Electric Fans: Basics and Diagrams

[boosted_b20]

does anybody here have electric fans instead of the stock clutch fan?
i know you need a relay, can anybody tell me how wire it in ???

I'm guessing i need a thermostat switch, and what temp should the fan come on?

[Dramon]

If youre gonna hook it up to an acc wire you run the risk of frying something. It's a lot safer, practical, and conveinient to just wire in your own relays.

The high and low hookups are tricky, when you just have one of the power wires hooked up it is on full but when you supply power to both of the power wires then the fan switches to a slower setting. I'm not really sure how you could wire this into the system without a relatively big hassle. You'd have to get a temp sensor, find out its operating voltages, and then build some sort of voltage divider that supplies enough current to a second relay at a certain temperature. Thats really the only way that I can think of how to do it, just wiring it from scratch at least.

Simply wiring it up for the highspeed however is much easier. You're going to want to buy a good quality 30A or even 40A relay (not the crap that radio shack and autozone sell) and an inline fuse box, usually its just one for a single fuse. You'll also need to get female shielded spade connectors, heatshrink tubing, and solder. You'll crimp spade connectors onto 4 wires. Make sure you get a good solid crimp and then melt some solder into the base of the crimp where it touches the wire just to make sure you get a good connection.

I can't remember the wiring diagram for the relay, it varies depending on whay relay you'll get though they dont change that much. You'll essentially have a 12V power and ground wire that will be run straight off the batter. Then you'll have a 12V switched ignition wire that will trip the wire on when the ignition is powered up thus activating the solenoid in the relay, and finally a 12V output wire which will go to the fans. And the fuse just goes somewhere along the 12V battery wire.

The thing is with spade connectors its a bit of a hassle doing all that crimping and soldering so if you can find something premade for the relay to snap into it will be a lot easier.

I used the fans off an early 90s stanza. Fit almost perfect. Wired the fans to be on all the time. Much easier and I figure the thermostat will regulate temps anyways.

[boosted_b20]

thanks Dramon....
I also found this :
http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/2083/efaninstall2hv4.gif

[LexusFTW]

I also have electric fans and dont run a thermostat. I havent had any problems whatsoever.
As for the drawing, i dont see a need to fuse the switched 12v line. Run a 30 amp relay (2 30amp relays for dual fan setup).

I used this relay setup:
http://www.ado13.com/techs/relaywire.jpg

[Dramon]

Yeah, there is no need to fuse the switched 12v line IMO.

[boosted_b20]

cool , thanks guys!

[cmedrift]

if you go to pep boys and ask for an electric fan wiring kit it has the relays and all the wires and the thermostat for 37.00 all pre wired for you hope that helps.

[Simann]

if you go to pep boys and ask for an electric fan wiring kit it has the relays and all the wires and the thermostat for 37.00 all pre wired for you hope that helps.


About to type the exact same thing. LOL

Alot of people do not know that Advance Auto Parts/ Pep Boys/Auto Zone have these types of things.

They even have conversion plug and wiring kits for headlamps etc.

I have a couple of younger friends that work at Advance Auto Parts that have really let me in on all they can get. Its amazing how much stuff they can source out!

-Jonathan

[Turbocoop]

Maybe a dumb question-- do you need a relay for each fan, or just one and split the power wire going to each fan??? I hate electrical stuff

[Simann]

Just one. Both fans (motors) are run off of one voltage source (12v?). So you only need one relay for the one, 2 fan, system.

-J.M.

[LexusFTW]

You definately need two relays. One for each fan.

[Simann]

All depends on how much current they draw I guess.

Too much current, you need two. One you need only one.

Good point. Did not think of that before. LOL Its late. :runaway:

-J.M.

[Dramon]

Yeah it depends on the fans....

Not trying to contradict lexusftw one relay might be able to handle both fans, it just depends. I'd wire it up with a fuse and see if it burns out or not (the fuse) and if u need a second relay then try running a second one.

Though, if you start out with a 40 or 50A relay you should be fine.

[SealSupra-6]

hey mods, sticky this please. I had the hardest time trying to fing a diagram explaining how hook up the fuse. Thanks

[rwregen]

What wire/source do you guys normally splice into for the ignition switch? I've got everything wired except for this.

Thanks,
Robbie