# Why is the cooling fan switch squence always off, 3 (highest power), 2, 1(lowest)?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-cooling-fan-switch-squence-always-off-3-highest-power-2-1-lowest/71298>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 5, 2001, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-cooling-fan-switch-squence-always-off-3-highest-power-2-1-lowest/71298 "2001-07-05T04:08:14Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Joe\_Zaza](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Joe\_Zaza](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joe_Zaza)\
**Post date:** [July 5, 2001, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-cooling-fan-switch-squence-always-off-3-highest-power-2-1-lowest/71298/1 "2001-07-05T04:08:14Z")

</div>

Why not start with the lowest power first and gradually go on to higher? Anyone have the dilly on this cuz I’ve been stumped since childhood… (/me ain’t proud)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Dr.Lao](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/2bfe46/32.png) [@Dr.Lao](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Lao)\
**Post date:** [July 5, 2001, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-cooling-fan-switch-squence-always-off-3-highest-power-2-1-lowest/71298/2 "2001-07-05T04:28:27Z")

</div>

[http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=69110](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=69110)

[http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=5627](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=5627)

There are a couple simple answers.

1. It isn’t always the case. There are some fans that go: off, 1, 2, 3.

2. One possible reason that many fans go: off, 3, 2, 1, is because (if you have a knob type control) you must first go to high power when starting the fan. This means more current, and hence more torque, is applied in the beginning to get the fan started.