Electric Fan power problems

[blks10tt2]

Hey All,
Im having some problems with the amount of amperage my electric fan is drawing // currently i have a 500 watt sound system with flip-up dvd screen, xbox and all that. It all works fine til I turn on the fan. I have it so i turn the fan on manually. It draws way to much power. Would it help to put in a relay or anything to it? Theres just times that it sends my in-dash dvd into protection because it draws to much. Any suggestions? I have an Optima battery and stock alternator but I need some suggestions besides a new alt. Thanks

[SmokinChevy2000]

you could try to see if u could find a capacitor to up the amount of juice that your battery/alt puts out. Only danger is that the output could be too much and it could fry your systems. Another alternative is to install a second battery and then wire up the fan as the only thing running off of it.

My advice is my opinion

[onthecheap]

sounds like your acc. are drawing too much amperage for your alt. to keep up. you need a higer output altterrator.

[Sam]

Yeah, you will need a high amp alternator or another battery. Your fan should be on a relay from the battery anyway. I also suggest that you run a fan thermostat so your fan will come on without you having to remember it. If you have the flexalite black magic fan you should have the thermo already. It's the best complete kit if that's not what you have now. Hint Hint ;)

[blks10tt2]

Currently its just fused, no relay on it at the moment. I really cant afford to do a high output alt currently im just looking for a temporary solution thats fairly inexpensive.

[sakhara291]

If you can't do a better alternator, a second battery is your best bet. I've found a sport-compact battery will fit quite nicely behind the passenger seat in a standard cab, a much better option than the bed of your truck. Just go out to the junk yard and find a battery box, if you can (86-91 rx7s had them, I know, and probably most other mazdas of that time frame) bolt it into your cab, hold the sucker to chassis ground and wire the positive side to the positive starter terminal, which will put you on a parallel circuit (i.e. double the amperage with the same 12 volts) I don't know what your system is, so maybe you can fit the second battery under the hood, which would make for less wiring and no drilling.

The relay won't really do any good unless you're burning up the switch, which it doesn't sound like, and the capacitor is only good for use in short bursts, not for any drawn out length of time.

There really isn't any good cheap fix for this... you're best saving up for another alternator, honestly. But the battery will help.

[blks10tt2]

Alright well thanks everyone for the advice