Discussion
Shoved the loose wiring out of the way above the steering column before setting off to the shops today.
Headlights started popping up and down at random, then the indicators failed. A short time later the horn started sounding all by itself, then all these components started sulking and refused to work at all.
A closer inspection under the dash when I got home revealed that the steering column length adjustment clamp bolt had conspired with the mounting plate to neatly sever several wires
Out with the soldering iron, and after cutting and rerouting the wires from the immobiliser to the other side of the column, a sensible place was found to tie wrap the spaghetti up and under the dash well clear of the steering column
Another discovery I made whilst digging about in the fuse box with the engine running was that the *40amp* fuse which services the fans and ciggy lighter gets very *very* hot. Have I got a wiring problem here or is this normal? I should add that for summer use around town I've jumped the otter switch and the twin fans run constantly.
Headlights started popping up and down at random, then the indicators failed. A short time later the horn started sounding all by itself, then all these components started sulking and refused to work at all.
A closer inspection under the dash when I got home revealed that the steering column length adjustment clamp bolt had conspired with the mounting plate to neatly sever several wires
Out with the soldering iron, and after cutting and rerouting the wires from the immobiliser to the other side of the column, a sensible place was found to tie wrap the spaghetti up and under the dash well clear of the steering column
Another discovery I made whilst digging about in the fuse box with the engine running was that the *40amp* fuse which services the fans and ciggy lighter gets very *very* hot. Have I got a wiring problem here or is this normal? I should add that for summer use around town I've jumped the otter switch and the twin fans run constantly.
Probably the joints on the back of the fuse/rely etc need re doing or the lucar (if its used) is slack.
I have noticed my 30 amp fan fuse and relay getting a tad warm and evidence of it being hotter. Over ride as well but not on constantly. On mine there are lucar connectors to the fuse panel. I suspect that 14 years it is getting a bit HR and in need of re doing. As I am having problems of my own, I am thinking of fitting this after someone kindly pointed me in their direction
Link
Excuse the granny sucking eggs bit but as the cable gets cooked, it will go brittle and tarnish sommit rotten making it a pain to work with.
>> Edited by jmorgan on Saturday 19th June 22:04
I have noticed my 30 amp fan fuse and relay getting a tad warm and evidence of it being hotter. Over ride as well but not on constantly. On mine there are lucar connectors to the fuse panel. I suspect that 14 years it is getting a bit HR and in need of re doing. As I am having problems of my own, I am thinking of fitting this after someone kindly pointed me in their direction
Link
Excuse the granny sucking eggs bit but as the cable gets cooked, it will go brittle and tarnish sommit rotten making it a pain to work with.
>> Edited by jmorgan on Saturday 19th June 22:04
jmorgan said:
Probably the joints on the back of the fuse/rely etc need re doing or the lucar (if its used) is slack.
I have noticed my 30 amp fan fuse and relay getting a tad warm and ... As I am having problems of my own, I am thinking of fitting this after someone kindly pointed me in their direction
Link
Excuse the granny sucking eggs bit but as the cable gets cooked, it will go brittle and tarnish sommit rotten making it a pain to work with.
Hmmm, mine's been bodged before by the previous owner, no longer in the fuse panel but remotely wired to a loose hanging fuseholder. Thicker wire required methinks.
Does the inline system the link refers to go between the swan neck and rad? not much room under the bonnet in my case as it's a series one car upgraded to series 2 cooling. Prolly squeeze it in somewhere though
What type of fuse holder? Is it one of them sprung one or a blade? What are the fans rated at? What gauge of wire is used now? Sorry for the questions. If it just the fuse holder gettin hot then I would suspect that.
The fan controller is 65mm long so I was thinking of putting it near the thermostat housing.
The fan controller is 65mm long so I was thinking of putting it near the thermostat housing.
jmorgan said:
What type of fuse holder? Is it one of them sprung one or a blade? What are the fans rated at? What gauge of wire is used now? Sorry for the questions. If it just the fuse holder gettin hot then I would suspect that.
The fan controller is 65mm long so I was thinking of putting it near the thermostat housing.
Blade type holder, dunno the fan ratings, there is a naff bit of thinner wire inline with the fuse holder which is getting hot too, which is continuation crimped on - not clever. I'll go for that first I think.
jmorgan said:
... As I am having problems of my own, I am thinking of fitting this after someone kindly pointed me in their direction.
Jeff - there are a few things in that link that confuse me. For instance it states: "Latest surface mount
sensor", but goes on to say, "Space in Hose Approx : 25mm". So, does it fit "on the surface" or inside the hose? {Ah! I understand now. You cut and shorten the hose and fit the device between the cut ends ... or so it appears. Neat idea. Do you have a price?}
And how does it achieve, "Continuous Adjustment of Temperature by variable control in housing"? And do you want that? It's better to have a constant temperature than a continuously adjusted one.
Being a bit pedantic I know
. I do note, however, that their largest fan (15.2") only draws 24.5A.
Streaky
>> Edited by streaky on Sunday 20th June 08:04
Fuse holder had been uprated on the SEAC in a similar way (not bodged tho, wireing also changed for thicker) however fuses were still melting. I have now fitted a 45 amp circuit breaker to solve the problem.As a result the wires do not get hot either.
It hasn't tripped since but easier to reset than changing fuses
>> Edited by dickymint on Sunday 20th June 09:55
streaky said:
... As I am having problems of my own, I am thinking of fitting this after someone kindly pointed me in their direction.
Jeff - there are a few things in that link that confuse me. For instance it states: "Latest surface mount
sensor", but goes on to say, "Space in Hose Approx : 25mm". So, does it fit "on the surface" or inside the hose? {Ah! I understand now. You cut and shorten the hose and fit the device between the cut ends ... or so it appears. Neat idea. Do you have a price?}
And how does it achieve, "Continuous Adjustment of Temperature by variable control in housing"? And do you want that? It's better to have a constant temperature than a continuously adjusted one.
Being a bit pedantic I know
I do note, however, that their largest fan (15.2") only draws 24.5A.
Streaky
>> Edited by streaky on Sunday 20th June 08:04
I would suggest that it varies the fan speed in relation to the temperature to keep it constant. Sounds like a very good idea to me.
jmorgan said:Having now read about it on DT, I would agree ... but that's not what their advertising blurb says! It clearly states: "Continuous Adjustment of Temperature ..." and I don't see any "continuous adjustment" capability ... unless they mean that it switches on and off
I read it to mean you set the temp the fans come on. Only came across it on Saturday so not spoken to them yet. I also want to know if it can be manually overiden
- Streaky
streaky said:
I read it to mean you set the temp the fans come on. Only came across it on Saturday so not spoken to them yet. I also want to know if it can be manually overiden
Having now read about it on DT, I would agree ... but that's not what their advertising blurb says! It clearly states: "Continuous Adjustment of Temperature ..." and I don't see any "continuous adjustment" capability ... unless they mean that it switches on and off
Couldn't you lean out of the window, and through a hole drilled in the bonnet, fettle it by screwdriver as you see fit?
See what you mean though.
I think this 'continuously adjustable' is just a pretentious way of saying its adjustable. If you adjusted it continuously I'm sure the pot would wear out pretty soon!
Revotec actually do two similar units. One is just a sleeve with a threaded boss to take an ordinary screw in otter switch or temperature sender. This is handy if you want to move an existing otter switch or sensor into a plain pipe. The other is much more expensive and uses the same sleeve but with a built-in solid state otter switch and pre-wired relay to power a fan. Although this seems a nice idea at first, it means the relay has to be close to the sensor so it will be exposed to heat and dirt, and also the wires and general construction is pretty flimsy, I didn't fancy powering a big fan through them. I got one of these with the idea of using the solid state switch and re-wiring the rest up properly into the main fuse box using appropriately rated wiring. In the end I took the easier option of using two of David's Mod Wise fan controllers, wired into the main loom.
Revotec actually do two similar units. One is just a sleeve with a threaded boss to take an ordinary screw in otter switch or temperature sender. This is handy if you want to move an existing otter switch or sensor into a plain pipe. The other is much more expensive and uses the same sleeve but with a built-in solid state otter switch and pre-wired relay to power a fan. Although this seems a nice idea at first, it means the relay has to be close to the sensor so it will be exposed to heat and dirt, and also the wires and general construction is pretty flimsy, I didn't fancy powering a big fan through them. I got one of these with the idea of using the solid state switch and re-wiring the rest up properly into the main fuse box using appropriately rated wiring. In the end I took the easier option of using two of David's Mod Wise fan controllers, wired into the main loom.
I use a Kenlowe thermostat, the thermocouple is in the radiator top hose and the 'stat switches the car's original fan relays in place of the Otter switch. Also have manual override. The Esprit has a system (that I haven't yet figured out) that puts 'Fan Failure' up on the dash in the event of, I presume, a fan failure
Ian
Ian
jmorgan said:
Sorry Roger, hijacking your thread.
No problem, it all makes interesting reading. Now I've got another wierd problem though.
Charge warning light came on after hitting the brakes on saturday night and hasn't gone out since.
It's dim at low revs, brighter at higher revs. The battery still seems to be charging though, and the voltmeter is reading a healthy 13.8 running, and around 12 at rest.
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