I still can't get my HVAC working | Page 3 | FerrariChat

I still can't get my HVAC working

Discussion in '348/355' started by OliverGT3, Apr 1, 2018.

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  1. Qavion

    Qavion F1 World Champ
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    #51 Qavion, Jul 22, 2022
    Last edited: Jul 22, 2022
    I decided to do my own resistance checks and almost none of my results matched what I was given by a fellow Ferrari owner.

    I still can't make any sense of the results, however. The resistance networks have a relationship between both panel earth and panel power.
    Note that there is some variation depending on the ohmmeter used.

    FAN SPEED (using pins 3 (fuse power) and pin 8)
    AUTO 191.1 k ohms
    OFF 73.3k ohms
    1 22.86k ohms
    2 14.77k ohms
    3 9.81k ohms
    4 7.22k ohms

    FAN SPEED (using pins 1 (earth) and pin 8)
    OFF 183.7k ohms
    1 66.0k ohms
    2 15.5k ohms
    3 2.475k ohms
    4 1.2 ohms

    TEMPERATURE (using pins 1 (earth) and pin 5)
    Max cold 3.143k ohms
    18C 3.071k ohms
    19C 2.945k ohms
    20C 2.797k ohms
    21C 2.620k ohms
    22C 2.408k ohms
    23C 2.149k ohms
    24C 1.822k ohms
    25C 1.357k ohms
    Max heat 1.2 ohms


    TEMPERATURE (using pins 3 (fuse power) and pin 5)
    Max cold 291.3k ohms
    18C 98.0k ohms
    19C 47.5k ohms
    20C 30.72k ohms
    21C 22.26k ohms
    22C 17.29k ohms
    23C 13.98k ohms
    24C 11.61k ohms
    25C 9.83k ohms
    26C 8.42k ohms
    Max heat 7.33k ohms

    DIRECTION (using pin 1 (earth) and pin 7)
    Auto 184.0k ohms
    Feet 65.8k ohms

    Feet/Head 15.52k ohms
    Head 7.46k ohms
    All vents 2.481k ohms
    Demist 1.4ohms

    I forgot to do pins 3 (fuse power) & 7 for air direction.

    The STOP and RECIRC was a strange one:
    (using pins 3 (fuse power) and 6)
    No STOP + No RECIRC = 6.60k ohms
    NO STOP + RECIRC = 3.192k ohms
    STOP + RECIRC = 4.68k ohms
    STOP + no RECIRC = 4.68k ohms

    Using pins 1 (earth) and 6
    No STOP + No RECIRC = 3.922k ohms
    NO STOP + RECIRC = 2.642k ohms
    STOP + RECIRC = 4.66k ohms
    STOP + no RECIRC = 4.66k ohms

    Pin 4 also had a strange relationship with STOP and RECIRC (both in combination with power and earth).

    It's interesting to note that the fan operates without the control panel hooked up. With ignition turned on, first it would be on low, then switch to high automatically a few seconds later. With the panel completely disconnected, I could not measure any power coming from the ECU to the control panel plug (which I thought odd).

    I confirmed this.

    So in summary.
    Pin 1 = earth
    Pin 2 = panel lighting
    Pin 3 = fuse power
    Pin 4 = function unknown other than being affected by STOP and RECIRC
    Pin 5 = temperature
    Pin 6 = function unknown other than being affected by STOP and RECIRC
    Pin 7 = air direction
    Pin 8 = fan speed
     
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  2. Qavion

    Qavion F1 World Champ
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    Missing piece:

    AIR DIRECTION
    Values for pins 3 (power) and 7
    Auto = 184.0k ohms
    Feet only = 65.8k ohms
    Feet&head = 15.53k ohms
    head only = 7.48k ohms
    All = 2.500k ohms
    Demist = 19.2 ohms
     
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  3. lanab

    lanab Formula Junior

    Feb 21, 2016
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  4. Qavion

    Qavion F1 World Champ
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    If the circuit board hasn't been damaged, Miro should be able to help you replace components for improved longevity/performance.

    https://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/posts/144889953/
     
  5. lanab

    lanab Formula Junior

    Feb 21, 2016
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  6. m.stojanovic

    m.stojanovic F1 Rookie
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    Somebody's creative solution. You can open it up (follow the threads from #53 on in the link provided by Ian) and see whether the small circuit board inside is still intact. If it is, the unit may be repairable but it looks like it has lost some of its cooling fins.

    If the unit is beyond repair and you cannot find another one, I can send you a controller which I build by modifying/adapting an existing similar unit (made in Europe and used in some French cars, not a China knock-off) which is much more powerful than the original unit because it uses two very powerful MOSFET transistors, 75A and 285W each, to control the fan motor. It also provides PWM control as compared to analogue by the original. The "donor" controllers I use are used, not new, but tested and in very good working condition. Converted units look like this:

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  7. lanab

    lanab Formula Junior

    Feb 21, 2016
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    I have now measured the fan speed on the control panel.

    It seems to work and i get the following

    FAN SPEED (using pins 1 (earth) and pin 8)
    OFF 65.5 KΩ
    1 15.47 KΩ
    2 7.46 KΩ
    3 2.48 KΩ
    4 0 Ω
     
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  8. Qavion

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    Thanks for that. I just noticed I made an error on 1 & 8. I missed AUTO and got my values out of sequence.

    FAN SPEED (using pins 1 (earth) and pin 8)
    AUTO 183.7k ohms
    OFF 66.0k ohms
    1 15.5k ohms
    2 7.44k ohms
    3 2.475k ohms
    4 1.2 ohms

    Looks like they are very close.
     
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  9. Qavion

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    For future reference, to test the control panel fully (by itself), you would also need to measure the resistances between pin 3 (power) and pin 8 (output) at various fan speed settings. It looks like the control panel is a voltage divider circuit. You could also apply power to the panel on pin 3 (and earth) and check the output voltage on pin 8 (and earth).

    In the diagram below, the potentiometers represent the resistance networks (which are controlled by the fan speed knob). Using the resistance values measured, the voltage output can be estimated. Divide the resistance on pin 1 (and 8) by the total resistance of the two resistor networks to get the voltage output (as a percentage), then multiply that by the input test voltage on pin 3 (e.g. 12v). Smaller voltages can be used if 12 power supplies were not available.

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    Purely theoretical, of course. Also, if the panel was hooked up to the HVAC ECU, the internal resistance of the HVAC ECU would have to be considered.
     
  10. lanab

    lanab Formula Junior

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    No that does not work, i have connected and measured and you get 4.2v in all positions.
     
  11. Qavion

    Qavion F1 World Champ
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    Oh, there goes my theory. This is at panel pin 8, not at the fan speed controller in the luggage compartment?
     
  12. lanab

    lanab Formula Junior

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    No at pin 8, you can try with your controller.

    Do you think Ferrari still has the circuit drawings for everything?
     
  13. Qavion

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    Indeed. I confirmed your findings with a small 9 volt torch battery. I get the same 2.7 volts at all settings.

    Maybe Miro has some ideas?
     
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  14. m.stojanovic

    m.stojanovic F1 Rookie
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    I believe that the selected resistances/voltages sent to the AC ECU by the switch on the Control Panel are one thing and that the voltages sent by the AC ECU to the Fan Controller are another. The AC ECU probably uses the inputs from the Control Panel switch just as basis to establish the voltages to go to the Fan Controller. For the 4 speeds set by the rotary switch, and assuming that they are evenly spread over the range, the Fan Controller should be getting approximately the following voltages from the AC ECU (based on my bench tests of the Fan Controller):
    0 - 0 V
    1 - 1.2 V
    2 - 2.4 V
    3 - 3.6 V
    4 - 4.8 V (full speed)
     
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  15. Qavion

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    For sure. The AUTO setting definitely needs some intervention by the ECU.
     
  16. Qavion

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    This is clearly more complicated than I thought. The constant voltage output on pin 8 changes when I select RECIRC. But again, it's all the same voltage value (whatever the fan speed setting).

    It's interesting to see that the STOP and RECIRC buttons are illuminated (when pushed) with only power on pin 3 (plus an earth on pin 1). I think I was expecting the dimmer voltage on pin 2 to provide lighting for these switches.
     
  17. lanab

    lanab Formula Junior

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    I have ordered a new regulator unit, found an original one from Fiat.

    Just to be sure, i got constant 3.5V on pin 6 despite whatever the fan speed position is, are you sure this will change when i measure with the connector connected to the regulator?

    I really don't hope the ECU is the problem again as I already sent it for repair and they said the fan speed problem is not the ECU as they checked.....
     
  18. m.stojanovic

    m.stojanovic F1 Rookie
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    Pin 5 of the Fan Controller provides feedback to the AC ECU. When this feedback is not available, it is possible that the ECU then sends a certain fixed default speed signal (fail-over) just to keep the blower running. At 3.5 volts, the blower would be running at ~75% speed.
     
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  19. lanab

    lanab Formula Junior

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    Are you 100% sure about this? i thought pin 5 is for measuring the temp and only used when the fan speed is set to AUTO and will autoadjust the fan speed according to temp set at the control panel.
     
  20. m.stojanovic

    m.stojanovic F1 Rookie
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    Pin 5 provides feedback to the AC ECU of the temperature of the power transistors inside the Fan Controller. There is an NTC resistor (sensor) imbedded in the cooling plate, between the two transistors. The purpose of this feedback is most likely to 1. Tell the ECU "I am alive" on start-up and 2. Tell the ECU "I am very hot (meaning ~130C), do something". Whether the ECU is programmed to do something, like switch the blower fan off until the transistors cool down or something else, I do not know.

    Otherwise, the automatic operation is based on the signals from the ambient temp sensors, external and internal.
     
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  21. lanab

    lanab Formula Junior

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    Finally it works everything, changed the fan resistor, blower works and i can change the speed.
     
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  22. Qavion

    Qavion F1 World Champ
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    Great to hear. Would you have the Fiat part number?
     
  23. lanab

    lanab Formula Junior

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    7710279
     
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  24. m.stojanovic

    m.stojanovic F1 Rookie
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    Some time ago, I tested one of these Fiat 7710279 blower motor controllers and it would only start moving the motor from 6 bars selected on the fan speed display. It would increase the fan speed somewhat at the last 7 and 8 bars but it would not go to the full speed; nothing was happening at 1 to 5 bars. Is your Fiat controller running the blower starting from 1 bar? The one I tested looks like this:

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  25. Qavion

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    No bar display on a F355, Miro.

    4 speeds plus OFF and AUTO.
     

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