Need help wiring a fan in a boat.?

Question

I have a 1990 baja 226 cuddy. I am trying to wire a 110 volt fan in the cabin to help keep it cool. I have three batteries in the boat, hooked up to a 400 watt converter, still the fan won't work. What am I doing wrong???

Answer 1

12v fans suck... they don't blow...

Walmart does the same - don't get a Walmart (or anyone else's) 12v fan - it is just a waste of your time and money.

I am now in the process of converting my boat to total electric - that's propulsion and everything else... 110v everything except navigation lights and equipment.

I don't know a cottom pickin' thing about electricity - but in this process, I have learned that you have to make sure your 12v dc is converted to the proper voltage and amps.  So, my  guess is, you have the wrong inverter... as it isn't that hard to wire a fan (even I can do that, lol).  So, check out the voltage and amps the fan requires and do what you gotta do to get it.

In my case, to make my vessel all electric, I had to have a bank of twelve 12v batteries (1,000 lbs) wired so that the output was 144 volts... (that meant, connecting the batteries negative to positive, ( I didn't even know you could do that, before this) but anyway... that shoots up the juice high enough so that the inverter along with a regulator can do its magic...  

PS. Why a fan?  Why didn't you just get an air-conditioner? They have great boat air conditioners.

Happy & Safe Boating!

Answer 2

Troubleshooting 101

The fan has to work...Try it is your house.

The inverter needs to work, Try something else in the socket that you know works.

The fan needs to be turned on. enough said

The inverter needs to be providing enough current.

Answer 3

was the fan made in mexico?  thats the problem

Answer 4

My  400 watt inverter produces about 2.8 amps continous at 110 volt.  Enough to run a phone charger, or a laptop, not enough for a fan.  Check amperage of fan against inverter

Answer 5

assume you mean a 400 watt inverter.

have you measured the voltage at the inverter output with a multimeter?

Answer 6

Not sure how to wire the 110v fan but you do know you can get 12v fans from just about anywhere, wal-mart even has them and there are alot easier to wire.

Answer 7

Is the converter putting out 120 volts?  Does the fan work on Shore power?   More info and we can tell you more. Otherwise call a qualified professional electrician.  Killing the boat or having a fire is no fun. Do it right the first time.