# EVnetics liquid cooling



## Joey (Oct 12, 2007)

I'm going with the Soliton 1. I will try to price out a radiator, fan, resevoir, and pump. The Soliton manual recommends this pump:
http://www.amazon.com/Koolance-Pump...8UWU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1331880395&sr=8-1

If I can't get below $285, I will go with a kit like this: http://www.evsource.com/images/WarP-Drive/WD_CK.JPG


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## ddmcse (Oct 9, 2008)

Soliton1 
I went with the WarP cooling kit. I don't have it yet. 
I did have issues with temp last year.


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## DIYguy (Sep 18, 2008)

ElectriCar said:


> OK so which product are you using and what are using to cool it? Models and part numbers as you know would be most helpful. Links to your product sources would be too!
> 
> Pump?
> Pump controller, relay etc?
> ...


Hey Mr. I will have to look up part numbers, but I can tell you basically what I did. I went to Canadian Tire (your typical auto supply store) and bought the smaller of 3 options for transmission cooling rad. It's about 3" x 10" or maybe 12", something like that. Mounted it up front near the bumber/cowling where some air comes through. Then I picked up a 12volt pump, at Princess Auto. This thing is tiny and submersible. It costs like $10. It looks like this... http://www.princessauto.com/pal/product/4270013/Utility-Pumps/12V-Bilge-Pump
I didn't believe the gpm rating on it, but thought I would give it a try. I actually tested the volume with a couple of buckets and water, and it lived up to its rating. Im actually very impressed with it... and I thought it was junk. I just wanted to get it going while I searched for a better one. Stilll works like a champ. Then I bought a kind of "tupperware" (not really that brand) of container like a water bottle with a removable lid. It holds about a quart. Drilled holes for the wires and tubing so they were snug. Made a mount ring of stainless steel from some sheet metal and mounted it. I used one of the ice cube auto relays. The little ones that are an inch square. Like this.... http://www.westfloridacomponents.com/J369APF09/40A+12V+SPDT+Auto+Relay+Prolink+SPDT40P.html
I drive this with the optional output on the Soliton specifically for this purpose. It comes on with the cooling fans. I use the traditional glycol mix for radiator cooling. It has worked flawlessly for about 10,000 km since installation. I check it occasionally to make sure it works as there is no sound at all.

I will likely use a Sureflo pump for my Shiva though as it has much larger ports and of course no air cooling at all. The one I use for my heater is perfect . . and a real brute. High flow rate at high pressure, quiet (not silent) and durable. These are made for RV water pumping applications and the model I bought has all the features described above. You can find their specs on line. It does something like 3.5 gpm at 50 psi. Many pumps don't live up to their rating.


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## Salty9 (Jul 13, 2009)

DIYguy said:


> . . . . . . .Then I bought a kind of "tupperware" (not really that brand) of container like a water bottle with a removable lid. It holds about a quart.. . . . . . .


Check a wrecking yard for a radiator overflow coolant reservoir.


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## DIYguy (Sep 18, 2008)

Salty9 said:


> Check a wrecking yard for a radiator overflow coolant reservoir.


Yes, I did get one of these from a motorcycle (liquid cooled) junkyard, for my fluid heater. . however, because I used a submersible pump for this application, I needed the ability to get it in and out so, required a larger lid/opening. I also needed to get one that fit the space I had. If you go with an inline pump, then this would be better for sure. What ever works.


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## PThompson509 (Jul 9, 2009)

I've used the WarP Drive liquid cooling kit from EV Source.
http://www.evsource.com/tls_cooling.php

I had a custom mount for the radiator built, so it sits under the rear of the car in the main airflow. Necessary for San Diego.


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## PhantomPholly (Aug 20, 2008)

Here's a thought for all of you installing liquid cooling. Automobile cooling systems are complicated because they must be pressurized. Your systems will never get that hot. However, because the difference in temperature is not so great the transfer efficiency will likewise be a bit less, so keeping liquid cool in a small closed system might not be easy even with a relatively large radiator.

Since peak temperatures will occur only during hard acceleration, you might save on radiator size (size = $$$ and drag) if you have a bit of a heat sink. This can be accomplished simply through a larger coolant reservoir. It would take a full minute or so of hard acceleration to raise the temperature of a whole gallon of water significantly; this might ease your cooling worries.


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## PThompson509 (Jul 9, 2009)

Hi Phantom,

While this might be true for cool areas, it isn't true for mine - San Diego gets pretty hot in summer. Anytime you live in an area where the summer temperature gets above 32c (90F), you need to worry about motor and controller temps. Especially in the afternoon, when the streets have been cooked all day. 

My aircooled motor used to overheat consistently in the afternoon (but was fine in the morning). This is why I put in two radiators to deal with the problem of excess heat.

Cheers,
Peter



PhantomPholly said:


> Here's a thought for all of you installing liquid cooling. Automobile cooling systems are complicated because they must be pressurized. Your systems will never get that hot. However, because the difference in temperature is not so great the transfer efficiency will likewise be a bit less, so keeping liquid cool in a small closed system might not be easy even with a relatively large radiator.
> 
> Since peak temperatures will occur only during hard acceleration, you might save on radiator size (size = $$$ and drag) if you have a bit of a heat sink. This can be accomplished simply through a larger coolant reservoir. It would take a full minute or so of hard acceleration to raise the temperature of a whole gallon of water significantly; this might ease your cooling worries.


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## ElectriCar (Jun 15, 2008)

PhantomPholly said:


> Here's a thought for all of you installing liquid cooling. Automobile cooling systems are complicated because they must be pressurized. Your systems will never get that hot. However, because the difference in temperature is not so great the transfer efficiency will likewise be a bit less, so keeping liquid cool in a small closed system might not be easy even with a relatively large radiator.
> 
> Since peak temperatures will occur only during hard acceleration, you might save on radiator size (size = $$$ and drag) if you have a bit of a heat sink. This can be accomplished simply through a larger coolant reservoir. It would take a full minute or so of hard acceleration to raise the temperature of a whole gallon of water significantly; this might ease your cooling worries.


Sounds like a good idea.


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## ElectriCar (Jun 15, 2008)

There are a lot of ATV radiators on ebay but I noticed a lot of Honda radiators had a special flange that will require some fabrication just to connect the things. 

Also here's a 6" 12V 300CFM shrouded fan for a radiator.


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## DIYguy (Sep 18, 2008)

ElectriCar said:


> There are a lot of ATV radiators on ebay but I noticed a lot of Honda radiators had a special flange that will require some fabrication just to connect the things.
> 
> Also here's a 6" 12V 300CFM shrouded fan for a radiator.


You may want to match the hose ports sizes though and I think most of the ATV rads are like 7/8" or something like that. The tranny coolers are 3/8" I think and the Soliton has 1/8" NPT which is like 1/4" od and fittings for this size can be had with 3/8" od directly. I know for mine, I didn't need any adaptors. Tranny coolers "should" be cheaper also. I think I paid around $30 IIRC. Just food for thought.
BTW. . u would be very surprised about the temperature here in the summer months....its not Texas, but it gets bloody hot some days.


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## PhantomPholly (Aug 20, 2008)

PThompson509 said:


> Hi Phantom,
> 
> While this might be true for cool areas, it isn't true for mine - San Diego gets pretty hot in summer. Anytime you live in an area where the summer temperature gets above 32c (90F), you need to worry about motor and controller temps. Especially in the afternoon, when the streets have been cooked all day.
> 
> ...


Ah, I wasn't suggesting that the resulting radiator would always be tiny, only that having a gallon or two of "heat sink" for peak operation might reduce the minimum size radiator required for continuous operation.


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## mizlplix (May 1, 2011)

I am using a 1932 FORD sized aluminum radiator. It is necessary to hold up my cowl and hood. SO, using it for a coolant heat exchanger is a natural.

I use a regular inline 7PSI fuel pump, as these have stainless steel internals.

Also, Propylene Glycol from a Veterinary store, 50/50 with tap water for coolant. It takes 1-1/2 gallon total.

The pump does make noise and I might/or not...change it out later.

I live in Arizona....

Miz


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## lowcrawler (Jun 27, 2011)

Perhaps slightly off-topic, but I wonder if any of the Evnetics guys might chime in:

I'm planning to go all-air for the forseeable future. However, I may move to liquid cooling in the future.

As a preservation of the liquid cooling, I have my liquid ports covered. I was wondering if we might slow down 'temp spikes' by filling them and then covering the holes. Basically just offering a slightly larger thermal mass next to the largest point sources of heat...

Thoughts?


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## Salty9 (Jul 13, 2009)

You might consider a heater core for more cooling capacity than an autotrans cooler.


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## piotrsko (Dec 9, 2007)

lowcrawler said:


> As a preservation of the liquid cooling, I have my liquid ports covered. I was wondering if we might slow down 'temp spikes' by filling them and then covering the holes. Basically just offering a slightly larger thermal mass next to the largest point sources of heat...
> 
> Thoughts?


if you fill the cavity it will take longer to heat up AND cool back down down. IMHO, not what one would want specially the cool down portion. Have you experienced thermal overtemp yet?? I haven't and I have run it at 700 motor amps for a mile up a hill.


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## EVfun (Mar 14, 2010)

That is about how I cool my Zilla. Its ports are on the side so there is some thermo syphon action too. The whole cooling system is about 1.5 cups of computer coolant, with a small tank and a couple of clear plastic lines. There is no pump or radiator.

If you run coolant in the controller you need at least a small overflow tank. Water expands quite a bit as it heats and the volume increase has to be able to go somewhere.


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## ElectriCar (Jun 15, 2008)

Ok here's what I did initially. I used a 5x12" trans cooler costing about $35 or so with an aftermarket overflow tank of about a liter/quart capacity. For a pump I used one from Camping World, about $60 USD which is designed as a water pump for an RV for showers etc. So I have about $110 in it including a $5 12V relay.

Here's what I've learned. The Sol turns the fans/pump on at 40C or 104F and shuts off at 35C or 95F. When you're driving in 85F temps, the thing runs all the time! 

Today I installed a larger cooler for about $45 hoping it will allow the pump to run much less. So I have about 160 square inches or so of radiator. Since i just got it added I don't have much data yet but it did well today. However it only got to about 82F.


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