Activity light for Cooling Fans

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rashmore
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Activity light for Cooling Fans

Post by rashmore »

Looking at putting a light on the dash which would illuminate when the cooling fans come on. (having probs with temp, water level – tho constant for last 3 weeks - HG failure ? dble check with chem. test this weekend)
Then thought may as well install a switch also so I can manually override and turn them on if feel necessary.
Without my Haynes BOL I cannot easily check wiring on car, but assume there would be a relay in the circuit to cope with the current/draw required by fans.
Therefore need switch and poss a relay (can then completely bypass normal circuit in case of failure). So before I go blindly hunting in the scrappers are there any standard ZX switches or other Citroen/pug (preferable ones that will fit in section by ignition barrel as no spares on instrument panel) that have light, will be able to cope with feeding the fans on their own ?
Curiously, what switches are normally fitted in that location on the dash anyway – on left hand side is passenger mirror adjustment, and on mine the right has an alarm silencing button type thing I forget what does, turns internal sensors off I think
Other option is to include a separate relay in circuit assuming find stand Citroen switch, or a trip to electronics store to get suitable components.
Anyone done this before ?
Cheers
Bugger - got thro mot after replacing 4 rear mounts, only for exhaust to turn into boy racer style noise - failing at joint between mid/rear box, must have upset when done mounts
Getting fed up now [:(!] car may have to go if turns out needs even more money throwing at it....ref HG
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fastandfurryous
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Post by fastandfurryous »

Selling? How much for?
rashmore
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Post by rashmore »

Nothing set in stone yet, depends on outcome of tests. Just seems that March was time for a number of things to show themselves on the car and cause me major inconvenience and cost [:(] they say things come in threes, had my three (more than, in fact), so hopefully ....
Joys of owning an older car lol.
HG should cost me around £250 (not £500 as quoted by 3 other garages) use garage i know but have to wait to book in) so not that bad (don't want to get mine/your hopes up just yet.... no idea what car is worth, may change mind by the weekend.
VGC, metallic maroon/plum, recent full service (oil/filter/fuel etc), cambelt at 33k (change of owner), new front disks/greenstuff pads/calipers (berlingo upgrade), handbrake cables, 4 rear axle mounts, 43K miles, ( i think, less than 50 anyway) 4 good michelin drago tyres
Thought the cooling fan light was a good idea to help monitor things.....
bxbodger
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Post by bxbodger »

You shouldn't need to mess around with relays, etc- just find the fan temp sensor, i'm not sure where on a ZX but most likely on the side of the rad, and wire a switch into this.
The sensor is a temperature operated switch which works the relay for the fans so all you are doing is wiring in a manually operated switch to do the same job and override the sensor should you want to do so.
Wire it to both sides of the sensor so that when you switch it on the sensor is then bypassed by your switch.
Basically one side of your switch to one side of the sensor, the other side to the other side.....clear as mud, I know.......
rashmore
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Post by rashmore »

Makes sense. Cheers
Original idea was to bypass all but if light comes on i know relay is working anyway....
Off to find suitable switch then...
James.UK
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Post by James.UK »

Sensor on my ZX's are in the radiator, under the big return pipe on the right hand side when you face the windscreen.. Dead easy to get at. [^]
Having said that, as far as I can tell the only times my fans have ever come on are when I bypass the switch to test that they really do work!! [:I] [8)] Though being auto's, the rads are a bit larger than the standard one fitted in the ZX, (and more expensive) so maybe thats why they dont come on much...
.
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