[4-door Chevelle]

This might get long as I want to be clear.

I installed dual electric fans from a Ford Windstar last year. I also put in a high output alternator. One expert says run a wire from the alt to the battery and run the fans off the battery (option 1). Another expert says no, that the battery starts the car and the alt feeds the system so plug in the fans at the horn relay (option 2). Last year I did option 1, this year I did option 2.

On Sunday I drove around the block with no issues. Today I drove 30 miles with no issues to get to a friend's house. On my way home I got 10 miles from his house before I had some trouble. First, it backfired, then the Gen light came on, then the system went dead. I was able to quickly get off the freeway and popped the hood right away as I thought I maybe threw my belts. Much to my surprise there was a fire coming from the starter area! It was small enough I could just blow it out, thank you God! I disconnected the battery cable right away as well. The tow truck made it in about 30 minutes so that was nice to get her home.

The wire from the horn relay to the starter post that also has the feed wire to the battery was burnt up. The wire is stock and it also has the factory fuseable link so it actually did do it's job as it was burnt between it and the connection on the starter, about 3 inches.

I don't believe the electric fan was on at the time. All the wiring is stock so the wire from the alt to the horn relay I think is the same size as the wire from the horn relay to the starter.

So ... either I replace those two wires I just mentioned to a larger size (what size?) or go back to option 1 above which actually includes a remote solenoid from Mad Electric, http://www.madelectrical.com/catalog/st-1.shtml

 

[Finally]

Based on the way you have it wired, the fans should draw power from the alt. at the horn relay. The wiring from the battery, at the starter, shouldn't come into play, assuming the alt is working and producing enough power to supply all the loads. It takes a pretty good, sustained overload to melt a fusible link, like basically a dead short somewhere. Even if the fans were on they shouldn't create enough load to melt the fusible link.

I would start there, checking resistance from positive to ground to see if you have a short. You'll probably need to disconnect wiring at different points to isolate the short if indeed you have one.

 

[dgcurrier]

This might get long as I want to be clear.

I installed dual electric fans from a Ford Windstar last year. I also put in a high output alternator. One expert says run a wire from the alt to the battery and run the fans off the battery (option 1). Another expert says no, that the battery starts the car and the alt feeds the system so plug in the fans at the horn relay (option 2). Last year I did option 1, this year I did option 2.

On Sunday I drove around the block with no issues. Today I drove 30 miles with no issues to get to a friend's house. On my way home I got 10 miles from his house before I had some trouble. First, it backfired, then the Gen light came on, then the system went dead. I was able to quickly get off the freeway and popped the hood right away as I thought I maybe threw my belts. Much to my surprise there was a fire coming from the starter area! It was small enough I could just blow it out, thank you God! I disconnected the battery cable right away as well. The tow truck made it in about 30 minutes so that was nice to get her home.

The wire from the horn relay to the starter post that also has the feed wire to the battery was burnt up. The wire is stock and it also has the factory fuseable link so it actually did do it's job as it was burnt between it and the connection on the starter, about 3 inches.

I don't believe the electric fan was on at the time. All the wiring is stock so the wire from the alt to the horn relay I think is the same size as the wire from the horn relay to the starter.

So ... either I replace those two wires I just mentioned to a larger size (what size?) or go back to option 1 above which actually includes a remote solenoid from Mad Electric, http://www.madelectrical.com/catalog/st-1.shtml

There are a lot of pundits on here that don't like the Madd way of wiring in a "Ford" Solenoid but, the nice thing about it is that the battery cable is dead from the solnoid to the starter when not cranking. It can short when driving anytime and you won't break down.

Also, You might want to relay your fans. Horn relay for power to the new relay and then to your fans. See Madd for that also or
http://www.chevyhiperformance.com/howto/4572/photo_06.html


To each his own but I like this and it works.

 

[davis95]

It sounds like you have it set up right, but you probably have some bad connections/wires somewhere in the loop. Check all the wiring thoroughly.

 

[bikeron]

The fan power should be taken from the point of regulation for the alternator. The fan should never come on when the engine is not running, thus not hooked to the battery. The battery has the effect of "clamping" the voltage and the fans will not perform as well as when they are run from the point of regulation.

The relays controlling the fans should have their coils fed from the ignition line.

Go here for wiring:
http://www.chevelles.com/forums/showthread.php?t=300744

Ron