A/C Condenser fan not working...

[smokstac]

Greetings,

I just got a 1997 Protege in good shape. One of the issues I am having is the fan on the condenser won't run. When I switch on the AC the driver's side fan comes on and stays on. The original fan on the passenger side I had to replace because the motor was rusty and the fan looked like someone melted it. The replacement fan will work if I hook it directly to the battery, but, apparently something is amiss.

I printed out some electrical circuits for the fans/AC system and it appears to me there are two relays for the fans (one for each). Is this true, or, does the big blue fan relay control both?

Like I said...getting no power at the electrical connector but the fan has been confirmed to work when power is directly fed to it.

Relay I'm not seeing? Fuse? Or some part of the AC circuit I'm not seeing?

TIA, I appreciate any help as it's hot and miserable and the AC isn't working well at idle because of this.
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Buy no2 vaporizer

[SgtRauksauff]

Is the AC compressor working, but NOT the fan?

At least on the BG, there are two separate fan relays. One is for the main radiator cooling fan, one is for the Auxiliary fan, that pushes through the condensor. The condenser fan relay also triggers the main fan relay, so both fans turn on when the AC does. On my 323, the relay is in the right side corner between the firewall and fender (driver's right, would be left side when viewing from the front, aka passenger side).

There should also be a separate fuse for the additional fan, marked "AD FAN" in the engine-bay fuse box, on the BG.

Not sure how different the BHA wiring system is than the BG, hopefully that'll help point you in the right direction..

--sarge

[smokstac]

If I switch on the AC the passenger fan on the radiator won't come on but the driver's side fan will and will stay on while the compressor is running. My understanding is that the passenger side fan is for the AC only and should come on along with the other one (which provides cooling for the radiator and condenser and runs from both circuits...the AC and the temp switch in the head near the thermostat housing).

On the Protege I see a big blue relay simply marked "Cooling Fan" and the AD FAN fuse you mentioned (fuse is OK, if I pull the rely while the AC is on then the driver's side fan shuts off). Pulled the passenger side fan off and hooked straight to battery and the fan spins OK.

So I'm wondering if the big blue relay controls both fans (there's 5 pins on the bottom) or there's another relay somewhere I'm missing.
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Magic Flight Launch Box

[D323]

not 100% on the BH, but traditionally the AC condensor fan has its own relay. I would think that is your problem especially since the fan works with direct power from the battery. Start by tracing the wires from the condensor fan back through the harness. If there is NOT a 2nd relay then there is probably an open or a short in the wires going to that fan.

[smokstac]

So, I found what appears to be the AC and condenser relays near the rear of the passenger strut tower. Switched them with two known good ones from another Protege and no go. Compressor shuts off if I pull the relay, and, if I take the same relay and connect it to what I think is the condenser fan harness no-go on powering the condenser fan. I can't find any shorts, and, I pulled apart the connectors and it looks like there's no corrosion.

I'm at a total loss.

I'm thinking of just splicing the condenser fan into the wire harness for the main fan. Any negatives/problems I might face by doing this?
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PARTY LIVE

[D323]

I'm thinking of just splicing the condenser fan into the wire harness for the main fan. Any negatives/problems I might face by doing this?

Possible too much current for that one circuit blowing fuses or getting relays/connectors hot.

If the relay is good, power is at the connector going to the fan; I would start checking the ground.

With the good relays swapped on, did you back probe the connectors with a DVOM to check to see if there is power at the fan connector?

[smokstac]

I'm getting no power to the connector where the condenser fan relay sits. There must be some corrosion somewhere, or, perhaps a defect in the A/C switch itself inside the climate control. I noticed in 2 Proteges in the junkyard a few days ago that the climate controls were missing...perhaps this is a common defect?
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Medical cannabis

[smokstac]

Given the car's history of being in the North most of its life I'm pretty certain something is corroded somewhere keeping the normal wiring from working. I have gotten around the issue by splicing the condenser fan's wiring into the main cooling fan's wiring...since the main fan kicks on when the AC is on then both will turn on...this does have the added benefit/drawback of having both fans turn on when the coolant temperature is high enough to trigger the main one.