Electric water pump drive problem

[Shadylane]

I have had a Moroso electric water pump drive on my SBF stocker for a couple of years, no problems. This last weekend in Phoenix I burned up two 10 amp drive motors. Obviously they exceeded the max amperage.
I had a 15 amp fuse in line but it didn’t blow, not sure why. I’m using 12 gauge wire.

I figured there may be too much drag on the electric motor so I removed the fan and water pump. I have a 16 inch plastic flex fan installed on the water pump also. I called Moroso and they informed me that their drive kit is not designed to use a fan. Oops.

The water pump seemed to have a lot of resistance when turning the hub. I took the pump to a parts store and compared it to a new one out of the box, they felt the same but I didn’t have anyway to measure them other by feel.

I reinstalled the w\p and fan with my spare drive motor and measured the amperage draw when running, I bypassed the fuse to test.

First with the fan, no coolant. 16.8 amps. Removed the fan, 6.5 amps just driving the w/p. I would have never guessed it. Then added coolant into the system, still without the fan, 8.5 amps. Total draw with fan, pump and coolant is 18.8 amps. Way over the 10 amp capability of the motor.

Not sure if the w/p drag is the problem or not.
May have to find a higher amperage drive motor or add an electric fan.

Anyone have similar experiences?

Kelly