C1 (1960) Heater Blower Ground???

[Donald H.]

This for my 1960 restoration. I've got the new wiring harness all in and everything works except the heater blower motor. I can jumper a ground to a blower motor mounting bolt and it will work, so I know it is a ground issue.

There is no separate ground wire and the motor assembly mounts to the fiberglass heater core box which then mounts to the firewall. So I can't figure out where it gets a ground?

Thanks,

Don

[Edward J.]

Re: C1 (1960) Heater Blower Ground???

Don, I am not a C1 guy, But there is a ground wire on the bell housing or starter housing bolt on the C2 cars.

[Donald H.]

Re: C1 (1960) Heater Blower Ground???

Don, I am not a C1 guy, But there is a ground wire on the bell housing or starter housing bolt on the C2 cars.

Yes, the main ground on a C1 is at the starter mount. That's not my problem, I have the main ground and to all other electrical things on the car. But I just can figure out how the blower motor gets grounded.

Thanks

Don.

[Edward J.]

Re: C1 (1960) Heater Blower Ground???

Don, do you have a stray blk. wire any where? I know on C2,C3 have a black ground that attaches to the motor on one of the bolts its a brass male spad.

[Philip P.]

Re: C1 (1960) Heater Blower Ground???

Don , there is not a separate ground for the heater motor, believe it or not they depend on the cable(s) that come from the control panel to pickup the ground there should be a ground on the control panel. I ran a separate wire (hidden) to the heater box to the radio mounting strap. I also cleaned under the screw at the heater box all the paint. You may be able to clean under the clamps for the control cable that connects to the box and get a good contact for a ground, but I ran the wire as I need the heater at times where we live, wanted to keep the wife warm. There are some that will disagree with my assesment of the ground for the fan but that is the only way I could see it getting it.
Phil

[Donald H.]

Re: C1 (1960) Heater Blower Ground???

Don , there is not a separate ground for the heater motor, believe it or not they depend on the cable(s) that come from the control panel to pickup the ground there should be a ground on the control panel. I ran a separate wire (hidden) to the heater box to the radio mounting strap. I also cleaned under the screw at the heater box all the paint. You may be able to clean under the clamps for the control cable that connects to the box and get a good contact for a ground, but I ran the wire as I need the heater at times where we live, wanted to keep the wife warm. There are some that will disagree with my assesment of the ground for the fan but that is the only way I could see it getting it.
Phil

I was leaning to the cable sheath, but just couldn't believe that was the design. But I don't see any other way to get ground to the motor since it is mounted to a fiberglass box. My ground to the control panel is good because my clock does work.

Looks to me like only one of the cables could carry the ground. The defrost cable connects to the valve on the cardboard box (defrost/head distribution box), so that can't carry the ground. The cable to the fresh air valve, which is mounted to the fiberglass box can't be a ground. So that leave the one to the temperatur control valve, which is a metal to metal mount to the heater box.

I'll do some more testing with a jumper and VOM meter.

Thanks,

Don

[John F.]

Re: C1 (1960) Heater Blower Ground???

Don, You are correct in your assumptions. John Z. commented on this in another thread.

John F

[Bruce B.]

Re: C1 (1960) Heater Blower Ground???

My 57 has a separate ground wire from the blower motor housing to the dash reinforcement.
It is a typical black wire.
The Eagle Wire catalog also shows a separate ground wire.
Could be the same for a 1960.

[Philip P.]

Re: C1 (1960) Heater Blower Ground???

It is an interesting way of doing things, with grounds being so important on these cars you would have thought they would have done what they did for the radio. Remember heaters were an option .
anyway hope you get it resolved.
Phil

[Bruce B.]

Re: C1 (1960) Heater Blower Ground???

I just checked my 62 and it also has a separate black ground wire from the blower motor case to the dash reinforcement.
So I would guess that most C1s had a heater motor ground wire.

[Philip P.]

Re: C1 (1960) Heater Blower Ground???

My guess they were added, my 1960 did not have a ground to the motor and it worked using the temperature control cable sheath held in place to the box with a clamp. I added a wire to insure a proper ground. In looking at the diagrams in the ST-12 for the 58-60 and 61-62 there is no ground wire like is shown for the radio. THe assumtion (this will cause problems) is the ground is to the box. I believe what happens in restoring, the motor and box get repainted separately and then they are insulated from each other and the fan does not work, in not finding a ground many have added a wire. Some may get lucky and the screws for the fan break into the metal and get a good ground.
My heater box appeared to have never been removed from the car.
Phil

[Mike E.]

Re: C1 (1960) Heater Blower Ground???

I just checked my 62 and it also has a separate black ground wire from the blower motor case to the dash reinforcement.
So I would guess that most C1s had a heater motor ground wire.

Bruce,
you and I seldom disagree, but I have to part company with you on this one. The ground was through the cable sheath to the control plate, which has a ground wire attached to it. Neither of my bowtie cars has a separate wire, and blower motors work on both.

[Bruce B.]

Re: C1 (1960) Heater Blower Ground???

Mike,
Your knowledge is far and above mine concerning Corvettes in general and specifically 62s
I now have to assume the wire was added years ago when the main Harness was replaced.
Thanks for the information.

[Donald H.]

Re: C1 (1960) Heater Blower Ground???

I was able to jumper from the outer cable sheath to the blower motor mount screw and get a good ground. Must be to much paint on the temp control valve bracket and fan housing. I'll pull the blower motor and see if I can get a metal to metal contact.

Sill leaves one to wonder why the engineers didn't include a separate ground wire for the blower motor.

Thanks,

Don

[Philip P.]

Re: C1 (1960) Heater Blower Ground???

Don, if you do not want the extra wire clean the surface where the fan attaches to the heater box, and the area of the clamp for the control cable of any paint this should give you a good connection when the fan is reattached to the box. As for the design the cable is a pretty good connection to the control panel which is grounded and original cars the fan mounting is not painted on the attachment side so the grounding with the screw was probably fine.
Phil