Nitrous Express Fire & Ice Pressure Controller Install *

[SWThomas]

I finally received my NX Fire & Ice Bottle Pressure Controller today. It's been on backorder with JEGS for a month now. This kit is a pretty straight forward install and seems to be a pretty well put together item. Here's everything that came in the kit...

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n308/SWThomas/NXFireIceBottlePressureController.jpg

Here's some close-up's of the heating/cooling unit...

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n308/SWThomas/NXFireIceBottlePressureController1.jpg

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n308/SWThomas/NXFireIceBottlePressureController2.jpg

Here's a shot of the pressure transducer. I thought it was pretty interesting that it has an Auto Meter sticker on it...

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n308/SWThomas/NXFireIceBottlePressureController3.jpg

Here's a pics of the control unit...

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n308/SWThomas/NXFireIceBottlePressureController5.jpg

Now for the install. When you receive the kit you're suppose to set-up the control unit for the bottle pressure you want. You have to remove the (4) screws and the cover of the controller and select the setting you want on the little dial inside. There are settings 1-9. I chose to go with setting 9 because NX system are designed to operate at 1050 PSI and that's what setting 9 is for. The settings are as follows...

0 = 850 PSI
1 = 875 PSI
2 = 900 PSI
3 = 925 PSI
4 = 950 PSI
5 = 970 PSI
6 = 990 PSI
7 = 1010 PSI
8 = 1030 PSI
9 = 1050 PSI

Here's some pics of what this process looks like...

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n308/SWThomas/NXFireIceInstall21.jpg

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n308/SWThomas/NXFireIceInstall22.jpg

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n308/SWThomas/NXFireIceInstall23.jpg

I then installed the heating/cooling unit on the bottle. This is done by using the supplied T-Bolt and placing the heating/cooling unit under the rear bottle bracket. The T-Bolt is longer to compensate for the thickness of the heater/cooler under the bracket band...

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n308/SWThomas/NXFireIceInstall1.jpg

The instructions say to place the heating/cooling unit on the bottle to where it will have maximum contact. It says not to place it on top of the decal or any other barrier between the unit and the bottle. I placed mine as far back as I could and there was still a little bit of the decal under the unit. Less than an 1/8" though...

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n308/SWThomas/NXFireIceInstall4.jpg

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n308/SWThomas/NXFireIceInstall20.jpg

Then I installed the pressure transducer at the nozzle of the bottle using an adapter fitting I had previously bought from a nitrous vendor. It comes with an adapter manifold fitting, but it's solid and doesn't swivel. I wanted to point the transducer in a certain direction so I chose to use the swivel adapter. I used a little thread sealer per the instructions and installed it...

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n308/SWThomas/NXFireIceInstall5.jpg

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n308/SWThomas/NXFireIceInstall6.jpg

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n308/SWThomas/NXFireIceInstall7.jpg

Next I needed to mount the control unit. It has ears on either side with screw holes in them for mounting, but I didn't want to drill any more holes in my bed. So I used a few pieces of velcro and stuck it to the Bedrug...

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n308/SWThomas/NXFireIceInstall8.jpg

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n308/SWThomas/NXFireIceInstall9.jpg

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n308/SWThomas/NXFireIceInstall10.jpg

The next part isn't in the instructions, but it's something I did for convenience. I had previously installed a relay and ran the wires for the heater in preparation of it's arrival. I ran red 12 guage wire from the relay to the weather-pack connector in the picture. I then ran a black 12 gauge wire from the weather-pack connector to a ground on the frame right below the bed. The wiring of the Fire & Ice is very simple. A lot more simple than previous bottle heaters. All you do is hook-up the power and the ground and that's it. Everything is run off the controller. You have to wire in a switch to turn it on of course, but that's simple and in the instructions also. I ran these wires to the other half of the weather-pack connector and connected them. Again, this was for convenience for when I remove the bottle...

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n308/SWThomas/NXFireIceInstall11.jpg

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n308/SWThomas/NXFireIceInstall12.jpg

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n308/SWThomas/NXFireIceInstall13.jpg

Then all I had left to do was connect the pressure transducer and the heating/cooling unit to the controller. This was a snap because of the supplied wiring harnesses. I just plugged the harness attached to the controller into the transducer and then used the other harness to connect the controller to the heating/cooling unit...

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n308/SWThomas/NXFireIceInstall18.jpg

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n308/SWThomas/NXFireIceInstall25.jpg

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n308/SWThomas/NXFireIceInstall24.jpg

As you can see on top of the controller there are two ports for wiring harnesses. That is because this one controller can actually operate two separate heating/cooling units. This is great for those guys running dual bottles. The other phone-jack type port is for a remote LED Display that can be purchased separately. It's basically a miniature version of the controller itself and is used to monitor the status of the controller from the cab of the vehicle. I plan to get one very soon...

I must say that this was one of the easiest installs I've ever done. I tested the unit and everything is working just fine. It gets hot pretty quick too. Here's a few more pics of everything installed. I still have to put some black split-loom on the wires, but you get the picture. It also fit's nice under my bottle cover. Some of these pics aren't the greatest because I took them in my garage...

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n308/SWThomas/NXFireIceInstall19.jpg

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n308/SWThomas/NXFireIceInstall17.jpg

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n308/SWThomas/NXFireIceInstall16.jpg

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n308/SWThomas/NXFireIceInstall15.jpg

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n308/SWThomas/NXFireIceInstall14.jpg

BTW, if anyone wants one of these, JEGS is selling them for $100 less than NX is. NX has them for $349 and JEGS has them for $249. I'm not sure if that's a mistake on JEGS' part, but I capitalized on it.

[05Saleen]

When are you going to bring it up and test it on the Track???

[chrisheltra]

Damn you are a busy guy lately. I agree with Morey Track or Ban

[SWThomas]

As soon as I get it tuned fellas. Very soon... You'll be the first ones to know.

[Mike]

.........Track or Ban

:lol:

[1iron]

How many amps does that pull? Sure seems like the way to go with nitrous.

Paul

[SWThomas]

How many amps does that pull? Sure seems like the way to go with nitrous.

Paul

I'm not sure. It doesn say in the instructions that "If desired a 15 amp fuse (not included) may be installed in the power supply line to the FIC, if dual heating/cooling units are used a 30 amp fuse is required."

[1iron]

Summit has this for 209.95 and jegs for 342.99. Seems a bargin.


Paul

[SWThomas]

Summit has this for 209.95 and jegs for 342.99. Seems a bargin.


Paul

The only Fire & Ice item Summit sells is part# NEX-SPEED00022 which is not the complete Fire & Ice System even though it says it is. That part number is for just the Fire & Ice heating/cooling element alone. They offer this item for people who are running dual bottles because the controller that comes with the complete kit can control two separate heating/cooling elements.

http://store.summitracing.com/egnsearch.asp?Ntt=fire+%26+ice&searchinresults=false&Ntk=KeywordSearch&DDS=1&N=700+115

I'm not sure where you got the JEGS price from, but they are selling part# SPEED00020, which is the entire Fire & Ice Kit, for $249.99. They don't sell any other Fire & Ice items.

http://www.jegs.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/KeywordSearchCmd?storeId=10001&catalogId=10002&langId=-1&N=0&Ntt=SPEED00020&Ntk=all&Nty=1&D=SPEED00020&Ntx=mode%2Bmatchall&Dx=mode%2Bmatchall&searchTerm=SPEED00020

[Lurch]

Are you running one or two batteries?

[1iron]

Thanks almost ordered the summit item yesterday. Good thing the wife walked in.

Jegs http://www.jegs.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/KeywordSearchCmd?storeId=10001&catalogId=10002&langId=-1&N=0&Ntt=fire+and+ice&Ntk=all&Nty=1&D=fire+and+ice&Ntx=mode%2Bmatchall&Dx=mode%2Bmatchall&searchTerm=fire+and+ice

Your jegs link is much better.

Paul

[SWThomas]

Thanks almost ordered the summit item yesterday. Good thing the wife walked in.

Jegs http://www.jegs.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/KeywordSearchCmd?storeId=10001&catalogId=10002&langId=-1&N=0&Ntt=fire+and+ice&Ntk=all&Nty=1&D=fire+and+ice&Ntx=mode%2Bmatchall&Dx=mode%2Bmatchall&searchTerm=fire+and+ice

Your jegs link is much better.

Paul

No problem. I don't know why JEGS is selling just the heating/cooling element for that much when they're selling the entire kit for $100 less.

[SWThomas]

Are you running one or two batteries?

One right now. I'm only going to run the heater when the truck is running for now. I'm getting ready to relocate the battery and when I do I'm gonna get a battery with a little more juice. I'm also going to buy a cheap generator and battery charger to take to the track. That way I can run my accessories while the truck is cooling down and I won't run the battery dead.

[LXtasy]

Optima ftw.

[SWThomas]

Optima ftw.

No thanks. I've heard way too many bad things about Optimas to ever spend money on one.

[LXtasy]

Like? The only downfall I know to them is when to drain the battery completely dead is that they are dead for good. But that is what I have heard.

Than again. I have no problems with mine and I have a stereo system (subs, amp etc) in my truck. Which I have played for atleast 3 hours without cranking it back up. And everything was fine.

I have heard about Ford selling a marine style battery (maybe clubracergt1 will chime on this) but it is suppose to be a hellavu lot better than Optima.

[SWThomas]

I've just heard of too many failures from the Lightning guys that use them. They have said that the red-top Optimas are junk and the yellow-tops aren't much better. I'm just gonna go with a Motorcraft battery that has a little more juice than the OEM battery.

[LXtasy]

My next optima will be the BLUE marine battery for cold cranking.

But motorcraft does make a nice deepcycle style battery

[clubracergt1]

It's not really a deep-cycle battery. I have been told-by one of the techs at Jones-that the truck version of the 750cca battery is great. He uses one in his boat. He said that he can beach his boat, run the radio until the (900 watts worth of) amps shut off, and start the boat. I, personally, kind of skeptical; but for $99.95, it's definately worth trying.

[jay_99z]

Optima ftw.

No thanks. I've heard way too many bad things about Optimas to ever spend money on one.

I got a used Redtop from a friend. Never given me a bit of trouble. I actually carry it along to jump my lightweight battery at the strip. Some short jumper cables and she starts right up.

[SWThomas]

So did anyone buy one? I just bought their remote LED display for the F&I. It's basically a miniature version of the controller so you can monitor the status of the F&I in the cockpit. I also got an NX shirt and their "New Version" Remote Bottle Opener. They also have a special going on right now where you get a free large NX banner and all you pay is shipping. Got one of those for the garage.

[SWThomas]

I just wanted to update this How-To with some info about the Remote LED Display that's an option for this kit. This item is used so you can monitor what the Pressure Controller is doing from the cab of the vehicle. It comes with these items...
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n308/SWThomas/NXFireIceRemoteLED.jpg

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n308/SWThomas/NXFireIceRemoteLED1.jpg

As you can see the LED Display is basically a miniature version of the controller. And the wire that comes with it is 6 pin telephone wire. The wire proved to be too short for running from the rear of the bed to the cab (by about 4 feet) so I purchased a 25 foot piece from Radio Shack. It was a little too long, but I just coiled up the excess and tie-wrapped it under the dash.
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n308/SWThomas/RemoteLEDInstall.jpg

First I covered the wire with black split loom and put some painters tape on the end to protect it during routing.
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n308/SWThomas/NXFireIceRemoteLEDInstall.jpg

I ran the wire from the controller mounted in the bed down through the hole for the nitrous feed line and the other wires. From there I routed to along the drivers side frame rail following the same path as the nitrous feed line and the wires for the bottle opener and the F&I. I then needed to find a spot to enter the cab and I found one in a rubber grommet just below where my feet go. So I pulled the grommet out and cut a small hole in it to squeeze the wire and loom through for a good seal.
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n308/SWThomas/RemoteLEDInstall1.jpg

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n308/SWThomas/RemoteLEDInstall2.jpg

Then I routed it up into the cab and under the carpet. From there I routed it behind the drivers side kick-panel and behind the dash...
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n308/SWThomas/RemoteLEDInstall4.jpg

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n308/SWThomas/RemoteLEDInstall3.jpg

Then I ran the wire out underneath the steering wheel and coiled the excess and secured it under the dash. I used some velcro to secure the display, but I may go back later and use screws.
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n308/SWThomas/RemoteLEDInstall5.jpg

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n308/SWThomas/RemoteLEDInstall6.jpg

That's it. It works like a charm.