help with my electric fan eating my power

[jojoman]

i have an electric fan installed in my truck the previous owner installed it but i think it was done wrong compeletly wrong it is hook up to the thick pink wire going to the distributor so as soon as i turn my key on the fan kicks on and it takes my truck a couple of cranks to turn on and it will eat my battery in a min and when i turn the truck the key off it takes the motor a couple sec to turn off but if i unplug the fan the truck does the complete opposite turn on quick turn off on point and will run longer so can any one tell me how to install it correctly this is what i got

[dman1982]

i have my fans hooked up to a switch, when i cut them on i can tell a difference at idle, but after that none at all, im not a expert on this matter of electric fans but mine is hooked to a switch and has relays and fuses in between, i got mine from a friend of mine for twenty bucks....i would rewire that with going off of a diagram.

[Psycho71]

You need to get a relay and wire that fan thru it straight to the battery, then use a switched on ignition wire to activate the relay. You can get the kit, with diagram, from summit or jegs pretty cheap. You could even put it on a temp sender that makes it turn on and off with the engine temperature. it will cost more, but will not run the fan constantly, and the engine will warm up a lot faster.

What you have now is a classic hack job. I'd go a bit farther and say that is a freaking bone headed way to hook up a fan. Any other wire than the one feeding the distributor would be better. But not right. it needs it's own circuit, a relay, and needs to be fused/circuit protected.

[J Knight]

What Psycho said.

[jojoman]

does anyone on here know if anyone on web site done it before so i can have an idea on how it goes

[SSC's76]

Its very simple It cost about 10 bucks about 20 min of some free time. Here is pic i found online but if you to get a relay at a parts store it has the on the back just go into the electric section and find a headlight relay cheaper the better as long as the amps are matched to what you fan draws.

[jojoman]

what about this one but what i dont get is how to hook up the temp sensorso that it kicks he fan on http://shop.ebay.com/i.html?_nkw=ele...n+relay&_rdc=1

[Restrorob]

The temp sensor will screw into a port in your intake manifold or head, Then you wire it into the system.

Here's another diagram I'm using on mine; http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...6&postcount=26

[79BIG10]

Just another thought when I installed my setup I used the thermo switch to come on when it got hot enough but it would come on when it was hot outside. I would come out and they would be on. I got rid of it and added a switch to my relay to keep it from coming on too soon. Also I added a fuseable switch when if the power gets shorted out by any means then it resets itself so I don't have to worry about getting stranded and not have a fuse blown.

[Restrorob]

Originally Posted by 79BIG10

but it would come on when it was hot outside.

Duuude...... It gets over 170* in Texas


Your speaking of a in-line circuit breaker, A should use when adding any high amp draw components to a vehicle.....

[jojoman]

but the set up you two young fellers got the fans come on as soon as you trun your truck on right ? and do ya got any pic of ya set up because im thing ok doing what ya say just buying realy and follow your diagram but i kind of want it to kick on only at certain temp but if is less complicated then i just run it straight

[Restrorob]

Originally Posted by jojoman

but the set up you two young fellers got the fans come on as soon as you trun your truck on right ?

First.... I wish I were still young !


No, Mine will not be wired to come on with the key switch. I will have a thermo switch screwed into my intake manifold, The relay will be energized when the key is turned on but the fan will not come on until the engine reaches 185*, Then the thermo switch grounds the relay causing the fan to come on then go off as temps drop below the temp rating.

If you don't have AC the first diagram in the link I posted above shows how to wire the relay with a thermo switch, If your running AC use the second diagram with two relays so the fan comes on and stays on whenever the AC is turned on.....

[79BIG10]

Originally Posted by Restrorob

Duuude...... It gets over 170* in Texas

No but I hooked it up and verified the setup and the thermostat would still kick on no matter what. I had it hooked up to the manifol. I could turn up all the way then middle and coldest setting and still did it. I got tired of having a dead battery and went with the fan switch setup.

[Restrorob]

Originally Posted by 79BIG10

I could turn up all the way then middle and coldest setting and still did it.

Sounds like you may have had a faulty thermostat then, Had you wired the relay to switched power the battery wouldn't have went dead when parked.

A switch like this; http://www.summitracing.com/parts/DER-16730/ screwed into the manifold/head removes all the guess work and cheap adjustable thermostats.

[jojoman]

well both of ya have good ideas i really am thinking about getting this set uphttp://www.jegs.com/i/JEGS-Performan...oductId=758607 and this is the set up to ithttp://www.jegs.com/InstallationInst.../555-10560.pdf what ya think

[rayfinseats]

"You need to get a relay and wire that fan thru it straight to the battery..." Agreed.

The problem with a toggle is if your friend drives it and doesn't know about the switch he (or she) can burn up your engine.

[Restrorob]

Originally Posted by jojoman

i really am thinking about getting this set uphttp://www.jegs.com/i/JEGS-Performan...oductId=758607 and this is the set up to ithttp://www.jegs.com/InstallationInst.../555-10560.pdf what ya think

THAT'S the ticket !!!

[Hoods69BadBowTie]

Wow that is freaking the stupidest hack job way to do a fan I swear some people shouldn't be allowed near rigs haha. I like the setup with having it come on when it needs to and not always on. Going to save this thread as a reference if I ever get around to putting electric fans on thanks for all the good info everone

[jojoman]

well supposely what some one told me is that the fan is not big enough to cool down the radiator thats why every one runs double fans

[Restrorob]

Originally Posted by jojoman

thats why every one runs double fans

That fan may be a little small especially without any type shroud but you'll never know for sure until you get it wired up properly on a relay.

Not "everyone" is running double fans; Here's a thread on a budget 19" Jeep single fan install; http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=254617

I bought two Jeep part number CBG4F250 fans straight from Mopar here; http://www.chryslerpartsdirect.com/ for 73 bux and change each to my door, One is going in my 74 and the other in my BB 97 in a couple weeks.

[SSC's76]

Funny all the dual fans I run a single fan from a 94 Corsica. Seems just fine for my tiny little big block in the cool 100*+ mountain air. It actually works very well as long as Im not pulling the camper through the mountain passes then I tend to keep an eye on the temp guage.