fan controller question

Bad Sport said

Does a fella have to upgrade alternators and all that to run an electric fan?

Click to expand...

I did. I run a 100amp TuffStuff alternator on mine. From everything I've read the Contour fans pull about 30-35 amps at start up, then drop into the mid to low 20's for amps on low speed. .

You might be able to get away with the stock one if you never use all of your accessories at once, like if you only drive during the day, when it's warm, dry, etc and the fans are the only accessories using power. But on start up that's over half of your alternator output.

Of course, if you drive regularly on the street in all conditions the stock alternator doesn't have the juice to run the fans if they kick on when you're sitting at a light in the rain with your headlights, brakelights, wipers, heater, and stereo all going at the same time. Heck the stock alternator will barely do that without the fans.