1939 sixty S electrical Q

[nasser]

Hi Everyone:
I am adding a six volt fan and spliced a fuse holder to accept a glass type fuse. Also, added a pair of Trippe lights and added fuse in its cercuit too. Questions:
1- what size of fuses should I use for the fan and the lights?
2- what activates the trunk light on this car? I cant see any switch.
Thanks in advance, happy motoring.
Dr. Nasser,

[Bill Gauch]

There should be volt/amp ratings or watt ratings on your chosen devices. Im not sure what kind of fan you are using or what Trippe lights are. If the electrical components you added are in the higher amp range, you should be using a 6V relay. Also, no matter how many amps you draw your fuse should be rated lower than the amp capacity of the wire you are using. Post more specifics about what you are installing (amp ratings, wire gauge, etc.) and I or someone else can provide more input.

[Don Boshara #594]

The trunk light uses a gravity switch inside the light fixture. Its a cardboard tube with tiny metal balls inside that roll down and make a contact when the lid is lifted. The glove box light works the same way. Those switches didnt seem to last very long.

[nasser]

Bill and Dan, thanks for the insights especially for the gravity switch. Bill, Ill go back to the shop and dig more specific data to figure out the fuse rating required for the lights and fan, thank you Bill.
Dr. Nasser,

[Doug Houston]

One thing you will need to watch is the current load for all of this new electrical stuff. I imagine that the Trippe l,ights draw more than your present high beam filaments, especially if youre using the high candlepower 2530 or 2550 bulbs in your headlights. The fan will probably draw about 10 amps, which is a load that the generator was not intended to carry.

The 38-60S had a generator of 30 Ampere capacity, which was adequate for the normal electrical loads of that day. Now, if youre going to use the Trippe lights AND your regular headlights, the generator might not be able to keep up with the load. And if you wait for a light or train with all that stuff going, you may stop going!

Sealed Beam headlights were introduced in 1940, and the generator for all cars was made bigger. The frame of the generator was larger (in length). The sealed beams at the time had something like 60/50 CP bulbs in them, and the car needed more charging power. On my own 38-60S, Ive installed a later generator with a regulator for a 40-42 model car. The later generator will mount to the drive end housing of the original generator, and will fit in place of the old generator. Ive seen pictures of Cadillacs with all sorts of lights on them. One I recall was a V16 coupe. I just hope that the owner doesnt expect to drive it with all those lights on, and have the battery to stay up enough to keep the car going!

By the way, why do you have to have an electric fan on a 38-60S?  I never needed one, until the car began to run hot, and a new radiator core took care of that. When I first got the car in 1960, I drove it home to Detroit from New Rochelle, New York on the thruway, and it ran just fine after I had the system flushed.

[Rhino 21150]

The V-16 calls for a different generator than the V-8 models. It should physically interchange, even though bigger. It should be a thirty amp model, or maybe thirty-five. The V-8s use a 25 amp unit.

[nasser]

Doug, I was hoping that you chip in this thread, and you didnt disappoint me, thanks. I didnt find any amp. rating on the fan nor on the Trippe lights, so I put 10 amp fuse for the light sercuit and 5 amp for the fan and Ill closelly monitor the performance of the added parts especially the fan as it will work for longer times. For the lights, I rarely need them and they are for the show 99percent but I need them to function when I want them to.
About your question of why I add a fan? I drive this car in summer times where the weather is usually above 110F. and touches 125 F., with traffic slows down, the mechanical fan will not send enough air to the radiator so you need that breath of air to cool the water, but on 95F I wouldnt need the electric fan and the original system was ample enough and never had a problem.
I got the power to these addages from a terminal at the end of the original light switch, is this right? or should I get my power from the ignition switch? or any place else?
Thanks to all the contributers who wrote here or emailed me direct. I hope this thread is of any benifit to other cadillac owners. Regards to all and happy holidays.
Dr. Nasser,

[Doug Houston]

Id always agree that the car will run pretty hot in those high ambient temperatures. Thats one reason that I avoid parades. Theyre Hell on a car. Nice to show off and wave to the crowd, but the car pays the price!

As far as running feeds to the underhood equipment, you might just as easily pick up you hot line from the starter solenoid, where the main feed to the car connects. Just use an in-line fuse holder for the fan. You can take the feed for the Trippe lights from the light switch feed at the light switch, but best to take it on the line side of the breaker. Again, and in-line fuse holder is a good idea.

Another thought. The electric fan should have a thermostatic switch in the circuit so that it doesnt run all the time. That being the case, the fan feed should come off of the ignition switch accessory terminal.

[nasser]

Doug:
Yes, I took the hot line from the light switch where the 10 gage wire terminal, acording to the shop manual, this way I would get the circuit breaker protection. About the fan, I forgot to mention that I installed a togle switch so I can turn the fan on when I need, not run automatically by the ignition or by a thermostat for two reasons:
1- as you know the car has radiator shuters and the electric fan might get tired if it runs while shuters are closed, human control is preffered here.
2- I can turn the fan off when I get to a crowd or to a show, I hate the sound of an electrical fan running in a nice original 1939 60S, it sounds very optrusive and none authentic.
Thanks to all contributers and always the in-depth insights of Doug Houston are greatly appreciated. Best regards.
Dr. Nasser,