Electric fan woes.
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Lead Driver
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 6,175
Likes: 21
From: Texas
Electric fan woes.
My Flex-a-lite double fan just quits sometimes. Usually when it's getting a highway workout, then I pull off to go home and the engine starts warming up. Then I pull in the driveway and it's really heating up and I shut it down. Then, I can't seem to find anything suspect. Well, last time I found the fuse holder was bad, fuse good but no e- flow!
I'll reseat all the connections and check things out and then it might work again. I think the fan is faulty. I've run a very direct ground and power in the provided 10 gauge wire. The run is reasonably short, less than 2 ft.
Any ideas what's happening here?
I'll reseat all the connections and check things out and then it might work again. I think the fan is faulty. I've run a very direct ground and power in the provided 10 gauge wire. The run is reasonably short, less than 2 ft.
Any ideas what's happening here?
Post Fiend
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 8,238
Likes: 3
From: Oregon
Sounds goofy, and I known I'm a bit known for overkill (I run 4 gauge on mine), but I'd go #6 gauge. I know its a short run but those fans pull allot. It IS possible that the unit itself is faulty, but it wouldn't hurt to give it some healthier gauge even if you warrenty the unit out.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 1,436
Likes: 0
From: Montana
Do you have it run to a switch or something? I know i have had bad luck with the thermostat trigger in some electric setups so I either just run it strait to where the fan comes on with the ignition or i run a toggle switch just a though.
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Lead Driver
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 6,175
Likes: 21
From: Texas
Originally Posted by EgoMan
Do you have it run to a switch or something? I know i have had bad luck with the thermostat trigger in some electric setups so I either just run it strait to where the fan comes on with the ignition or i run a toggle switch just a though.
It has a terminal for manual over-ride. Maybe I'll wire that up and see if I can make it stay on. Right now it is supposed to come on with the AC compressor or when the thermal sensor get's hot enough.
I'll play with it some more and let you guys know what I find.
Man, if it isn't one thing it's another.
Senior User
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 435
Likes: 1
From: Central Oregon
I just got a re-call notice in the mail from Flex-a-Lite for the fuse holder on my #295. Since I had wired directly to a fuse block, didn't use the fuse holder anyway, so wasn't an issue for me, but if you haven't already replaced it in its entirety that might be a place to start. The notice talked about potential fires due to failure, but intermittent problems could certainly be expected too.
JFWIW, my #295 has been behaving just dandy. I recently bumped the thermostat from 180 to 195 when I changed out the Performer intake in favor of a Performer RPM, so had to tweak the control setting, but I'm really pleased with the cooling capacity, etc.
Good Luck in any case. I seem to be having a propensity to pull rocker arm studs out of my Edel heads of late(4 so far), so dealing with that way too often. So don't feel like the Lone Ranger when it comes to fighting the good fight with these mechanical marvels!
Steve
JFWIW, my #295 has been behaving just dandy. I recently bumped the thermostat from 180 to 195 when I changed out the Performer intake in favor of a Performer RPM, so had to tweak the control setting, but I'm really pleased with the cooling capacity, etc.
Good Luck in any case. I seem to be having a propensity to pull rocker arm studs out of my Edel heads of late(4 so far), so dealing with that way too often. So don't feel like the Lone Ranger when it comes to fighting the good fight with these mechanical marvels!
Steve
Post Fiend
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 8,238
Likes: 3
From: Oregon
You know, you hadn't mentioned running a temp probe (or I didn't notice it). If the fans are switching erratically I'd bet thats the culprit (the probe/switch that is). I agree, run it of a toggle for awhile and see if that takes care of the problem.
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Cargo Master
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 2,574
Likes: 4
From: Golden, CO
Just some food for thought, and a wild *** guess since I didn't follow your other posts well enough to remember how you set up.
If there's any chance of a vapor pocket forming around your temp switch, no, it won't work. But, with your A/C on, you should still have power on the load (fan) side of the relay.
If it's not too much hassle, check that wire with a test light next time the problem shows <!it's a$$>. If you have the inclination, run a small wire to a lamp in the cab, ground the lamp where it mounts. You'll know for certian if the fan has power or not.
Happy hunting, Mike
If there's any chance of a vapor pocket forming around your temp switch, no, it won't work. But, with your A/C on, you should still have power on the load (fan) side of the relay.
If it's not too much hassle, check that wire with a test light next time the problem shows <!it's a$$>. If you have the inclination, run a small wire to a lamp in the cab, ground the lamp where it mounts. You'll know for certian if the fan has power or not.
Happy hunting, Mike
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Posting Legend
Joined: Sep 2001
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Complications, faulty fuse holders, bad connections, intermittent operation, outright failure, inefficient energy conversion, -some of the many reasons NOT to use an electric fan. Replace it with a stock thermostatic fan for proper operation and reliability.
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Lead Driver
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 6,175
Likes: 21
From: Texas
Originally Posted by stephenw
I just got a re-call notice in the mail from Flex-a-Lite for the fuse holder on my #295. Since I had wired directly to a fuse block, didn't use the fuse holder anyway, so wasn't an issue for me, but if you haven't already replaced it in its entirety that might be a place to start. The notice talked about potential fires due to failure, but intermittent problems could certainly be expected too.
JFWIW, my #295 has been behaving just dandy. I recently bumped the thermostat from 180 to 195 when I changed out the Performer intake in favor of a Performer RPM, so had to tweak the control setting, but I'm really pleased with the cooling capacity, etc.
Good Luck in any case. I seem to be having a propensity to pull rocker arm studs out of my Edel heads of late(4 so far), so dealing with that way too often. So don't feel like the Lone Ranger when it comes to fighting the good fight with these mechanical marvels!
Steve
JFWIW, my #295 has been behaving just dandy. I recently bumped the thermostat from 180 to 195 when I changed out the Performer intake in favor of a Performer RPM, so had to tweak the control setting, but I'm really pleased with the cooling capacity, etc.
Good Luck in any case. I seem to be having a propensity to pull rocker arm studs out of my Edel heads of late(4 so far), so dealing with that way too often. So don't feel like the Lone Ranger when it comes to fighting the good fight with these mechanical marvels!
Steve
That actually makes me feel a little better. That fuse holder did melt on me, and I could not figure out why. The fuse didn't blow, but the connection quit and the rubber insulator melted to part of the fuse. I replaced it with another inline fuse 30 AMP setup, and shortened the run to the battery.
I guess I should call Flex-a-lite and see what they have to say.
Senior User
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 366
Likes: 0
From: Calgary
Not sure if you do have one but I would say you need a relay. I suck at wiring but the relay prevents any high current melt downs. I bought one adjustable thermostatic control and a relay, and it works great. Just a single 17" fan, coarse I live in a cooler climate. +30c day it will climb to 190-200, but usually shows 170.
Senior User
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 435
Likes: 1
From: Central Oregon
It does sound like a call to Flex-a-Lite is in order. When I installed mine, I asked FL about using a 30 amp breaker instead of fuse in my fuse block, and David Heutmaker at FL recommended that I stick with a 40 Amp fuse, which I did, because of the starting in-rush current of the fan causing problems. I'm going to have to hang my Fluke meter on there sometime and get a reading on exactly what the draw is. Steve
Posting Guru
Joined: Oct 1999
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From: yes
I've had mine do that before but I have a manual switch and have found that if I just turn it on for a little bit until it cools down once it's like it kicks it into action and I dont have any other problems I'd still rather have it than the mechanical fan