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'81 K5, "BlaZeus"- How to NOT build the ultimate budget K5; 3 & 4 link build

30amp for each fan right? Those fans combined draw more than 30amps IIRC.
 
I had to use a 40amp for the bigger fan. Couldn't figure it out until I realized it was tripping my 30A breaker.
 
I have a set of windstar fans in the shed I can hook up to get exact amp draw readings from tomorrow if you need to. The thunderbird fan on my F150 spikes up to 56 amps on startup from a dead stop. The startup spike may be what's killing that fuse.
 
Interesting, I was able to use a 30amp on each circuit.
Maybe it was a bad breaker. It took me a while to diagnose because the breaker would reset. I figured the 30A was borderline. Or maybe the 30A breaker was just faulty but I never had a problem with it once I did 40A.
 
Maybe it was a bad breaker. It took me a while to diagnose because the breaker would reset. I figured the 30A was borderline. Or maybe the 30A breaker was just faulty but I never had a problem with it once I did 40A.

You would think the 30 amp relays would have an issue if they really did draw over 30. Like you said, might have been a finicky breaker....
 
I ran mine with a 15 amp fuse. But then I was just sending power to the relay that was controlling the fan.
 
30amp for each fan right? Those fans combined draw more than 30amps IIRC.
I only hooked up one of red hot wires and it turns on both fans...
I had to use a 40amp for the bigger fan. Couldn't figure it out until I realized it was tripping my 30A breaker.
I can't find a 40A fuse to plug into that in line fuse holder. The largest one is 30A. Do I need use a breaker? Or a different kind of fuse?
I have a set of windstar fans in the shed I can hook up to get exact amp draw readings from tomorrow if you need to. The thunderbird fan on my F150 spikes up to 56 amps on startup from a dead stop. The startup spike may be what's killing that fuse.
I think so! If you could that would be awesome!!

I ran mine with a 15 amp fuse. But then I was just sending power to the relay that was controlling the fan.
Yeah I used a 20A for that. Did you not use a fuse between the relay and battery hot wire? I tried that as well and the relay got destroyed.

My relay died on the trail and I ended up having to just hot wire them directly to the bat hot post on my fuse box and they ran great! no issues. But I need to hook them up to a switch and relay!!
 
Then you have both fans tied through a single 30 amp circuit, that's not correct.
 
Then you have both fans tied through a single 30 amp circuit, that's not correct.
I don't get how because there is 2 red wires and a black wire coming out and I only hooked one of the red wires up. I was told that each of the red wires send power to each of the fans...not.both. Unless one wire is high speed and the other is low speed?
 
I only have a pair of wires off each of my fan motors. Each motor is on its own individual circuit with a relay and a fuse.
 
I will have to look tomorrow how it is wired.

Mine were on two separate systems one for each fan. My big one is now controlled by a fan controller the little one is still on the old set up with a switch.
 
Installed and wired up the windstar fans, they work great! View attachment 218780
However, I could not get them to run through a fused relay and fused switch. I was using a 30A fuse and wired everything exactly like this says too and after the first time running them, I have blown the in line 30A fuse everytime right when I turn the switch on.View attachment 218781 View attachment 218782 I have checked all my grounds and checked and fixed all my connections and still cannot figure it out. Anybody have any tips or do I need to run a larger fuse for these?


Each of those fans draws around 35 amps when they start and will settle in around 20-25 amps when running. You could go with a 40 amp fuse in a bigger fuse holder or install a 30 amp circuit breaker for each fan. Circuit breakers are slower to trip than a fuse.
 
Each of those fans draws around 35 amps when they start and will settle in around 20-25 amps when running. You could go with a 40 amp fuse in a bigger fuse holder or install a 30 amp circuit breaker for each fan. Circuit breakers are slower to trip than a fuse.
Awesome info! I'll look into wiring 30 amp breakers and see how it works out! Thanks Chad! You're the man!:waytogo:
 
I think I found what's going on because I just jumped the other red wire and both fans came on again...So somewhere in this loom, I think both fans tie into each other..if that's the case, then do I need to use like a 50A breaker??IMG_8314.JPG
Cool update tho, got some extended stainless steel braided brake lines made to accommodate the droop when I decide to fully flex.IMG_8313.JPG
 
I think I found what's going on because I just jumped the other red wire and both fans came on again...So somewhere in this loom, I think both fans tie into each other..if that's the case, then do I need to use like a 50A breaker??View attachment 218911
Cool update tho, got some extended stainless steel braided brake lines made to accommodate the droop when I decide to fully flex.View attachment 218913


Originally the Windstar fans were set up to be 2 speed, so both fans are wired together. You need to take apart the wiring harness to the fans and separate the wires so each fan has it's own relay and fuse.
 
Not much been going on lately. Funds have been rather tight. Got the fans installed and all wired up. Each fan has its own switch, 30A fuse, and relay and the switches are wired in series so I turn the small fan on once it's warmed up, then if it starts to heat up I can turn the big one on. Has been holding steady at 170 while driving around with just the small fan on. Thanks for all the help on getting this figured out!
IMG_8314.JPG
Finally ordered some Autofab body panel mounts. Finished up properly mounting up the front fenders this week. Would like to get the muffler installed next and then make it a daily to work cuz it's like 10 minutes away but like I said...funds tight.
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Been thinking a lot about this lately and a really sweet opportunity is coming up for me to invest in a home. Right now I am living out of my shop in Santa Maria and it sucks. It was great for a while cuz I was putting all my time into getting BlaZeus done for BB16 but now that I don't have to work on it as much just been really lonely and hard, especially cuz before i moved I was living with 8 other awesome guys in san luis. To get over this, I would just spend all my time at work getting OT but they limit my amount of OT cuz my hourly wage is already pretty high. But anyways, I've been entertaining the idea of selling my tundra, I can make a couple k's on that and get rid of that payment, Sell BlaZeus and use the money to pay off all debt besides my school loans cuz those are gonna take a while, and use any leftover cash for a beater car and a down payment that also my parents said they would lend me a chunk of cash to also use as a down. I would rent out the open rooms of the house, already have some old roommates who would move in with me and end up with my monthly mortgage payment pretty much payed for. I also would keep Wilfred cuz it was a gift and I have no money into it, and I gotta have at least one toy! :waytogo:
 
So many choices! Does the new house have a shop or are you going to keep renting the one you are in? Owning a home definitely has its downfalls but it is nice. Just make sure everything is good to go with the house itself, because home repairs get expensive fast! A water leak under our kitchen sink cost us a little over 5k and that was with us doing all the work ourselves. We even went cheap and bought unfinished cabinets and stained them ourselves. That's just one example... We have had quite a few things that bit us because we overlooked them. So other than that I say go for it man! Roommates are great! I had a friend of mine living with me for a couple years and he ended up being one of the greatest friends I've ever had and he had to pay me rent! Good luck man! Let's see what Wilfred turns into!
 
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