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Do you need a relay kit for a cooling fan?

Do you need a relay kit for a cooling fan?

A relay kit, our part number CCFKRL, will include everything you need to properly wire up your electric cooling fans, with the exception of additional wiring needed to complete all of the circuits. The first part of the installation is to install the electric fan to your radiator, and remove the mechanical fan.

Can you use a dash switch on an electric fan?

In electrical terms, that’s a no-no; you should never rely on a switch on the dash to handle the kind of current required to power an accessory that is more than 10-15 amps. A number of things can (and sometimes will) go wrong, even if you buy a switch that can handle 15 amps.

Can you run a mechanical fan with an electrical fan?

It’s unlikely you would have room for both, but you should never run a mechanical fan with an electrical fan on the same side of the radiator. If your mechanical fan had a fan spacer, it can be removed with the fan.

Can a fan be connected to more than one relay?

For smaller fans, both fans can be connected to a single relay as shown above, and the proper fuse should be installed to protect the circuit while at the same time providing enough current to flow without exceeding the fuse rating.

A relay kit, our part number CCFKRL, will include everything you need to properly wire up your electric cooling fans, with the exception of additional wiring needed to complete all of the circuits. The first part of the installation is to install the electric fan to your radiator, and remove the mechanical fan.

What happens when a radiator relay goes bad?

A faulty or broken relay cannot deliver power to the cooling fans. In turn, the unpowered fans won’t run, leaving the radiator to its own devices. Deprived of the helpful influx of air from the cooling fans, the radiator cannot remove as much heat as it usually does.

Can a radiator fan and condenser fan share a relay?

There are, however, some models that use a dedicated second unit to the condenser. In such a scenario, the condenser fan and radiator fan may or may not share the same relay. If the cooling fan does not engage, you can check whether the relay is to blame by swapping it out for a different relay.

Can a bad fan relay cause an engine to overheat?

However, a bad cooling fan relay isn’t the only culprit for excessively high engine temperatures. Many other issues can cause the engine to run hot or overheat. Rather than uncommonly high engine temps, the driver may notice that the cooling fans have stopped running.

How do you test a radiator fan relay?

Open your hood and take some time to locate your fusebox, which is mounted in front of the passenger side of the firewall. Remove the top cover to expose your fusebox and relays, check your radiator fan relays and remove them. Inspect for any damage to the pins or the body of the relay, such as bubbling or melting.

What is the function of a radiator fan relay?

The function of the cooling fan relay is to convert a low voltage signal from either the electronic control module (ECM) or a thermostatically controlled sensor. The cooling fan relay takes the low voltage signal and internally switches the relay “on” to allow battery voltage to be supplied to the radiator cooling fan.

What causes radiator fan to keep running?

Two things will make your radiator fan run on fast. Either a signal that the engine is hot or that the air conditioning condenser (located in front of the radiator) is telling it that it’s hot and to run fast to cool it down.

Why is your radiator fan not running?

The most common causes when a radiator fan is not coming on is broken fuse, bad wirings, bad coolant temperature sensor, bad fan relay, or a faulty radiator fan . Here is a more detailed list of the most common causes of a radiator fan not coming on.

Where does the radiator fan relay receive power from?

The control coil for the radiator fan relay and condenser fan relay receive power from the engine control relay that is activated when you start the vehicle. The ECM monitors engine temperature through the engine coolant temp sensor.

Where is the fuse on an electric fan relay?

The orange wire on the relay should see a 12 volt signal when the ignition switch is turned on. The other two wires on the relay are the meat and potatoes of the system, with the yellow wire connecting to the battery along with the supplied fuse mounted within 12 inches of the battery.

For smaller fans, both fans can be connected to a single relay as shown above, and the proper fuse should be installed to protect the circuit while at the same time providing enough current to flow without exceeding the fuse rating.

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Ruth Doyle