Daul Spals Amp draw?
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Pro
Joined: Nov 2003
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From: Peabody Ma.
Daul Spals Amp draw?
I have had the daul spals for a while now, and had them wired in various ways. I have a DC controller wired back to the battery, on a #10 wire and I have noticed twice that the loom is melting not the wire just the loom, is 1 # 10 wire enough to run both fans? Previously I had them on 2 wires and didnt notice the loom melting? What do both fans draw?
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 1999
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From: Orange Park Florida
I have never measured my spals, but have been told it's 30 on the start, but certain a relay surge is larger, and 20 on the run with car not moving....
obviously when the car is moving the draw is much less, decreasing untill zero....
you know, IN fact I going to measure that now...my ampmeter is kinda taxed at that current level though...
I let you know....
obviously when the car is moving the draw is much less, decreasing untill zero....
you know, IN fact I going to measure that now...my ampmeter is kinda taxed at that current level though...
I let you know....
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 9,192
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From: Boca Raton Florida
If the loom is melting thats a sure indication that you have heat. Some of the loom products are cheap plastic and will melt in the beam of a flashlight. If the wire insulation is ok, then just get some better loom, get the Nylon, its tough enough for engine bays. Look at the wire insulation carefully, make sure its not starting to melt into the strands of the wire, especially at the cripmed ends.
If there IS any melting or heat indication you ned to either split the fans or swap to a #8 wire.
If there IS any melting or heat indication you ned to either split the fans or swap to a #8 wire.
Racer
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 499
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From: Enfield CT
10 gauge is plenty thick.Also if you are using a DC controller that controller ramps up the fans so there is no current spike.I agree with Sixfoot I have had some cheap wire loom that melted very easily!!While the fans are on at full speed I would feel the wires to see if the are getting very hot.
Last edited by bozzman3; Jun 14, 2008 at 09:07 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
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From: Columbia Missouri
Check something else. The fan wiring may not even be what's overheating. I saw this in someone else's car. Random things started melting, and it was usually things like loom and tape. He was going crazy replacing stuff like that and had no idea what was going on. Turned out his mixture was lean from a vacuum leak, and the exhaust was getting a lot hotter than usual and cooking the engine bay.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 1,173
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From: Liberty Missouri
If memory serves me correct a 10G wire is rated for 30 amps. This is all from memory so double check the advice I am giving here. I think the spals have a 20 amp constant draw each and spike to 25 each. So if you are running all the way to your battery, the length a wire is run will affect how well it handles a particular current. To me you are undersized on your wire. I would think you should either run a second 10-gauge wire and divide the power or move up to an 8 gauge by it’s self. The wire you have installed now has got to be getting hot.
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 1,951
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From: Shore NJ
I just installed the dual fans in my 73, sees the #10 wire is ok and where the wire was close to any heat source I just sleeved it with some be cool sleeving. My problem now is that the fans comes on way too soon and keeps running. I have a high flow 160 thermostat, the fans should come on at 195 and off at 175. I thought maybe there might be an air pocket in the system, removed the cap and ran the engine, topped off the radiator and still the fans come on early, checking the temps with an ir gun and my guage in the car is the same as the ir gun. Maybe a bad sensor?
Last edited by 73jst4fun; Jun 15, 2008 at 07:48 AM.
Thread Starter
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Joined: Nov 2003
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From: Peabody Ma.
I was thinking it was just cheap loom. I have a second # 10 wire still there maybe ill just hook it up to split the load. What can I cover the wires with as they run right by the exhuast? Incidently this is the area where the loom keeps melting.
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2005
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From: Salina Kansas
I run a single 10g wire from a 40 amp fuse directly off of the battery, so there is no other power draw. Do you have anything else powered by that 10g wire? My dual spals are rated at 36 amps and I can tell you they do pull more than 30 because I tried a 30 amp fuse and it blew. The 40 amp fuse works perfectly and hasn't blown yet.
Do you have a battery drain at all? If so you have a short somewhere that might cause your wiring to get hot. I had a short in the horn relay up under the nose of the hood in my '76 and it took forever to find it. The main power wires going into the engine fuse block were getting hot and the insulation was starting to melt on the fuseable link until the short quit arcing and completely grounded. Then the fuseable link burned through and it took me forever to trouble shoot the problem.
Do you have a battery drain at all? If so you have a short somewhere that might cause your wiring to get hot. I had a short in the horn relay up under the nose of the hood in my '76 and it took forever to find it. The main power wires going into the engine fuse block were getting hot and the insulation was starting to melt on the fuseable link until the short quit arcing and completely grounded. Then the fuseable link burned through and it took me forever to trouble shoot the problem.
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From: Peabody Ma.
Does anyone have a link to this cooling sleeve? The #10 runs just the fans and is on a 30 amp fuse with no blown fuse to date! DB I will check for a lean condition! Is there a quick way to check for a lean condition? Plugs ect.?
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
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From: Columbia Missouri
Yep, read the plugs as follows.
Clean = Lean
Brown = Perfect
Black = Rich