[alien]

Hey all

My thermo fan, which is a new addition to my zuk, seems to not enjoy bathing... After our trip last weekend it blew a fuse when i turned it on, but today is working fine - i can only assume it was caused by water.

Now, im thinking of just getting some silicone on my finger and smearing it around all the contacts and plugs to seal it off. Nothing too generous, but enough to stop water getting in.

Am i on the right track here or should i be doing something else? I figure using electrical tape will work, but with winter coming its likely the water will find its way in through tape and then not dry out!

I'm almost positive (get it? lol) that its the connection at the front of the fan thats the culprit, but theres also 2 plugs not far from there that connect it up to the loom and fuse - but i might as well seal the whole path just to be safe.

[Joe]

Wouldn't WD40 or CRC work????

[want33s]

I haven't seen a 12V motor yet that doesn't work underwater.
Even alternators work when submersed.
Your problem lies somewhere other than the wet fan.

[alien]

so you dont think its water bridging the connection at the fan's motor and blowing the fuse?

Its definitely water related, i know that much.

[unique_seek]

water is a conductor...it can get trapped in the motor/conections and cause it to short out...when it heats up and evaporates it works fine... you may have a leak inside the motor too...most thermos have a rubber seal(well the ones I have seen/used)Next time it shorts out,open it up and blow it out with some air...see if that is it..it may be your connections too...and that would be the easiest place to start...why dont you just pour water over your connections and see if it affects it....if so you can buy silicone spray or wd will work...

[alien]

will silicone spray really be enough to keep the water out of the connectors etc? I would have thought it'd get washed off or rubbed off with dirt etc?

[want33s]

I doubt it is a connector issue...
How deep in water was the car when the fan fuse blew? Was the fan or part of it, submerged and overloaded which caused it to blow the fuse?

[unique_seek]

you spray it in between the connections,so the dirt isn't a problem...and silicone is a water repellent,so the water won't wash it away...

http://www.dowcorning.com/content/disco ... lents.aspx

[joeblow]

what brand of fan is it?

[royce]

any chance you turned it on while in water? I would think blowing a fuse from being stalled is more likely than a short through the water, I doubt water would carry a lot of current

[alien]

nope on most counts... cant remember brand joe.

i turned it on about 20mins after having water splash through the engine bay and it blew the fuse.

[joeblow]

we use (mainly for autos) genuine zook air-con fans. so far, including tassie salt etc they have performed without fault. if its craig-davies i think half your drama is there.

[alien]

nar its not that... gah spewin i cant remember now =) doesnt look like a craig davies as its got a brass front... theirs have a plastic front bit...

its 10" fan with 10 blades, reversible but comes standard going the right way (mounted to front of radiator). Comes with all ties and mouting gear, wiring loom and fuse box etc. (i've probably just described every single one).

Here's a pic:


the wires into the front are sealed with rubber grommets, it must be water in the connectors causing the issue... looking at the fan it hardly got mud/water on it (a very light splash) but the cables look to have been drenched.

EDIT: AH-hah - found it... its this:

1500CFM ICE 12" Thermo Fan Kit

[Jccck]

I can't understand why it's blowing fuses and whatnot

I run my thermo on a seperate switch, and just flick it off before i submerge it in water lol, i flick it on straight after and it's never let me down.. Just some ebay 10" thermo too

[ando_zook94]

There is a product Called "Electro Spray", it is used to water proof Electrical systems of Boats etc. You give the motor a real good spray with this and water won't be a problem any more.

Spray onto the Distributor, Alternator, Starter, Spark Plug Leads etc

[want33s]

I still doubt the problem is water in connectors... If you are convinced that is the problem try this stuff....
http://www.strike-hold.com/

[thompson_2986]

I had a blown fuse in the temp switch. A mate told me to put in a bigger fuse instead of a 15amp because when I start the car the fuse receives a lot of initially current and that's how it fried the last one.
So I upgraded the fuse and its been running like a dream.

[alien]

hmmm weird.

yeah mines 10Amp fused... it wasnt running going into the water, but was switched on (manual switch) about 20-30mins after being wet, and blew its fuse... i put in 3 more fuses about 1 hour after that and still the same problem (each time experimenting with airlocker on/of, spotties on/off etc).

Then, 2 days later i whack a fuse in and try again and low and behold - it works fine...

Thats what leads me to believe its water anyway.

I'll give it a squirt down and test what happens (using a squirty bottle so i can isolate it).

Want33s - you're doubting its water, but what else do you think it could be?

[want33s]

alien wrote:

hmmm weird.

yeah mines 10Amp fused... it wasnt running going into the water, but was switched on (manual switch) about 20-30mins after being wet, and blew its fuse...

Want33s - you're doubting its water, but what else do you think it could be?

I can't find a website for ICE fans to prove my theory but Davis Craig fans of similar size run a 15A fuse as their maximum operating draw is 11A.

Startup usually produces an extra draw on current, does your fuse blow while the fan is running or only when it tries to start?
I'd say, for one reason or another, your fan is simply overloading the 10A fuse.
What size was the fuse that came with the fan?

[Fatzook]

Denso tape you'll love that shit

[alien]

thanks dude - i think your theory is starting to hold some weight.

This morning i turned on the fan and it blew straight away (this is the fuse that was working yesterday afternoon in the sun) - it was cold this morning and there was condensation in the engine bay, so again i was thinking "water is the culprit". So i chucked a squirty bottle in the car to test later.

I then bought a 15Amp fuse to test at lunch instead of the 10A that comes with it... however i thought - stuff it, ill chuck in another 10A and try again - it worked first go... so out came the squirty bottle and i used nearly the whole bottle squirting down the fan while it was both on and off, turning to fan on and off a few times between each spray-down.

Bugger me - the dam thing is still working!!! the whole area including relays and fuses are all drenched and still running fine.

So i'm yet to try the 15A fuse... but if this next 10A blows i'll run the 15A while keeping an eye on the wires/relays in case they decide to start melting =)

Given that description, now WTF is it going to be?!!?

[jdk81]

Test tomorrow morning with the 10A fuse, if it blows the ambient temp may have an affect.

[PJ.zook]

Given youre description, it sounds like you werent holding youre toungue quite right. You have to stick youre toungue out and bounce on youre left leg while humming yankee doodle dandy. If you try this method tomorrow, i personally guaruntee it will propably work.

[alien]

hahahaha well - the 10A fuse that worked at lunch time worked when i hopped in the car to go home, drove home, tried again and it blew! Put another 10A in, the fan spun up but not to full speed before blowing.

Now it gets interesting!

I then put a 15A in and it worked fine (so after blowing 2x 10A's)... i then took the 15A out and threw another 10A in and its fucking working again!!!! lol

Anyway - i've dropped the 15A back in and will test that tomorrow morning and see what happens. It looks to be like something in the motor might be causing resistance or something, which once freed works fine but when left it jams again. Sounds unlikely but i've got no other ideas!

[alien]

UPDATE: 15A fuse still in - switch on fan this morning and all is working, no fried wires or burning smells.

Will test again at lunch.

Fingers crossed it looks like it just needed a bigger fuse!

[BlueSuzy]

Get a hydraulic driven thermofan off a 90's Celsior. Also the Hydraulic pump.

That should fix it!

[alien]

nar - already invested in this one... and it doesnt get used much - only when crawling with high revs to keep the engine cool - so its manually switched and not on the ignition (so it can run when the keys are out and engine is off).

[alien]

UPDATE: Lunchtime - bucketing with rain all last night and today and fan still works with 15A fuse.

[want33s]

alien wrote:

UPDATE: Lunchtime - bucketing with rain all last night and today and fan still works with 15A fuse.

Well whadda ya know

[alien]

yeah yeah



you win this time gadget...