Electrical fire after Mark 8 Fan install 0_0
04-18-2013, 05:09 PM
#1
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Electrical fire after Mark 8 Fan install 0_0
like i said... tried wiring the fan this afternoon, anddddd that didn't work out as planned..
i need some help..
i went the start solenoid route, and followed the diagram below.. after everything was wired and hooked up, i tried it to make sure it would run.... and thats where it all went down hill..
for my '12v switched power', i just tapped a fuse at the block real quick to get this fan working, and figure out a better 'switched' power source later.. (please ignore the wiring mess at the fuse block in the pic, the previous owner wired this car like a 2 year old with a hot glue gun and popsicle sticks..)
in the pics, you can see the solenoid all wired up.. blue is power(+), black is ground(-), and red is positive(+) to the '12v switched power'. like i said before, this red wire went to a rocker switch, and a second red wire from the switch the the 20a fuse that you see in the pic melted and burnt..
when i turned the key, i immediately heard several pops coming from what seemed like the rocker switch (plastic) and it sounded almost like arcing.. meanwhile, fan no turny...
after some investigating, (and turning off the key).. found the fuse burnt and melted...
HELP.. WTH DID I DO WRONG?!?
PLEASE HELP!
i need some help..
i went the start solenoid route, and followed the diagram below.. after everything was wired and hooked up, i tried it to make sure it would run.... and thats where it all went down hill..
for my '12v switched power', i just tapped a fuse at the block real quick to get this fan working, and figure out a better 'switched' power source later.. (please ignore the wiring mess at the fuse block in the pic, the previous owner wired this car like a 2 year old with a hot glue gun and popsicle sticks..)
in the pics, you can see the solenoid all wired up.. blue is power(+), black is ground(-), and red is positive(+) to the '12v switched power'. like i said before, this red wire went to a rocker switch, and a second red wire from the switch the the 20a fuse that you see in the pic melted and burnt..
when i turned the key, i immediately heard several pops coming from what seemed like the rocker switch (plastic) and it sounded almost like arcing.. meanwhile, fan no turny...
after some investigating, (and turning off the key).. found the fuse burnt and melted...
HELP.. WTH DID I DO WRONG?!?
PLEASE HELP!
04-18-2013, 05:14 PM
#2
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Does the fan turn by hand, and will it power on if you simply use the battery to test it? Burning like that either means you wired it wrong and got a + and - crossed somewhere, or the fan motor is seized up and causing a spike in amperage draw.
04-18-2013, 05:18 PM
#3
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fan spins freely, and as far as it running when connected straight to battery.. it did when i bought it.. who knows after this incident.. i actually thought it could be crossed +/- but i followed the diagram.. however, it IS a diagram of a SIMILAR solenoid, not exact same..... hm
04-18-2013, 05:24 PM
#4
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Well the first thing I see wrong is the black. Fender mount solenoids have no ground terminals, they are grounded themselves to the fender, that's why the mounting holes are the same piece of metal as the unit itself. One of the terminals you have for red/black is gonna be a 12v, and one of them is gonna be the signal wire telling the solenoid to switch(also 12v).
04-18-2013, 05:35 PM
#5
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Oh boy... Car fires are no good...
Looking at that picture it sounds like you did the right thing (I don't like the gauge of the blue wire though... I'd step it up a bit).
Without a profound understanding of exactly what is going on with your entire install, here is what I would do (assuming you have almost no electrical diagnostic tools).
Get 2 fuse holders, 2 1amp fuses, a turn signal socket and a matching bulb. Put the 1A fuses on BOTH power leads (switched and constant). See if you can get the light bulb to work correctly. If you can, then you've got a problem further down stream.
Looking at that picture it sounds like you did the right thing (I don't like the gauge of the blue wire though... I'd step it up a bit).
Without a profound understanding of exactly what is going on with your entire install, here is what I would do (assuming you have almost no electrical diagnostic tools).
Get 2 fuse holders, 2 1amp fuses, a turn signal socket and a matching bulb. Put the 1A fuses on BOTH power leads (switched and constant). See if you can get the light bulb to work correctly. If you can, then you've got a problem further down stream.
04-18-2013, 05:41 PM
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ok. the blue and black are 10 ga.. shouldn't need any bigger than that? right?...
matt.. I'm trying to follow you bro.. but I'm not =[ ... heres the diagram i followed.. it shows to use one of the terminals as a ground.. and the other is '12v switched' ... to wire how you are saying, both be 12v wires.. one would just go to the battery? and one would go to the battery again, but with a switch????.. i don't get it.. again, i am not running a temp sensor switch.. just a hard wired rocker switch..
matt.. I'm trying to follow you bro.. but I'm not =[ ... heres the diagram i followed.. it shows to use one of the terminals as a ground.. and the other is '12v switched' ... to wire how you are saying, both be 12v wires.. one would just go to the battery? and one would go to the battery again, but with a switch????.. i don't get it.. again, i am not running a temp sensor switch.. just a hard wired rocker switch..
04-18-2013, 05:47 PM
#8
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That looks like China 10ga to me... All insulation, no actual wire.
The enormous starter relay may be skewing my perspective though...
I was typing my reply as Matt as typing his... I'm not a starter solenoid expert, but I have to wonder what the extra lug on the solenoid is for if it isn't for ground?
The enormous starter relay may be skewing my perspective though...
I was typing my reply as Matt as typing his... I'm not a starter solenoid expert, but I have to wonder what the extra lug on the solenoid is for if it isn't for ground?
04-18-2013, 05:53 PM
#9
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i dunno.. I'm about done tho.. tried doing this to save some money instead of spending $230 total on freakin e-fan.. but it looks like its coming to that.. guess ill start looking at damn control modules.. UGH!
04-18-2013, 06:27 PM
#10
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I really do think you should get this problem solved before adding a controller to the mix. If your wiring is hosed downstream of the relay you'll smoke a $100 controller right off the bat too...
That said, I have the flex-a-lite variable speed controller and LOVE it... Since you're keeping your Fox, you should get one after you get your problems sorted out.
That said, I have the flex-a-lite variable speed controller and LOVE it... Since you're keeping your Fox, you should get one after you get your problems sorted out.