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How to wire your cooling fans on a switch easily

23K views 61 replies 26 participants last post by  R1_OOKLAH 
#1 · (Edited)
I found a way on 07-08 R1's to wire the cooling fans on a switch so you can turn them on when you want and they will still turn on and off like on thier own like stock.

All you need is:
1. a couple feet of wire
2. a switch
3. a eyelet
4. 2 female spade connectors
5. a wire tap

First you need to remove your left side mid fairing to gain access to the fan relay. The relay is the black box, that is to the right and just below the fuse box with a 4 wire plug going into the bottom of it and thats all.

Next, out of the 4 wires leading into it, one will be green and yellow. This is the wire that trips the relay and turns the fans on. Take a piece of wire long enough to run from the green and yellow wire to where ever you want to mount your switch and use the wire clamp to clamp the wire for your switch to the green and yellow wire.

Now find a good ground. You can use any ground. I used the ground behind the windscreen that is for the instrument cluster. Run a piece of wire from the ground you chose to the location of the switch. Connect the wires to the switch with the 2 female spade connectors and your done.

Turn the key on and flip your switch on. The fans should come on.

Sorry for no pics. I did this today out of boredem. It turned out well though, so I decided to make a write up about it. Should be simple enough without pics though.
 
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#3 ·
They still come on automatically even if the switch is off. The computer just turns them on too late. Mine come on at 223 degrees and go back off at like 214. I don't like me or my bike getting that hot if I'm in traffic. I can keep it at cruising temp in traffic now (about 160). Plus its nice to have a little more control over what your bike does.
 
#6 ·
better solution would be to get a temp switch (you can usually find them for different temperatures) that you can run with an adapter tube in one of the large coolant lines running to the radiator. Rather than running a manual switch you just connect this sensor to a relay and have it trigger the fans.
 
#12 ·
better solution would be to get a temp switch (you can usually find them for different temperatures) that you can run with an adapter tube in one of the large coolant lines running to the radiator. Rather than running a manual switch you just connect this sensor to a relay and have it trigger the fans.
Think I seen some on e-bay, maybe even have p/n list of them. Will have to check later.. They just replace the stock one.

Some nice ideas here too:

http://www.r1-forum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=99459&highlight=fan+switch
 
#9 ·
I had a fan switch, used it rarely (when it was really hot out) and I agree that the heat is welcome in the winter. Should be able to source 200-210 degree thermo switches that would work year round (it can be difficult to cool the engine below 185F with the fans), it won't get too hot in the summer and it will get warm in the winter.

You could also add a manual switch inline with the sensor to enable or disable its function.
 
#10 ·
Nice. Hope to see the full writeup with pics.

Good mod for when you get stuck in city traffic or stuff like that. Especially after a hard run, sometimes the switch coming on of it's own accord is too late. I know putting a lower temperature switch on my FZR made a big difference, but I often think I'd be better off with manual control for when I know I am stuck stopped.
 
#17 ·
Sweet....I had someone telling me I had to tap into the temp sensor to do this!!! Have you tried to find that???? What a tight cluster f that is. It literally had me saying NO to this mod. Thankx for the quick/easy how to, the relay is way easy to get to. Just tap into the green/yllw like you said huh??,,,,damn that's pretty simple:)
 
#19 ·
I live in fl too. The temps are fine going done the road... its when i get caught in traffic in town and it stays in the 200+ degree range. Even once the engine temp returns to the normal 160 the frame is still hotter than hell where my legs touch it. Since I put the switch in I always turn the fans on when it hits 180 and it cools down into the low 170's and will stay there till I turn the fans off. No more hot frame and its much nicer in traffic.
 
#21 ·
I just used some cheap switches off of ebay. They are little micro switches. I've been in the rain and washed it several times. My switches still work like new. I think the switch you described will be fine. Btw I hid them in side the fairings below the left ram air duct. It worked out really well. I'll post some pics later.
 
#25 ·
Thankx for the quick diagram check on the 09 for us :bow
I had a waterproof 2 wire switch,,,one wire to the relay and the other wire to the ground behind instrument cluster, like you did. I was going to put in a LED to let me know when the fan is on,,,but couldn't find DC stuff. I was under time constraints so I finished it w/o LED.
 
#27 ·
nice, i'll do this to my 06 when i pick it up next week, texas summers......... hot damn
 
#28 ·
i had an extra wirirng harness and cut the connectors off of it and re wired them to a 55w switch from auto zone and took the lead to the battery ( DO NOT GROUND WILL CAUSE FIRE ;) )
 
#29 ·
i did this today got bored because of the rain, the right tools and coronas will do the job well lol

i used the left side panel that is right under the left intake tube to hide the switch . it is easy accessible while riding / at a light or in traffic.

















The red wire runs from the Green/Yellow wire to the switch
The black wire runs from the negative battery post to the switch


Hidden Fan Switch Video
 
#33 · (Edited)
man, it's really EASY to cheat the ecu and let start the fans at lower temp.
you just need to put in series a trimmer or a potentiometer to the NTC (ntc is simply a variable resistor...so adding a trimmer you could be able to reduce the resistance....it may happen depending by the ecu that more is the resistance less the temp needed to start the fan or viceversa...depending from this you need to put the trimmer in series or parallel ... generally should be in series on order to reduce the resistance...i will look better and let you know) that survey the temp.this way you can adjust the starting temp for the fans just by using a screwdriver or a simple hand...closing or opening the trimmer or the potentiometer will have the same effect of a switch with the advantages listed before.
ok I just looked at the circuit and the trimmer should be putted in parallel (easyer cause you don't need even to cut but simply tap) ... i'm going to find what ohm the trimmer should be in order to let you adjust the temp in correct steps...i will let you know ... I'm very busy right now but i will look further asap
however you can do it by yourself, just unplug the NTC and connect it to a tester and measure the resistance while running the motor... write the resistance when you hit the desidered power on temp ... after that you need only to buy a trimmer like this (desidered fan on temp/resistance - real fan on temp resistance= ohm you need the trimmer in order to reduce the power on temp)
you will be able to power the fan across the original power on temp to the desidered one ... stepless range...
looking at the circuit on the r1 04-06 NTC is identified by number 35! it's very easy you can do the mod also tapping directly on the wires of the ecu connector instead of tapping directly on the ntc.you can also put a resistor in series at a switch and to start the fans when you want indpendently from the temperature but still using the trimmer for the automatic power on of the fans at the desidered temp.
i have planned to do this mod sunday cause wheater temps are raising fast here ... 25C degrees right now!
 
#34 ·
i put a manual switch on my fans last week cause something in my wiring went wrong i guess, my fans still work but they didnt come on and my bike gotr to 250f..now with the fan i dont have that problem...(as long as i dont forget to turn them on when i hit traffic)...but it did kill my battery the other day at my buddies house. I guess i left hte fan on for alil to long after gettin off. I was only away from the bike for 3 min or so, but she was dead! Took us a min to get her push started but she has ran fine since.
 
#35 ·
so what provided mod scheme did you apply and have you understand what the mistake was?
however the method I provided it's 100% safe ... WAY MORE than directly powering the fans using the 12v line or grounding the relay and it's way more flexible.you will forget to have done the mod.it will be just as stock with the ability to change the start temp!
 
#36 ·
I did this mod this morning after I did the running light mod. but when I tried to start it up the fans kick on right off the bat. toggle switch doesnt fix anything. and Im getting error code 21. undid everything I did for the toggle switch...taped up the green/yellow wire. but code is still there....anyone got any ideas?
21 - Coolant temperature sensor: open or short circuit detected.
 
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