Electric fan issues
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 1,523
Likes: 1
From: grand prairie texas
Electric fan issues
I am running the Volvo electric fan on my 77 and I am running it off of a 30 amp relay and fuse. I have recently started putting miles and hours on the car. Drove it to work today 25 miles each way and the car started getting hot. I pulled over to find the fuse [30Amp] and holder had melted. This happened a year or so ago with a 25 amp fuse and relay. My question is should I bump up to above a 35 amp relay and fuse? What amperage are you guys with the taurus fans using? My fan kit came from Summit. Thanks
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 65,492
Likes: 230
From: Orange Park Florida
What style of fuse and holder IS it?? those glass things ~1/4" diameter about a inch long?? if so, they are garbage and not for under hood use, buy a good thick wire blade fuse holder, the mini size is good, and use a 30 amp fuse they come with a nice rubber cap for weather/water....
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 1,523
Likes: 1
From: grand prairie texas
What style of fuse and holder IS it?? those glass things ~1/4" diameter about a inch long?? if so, they are garbage and not for under hood use, buy a good thick wire blade fuse holder, the mini size is good, and use a 30 amp fuse they come with a nice rubber cap for weather/water....
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/PRF-30102/
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 9,192
Likes: 27
From: Boca Raton Florida
If its melting the connectors on the relay and fuse holder before popping the fuse your fan is pulling more current than your wire and connectors are designed for. Go up 2 wire sizes and use a 40 amp Bosch relay and holder.
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,991
Likes: 3
From: Piscataway NJ
Another idea is the fans may not be able to bring down the temps. And the over run time is causing the wires to get hot. As long as your power pickup is under the hood you could go with a fusible link
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 1,523
Likes: 1
From: grand prairie texas
It just might be that the fan is running all the time causing the wires to get hot and eventually melted the fuse holder. The painless operating temps for my switch are on at 200 and off at 185 and my temp indicator always indicates in that range where it is probably running continuously. what do you think about sixfooters idea about bumping up to a 40 amp relay and fuse and increase the wiring size?
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 1,911
Likes: 2
From: gold coast queensland
i will agree with mrvette on this one. i was running one of the older style glass fuses and it was frying every 6 months. i upgraded my wire slightly bigger and changed to a newer styly blade fuse which is a 30 amp and thats on the 16 extreme spall and i have not blown a fuse since. if your wiring is sufficient and your fuse has good contacts your fan should be able to run continuously without frying or even getting hot.
i suggest wiring in a new fuse and fuse holder( it may look ok on the outside but under the insulation might be an underlying problem), possibly upgrading your power wire from alt to fuse and fuse to fan and even ground if it looks sketchy and you should be good to go. in my case it was a dodgy fuse holder- the contacts were poor as you can see what was happening in the pic.
i suggest wiring in a new fuse and fuse holder( it may look ok on the outside but under the insulation might be an underlying problem), possibly upgrading your power wire from alt to fuse and fuse to fan and even ground if it looks sketchy and you should be good to go. in my case it was a dodgy fuse holder- the contacts were poor as you can see what was happening in the pic.
Last edited by gingerbreadman1977; Oct 18, 2009 at 06:24 PM.
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Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 1,523
Likes: 1
From: grand prairie texas
I just got back from the garage seperating the wiring and what burned up was the wire that i have coming from the alternator constant 12 volt battery source. It burned the wire directly at the fuse connection only. I am sure I can replace the wire with a heavier gage wire and replace the fuse and recepticle. Do you think a heavier gage wire and maintain a 30 amp fuse and try it again?
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 65,492
Likes: 230
From: Orange Park Florida
I just got back from the garage seperating the wiring and what burned up was the wire that i have coming from the alternator constant 12 volt battery source. It burned the wire directly at the fuse connection only. I am sure I can replace the wire with a heavier gage wire and replace the fuse and recepticle. Do you think a heavier gage wire and maintain a 30 amp fuse and try it again?
I know this, and don't bother to ask how I know....
your only solution is to electronic solder the wire ends to the wire itself, that means take your U knife and some tool to pull that plastic off the connector, and solder, then use it....
OR, lately I getting really pissy about it...and just tin about 1/2-3/4 inch of wire, bend it around the stud/screw and then clamp down, using a tie wrap at some point to provide starain relief, that I do for ANY connector, unless direct inline in a harness....
Olde tyme ET here, BTDT....don't wanna go back....
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 3,429
Likes: 20
From: Kingston Ontario
If your connectors are even remotely loose they will cause it to heat up a lot,high current?!... especially under load from the fans. That may explain the burnt wires and not the fuse. I agree with MrVette about those crimp connectors. They can pull out very easily.
This is similar to what I'm using AND you must use a good crimper, not a dollar store one. Also for insurance I'm running an 8 guage wire from the battery to a terminal strip on the LH fender , running my alternator output to it and taking power off this for my fans...etc.
This is similar to what I'm using AND you must use a good crimper, not a dollar store one. Also for insurance I'm running an 8 guage wire from the battery to a terminal strip on the LH fender , running my alternator output to it and taking power off this for my fans...etc.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,164
Likes: 1
From: Europe, France
BOSCH sells small size automotive 70A relays. They are very reliable. Dimensions are only 1,25" height x 1" x 1".
About the fuses, I agree with what has been said about glass fuses. Never use them with a current higher than 10A.
They are sensitive to moisture and vibrations, especially inline fuses. These are good fuses for electronic and static devices, like a radio, not for a powerful electric fan.
My choice was a little different. I chose a circuit breaker. They are available for very high amperage applications ( 140A and even more ) in tuning shops :
http://www.adn-tuning.com/accessoire...A:7485?asid=10
About the fuses, I agree with what has been said about glass fuses. Never use them with a current higher than 10A.
They are sensitive to moisture and vibrations, especially inline fuses. These are good fuses for electronic and static devices, like a radio, not for a powerful electric fan.
My choice was a little different. I chose a circuit breaker. They are available for very high amperage applications ( 140A and even more ) in tuning shops :
http://www.adn-tuning.com/accessoire...A:7485?asid=10
Last edited by 73StreetRace; Oct 19, 2009 at 02:05 AM.
Racer
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 478
Likes: 0
From: Ellicott City MD
I am running twin Flex-A-Lite 210's with a 30amp inline rubber/plastic fuse holder mounted on the inner fender near the radiator filler cap. The fans are supposed to pull 20-25amps so a 30amp holder is fine.
I have experienced melted fuses and holders, and was getting frustrated. I talked to a street rod guy who had had the same problems, and he explained that if the fuse is loose in the inline holder it will vibrate and arc, causing the meltdown. He found a really tight inline rubber/plastic 30amp holder from NAPA and hasn't had the problem happen again. I tried the same and haven't had a bit of trouble either.
If you are burning out inline fuses that should be handling more amps than the circuit carries, try a fuse holder that's tight. My .02
I have experienced melted fuses and holders, and was getting frustrated. I talked to a street rod guy who had had the same problems, and he explained that if the fuse is loose in the inline holder it will vibrate and arc, causing the meltdown. He found a really tight inline rubber/plastic 30amp holder from NAPA and hasn't had the problem happen again. I tried the same and haven't had a bit of trouble either.
If you are burning out inline fuses that should be handling more amps than the circuit carries, try a fuse holder that's tight. My .02
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 1,523
Likes: 1
From: grand prairie texas
I bought a real nice fuse holder and I borrowed a amp clamp from a buddy and when I get home from work today I will splice the new connector in and run the fan and see exactly how many amp I am actually pulling. Will reply later today. Thanks for every one input and help.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 1,523
Likes: 1
From: grand prairie texas
Ok here is some more interesting info. Just hooked up a new fuse block and bypassed the temp switch to operate the fan and according to my fluke amp clamp I am running 19.2 amps engine not running. Started the engine cold choke idle went up to 24 amps increased engine speed and amps went up to 31 amps and you could hear the electric fan speed increase. I think I need to take the power wire away from the constant 12 volt alternator terminal. Where do you guys with the electric fans have them wired to?
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 14,994
Likes: 79
From: central FL, near the beach.
try fast idle THEN switch the fan on. could easily exceed 50a for 1-2 sec on start up 
since high amp fuses can be hard to find, i'd run TWO 30a in parallel. and a 70a relay.
since high amp fuses can be hard to find, i'd run TWO 30a in parallel. and a 70a relay.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 1,523
Likes: 1
From: grand prairie texas
I have just done the forum search on the taurus fan that the guys have installed and it seems like the majority of them have expirenced the excess of 30 amps on the high speed and have gone with as high as 75 amp relays so maybe what I am seing on my amp meter is what the normal amperage for my fan. I guess i need to bump up to a 40 amp fuse and relay like others have mentioned. Also On the same search seems the most logical place to hook it up is on the 12 volt constant lug on my alternator. I am running a CS style alternator
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,164
Likes: 1
From: Europe, France
