What Gauge Wire for Electric Fan Install.

M

mavmavv

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Nov 21, 2007

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Mar 19, 2009

#1

• Mar 19, 2009

• #1

I have an Electric Taurus fan on the way today, I got this Flex a Lite controller from summit... Flex-a-lite 30332 - Flex-a-lite Adjustable Electric Fan Controllers - summitracing.com

What gauge wire should I run for ground and power? Ill be hooking up power to the block by the battery.

 

Darkwriter77

Resident Ranting Negative Nancy

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Apache Junction, AZ

Mar 19, 2009

#2

• Mar 19, 2009

• #2

Never hurts to go overkill with wire thickness. When in doubt, go as thick as you can.

FWIW, I used 12-gauge with the electric fan in my notch, and never had any problems. I probably could've gotten by with something thinner (my fan's kinda puny), but I already had some 12-gauge laying around at the time.

 

LiquidGT

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Oct 8, 2007

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Mar 19, 2009

#3

• Mar 19, 2009

• #3

I'm using 10ga with my Taurus fan; I hope you have a relay to go with that controller.

 

M

mavmavv

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#4

• Mar 19, 2009

• #4

LiquidGT said:

I'm using 10ga with my Taurus fan; I hope you have a relay to go with that controller.

Click to expand...

Aw ****. I didnt realize it did not include a relay, I thought there was one built in.

 

GTA_V6_Mustang

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Nov 29, 2004

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Mar 19, 2009

#5

• Mar 19, 2009

• #5

mavmavv said:

Aw ****. I didnt realize it did not include a relay, I thought there was one built in.

Click to expand...

I dont know which one ur using but there is one with a relay built in by flex-a-lite that I have used on another fox before that is still going to this day just fine. Its actually the one I want to use on my car now as a substitute for cooling the car off a bit better before the tweecer.

 

LiquidGT

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#6

• Mar 19, 2009

• #6

I'm using the 75 amp Bosch (332-002-156) / Tyco (v23232a0001x003) relay.

 

L

lang williams

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Mar 19, 2009

#7

• Mar 19, 2009

• #7

i picked up a cheap electric fan controller/relay in one from advanced auto, it came with wire, the wire was like 12 gauge too. i'm using this on a taurus 3.8 fan.

 

bubba-dough

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Dec 28, 2004

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Mar 19, 2009

#8

• Mar 19, 2009

• #8

The AWG is going to be determined by the current draw and length of the run. Just guessing on the current draw of your fan, but I would imagine its ~30A so stranded 10AWG would be the proper size.

 

bubba-dough

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Dec 28, 2004

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#9

• Mar 19, 2009

• #9

Crap! I just looked at what you paid for that controller. Its like $35 worth of internals to build your own thats adjustable, or $20 for a non-adjustable one. A zenor diode, a relay, and a thermastat switch. You could even throw in l.e.d. indicator lights for a few cents more. Just remember to bias all diodes correctly ( zenor & l.e.d's.....anode/cathode).

 

M

mavmavv

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Nov 21, 2007

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#10

• Mar 19, 2009

• #10

Haha, yeah. I was a little under the influence when I ordered it. Ok, I tracked down some relays at Radio shack. Now where would those go... In between the fan and the controller? Or between the controller and the battery?

Im gonna put 2 40A relays for the high speed and 1 40A for the low speed fan.

 

Darkwriter77

Resident Ranting Negative Nancy

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Mar 19, 2009

#11

• Mar 19, 2009

• #11

I'm using an old starter relay.

Hey, it's worked flawlessly for almost 5 years now, and a starter relay sees way more current than a little Bosch relay, so it's surely heavy-duty enough for a fan. Wasn't my pick, though - the prior owner was the one that stuck it on there when he installed a teeny-tiny little 12" fan with some puny 18-gauge wire. The relay worked fine, so I just upgraded the fan and the gauge of the wiring and I added an in-line fuse.

 

jrichker

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#12

• Mar 19, 2009

• #12

Save this chart for future reference...

 

M

mavmavv

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#13

• Mar 19, 2009

• #13

Any input on where to put the relays? Between the Fan and Controller or Controller and Battery?

Seems the logical place would be between the Fan and controller from what ive read. But I dont know much about electrical systems and what will blow up what else.

 

monte87

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Mar 20, 2009

#14

• Mar 20, 2009

• #14

Do yourself a favor and go 8GA, Just some cheap insurance, Thats what i did...