Fanzilla help

[OverlandMan]

Does anyone have an original set of instructions and/or diagram for a Fanzilla assembly? Here's a pic of mine. My fans are not coming on and the PO had this installed at some point.

12284

Thanks

[WelmoedJ]

Seems yours had a meltdown :eek5:

If nobody has a diagram, you'll have to check components.
As the boxwall is deformed at one side, that side probably is close to the component that failed.
It may also have killed other parts.
Is there a fuse in the power circuit to the Fanzilla?

You may want to test the fans by by-passing the Fanzilla and see if they work.
Is the original circuit breaker also part of the Fanzilla circuit?
If so, check that one too.

Finally: if you can't find diagrams or the cause of the failing unit, I suggest you purchase Bitsyncmaster's Fan and Fan Fail relay.
They work and are protected.

Succes.

[OverlandMan]

Seems yours had a meltdown :eek5:

If nobody has a diagram, you'll have to check components.
As the boxwall is deformed at one side, that side probably is close to the component that failed.
It may also have killed other parts.
Is there a fuse in the power circuit to the Fanzilla?

You may want to test the fans by by-passing the Fanzilla and see if they work.
Is the original circuit breaker also part of the Fanzilla circuit?
If so, check that one too.

Finally: if you can't find diagrams or the cause of the failing unit, I suggest you purchase Bitsyncmaster's Fan and Fan Fail relay.
They work and are protected.

Succes.

Yea I'll have to give a better look at the deformed box plastic on the one side. I don't recall seeing anything melted or damaged when looking at it earlier in the week. But looking at the pic it certainly looks damaged. There are 2 glass fuses that are both still good.

I'll do what you said and bypass the Fanzilla first to test the rest of the circuit. Where is the circuit breaker for the fan? I couldn't ascertain the location from my shop manual. I found a receipt in the glove box (PO) from last summer showing the mechanic replaced the circuit breaker because the fans weren't working (again).

Thanks for the info.

[WelmoedJ]

The deformation shows there has been too much heat.
It could be caused by a failing fan (I had one with a sleeve bearing that seized the axle and killed the circuit breaker).

If you're going to test the fans, use at least an AWG14 wire and fuse it (25 Amps) to be safe.

In the relay compartment there are 2 circuit breakers next to one another.
The one with 2 wires is the fan circuit breaker (wires brown/orange and brown/slate).
The original circuit breaker was a bit underrated.
Nowadays we use a 40 Amps circuit breaker in this circuit.

BTW: with Bitsyncmaster's fan/fan fail kit you don't need the circuit breaker, one part less to fail!

[OverlandMan]

BTW: with Bitsyncmaster's fan/fan fail kit you don't need the circuit breaker, one part less to fail!

Wow - I just read Bitsyncmaster's fan_relay_install.pdf on his website. That sounds like the ticket right there. I PM'd him.

[jawn101]

Everything Dave makes is the best available alternative to whichever part he's designed it to replace. If I had infinite cash I'd go so far as to replace all the mechanical relays with his digital ones. As it is I have his dome light, RPM relay and fan fail boxes and each one has been a huge improvement and easy to install.

I don't yet have the fan relay to complete his fan management controller though, so if you get both be sure to let us know how they work!

[WelmoedJ]

First of all you have to make sure your fans are OK.
Otherwise you will keep blowing fuses!

I have Dave's fan and fan fail relay.
Used them with my original fans.
The fan fail light kept flashing there's something wrong with the driver's side fan.
That's the fan I found the seized sleeve bearing in.

Now I have modern low current fans and all parts in the circuit seem to like that.

I agree that Dave has done a lot to improve the electrical circuits of our car, relay-wise that is.
I also use his RPM relay and dome light timer.

[mnoeltne]

Fanzilla instruction sheets - 3 pages

http://www.midstatedmc.com/download/fanzilla/FZ-1.jpg
http://www.midstatedmc.com/download/fanzilla/FZ-2.jpg
http://www.midstatedmc.com/download/fanzilla/FZ-3.jpg

I found these on the web years ago after purchasing a used Fanzilla, and just uploaded them to the Mid-State web site. I have no idea if there were originally more pages packaged with new units.

Hope this helps!

[Ron]

Good info! (I copied them to the Resources Section) THX!

[DMC5180]

Wow - I just read Bitsyncmaster's fan_relay_install.pdf on his website. That sounds like the ticket right there. I PM'd him.


I run this unit and removed the breaker. This IS the Ticket. This Unit replaced a Fanzilla. Mine had a slightly melted box too, but it worked just fine and still does.

[OverlandMan]

First of all you have to make sure your fans are OK.
Otherwise you will keep blowing fuses!


I tested the fans today with my power probe. Worked fine. I tested both directly on the fan and from the blue relay holder. Is there a fuse on the fan circuit? I thought it was just a circuit breaker.




Fanzilla instruction sheets - 3 pages


Thanks so much. Even though I've decided to scrap the Fanzilla unit and go with Dave's, I'm sure this will help others.


I run this unit and removed the breaker. This IS the Ticket. This Unit replaced a Fanzilla. Mine had a slightly melted box too, but it worked just fine and still does.

Yea - I talked to Dave and this is what I'm going to do as well.