Complete Fan noob, need help!

MagicSG1

Honorable
Apr 9, 2013
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10,510
Hey guys, first post here although I'm a long time lurker and I could do with some assistance from some experts like yourselves. Im currently building my first gaming PC(build here, My Build) and Ive chosen the gorgeous Fractal Define R4. I'm fairly comfortable with the rest of the build but in this instance I'm completely lost.

My question is as follows: The motherboard Ive chosen(ASUS P8Z77-V LX2) only has 2 chassis fan headers, a cpu fan header and a PWR fan header(tbh I have no clue what this is for). My case already contains 2 fans, the front intake and the rear exhaust and I went ahead and purchased 2 120mm Corsair fans, one of which I want place over the side panel vent to cool the graphics card, unsure of where I'll place the other. Now my case comes with a 3 speed fan controller on the front panel but ideally I'd like to be able to control my four chassis fans using the built in software via the motherboard so that they can dynamically speed up or down depending on temps within the case. How would I go about this? Any help would be much appreciated!
 

wiggbot

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Dec 22, 2012
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10,860


That one works a little differently. How the cable you posted works is that you essentially control all of your case fans by how the cpu fan is being controlled.

No power is drawn from the motherboard header itself. Instead, power is drawn directly from the PSU. What the motherboard header is for is getting the PWM signal the cpu header puts out and providing it to all other fans.

Long story short, however fast your cpu fan spins is how fast all other connected fans will spin.

The only caveat? You need 4 pin fans all around.