Today I test drove my '49 AD , just installed a new Aluminum Champion radiator and am running an electric fan on a temp.adjustable controller - 180 thermostat and fan comes on just after 200 degrees and back off around 190 . I just wired up a L.E.D. bulb on the lower side of the dash so that I could see when the fan was running or not - don't want it running at highway speed - and it doesn't BUT at 45 mph or so the L.E.D. starts glowing and will brighten up with alittle more speed . Makes me think that the ram air is turning the fan and maybe the fan motor is "charging" somehow - sorta like an altinator . Is this whats happening and will it hurt anything and how do I fix it if so ?
yep they will do that, I did emergency repair ona fan relay one time, for ignition 12 volts I hooked it to the coil. this got him by till I could rewire the car. He calls me later says this runs on for about 20 seconds if I had the ac on. with the ac off it shut down normally. no wont hurt anything.
If your theory is true (that the spinning fan is generating electricity), the fan is still isolated from the rest of your electrical system by the thermo-switch. The only thing it's charging is your LED lamp.
Thanks for the replies , I kinda figured that it wont hurt anything since apparently they all do charge somewhat but we usually don't know it - without some sort of indicator to show it .
How do you like the new radiator in your 49. I have a champion in my jeep and have been thinkiing about using one in my 49. Just wondering how well you like it.
A diode is a one-way gate for voltage to pass thru. If an LED is a light emitting diode it might be a gate as well, try reversing the wires.