Mitsubishi fan control module setup

[2.0L_turbo]

hey guys looking to set up a fan control module in my car soon and just want to make sure I understand how to get this all wired up properly. I found this pic on google which makes sense and then when it comes to setting up the controller does this sound right,

 

when fans are off duty cycle is 100

when fans are fully on it is 0

the middle wire on the 3 pin plug gets wired to a spare aux set as a GP PWM signal and the frequency should be 3.9khz

If I am missing anything please let me know, thanks!

 

[Confused]

I use a Mitsubishi fan controller from a Legnum VR-4 on my Link ECU.

The fan controller "fails safe" - if the PWM signal fails (such as with a loose connection), the fan comes on at 100%. The more Duty Cycle, the slower the fan goes - with 100% being fully off.

I am actually running mine at 20Hz, and that seems to actually work OK for me - not sure what impact it would have being driven at a higher frequency?

 

Here's an example of my PWM output table. As I have a chargecooler, I always want the fans running, unless I'm sitting with a cold engine doing some ECU configuration, etc, which is why I have the 30 and 31 degree lines to do a hard "off -> on slightly". The fan speed then also adjusts based upon road speed and temperature.

 

Just make sure that your main 12v input to the controller is adequately fused, and is switched by a relay controlled by the ignition. (Otherwise, when the ECU switches off, the controller will see no duty on the PWM line, and run the fans at 100%!)

[Adamw]

Note in G4X you can invert the logic on the PWM outputs using the "Active state" setting.  So rather than work backwards like you had to in G4+, you could make it more intuitive with 0% being fan off and 100% being full speed.  

[Confused]

That's useful to know, thanks for that, @Adamw!

 

[2.0L_turbo]

Hey everyone bringing this back because I am having some issues getting this to work, I am sure it is either something I have enabled in the software or my wiring but I am not sure which it is. 

so I have it wired exactly like the picture above shows and on the big plug I have added a relay on the power wire that is wired as such.

 

30= battery+

87= power to fan module

86=  ignition switched power

85= ground at same point as controller ground.

this is PCLX file that has how I set it up in the ecu, ignore the table as I was testing to see if I could get it to turn on and off but had no luck and the fan just stays constantly on. If I remove the aux 2 wire from the ecu and touch it to a chassis ground the fan does modulate based on how fast I tap and if I hold it does stay on constantly. 

 

as always, any help with this would be greatly appreciated!

 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/153rZjQwcIcENqxHGrz4Y576L79mMaKua/view?usp=sharing

[Adamw]

21 minutes ago, 2.0L_turbo said:

If I remove the aux 2 wire from the ecu and touch it to a chassis ground the fan does modulate based on how fast I tap and if I hold it does stay on constantly. 

If you are holding the signal wire on ground the fan should be off, is that what happens?

[2.0L_turbo]

7 minutes ago, Adamw said:

If you are holding the signal wire on ground the fan should be off, is that what happens?

just went out and re tested yes it shuts off not turns on, I got it mixed up.

 

[Confused]

Your manual test shows that the controller you have works as expected - the more that the signal wire is grounded, the slower the fan goes.

Regarding purely the Aux 2 based config in the config you've shared, to me it looks to match pretty much with how I've got mine configured on the G4+

[Adamw]

Yeah I dont see anything wrong with the ecu set up.  Sure you are connected to the correct ecu pin?  What happens if you set aux 2 test to on?  And also try GP PWM1 output set to none.  

[2.0L_turbo]

7 hours ago, Adamw said:

Yeah I dont see anything wrong with the ecu set up.  Sure you are connected to the correct ecu pin?  What happens if you set aux 2 test to on?  And also try GP PWM1 output set to none.  

It is definitely connected to the correct pin on the ECU, because if I change it from low to high on the active state I believe, the fan shuts off. 

 

I will try the rest of these on my lunch break in a few hours and get back to ya. Thanks for the help.

[2.0L_turbo]

Ok so update,

 

If I set gp pwm output to none the fan stays on, if I turn the test on the fan stops, and if I set test to pwm fans turn on but are at a low speed. Also tried editing the table in pwm test and no change 

 

[Adamw]

Sounds like it is working then.  In PWM test mode the table has no effect, it sends a constant 50%DC.

[2.0L_turbo]

24 minutes ago, Adamw said:

Sounds like it is working then.  In PWM test mode the table has no effect, it sends a constant 50%DC.

Yeah but then when I stop the test and go to the table I can have it set at 0 and fans run full power, and if I set it to 100 the fans still run at full power so it seems like something is over riding the table and causing the fans to stay on at full speed all the time regardless of how the table itself is set up. 

 

Another thing I just noticed when the engine is running aux 2 says inactive 

[Vaughan]

24 minutes ago, 2.0L_turbo said:

Yeah but then when I stop the test and go to the table I can have it set at 0 and fans run full power, and if I set it to 100 the fans still run at full power so it seems like something is over riding the table and causing the fans to stay on at full speed all the time regardless of how the table itself is set up. 

This says to me that the output isn't active and that your active state setting is wrong

if you need to pull the trigger pin to ground to turn the fans off set your active state to high, if you need to have it floating to turn the fan off set your active state to low.

[Adamw]

You can confirm the DC on the output in the runtimes screen.

Also I just looked at our evo notes and the stock ecu uses 125Hz for that module, so might pay to bump that up in case it is not happy.  But if it works in test mode it should be no different in run mode.

[2.0L_turbo]

50 minutes ago, Adamw said:

You can confirm the DC on the output in the runtimes screen.

Also I just looked at our evo notes and the stock ecu uses 125Hz for that module, so might pay to bump that up in case it is not happy.  But if it works in test mode it should be no different in run mode.

Well not sure what fixed it but I set it to 125hz and then unplugged the battery for a few mins and now it's working great thanks everyone! 

 

[Confused]

My module is a different one to that, it's from a Galant/Legnum VR-4, so maybe mine is less sensitive to PWM frequency than yours is. Useful to know that higher frequency works for you, and happy your issue is resolved  

[Aqmar]

Hi @2.0L_turbo& @Confused,

Do u guys run brushed or brushless fan? If u do run brushed fan, any effect to the relay?

[Confused]

I'm using a couple of the cheap 10" universal reversible jobs from eBay/China. So most likely brushed.

[2.0L_turbo]

I am also using the ebay fans and yes they are a brushed fan. So far my only issue with this set up is my turbo manifold is melting one of the fans so I need to make a heat shield for the manifold other then that it's working great. 

[alexbeatle]

Hello,

To confirm. What voltage is on PWM control wire (yellow) - 12vdc or 5vdc or you ground it?

Thanks in advance

[Confused]

If the PWM control wire is not grounded, the fan runs at 100%.

The more time spent grounded, the slower the fan spins - if it is constantly grounded, the fans are off.

This is so that it "fails safe" and if it loses its control signal, the fans default to being on fully.

[alexbeatle]

14 hours ago, Confused said:

If the PWM control wire is not grounded, the fan runs at 100%.

The more time spent grounded, the slower the fan spins - if it is constantly grounded, the fans are off.

This is so that it "fails safe" and if it loses its control signal, the fans default to being on fully.

Gotcha. So pwn pulls the control wire to ground. Thanks.

[alexbeatle]

What is an acceptable frequency range?

[David Ferguson]

It depends on the module, generally 20 - 200 hz -- if possible measure what the oem was using, read the spec sheet, or just experiment to see what works the best for your combination of controller and fan.