How much amperage can an alternator support? no really...

[LL - NY]

Actually, the thermostat should prevent the engine from running cold. FWIW,
most 'merican and other vehicles with mechanical fans used to run their fans
all of the time. It wasn't until the '74 fuel crisis before thermo clutches
to decouple the mechanical fans became commonplace.

LL - NY

On 2/4/08, John Larson <westcoast at mypowerpipe.com> wrote:
>
> On 2/4/08, Vittorio Bares <Vittorio.Bares at nuance.com> wrote:
>
> >>
> >> Thanks - this is good info, and encouraging.
> >>
> >> My cooling fan is on a manual switch and I typically run it always-on
> >> (eliminates one more point of failure in the temp-switch). Any idea
> what
> >> amperage that draws?
> >
>
> Running the fan all the time is a less-than-good idea.  The engine will
> never get up to correct operating temperature and tend to burn
> substantially more fuel over any given period of time than an engine
> running at the prescribed engine temperature.  Audi, and all other car
> manufacturers go to great lengths to achieve a stable temperature
> environment for their engines, mostly for efficiency and emissions, but
> also for optimum power from their engines.  You're essentially running
> in warm up mode all the time.  As for the response stating that the temp
> switch isn't meant to carry a high current load over an extended period,
> I think that's bull.  The switch operates the fan relay(s) and doesn't
> carry all that much current.  I use them in air cooled applications to
> operate oil cooler fans, and they run for hours under high heat
> situations all the time.  Back in the days of the 100LS, Fox, and early
> Rabbit/Jettas, we saw quite a few fan switch failures, and sold a lot of
> them.  I doubt I sell 2 a year now, except for the ones we install when
> we change the radiator.  Not much of a failure point.  In fact, I
> probably sell more fans than switches.
>
> John
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