Proper Heat Management for Listeroids

[Bolton Power Equipment]

Hello All,

        I sell Listeroids and I have a suggestion for setting up your cooling system. The problem I've found with installing small automotive radiators is bleeding the air bubbles. Many of my customers have complained about overheating this way and simply "grown" their cooling systems for big $$$. Bigger radiators, more coolant etc.  I have found that the old NASCAR trick of feeding the engine coolant output into the bottom or the radiator works wonders. The bubbles automatically purge out the top. With the conventional plumbing of in the top and out the bottom on my 10/1 demo unit and the 180F thermostat stayed open, the electric fan never started and the recovery tank started over heating. But reverse the flow and the thermostat never opened releasing only the bleed volume through the closed thermostat. The fan started on a 50% duty cycle and the temp stayed at about 160F. Same load just different heat management.

Best
Graham Slieker

[Listerational]

I guess that the liquid pathways in the smaller radiators are so small that they create a lot of turbulence and air bubbles.

[Bolton Power Equipment]

Not really. As the coolant falls down by gravity it doesn't purge the air, it just rolls down through it. Since the air is not a good conductor of heat, the radiator doesn't transfer the heat to the radiator. Pushing the coolant up from the bottom does purge the air out the top. It's amazing what a different it makes in extracting heat from the coolant.