Fantastic Fan problem

Converting Cargo Trailers into TTTs

Fantastic Fan problem

Postby pk4013 » Sun Oct 22, 2017 4:31 pm

Was hoping you guys could help me with a fantastic fan problem. I wired the fan along with 2 12v lights, each has their own switch. Then wired into a PD4045 on one circuit with a 15amp fuse. The fan comes on but gets really slow then stops all together. Then it takes awhile to get it to come on again then it does the same thing. Wired with 14 gauge wire and separate grounds into a bus bar. Just the basic fan, 3 speed with reverse.
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Re: Fantastic Fan problem

Postby CoventryKid » Sun Oct 22, 2017 5:39 pm

I'm not sure that I can help, but someone here should be able to help diagnose your problem.

A wiring diagram would be most helpful - one that show exactly how you wired everything together.
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Re: Fantastic Fan problem

Postby m.colley » Sun Oct 22, 2017 8:01 pm

pk4013 wrote:Was hoping you guys could help me with a fantastic fan problem. I wired the fan along with 2 12v lights, each has their own switch. Then wired into a PD4045 on one circuit with a 15amp fuse. The fan comes on but gets really slow then stops all together. Then it takes awhile to get it to come on again then it does the same thing. Wired with 14 gauge wire and separate grounds into a bus bar. Just the basic fan, 3 speed with reverse.



Do you have a multimeter? You need to check voltage and amp draw (if possible) at the fan to make sure you've got the correct power going to it. Is your fan 12v DC or 120 V AC ?


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Re: Fantastic Fan problem

Postby Iconfabul8 » Sun Oct 22, 2017 11:08 pm

Process of elimination! Does the fan work if hooked directly to a battery? how about through the switch directly to the battery? Now with the lights to the battery? Try a different circuit on the pd4045. Narrow it down you will figure out where the problem is.
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Re: Fantastic Fan problem

Postby pk4013 » Sun Oct 22, 2017 11:27 pm

Image]

Thanks for the help. Best I could do for a diagram. Just for clarification all the wires going to the Bus bar are white.The 2 lights are working fine, I have checked the wires from the switch on the wall, to the switch on the fan and the wires all the way until they go in the motor and I have a good reading all the way. I did run it straight to another battery and also tried another circuit on the pd4045. If I turn the fan on and I turn the blade it will start to go but is extremely slow then it stops. It might be the motor. It's a 12v fan.
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Re: Fantastic Fan problem

Postby Iconfabul8 » Mon Oct 23, 2017 2:15 am

So did it work when you went direct to the other battery? If not I would say your fan has grief. If it did run fine direct to the battery, I would try running a ground jumper from the battery directly to the fan. Frame grounding can be iffy sometimes.
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Re: Fantastic Fan problem

Postby aggie79 » Mon Oct 23, 2017 8:08 am

Iconfabul8 wrote:So did it work when you went direct to the other battery? If not I would say your fan has grief. If it did run fine direct to the battery, I would try running a ground jumper from the battery directly to the fan. Frame grounding can be iffy sometimes.


I think Iconfabul8 hit the nail on the head that the chassis ground/negative 12 v is the issue. Instead of connecting the negative lead of the fan directly to the battery, you might first try connecting your negative 12v buss bar directly to the negative post of your battery. I'd test this by first using a temporary jumper to connect the two. If it works, you could later hard wire a permanent cable.
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Re: Fantastic Fan problem

Postby Iconfabul8 » Mon Oct 23, 2017 9:38 am

By running a jumper, I was referring to troubleshooting only. If that is the problem, the final fix should incorporate all the circuits.
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Re: Fantastic Fan problem

Postby McDave » Mon Oct 23, 2017 11:47 am

Bad motor.

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Re: Fantastic Fan problem

Postby pk4013 » Mon Oct 23, 2017 1:30 pm

I do thank everyone for their input. I have tried all the suggestions and couldn't make it work. So I contacted Fantastic fan and they are sending out a new motor and dome switch. They were very nice about the situation. Just to verify you guys would run the ground from the bus bar straight to the negative battery post rather than grounding to the frame. If so what size wire would you suggest.
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Re: Fantastic Fan problem

Postby pk4013 » Mon Oct 23, 2017 2:44 pm

I just took the motor out and hooked it up and nothing. I hit it a couple times on the concrete and it worked. Bad motor.
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Re: Fantastic Fan problem

Postby onehoser » Mon Oct 23, 2017 5:21 pm

pk4013 wrote:I just took the motor out and hooked it up and nothing. I hit it a couple times on the concrete and it worked. Bad motor.


ah yes, the highly technical maneuver called 'removing latent motion', i do it all the time :)
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Re: Fantastic Fan problem

Postby low277 » Wed Oct 25, 2017 6:50 pm

onehoser wrote:
pk4013 wrote:I just took the motor out and hooked it up and nothing. I hit it a couple times on the concrete and it worked. Bad motor.


ah yes, the highly technical maneuver called 'removing latent motion', i do it all the time :)


:) I like it!
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