manual fan switch burnt, so did wire, how to fix and make not happen again?

[spunger]

Well........my hard weekends work went to waste yesterday. When they were smogging my car and had to rev the engine, my wire going from the fusebox to the switch so I can manually turn the fans on burnt up like no other. I was like a-hole!!!!......but nothing I could do. It was very skimpey wire. I think 18 guage.

Now I want to redo that wire, and get a new switch since mine burnt out, and was wondering, what can/should I do to make it so this doesn't happen again. Wire it up to a relay? Put a fuse on that wire going to the fusebox to the switch? I would like to fix this problem this weekend so any help would be appricated.

Thanks guys,
Chris

[jmorgan]

hehe you like them free mods hehehe I think I understande I would run the wire a different way like maybe like right be hind the bumper and around it would be a pain but it wouldnt be close to the engin.

[Magnus]

You can't use an 18 gauge wire. The fans draw a lot of power. You must use a good wire and a good switch.

I am using 14 gauge to my fan relay directly to a toggle switch which is a 12v rated at 20 amps or so I believe.. which then has a 12 gauge wire that goes to the + battery post.

[spunger]

Hehe.....I know, I love free mods, even though they really aren't "free".

I did route the wire far from the engine. I ran it in front of the radiator.....but not in contact with anything hot or even warm. It started to burn up at the gromet in the engine compartment. I was like uh-oh. I knew it wasn't my 4 guage power cable for my amps. It fried my swtich, and friend the "remote" wire that was going from the switch to the fusebox. I think I may need to add a inline fuse to that wire since it burnt up so bad. I powered the switch from the + terminal I have set up, and grounded it within 18 inches of the switch. I am thinkin a fuse may be a wise idea.

Just keep'in ya updated.
Chris


p.s. I think that I am going to do what magnus did. Use 14 guage wire from the fusebox back, just it's a long run unless I can find a gromet to get in on the drivers side instead of the passengers. I am pretty sure the switch I was using was 12v and 20 amps also. I may go by the parts store tonight maybe and see.

[ January 10, 2002: Message edited by: spunger ]</p>

[Andy]

I removed my pcm and routed the wire through the gromet located right behind there. I didnt Have to even get anywhere close to any of the engine parts.

Andy

[spunger]

Just a note to everyone, I did not burn the wire up from the engine, maybe the heat from the mainifolds, but not the engine. It was routed on the outside. Something I can probably re-do in 10-15 minutes. I am just wondering if I should use a fuse and bigger wire than 16 guage? It is not a problem, just I have to make a 20ft run of 14 guage is all (from the fuse box to the passenger side gromet, to the switch under the lighter.

I know it was the cable that burnt up because from the beggining of the length of cable, to the other end of it, it is completly burnt.

[Jason McCallister]

PLEASE PEOPLE!!! Always put a fuse (near the voltage source) on a positive wire!!!

YOU WERE LUCKY! [img]graemlins/omg.gif[/img] It could have been much worse! :(

Educate yourselves in basic electronics before attempting stuff like this. Know what current is (measured in "amps"), know the current capabilities of wire, know how to read the ratings of switches, and know how to do the simple math of Ohm's Law. If you learn basic electronics (most stereo guys have basic electronic knowledge), you will avoid those kind of mistakes and prevent car fires! :eek: I've seen switches melt and catch fire.... not pretty! :(

[spunger]

Well thanks Jason for making it clear that some people need to know what they are doing, especially when wiring up these deals.

Now I don't want to start a war or anything on here, because I know, for instance, that I am good with wiring stereo stuff.......but when it comes to "making a manual fan switch" I just went off of what everyone else has done for it. I did not know you were suspose to place a fuse on the wire comming from the relay box to the switch. Now that I know a fused source is necessary, that will make things 10 times easier.

Like I've said before, it took me maybe 2 hours last weekend to do this mod, now it would probably take me 15-20 minutes. I know wires can catch on fire if not fused. It is not a pretty site.

I'm going to fuse the wire comming from the relay to the switch. And stuff a decent size fuse on there. That should be good enough. I do not know how much current that little wire can hold. I should have known the fuse deal as I just had to put driving lights on my girlfriends car and had to use a fuse on the lights and power source.

Oh well......I know it could have been worse, lucky it wasn't! I am going to go get the stuff I need and possibly do this tonight or tomorrow, replacing the wire and switch.

Thanks guys,
Chris

[dstrbd1]

what i did with this was, since i had an aftermarket radio that i had to wire up a new wiring harness for, i spliced the power line for the switch into the power line for the radio. then i changed the 15 amp fuse for the radio to 20 amp to be sure i wouldn't be blowin fuses everyday. so far everything is fine and it's been on there for several months. it's also helpful because at first i had the switch wired straight from the battery (actually the post in front of the fuse box in the engine compartment) and i would forget to turn the switch off. went through a battery quick that way. now the fan cuts off when i take the keys out. another added bonus, the doors won't lock for a second if the switch is on. it dings like the keys are in the ignition, reminding me to go ahead and flip the switch off.

[Jason McCallister]

I wasn't trying to be a jerk! ;) I just don't want to see any of my F-buddies' F-Bodies going up in flames! [img]graemlins/omg.gif[/img] ;) :D

If you ever have ANY doubt on what your doing (with anything), stop and ask yourself.... should I be doing it this way? Ask for help if you have any doubts! There's always someone here that can help! :D

[spunger]

I know ya wern't Jason, hehe.....that's how it sounded, but I know in all good honestly no question is too stupid to answer or ask. I went out today and bought some 14 guage wire, and fuse holders. That should stop stop any wires from burning up.

Thanks though for the help Jason, I know you were just trying to help, so I wanna say I am sorry, for assuming you were being a jerk. It's all good now.

Hehe, thanks again!
Chris

[WickEdSix9838]

i would say make a better connections, wires normally burn up because they short out...that could be why???

[Backfire]

I was searching for 3.4L fan switch posts and came across this one and wanted to add some info. From another of your posts spunger, it sounds like you tapped into the actual power wire(blue) for the fan instead of the relay control wire(green). That is probably why your wire burnt, you were carrying all the current from the fans through that small gauge wire and probably equally small switch. If you tap into the relay control wires instead, the power for the fans still flows through the factory wiring. No high current wiring needed. I have posted a couple of times about the 3.4L, but I may try to finally make a decent diagram as I have yet to see one. If there already is one, please let me know so I can link to it when people as about it. Its actually much simpler than the 3.8L switch because we only have one fan.

[ May 27, 2002: Message edited by: Backfire ]</p>

[navyblue2000]

there's a real easy, simpler solution to this. i really don't know why you all are wiring up thru the passengers side and everything, unless you just don't like going thru the door, and want thru the firewall.
what i just did, and this works, one wire to the ground, the other wire joined/spliced to the green wire that's top left in "fan 1" relay. works like a charm.

[OneQuickV6]

Couldn't have said it better myself Jason, ALWAYS USE A FUSE! I have seen alot of nice equipment burnt up because of not using fuses. Fuses are cheap, if you burn one, replace it, and find why it happened, maybe 25 cents wasted. That's cheap!