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Replace resistor pack with 'regular' resistors?

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Old Mar 4, 2014 | 02:36 PM
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Default Replace resistor pack with 'regular' resistors?

Has anyone ever replaced the heater/blower resistors with 'regular' resistors - like what you might get ar Radio Shack?

Reason is, I have removed the AC and have the AC delete plate installed. I didn't drill the 2" dia hole for the resistor pack and thought this might be one way around it. I don't know what the rating would have to be, I could maybe ask one of our electrical engineers here... ?

I'm no electrical expert, but I don't see why it wouldn't be possible.

Thoughts...........
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Old Mar 4, 2014 | 02:57 PM
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You could but they should be wire wound not carbon resistors made for high current loads. They're usually wound on a ceramic core.
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Old Mar 4, 2014 | 05:16 PM
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Originally Posted by 1Fordman
You could but they should be wire wound not carbon resistors made for high current loads. They're usually wound on a ceramic core.
BUT such resistors need a heat sink of their own, and are very large and expensive, and hard to find these daze, because such engineering wastes power and is considered sub par for the vast majority of applications....

find a place to drill a hole in the air path to put the stock R pack.....

it is by FAR your simplest solution....

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Old Mar 4, 2014 | 09:11 PM
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I believe you want the factory resistor pack. Those coils get hot and explains why they are mounted in the air box. Blower motors draw a surprising amount of current.
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Old Mar 4, 2014 | 10:16 PM
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It's a good thought but it won't work. The resistors you find at radio shack are reted for maybe 1/2 watt, 1 watt if you find a big one.
To know the wattage rating needed you need to know how many amperes your pulling and at what voltage.
Voltage multiplied by amperes equals wattage.
Lets say your blower fan pulls at least 5 amps. Multiply that by 12 volts and you get 60 watts.
That's a really high rated resistor. The resistance coils that are there resemble light bulb wire. Able to handle high wattage without burning out, and they are mounted in the airstream to keep them cooler.
Pull them out turn on your fan on something other than high and you'll feel how hot they get. They will brand you if your touching them.
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Old Mar 5, 2014 | 07:44 AM
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ok... sounds like good advice. Thanks guys.

Ugh - now to pull off that AC delete cover again.... Probably should get a new blower motor and resistor while I'm at it.
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Old Mar 5, 2014 | 06:23 PM
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I mounted mine at the bottom, it'll be obvious where, when you pull the a/c delete box again & try a few spots. I had to lengthen the wire but that was easy. It now wraps down & around the corner in a plastic loom. If I remember correctly, it should be right at the black box area in the pic... first time trying to upload a pic, hope it works

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Old Mar 6, 2014 | 07:53 AM
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OK, I went ahead and did this last night. It seems to have worked out pretty well. I left the cover plate attached to the firewall since I really didn't want to remove it, and there is pretty good access from underneath to get a drill in. I had to go buy a 12" extension though. I started off with a 1.5" hole because I didn't want it to be off by too much. Then I looked inside and made sure I was in a good spot. Then I just ground the hole larger to fit. Then I riveted the resistor pack on. The only thing I don't really like is that those resistors look like they will really be in the way of the air flow... oh well. Then I extended the wires. Ugh!
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Old Mar 6, 2014 | 02:09 PM
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Lots of good advice, coming from my background the lower the resistance the higher the heat load and are usually quite big when you get down to 1-5 ohms. Do you know the value of the original resistors
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Old Mar 6, 2014 | 11:41 PM
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The resistors HAVE TO be in the airflow. Otherwise, they would melt...
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Old Mar 7, 2014 | 01:04 PM
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Originally Posted by MotorHead
Lots of good advice, coming from my background the lower the resistance the higher the heat load and are usually quite big when you get down to 1-5 ohms. Do you know the value of the original resistors
I did do a quick check with my ohm meter and there were around 4, 6, and 8 ohms respectively.

I will try to take a pic and post it. Just finished the wiring and connections last night. Soldered and shrink tubed Now just waiting on a new blower high relay.
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