Help with electric radiator fan

Biggredd2069

Active Member
Joined
Oct 26, 2018
Messages
459
Reaction score
139
Location
Parker, CO
I bought a electric radiator fan for my 68 Newport. The fan has a plastic pigtail coming out but I don't see where in the kit it plugs into. I contacted the seller and they don't know. I'm looking at all the other kits on eBay and they look exactly the same, the have a plastic pigtail that looks like it plugs into something else but there is nothing to plug it in to. There were no instructions included and I'm at a loss how this is supposed to connect. Anyone install one and know where I'm going wrong? Thought maybe you just use the female electrical connections and just slide it onto the blades in the pigtail but there are two blades and only one female connector in the kit. Don't know, rambling maybe, would like to chill the engine soon though with summer or I'm just gonna throw in the towel.
 
I would just snip it off and splice it into some good gauge wires to power it up. Most fans can be wired for draw thru or as a pusher if it doesn’t fit between the engine and the radiator. That’s usually why they are set up generic like that. They figure you’re gonna do whatever you want to make it work. Big decisions are will it be thermostat actuated or will you do an on off toggle inside the car. Keep in mind these draw power like a mad man and can melt cheaper toggle switches (just ask my brother). I’m not a big fan (sorry) of electric fans but sometimes like my 66 Dart w the surplus DC circle track engine using a helper fan can’t be avoided. Don’t fret about the weirdo pigtail cut it off and make it work out how you want it to.
 
This should help.

How To Properly Wire Electric Cooling Fans

I did mine a little different since I use Derale fan controller. I toggle the grounds through the relays rather than the 12+.

This is the fan controller I use;

https://www.amazon.com/Derale-16749...hvlocphy=&hvtargid=pla-4584482455347527&psc=1

And these are the fans I run. The typical Spal 16" electric fan even with a shroud couldn't keep up in the FL heat.

11" Dual Extreme Electric High Performance Radiator Cooling Fan Twin HD Puller | eBay

Oh and I will say if your fan and clutch are in good nic there's no need to go electric.
 
Last edited:
You should as mentioned above, wire it into a relay so it doesn't draw tons of current through a switch or thermostat switch.

Most cooling kits will have a thin wire probe that can be inserted into the upper rad hose that actuates the fan motor(via relay).
Another option is to tap into the manifold near the thermostat housing a sensor similar to the temperature sensor making it a permanent source.
None are 100% bullet proof so be ready to wire in a by-pass switch to turn the fan on/off in case of sensor failure & you are sitting in traffic.

Best of luck with this. post your results once you make a decision and wire it up.
 
I personally would go with a clutch fan and 7 blade(factory if you can find one).
It looks more at home under the hood than an electric setup
Stay away from flex fans, they will destroy things if an explosion take place.
IMG_6768.JPG
IMG_6770.JPG
 
Boy is that a beautiful engine compartment! But what Mopar engines were painted red?
 
I bought a electric radiator fan for my 68 Newport. The fan has a plastic pigtail coming out but I don't see where in the kit it plugs into. I contacted the seller and they don't know. I'm looking at all the other kits on eBay and they look exactly the same, the have a plastic pigtail that looks like it plugs into something else but there is nothing to plug it in to. There were no instructions included and I'm at a loss how this is supposed to connect. Anyone install one and know where I'm going wrong? Thought maybe you just use the female electrical connections and just slide it onto the blades in the pigtail but there are two blades and only one female connector in the kit. Don't know, rambling maybe, would like to chill the engine soon though with summer or I'm just gonna throw in the towel.

The fan pigtail is simply a positive and negative lead. You may well be able to reverse their polarity. What did you get? Two female 1/4" slide connectors; one on a blue, the other a white wire? Anyway, find out what polarity you want to use by trying it on the battery. Once you get that, buy a Tycho-Bosch relay, 5 connector, a couple good fuses or breakers, and wire it up! You will feed the relay from the battery to power your fan, and control the coil either from a temperature switch, a toggle switch, or both in parallel. I advise you to switch the GROUND of your relay coil. Most temperature switches work this way. You can feed the power to the relay coil off the ignition circuit if you like, but be SURE to protect it with a fuse or breaker. I just fuse the coil feed myself. You will want a 30-40 amp fuse/breaker for the power lead for the fan.

If you're still confused after reams of advice, yell, and I can probably write this up in a friendly "DON'T PANIC" fashion.
 
Ok. Think I'm getting close but not quite. I have two wires that come out of the pigtail. According to that diagram link I plug one into a ground which I did. The relay has black, blue, red, white. I'm plugging the blue into the fan power, and the red with a fuse to the battery. I'm assuming just for testing purposes the other 2 wires coming out of the relay , black and white, can be connected to turn it on? Also, the black wire out of the relay has an extra electrical connection attached to it, not sure if it's necessary for testing? It's in the pic. I'm just trying to get the fan to turn on without hooking it up yet.

20200702_135129.jpg
 
Ok. Think I'm getting close but not quite. I have two wires that come out of the pigtail. According to that diagram link I plug one into a ground which I did. The relay has black, blue, red, white. I'm plugging the blue into the fan power, and the red with a fuse to the battery. I'm assuming just for testing purposes the other 2 wires coming out of the relay , black and white, can be connected to turn it on? Also, the black wire out of the relay has an extra electrical connection attached to it, not sure if it's necessary for testing? It's in the pic. I'm just trying to get the fan to turn on without hooking it up yet.

View attachment 385604

Watch the video I shared here. I think it will help you out.
 
Get the RELAY to turn on first! Run a test light or something. It LOOKS LIKE your relay coil is actuated by the black wire, with white to ground, while the blue wire gets current once the relay is engaged. Put a cheap bulb on that blue wire, ground the white, put the orange on hot, then momentarily put the black wire on hot also. You SHOULD see a bulb light up then. Is this some ripoff sino-snot relay of the sort sold in "fan kits?" I have one too, but I prefer the Tycho-Bosch ones. Get one of those. You can use the same socket you now have.
 
I bought a electric radiator fan for my 68 Newport. The fan has a plastic pigtail coming out but I don't see where in the kit it plugs into. I contacted the seller and they don't know. I'm looking at all the other kits on eBay and they look exactly the same, the have a plastic pigtail that looks like it plugs into something else but there is nothing to plug it in to. There were no instructions included and I'm at a loss how this is supposed to connect. Anyone install one and know where I'm going wrong? Thought maybe you just use the female electrical connections and just slide it onto the blades in the pigtail but there are two blades and only one female connector in the kit. Don't know, rambling maybe, would like to chill the engine soon though with summer or I'm just gonna throw in the towel.

if its not too late, take it all back and get a clutch and fan and shroud.

if it is too late, I was just helping another guy with this - electric fuel pump and oil pressure kill switch

on that page is how to run a relay.

try not to die -
- saylor

T. Just Got Done Tossing an Electric Fan Setup And Went Back OEM
 
it looks like I made ends out of terminal chingaderas myself - so if you do this - you can end up with reverse fan rotation / reverse polarity. change your wires to the other pin if so.

20200703_102750.jpg
 
I watched the video. It makes sense. It just doesn't account for the terminal added on the black line. Just want to make sure I'm connecting that properly. Ive already got a ground I believe so do I have 2 grounds or am I adding the wrong ground anywhere else?
 
30 = 5A fused power from BATT + (better fuse it with that inline fuse!)
85 = GND
86 = from (P)ump at oil pressure kill switch.
87 = power run to fuel pump

ok we got to dissect this bit by bit. its easy if we just go item by item.

you already have your red wire going to an inline fuse holder so we will call him 30.
your blue wire is what you called 'fan power' so he is 87.

that only leaves 85 and 86 to think about. one is a trigger +, and one is ground GND.

wheres the 'pigtail' - im guessing the ring terminal - go? 1 BLK to the relay and 1 is loose still? if that's so id say screw the ring terminal to ground and the loose end was to go to the fan, and the wired end is, the relay 85.


All it needs is a blip of power to trigger the relay doesn't have to be connected to anything large. but I dunno if you want this to come on all the time, or if you have a temp gauge trigger, or a switch under the dash or what.
 
I think I have it figured out. I just can't finish until tomorrow or Sunday. I'll post back shortly when I get it up and running. I do appreciate all the help.
 
I think I have it figured out. I just can't finish until tomorrow or Sunday. I'll post back shortly when I get it up and running. I do appreciate all the help.
I recommend you switch the GROUND for the relay coil. Run your hot to 30 from the ignition circuit through a 5-7 amp inline fuse. Run your 87 through a temperature switch in parallel with a toggle switch. That way, you can activate the relay directly if you have reason to. Run the toggle switch to ground.

The contactor should be normally open. Run the 30-40A breaker or fuse from the battery to one side of the relay, and the other goes to that blue wire from your fan.

THAT should do it. I've been running mine for 2 years, with excellent results. I just flip it on when I see Mathilda get over 200 F, as she oft does when stopping and starting in summer traffic down here. I also nudged my timing a couple degrees in advance to correct an overheating tendency when running on the freeway.

I run my fan as a pusher, in conjunction with a 6 blade DeRale 18" fan on a Hayden heavy duty thermal clutch. That motor runs nice and steady with this setup on a Cold Case 22" x 16" radiator.
 
Back
Top