.
Oh well, one bad experience out of many is going to happen I guess.
Good catch on the watching the temp gauge!
No offense, but I think you should have contacted Flex-a-lite when you had the spontaneous fan "turn-ons" every night.
They were more than happy to help, and gave me their personal office number if I had any questions.
Oh well, one bad experience out of many is going to happen I guess.
Good catch on the watching the temp gauge!
No offense, but I think you should have contacted Flex-a-lite when you had the spontaneous fan "turn-ons" every night.
04-21-2003, 01:18 PM
#23
Registered User
Originally posted by Cebby
Try here.
My application wasn't listed, but I emailed Tom there and he responded quickly. $200 for 120a. I'm getting mine powder coated when I do it for another $25.
Try here.
My application wasn't listed, but I emailed Tom there and he responded quickly. $200 for 120a. I'm getting mine powder coated when I do it for another $25.
I'll be going this route (plus powder coating) once I'm back in the land of cashflow.
For reference, Cebby and I are referring to MrAlternator: http://www.mralternator.com
04-21-2003, 11:26 PM
#24
about the power draw--
keep in mind that a japanese alternator with low ESR and variable intensity IC regulators usually do not fail ( they can however ) and another thing to remember is that no domestic alternators are as efficient or as good as a stock japanese alternator. in my 90 toyota truck i had a 4 amp 5000watt stereo running off my stock 60A alternator and it did not fail once. You could try and buy a stinger alternator or have yours custom rewound at a shop, but replacing it with some POS delphi alternator from a chevy wont help you. Getting another battery also helps with the current draw --- (i.e. lights dimming when fan turns on, bass hits, blinker turns on ) or stiffening with a capacitor, but capacitors do not have reserve capabilities, only short term "fill in" ability. i have a gel cell stinger battery in addition to my optima red top to help with the increased load, but i really have no problems with current draw. and keep in mind that the 80A main fuse doesnt blow at 80A, it takes a lot of overcapacity for a specified time to break that fusible link.
Another option one might think of is the alternator from a lexus LS400-- these are 120A devices which are optimized to charge better at low RPM's and those cars sure as hell have a lot more electrical crap going on than a 4runner. I would never put any domestically produced electrical device in my truck at any time-- unless you plan on taking it back and replacing it 4 times, or having it spontaneously die and strand you in the middle of nowhere.
Tim
keep in mind that a japanese alternator with low ESR and variable intensity IC regulators usually do not fail ( they can however ) and another thing to remember is that no domestic alternators are as efficient or as good as a stock japanese alternator. in my 90 toyota truck i had a 4 amp 5000watt stereo running off my stock 60A alternator and it did not fail once. You could try and buy a stinger alternator or have yours custom rewound at a shop, but replacing it with some POS delphi alternator from a chevy wont help you. Getting another battery also helps with the current draw --- (i.e. lights dimming when fan turns on, bass hits, blinker turns on ) or stiffening with a capacitor, but capacitors do not have reserve capabilities, only short term "fill in" ability. i have a gel cell stinger battery in addition to my optima red top to help with the increased load, but i really have no problems with current draw. and keep in mind that the 80A main fuse doesnt blow at 80A, it takes a lot of overcapacity for a specified time to break that fusible link.
Another option one might think of is the alternator from a lexus LS400-- these are 120A devices which are optimized to charge better at low RPM's and those cars sure as hell have a lot more electrical crap going on than a 4runner. I would never put any domestically produced electrical device in my truck at any time-- unless you plan on taking it back and replacing it 4 times, or having it spontaneously die and strand you in the middle of nowhere.
Tim
04-21-2003, 11:54 PM
#25
Registered User
Aiye... It looks like I start this with a "thank you".
Thank you.
If I read this right, you're saying that MrA is (potentially?) selling Chevy parts for general use?
Your point about the main fused link not blowing is valid... But, my issue is that I know I'm not getting a decent voltage pumped back into the system. So, I'm looking at dropping $180 on a "stock" alternator to deal with this.
From that angle, I was thinking that spending $225 on an alternator with much more capacity would be better money spent, even if I never look at using the extra current capacity.
I don't have a surge problem from high current draw, this is a full-time low _voltage_ issue. The battery is brand new, but of course will only charge to the potential of the voltage fed to it, which is a measured 12.38v at the alternator.
Thanks Tim.
Thank you.
If I read this right, you're saying that MrA is (potentially?) selling Chevy parts for general use?
Your point about the main fused link not blowing is valid... But, my issue is that I know I'm not getting a decent voltage pumped back into the system. So, I'm looking at dropping $180 on a "stock" alternator to deal with this.
From that angle, I was thinking that spending $225 on an alternator with much more capacity would be better money spent, even if I never look at using the extra current capacity.
I don't have a surge problem from high current draw, this is a full-time low _voltage_ issue. The battery is brand new, but of course will only charge to the potential of the voltage fed to it, which is a measured 12.38v at the alternator.
Thanks Tim.
04-23-2003, 11:01 PM
#26
"spending 225 dollars on a new alternator"
well sure, that could help--but be sure its a good alternator. Domestic alternators are known to output less than spec and have a higher failure mode. Another option is to have your alternator "rewound"-- that is, taking the alternator out of your truck and take it to an alternator shop that can increase the available output of the same alternator and keep the same size--sometimes those shops even put in better IC regulators too! I know of one shop in sacramento that does this but am not sure of the cost. If it was my truck, i would get a stock alternator from a larger toyota motor-- tundra, avalon, ls430, gs400 etc.
in any case, good luck ( i still think you should invest in an auxilliary battery also )
Tim
well sure, that could help--but be sure its a good alternator. Domestic alternators are known to output less than spec and have a higher failure mode. Another option is to have your alternator "rewound"-- that is, taking the alternator out of your truck and take it to an alternator shop that can increase the available output of the same alternator and keep the same size--sometimes those shops even put in better IC regulators too! I know of one shop in sacramento that does this but am not sure of the cost. If it was my truck, i would get a stock alternator from a larger toyota motor-- tundra, avalon, ls430, gs400 etc.
in any case, good luck ( i still think you should invest in an auxilliary battery also )Tim
04-24-2003, 08:40 AM
#27
Contributing Member
So far I have had one HOT summer in S. New Mexico with the fans and have had no problems.
Like 96 Runner, my fans rarely come on driving. Just when I am in traffic.
No dimming problems either.
Like 96 Runner, my fans rarely come on driving. Just when I am in traffic.
No dimming problems either.
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