8X8 Response with cooling fan for the brakes...

[Redhorse]

Curious if anyone has considered putting that cooling fan on a switch so it can be shut off in cold weather start up conditions? Machine can be a little cold blooded and those Vanguards don't like to idle anyway...

Seems like that cooling fan is pulling too much out of my battery... and I periodically have to remember and put the thing on a charger to top the battery back off. It's a good, strong battery, I just don't think that charging system can keep up with that fan constantly running.

Contemplating the addition of an alternator as an option as well...

Any thoughts? Anybody done or dealt with something similar?

[Facemelter]

I've been considering doing a switch for mine on my 17hp 8 I/C I can't see a down side other then forgetting to turn it on. But it would only take a minute or to to cool down the breaks if you forgot. Cheaper fix than adding an alternator too.

[trevorakm1]

I added two fans to pull air from the engine compartment and to avoid the the battery issue I got a 3 position switch and wired the fans to it. so now I can start the argo and let it warm up at idle with the fans off when ready to drive turn switch to second position this turns brake fan on. I can then move switch to third position and this will add the fans I added for the heat previously mentioned. and turn them off when sitting at idle. may have confused the secon and third position fan associated to them. Got the switch from ebay also at the boating stores.

[Redhorse]

I've been considering doing a switch for mine on my 17hp 8 I/C I can't see a down side other then forgetting to turn it on. But it would only take a minute or to to cool down the breaks if you forgot. Cheaper fix than adding an alternator too.

That has been my only thought for the negative column... vast majority of the time I'd be running it, I don't think it would matter much!

[Redhorse]

I added two fans to pull air from the engine compartment and to avoid the the battery issue I got a 3 position switch and wired the fans to it. so now I can start the argo and let it warm up at idle with the fans off when ready to drive turn switch to second position this turns brake fan on. I can then move switch to third position and this will add the fans I added for the heat previously mentioned. and turn them off when sitting at idle. may have confused the secon and third position fan associated to them. Got the switch from ebay also at the boating stores.

I'm not the only one... LOL! I was contemplating the exact same thing! I added the windshield and soft top almost immediately after I got the thing. First major excursion was and Ice fishing trip to Michigan.

So how well does your "heater" work? I wasn't sure if it would be worth the effort.

[trevorakm1]

sorry Redhorse for the confusion, the fans I added are on either side of the tail pipe, mounted on the screen inside that little compartment and are meant to draw the heat out of the engine compartment. idea is to keep the engine compartment cooler by pulling the air closest to the muffler out of the tub. Not for heat and comfort in the passenger compartment.
I added them and they do the work well noticable difference in touch to the hood, much cooler.
the bigger point to my post is that by wiring to a multi position switch I can control battery draw when engine is not producing enough to recharge battery at idle.

[Redhorse]

Copy!

Thank you for clarification trevorakm1. My brain automatically went down the rabbit hole I'd dreamt up for heating the bimini in Winter LOL!

So where did you source your fans... and are you happy with them? Or would you have done anything different?