Supercharger Heat Soak
Thread Starter
Launching!
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 234
Likes: 0
From: Disneyland or St Louis
Supercharger Heat Soak Does anyone know which one dissipates heat better or runs at a lower temperature, painted or polished aluminum superchargers?
It would make sense that the polished aluminum would transfer heat better but what little info I can find says the painted surface works better. Does anyone know for sure?
Whipple or Maggie is what I'm curious about but please post on any supercharger you have experience with.
It would make sense that the polished aluminum would transfer heat better but what little info I can find says the painted surface works better. Does anyone know for sure?
Whipple or Maggie is what I'm curious about but please post on any supercharger you have experience with.
Rough cast dissipates the fastest due to the greater surface area, but comparing it to painted or polished, the time difference is negligible
Pick whichever fits your budget and looks appealing to you
Pick whichever fits your budget and looks appealing to you
Polished surfaces dissipate heat better in applications where they see direct light. The polished surface reflects light, instead of absorbing the heat from the light.
Otherwise, Pocket is right. The rough casting increases surface area and has a greater cooling capability.
Otherwise, Pocket is right. The rough casting increases surface area and has a greater cooling capability.
Thread Starter
Launching!
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 234
Likes: 0
From: Disneyland or St Louis
Polished surfaces dissipate heat better in applications where they see direct light. The polished surface reflects light, instead of absorbing the heat from the light.
Otherwise, Pocket is right. The rough casting increases surface area and has a greater cooling capability.
Otherwise, Pocket is right. The rough casting increases surface area and has a greater cooling capability.
Thanks for the input.
I knew the rough casting was better but my two choices are painted black or polished aluminum. Any thoughts there?
Trending Topics
Thread Starter
Launching!
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 234
Likes: 0
From: Disneyland or St Louis
I just called the Whipple tech support people and they claim there is no difference in operating temperatures between the two.
I guess I should have made that call before I made the post.
I still haven't gotten an e mail from them.
I guess I should have made that call before I made the post.
I still haven't gotten an e mail from them.
LS1 Tech Stories
The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time
6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them
Pouria Savadkouei
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked
Pouria Savadkouei
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP
Verdad Gallardo
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes
Verdad Gallardo
Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power
Verdad Gallardo
10 Camaros You Should Never Buy
10 LS Engine Myths That Refuse to Die
Verdad Gallardo
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 558
Likes: 1
If you are worried about heat soak, get a better intercooler. A supercharger that is polished, painted, sandblasted doesn't make any difference in charge air temps. An intercooler has several orders of magnitude more surface area than a supercharger's case.
Same argument as composite vs alum intake manifolds, so pick whichever fits your budget and looks good to you
TECH Addict
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 2,866
Likes: 4
Chris.
TECH Addict
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 2,866
Likes: 4
Because the difference is negligible. Your blower headunit is going to get stupid hot. Its the charge temp you need to worry about, by picking a good intercooler. Air wont be in the hot SC housing long enough to pick up enough heat to measure a difference. The heat comes from the compression of air. If you could somehow make a blower housing made of solid ice, it would still require an intercooler to maintain a manageable IAT
Same argument as composite vs alum intake manifolds, so pick whichever fits your budget and looks good to you
Same argument as composite vs alum intake manifolds, so pick whichever fits your budget and looks good to you
Chris.
Thread Starter
Launching!
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 234
Likes: 0
From: Disneyland or St Louis
Common sense would say the non painted would be better.
I just want one so I can go faster and faster and faster. I just don't want it to blow up in the process.
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 558
Likes: 1
Like I said before, concentrate on the intercooler (or meth/nitrous) to make the IAT decrease. The surface area of the blower exposed to air might be a couple square yards, the surface area of your intercooler is probably the size of a tennis court. Additionally, the amount of air in contact with the boundary layer in a supercharger compared to the air not in the boundary layer, plus the massive flow rate and tiny amount of time air actually spends in the supercharger, you are looking at miniscule temperature differences.
Thread Starter
Launching!
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 234
Likes: 0
From: Disneyland or St Louis
Whys that? Are you saying the thermal conductivity of a super thin layer of paint will somehow increase your IAT? The thickness of the coat is a HUGE portion of the equation. A 2" thick layer of paint would definitely have an effect on heat soak, but a .002" thick layer of paint is insignificant, especially given the small surface area of the blower.
Like I said before, concentrate on the intercooler (or meth/nitrous) to make the IAT decrease. The surface area of the blower exposed to air might be a couple square yards, the surface area of your intercooler is probably the size of a tennis court. Additionally, the amount of air in contact with the boundary layer in a supercharger compared to the air not in the boundary layer, plus the massive flow rate and tiny amount of time air actually spends in the supercharger, you are looking at miniscule temperature differences.
Like I said before, concentrate on the intercooler (or meth/nitrous) to make the IAT decrease. The surface area of the blower exposed to air might be a couple square yards, the surface area of your intercooler is probably the size of a tennis court. Additionally, the amount of air in contact with the boundary layer in a supercharger compared to the air not in the boundary layer, plus the massive flow rate and tiny amount of time air actually spends in the supercharger, you are looking at miniscule temperature differences.
Yes, I'm saying no paint would be better than painted. I know the non polished or raw casting is better than polished aluminum so it stands to reason that no paint would be better than painted.
I've been reading up on meth systems, if anyone knows who makes the best system please post it.
I've got the itch to just buy one now and I have burned myself in the past by not taking my time and finding out all I can before I spend.
