Relay question for EWP's
 

Hey im wondering if it matters what kind of relay i use with my EWP (electric water pump). Ls1howto.com uses a borg warner R3151 Coolant fan relay as what they use but im wondering if just any other type of relay will work? i.e. a fuel heater relay, a bulb check relay, a door lock relay etc...

For some reason i cant find the coolant fan relay that they use so thats why im asking. Thanks.

ok I found this at autozone "GP-SORENSEN Radiator Cooling Fan Motor - Relay." Will this work for me? Im not sure if its the same as the borg warner product?

A relay is a relay it is the contact amp load rating that is important. So any relay with a 30+ continuous amp load rating will be ok. Just make sure you solder the wires into the spade connectors to prevent resistance from burning up the terminals and melting the relay. Or use a relay socket with 12ga wires and then solder to that pigtail.

ok well to be honest dont understand everything u just said. I understand it a little, im guessing the terminals are what the 4 different wires go out of? the guage of wires they recommend is 16-20, and im not sure what a pigtail or spade connector is?

Put down the crimping tool and step away from the wires. :jest:

A pigtail is a connector with short pieces of wire already attached so that you can connect to them. Spade connectors are the kind of connectors that push onto the terminals (flat metal pins) on the bottom of the relay.

You can pick up 30-amp relays at Radio Shack, Best Buy, etc. They don't have to be for a specific purpose because they all work the same way. I think AutoZone sells them as fog light relays.

Wire gauges are always specified as the minimum for a circuit - you can use heavier wire but never use thinner wire than recommended. I would never use 20 gauge wire for fans - 16 is the smallest I would feel safe using. Make sure you put a fuse in every circuit as close to the power source as possible.

LOL, ok i think im startin to understand a bit more how to do all this. Ill give it a shot this week or this weekend and let u all know how it went... lol. Ill be having one other person help me and he's a bit more knoledgeable about it.