Section : Cooling

Switched electric fan

Posted By : Mark Telkman, 01-Jan-2005, 03:01pm

Was just wandering if anyone had ever installed an electric fan on the cheap, to be manually switched on/off when needed. Only problems I could think of would be keeping an eye on the temperature gauge and ensuring it's giving a genuine reading.

Whilst I'll probably get round to fitting a proper kenlowe kit with a thermostat some day, I can't help but be tempted by picking a fan up from a scrapyard on the cheap for the time being and wiring it straight into a switch to do it manually.

Any thoughts/experience with this or the associated wiring?

Followups :

Switched electric fan

Posted By : Chris Mills, 01-Jan-2005, 04:01pm

Hi Mark

Only item to add would be an in-line fuse and consider wiring it through the ignition so you could'nt leave it on by accident.

Also worth either the switch having a build in indicator or an additional light to show when the unit was on.
Switched electric fan

Posted By : Chris Wilson, 01-Jan-2005, 05:24pm

Hi Mark,

Yep i've got a switched fan in my daily driver. The fan is a kenlowe (old model) with thermostat and it was originally wired through the ignition and the top fuse in the fuse box. The top fuse clips are a bit dodgy (another project - to install a modern blade fuse box - one day!) and I got fed up with the fan cutting in and blowing the fuse!! So I've wired the fan up (still through the ignition) but with an inline fuse, toggle switch and nice bright orange warning light!! It's too dark, wet and windy to do a photo of it tonight but I'll do one in the morning and post it for you to have a look at!!

There's a previous post about it on here somewhere as well. Oh - and it is possible to forget to switch the fan on - don't ask me how I know and what happened!!

Regards
Switched electric fan

Posted By : Chris Wilson, 02-Jan-2005, 12:42pm

Mark, as promised - two photos of the switch and light on the dash! >>>>>

http://website.lineone.net/chrispaulwilson/switch...

Left hand photo shows toggle switch off, orange warning light off = fan off.

Right hand picture shows toggle switch on, orange warning light on = fan on (albeit also controlled by the thermostat!)

Regards
- Switched electric fan
  
  Posted By : Mark Telkman, 02-Jan-2005, 05:10pm
  
  Very tidy! As it happens, there were four similar switches not wired in on my old dash before I replaced it.
  
  If I do try out a switched fan, it'll only be temporary, so I won't quite go to the extent you have
  - will probably just leave the switch/light dangling in the radio recess for the time being, as theres nothing else in there. I guess I'll have to work out if I feel the need for a forced override of a temp controlled kenlowe at a later date...
  - Switched electric fan
    
    Posted By : James Carruthers, 02-Jan-2005, 05:25pm
    
    I am planning on an electric fan - I am going to put a couple of discreet lights somewhere on my dash (or in a fabricated holder somewhere at the top of the Mk3s driver glove box) for both OD and the fan - even though the fan is going to be thermostatically controlled (with an override switch)...
    
    You can never have too much information...