Electric Cooling Fans

[Goatnut]

I've installed a Flex-a-lite - dual cooling fan unit in my '67. I'm to the point where I need to make the electrical connections. I need one full time 12 volt lead and one that runs off of the ignition. I was wanting to pull these directly off of the fuse box instead of splicing into the wiring harness. Are there any recommendations on which blades I should use or can I use any where I find the desired 12v source?

Scott (The electrically challenged)

[REED_RACING]

Find one that has 12 volt source.

[goatweed]

For the 12v constant you can use either the battery or battery connection on the starter :P ( any 12v constant that you won't over load the curcuit) :) this wire is the one that will draw the most amperage, the 12v ignition check the fuse block, this one just turns on the relay for the fan.
:o Just remember to use a inline fuse on both.

[Unknown_Authority]

Find one that has 12 volt source.

This coming from a guy who wired his fans backward ::) ;D ;D

[Icelander]

Goatnut,

Were you able to read my reply to your question about the size of fuse to use on the main power line of your fan?

Kendall

[Goatnut]

Kendall,

No I did not see a reply from you concerning the fuse size.

I have run the wires into the interior of the car now but since I did not look before I now seen another concern. I figured that like my '72 that my '67 would have a switched 12v blabe in the fuse box. This is not the case. There are only two blades available and both are full time 12v. The instructions for the kit say to connect the fused (30amp) 12v lead to a full time power source and connect the other (non fused) lead to 12v. There is a note to the effect that " Note: to keep the fan from running when the ignition switch is off run the (non fused lead to a switched power source." In my "non-electrician" mind this means that it could be hooked up to a full time 12v source. I was thinking that I could install an inline (fused) switch for this lead. Then I could start the car and when the temp comes up I could "flip the switch".

Would this be an acceptable way to wire this? Would connecting the non fused lead to full time 12v only be a concern while maintenancing the car? Most newer cars that I've had will run the fan after they are shut down until the temp comes down. I would not mind this at all.

Thanks again for the responses.

Scott

[Icelander]

So are you running this with a thermostatic switch?

If not, then your fan will run constantly. If the switched wire is run to the ignition, it will run only when the ignition is on but will be on as long as the ignition is on. Meaning: it'll be on before the engine even turns over.

You could wire a switch into the dash to turn it on, but you then have to become religious about making sure it's on and you have to educate anyone else that might drive it.

If you are using a t-switch then you could wire both to constant 12v as long as the T-switch is hooked into the switched line. Beware that this would leave your fan running while the charging system is off and could deplete your battery in hot/dry conditions.

The best option would be to wire it into an ignition-on circuit.

I'd be interested in hearing more about your setup as I'd like to install an electric fan on the next engine.

[Goatnut]

Kendall,

Yes, the kit included a thermo switch!

The lack of a switched source at the fuse block and my desire to "not" splice into my new engine harness prompted me to want to install a switch. That way I could decide when it would run. *Hopefully it will work so well that when I pull over it would not run for very long, if at all, before it was cool enough to shut down. *I thought that I would set the thermostat to make the fan come on at about 190-200

I could certainly share anything that I've learned or discovered as far as the kit is concerned. Some things I like and others .....well, could be better.

BTW because my wife works for Flex-a-lite so I hounded her to get a little something from the company for a door prize at Tiger Run. Be sure to buy plenty of tickets because they have promised to provide a fan for the event!!!

Scott