Override Switch For Cooling Fan

Has anyone wired up an override switch to manually turn cooling fan on . if so how did you wire it in ?

Try this thread.
 
http://www.vfrdiscus...fan-switch-mod/
 
The wire leading to the fan thermo switch on the radiator is always powered - all the thermo switch does is ground the fan circuit.  Just re-route that wire (or create an extension) to the center of your 3 position switch.  That carries the power to the switch.  The switch center position (of 3) does not send power anywhere (forces the fan off).  That leaves the other 2 switch positions to send power to ground and activate the fan.  Wire 1 of the 2 remaining switch positions directly to a ground - that forces the fan on.  Wire the remaining pole of the switch to the theremo switch on the radiator and that lets the thermo switch control the fan as it does stock.   So of the 3 possible switch positions, 1= "fan on", 2 (center) = "fan off" and 3 routes through the thermo switch = "normal operation". 
 

As far as I understand it the + power to the fan is always on as long as the ignition switch is on.

The thermo switch in the radiator header is switching the ground (-).

So a very simple way to override the thermo switch is to splice a wire on to the wire that comes from the thermo switch and incorporate a normally open switch in the line and ground the other side of the NO switch.

See the attached PDF for a schematic.

[image: Attached File]  Fan Switch Mod.pdf   499.76KB   26 downloads

:biggrin:  Thanks for your help  , both posts were very  good . will be adding a switch very soon .

Thats correct, just run the wire going to the fan switch through another switch to earth.

Switch on = fan runs, switch off = fan runs as normal.

Why bother trying and switch fan off?

On a side note, I've done the 6th gen rad on 5th gen, plus the VTR fan blade. This simple switch has made the greatest difference to runnig hot.

No problems most days, but on our many over 35*c days in traffic, I just switch it on when moving very slow before it gets to over 90*c, and it has mostly taken away the times it gets to over 100*c.

Not that I think its a problem when they get hot, mine has been over 112*c many times in traffic for long periods of time, specially on our over 40*c days, it hasn't killed it yet.

I now just ignore it.

Yep, I agree.

Why would you want to disable the fan totally?

Make it run when you want, or automatically as standard.

If you pull on to the highway and the bike is hot and fan is running, the bike will not cool down. The fan is fighting with the natural flow of air. When moving at highway speed you need to ensure that the fan is off.

Candyred is right. And not only is the fan not effective in cooling the bike Down but the fan Remains on Uselessly for much much Longer putting the alternator and the Entire charging system Under Lots of extra stress and Heat as well and you Fry your stator... battery fails... etc

I had to do this on my '03 because of the long traffic light cycles with all the left turn lanes at most intersections. Bike would get hot waiting, I also got a VF1000 fan to reverse air flow so that it didn't fight the venturi effect. Managed to keep it under 200 degrees all the time. Not a problem so far with the '14.

I don't force the fan off nearly as often as I do on, but the option is nice.  The switch has one more position is all so it's no big deal.   It does prevent running down the road for miles with the temp around 225.   Actually the bigger deal with either type of switch is remembering what position it's in.  Forgetting and leaving it either off or on can be bad.   If I were a better electrician I'd figure out some sort of LED indicator light(s) to show what it's doing - red=off, green=normal, etc.   You'll only forget a time or two before learning the lesson of keeping track of it. 

btw - thanks for the correction - the fan circuit is powered only when the key on.

Cheers