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 Post subject: Maxima fan install
PostPosted: Tue Mar 19, 2013 9:15 pm 
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Location: Enfield, CT
So I'm gonna be installing Maxima fans but I'm no electrical whiz and have a question, I might just be over thinking it but I thought i would get some input.

I've read over the write up: http://www.tboz31.com/300ZX/MaximaE-Fan ... -Fans.html
but I don't plan on using a rocker switch..so would I just be able to wire the relays together?

Say the one wire from a thermostat switch to both relays? (86 to 86 in pic)


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue Mar 19, 2013 9:32 pm 
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Location: New Haven, CT
Hey hey, you're doing maxima fans too?

This is a much more complicated set up, but I had asked NissanEgg from z31p how he wired his. I plan to copy his set-up. Not sure how much info you can use from this... I am not electrical whiz either (well not with car electronics anyway).

He sent me this:


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Justin
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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue Mar 19, 2013 9:47 pm 
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Someone fill me in as to why one should do the fan switch?


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue Mar 19, 2013 10:39 pm 
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I'll probably be staring at it for a good 20 minutes before it makes sense to me :?

Well for me I'm doing it because its a cheap upgrade, it will free up some space under the hood and I can't stand that god awful fan noise when accelerating. Plus for $35 why not 8)

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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed Mar 20, 2013 12:09 am 
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If I keep using Bryan Little's 240Z as an example, y'all might get the idea that I think he did everything right. You'd be correct.

Bryan has had his car for enough years to pull it completely apart and rebuild every single system on it to his own specifications. He could have done anything he wanted with the cooling system. What he wound up with was a fat Datsun radiator, cooled by twin plastic hi-speed hi-volume electrical fans from a Volvo station wagon (if I remember correctly). They are operated by a manual control toggle switch on the dashboard.

When I asked him why he didn't have one of those handy temperature relays on his radiator or block to tell the fans when to run, he gave me a lengthy explanation which I no longer recall but which sounded logical and convincing the way he told it. You simply have to keep an eye on your temperature gauge and hit the switch when the needle hits a certain point. Less than a minute of fan operation brings his temperature wayyy down to the 'almost too cold' range.

That's handy for sitting in slow moving traffic, or coming off the hi-speed Interstate and hitting the slow city traffic. He can also turn them on when the car is sitting curbside, engine off, altho they circulate no coolant.

Once you move above 34mph you generally don't need the fan(s) anyway, and the electrical fans don't take as much power off the engine as a belt & pulley arrangement does.

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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed Mar 20, 2013 8:42 am 
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Location: rhode island
I have the electric fans in my truck, 720, because that needs all the horsepower it can get. :roll: They are the dual speed double fans from a Pontiac I was scrapin. So far no need for the hispeed, but it's there if I need it. Right now power wire goes directly to battery via a fuse and ground wire goes to toggle switch inside truck. This is the simple way, but the right way is to have a relay involved and a thermo switch to turn them on, so you don't have to constantly look at the temp gauge. I am now waiting for my 280zx water pump to arrive and install in the truck. If you know these 720's, the fan clutch is pressed onto the water pump with pully, and what a PITA it is to replace. I ended up useing torches to remove the old one by cuttin away. Only because I didn't want to remove my fans. The old pump matched up perfectly on the F54 block I have, so ordered the simple Z pump. :wink: BTW, if you have alot of fan noise, could be the fan clutch isn't working properly, or the radiator is clogged and not cooling properly. My noise went away after I bought that almost new radiator from John T. Thanks, love it. :D


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed Mar 20, 2013 9:09 am 
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Location: Niagara falls, NY
Your diagram is correct except you don't want to connect that ground you have coming off the switch. You just run a positive from the battery, through a fuse, then to your switch or thermostatic switch,and into the relay, then ground it after it comes out the relay.(pins 85 and 86) You can use either a switch or a thermostatic switch, OR BOTH..... The main power supply to the fan is, of course, run to pin 30 and out pin 87.
It's a fallacy that electric fans drain less power from the motor than a mechanical one. Alternators and electric motors are only, at best, 60% efficient in converting mechanical power to electrical. 60% of 60% = 36% efficiency compared to driving the fan directly from the SAME BELT that would be driving the alternator.
I've never had a need to use an electric fan on a z-car. A properly maintained stock cooling system is sufficient. It sounds to me like you have a bad fan clutch.

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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed Mar 20, 2013 6:22 pm 
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So if I'm using two relays would I wire them both the same way or certain wires into each relay? I plan on running both fans on low speed only.
Thanks for the help :)

The fan noise has been on every Z31 I've owned...just the way the fans sound I guess.

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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sat Mar 30, 2013 6:06 pm 
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I spent a good part of the day putting in the fans...and they aren't working. Went over the wiring numerous times checking everything but the fans just wont come on.

After a ton of broken bolts, busted knuckles with the fans not working I'm ready to drive it into a river :twisted:

It's wired up exactly like this:


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sat Mar 30, 2013 8:05 pm 
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I don't mean to sound like a SmartA, but have you checked to make sure the fans actually run, before mounting them? I mean, momentary hot wire to ground and "+" to see if there are signs of life?

Further, because you're mounting a temperature sensor in-line, have you run the car long enough to make it want the fans to run? (I know that sounds simple, but I've done dumber stuff).

Also, what's the purpose of the hookup at the AC accumulator? From here it looks like a possible direct ground, which would circumvent the whole fan circuit. Why would any (lazy) electricity go thru the hi-resistance fan system, if it could go to ground thru that escape route?

PLEASE don't drive your Z into the river. It didn't come to you with these fans designed on it ~ this is something you're changing on your car. It worked OK when you received it stock. This modification is your (good) idea, but it simply isn't all worked out yet.

:wink:

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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sat Mar 30, 2013 9:05 pm 
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I believe hooking it up to the AC accumulator fan is supposed to trigger the fans if you run the air conditioning, but I am not totally sure.

Wish I could of more help... maybe someone who has done the mod can chime in. Have you tried z31p?

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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sat Mar 30, 2013 9:25 pm 
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Yeah, it's frustrating to try to help him from out here. I'm just guessing, trying to suggest places to stomp on to see where the land mines are buried.

But sometimes, someone who looks at it totally objectively can make a suggestion which makes a difference.

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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sat Mar 30, 2013 9:33 pm 
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I zee several places along this diagram where I'd like to run current/voltage checks. Just turn the key ON and check along each connector to zee where (if) you have a power flow.

And I'd personally like to disconnect that AC diode and bridge across either fan relay from "12V+" to the fan side, to see if either fan moves. (If you use a meter, set it to highest resistance so you don't let the smoke out. #10 jumper wires are probably better, and only a momentary touch).

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Last edited by Frank T on Sat Mar 30, 2013 9:35 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sat Mar 30, 2013 9:34 pm 
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Hmm, it does make sense to try and isolate things though.

i.e. check that fans run, then add a layer of complexity (see if relays work), then check the manual switch, then try just the flex a lite controller, then try the AC switch... then put them all together and hope things dont go boom.

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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sat Mar 30, 2013 9:36 pm 
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Or Pfft!

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