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Electric Fan Installation

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by 64impala, Dec 2, 2012.

  1. 64impala
    Joined: Sep 14, 2012
    Posts: 79

    64impala
    Member

    I've completed installing a SPAL electric 12V fan, when I have the fan hot wire running directly to the "ign fuse box", the fan starts as I proceed to start the engine with no issues (engine and fan work together)!
    However when I have the fan hot wire connected directly to a "single pole, single throw" 30 amp toggle switch, I can start the engine, but when I place the toggle switch in the "on" to start the fan, the engine cuts off!?
    I'm using a 30 amp relay for the fan and using the "10amp IGN" fusebox slot.
    And yes, I'm aware of the temperature sensor option.

    Is it necessary to have the toggle switch grounded? Could that be cutting
    power to the coil when I turn the toggle switch to the "on" position?

    Am I using the wrong type of toggle switch, amps, or ? :confused:

    Toggle Switch Config:
    black: to ground
    yellow: to fan +
    red: to ign fusebox

    Year: 1964
    Make: Chevrolet
     
    Last edited: Dec 2, 2012
  2. Moonequipt13
    Joined: Jul 9, 2012
    Posts: 196

    Moonequipt13
    Member

    Interesting problem...the only thing I can think of is that the fan is pulling too much power for the ignition to work properly. The fan should be powered with direct power from the battery via a relay, which is activated by a switch of some sort. You should put this on a thermoswitch, toggle switch fans are super haggard
     
  3. 325w
    Joined: Feb 18, 2008
    Posts: 6,514

    325w
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Wire it to the battery with a fuse and a relay. I think your killing you ign. Power where you have it now.
     
  4. George/Maine
    Joined: Jan 6, 2011
    Posts: 949

    George/Maine
    Member

    The wiring from relay small wire to ign,other small to sender,or thur switch to ground to stop and start fan.Sounds like small wires are switched.
     
  5. HOTRODPRIMER
    Joined: Jan 3, 2003
    Posts: 64,925

    HOTRODPRIMER
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Why do you need a electric fan? HRP
     
  6. dadz34
    Joined: Aug 9, 2010
    Posts: 173

    dadz34
    Member
    from Sanger, TX

    I would 100% recommend a relay in your design. Send the power to the relay from the 30 or 40 Amp fused power from your harness. Then connect a 12v power for your ignition to the relay. Next run a 14 GA wire from the relay to the fan. Finally connect a switch which will provide a ground to the relay. Always use the switch for the ground so no current is being forced through the switch as this will certainly load the switch and cause poor performance and premature failure. Here are diagrams from Vintage Air. If your using a trinary switch (again, highly recommended) use the second illustration.

    Normal installation:
    ImageUploadedByTJJ1354495818.864449.jpg

    Trinary switch installation:
    ImageUploadedByTJJ1354495857.576873.jpg


    Posted from the TJJ App for iPhone & iPad
     
    Last edited: Dec 2, 2012
  7. Don's Hot Rods
    Joined: Oct 7, 2005
    Posts: 8,319

    Don's Hot Rods
    Member
    from florida

    First of all, you picked the right brand of fan. I will never run anything else, ever since I started using them 10 years ago.

    I wire mine up with a toggle switch to control it because I like complete control over it's operation and we have had too many fan controllers fail.....even the ones from SPAL. Here is how I wired mine up, and I eliminate the portion encircled in red:

    Don

    [​IMG]
     
  8. rustang
    Joined: Sep 10, 2009
    Posts: 710

    rustang
    Member

    ^^^^ +1 This is how I did mine also....I had a cheap kit I bought from Painless for another car and did not use, worked perfect on my truck...Make sure that you use a relay... Tom
     
  9. Chemin
    Joined: Mar 4, 2009
    Posts: 325

    Chemin
    Member

    Stupid question (mama always said there are no stupid questions, just stupid peaople that ask questions). Why run a toggle switch instead of the temp sending unit?
     
  10. Don's Hot Rods
    Joined: Oct 7, 2005
    Posts: 8,319

    Don's Hot Rods
    Member
    from florida

    The reason for me is absolute control. I only need the fan sometimes at lights and I haven't had the best of luck with any of the controllers. My one Son has a SPAL controller on his rpu and it never has worked right since day one. We called SPAL and they told us how to hot wire it so it would run all the time, just to get the car on the road. Now SPAL tells me they no longer make that controller at all, so there must have been an issue.

    My other Son has a Centek controller on his T bucket and it is replacing a Ron Francis brand that burned up. He was just telling me the Centek is cycling at the wrong times, so we are goingl to pull his out and put a simple switch in like I have.

    Some people say that their fear would be forgetting to turn the fan on, but I watch my gauges constantly and in the 25 years I have had the car wired this way I maybe have missed turning the fan on 2 or 3 times. But even then it only got a little warm and as soon as I turned it on the temp dropped right down. This past week I put over 500 miles on the car going to Turkey Run and only had to turn the fan on a few times while sitting at lights.

    I just like things to be simple, less to go wrong.

    Don
     
  11. brady1929
    Joined: Sep 30, 2006
    Posts: 9,636

    brady1929
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Great info, thanks guys
     
  12. 26 roadster
    Joined: Apr 21, 2008
    Posts: 2,020

    26 roadster
    Member

    I agree in total control, if you wire it with the temp sender the toggle still overrides the sender for the control you seek. I wire mine this way so I can turn the fans on early before the traffic jam at rod run registration.
    I haven't run a engine fan in thirty years(after sticking my hand in one)
     
  13. Don's Hot Rods
    Joined: Oct 7, 2005
    Posts: 8,319

    Don's Hot Rods
    Member
    from florida

    I haven't run a engine fan in thirty years(after sticking my hand in one)[/QUOTE]


    Me neither, I am still wearing a little scar on my forearm where a mechanical fan kissed it years ago.

    Don
     
  14. hdman6465
    Joined: Jul 5, 2009
    Posts: 662

    hdman6465
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Your fan should be powered from the 12v acc. side of the box so that you don't get back feed from the ignition. I bet if you revved it up, it won't shut off till the fan stops turning.
     
  15. What's wrong with the fan that GM put in there some 50 years ago?

    The damn thing worked for them and I'll bet my last sawbuck you don't get 50 years out of that electric pile of Chinese ****.

    Lemme guess, you must be one of those that thinks it's cool. NOT!
     

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