A technician finds that a fan motor shows 26 amps when directly connected to the battery. What could this indicate?

When a fan motor shows 26 amps when directly connected to a battery, this reading can indicate that the motor is likely experiencing a short in its wiring or internal components. Typically, a fan motor has a specified operating current that should be considerably lower than 26 amps under normal conditions. If the current draw is excessively high, it suggests that there is an issue, such as a short circuit, which causes the motor to draw more current than it was designed to handle.

Shorted wiring can result in a direct connection within the circuit, leading to increased current flow that exceeds the motor's normal operating parameters. This condition can cause overheating, potential damage to the motor, and could trigger safety systems in a vehicle if they are in place to prevent damage from excessive current draw.

In contrast, if the battery were faulty, you would typically see a significantly reduced current or no operation at all rather than a high draw. Similarly, normal operation would not yield such high amperage, and blocked airflow would likely result in increased resistance, leading to a lower current draw rather than an excessive one. Thus, the most logical conclusion from the 26-amp reading is that the fan motor may have shorted wiring, indicating an electrical fault that needs to be addressed.