Fan 3 pin to 4 pin

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Deathwing777

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Jan 10, 2014
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I need some help. I have an Antec 900 case which has four fans and each one has a 3 pin connector.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129021

I was thinking of getting a fan controller to put into my 5.5 bay. However, my mother has one 4 pin connector that will control the fan speeds for me. Therefore, I'd like to connect my fans to that. Will this work?

http://www.moddiy.com/products/Single-Braid-Molex-4%252dPin-to-4x-3%252dPin-Fan-Cable-(15cm)-%252d-Black.html

Also, can my motherboard handle all four fans being connected to one fan header?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157460

Thank you so much for your help!
 
Solution
2
You can plug a 3 pin fan plug into a 4 pin header. They are designed that way.

Your motherboard may be able to handle 4 fans, you will have to do some work. The manual for your motherboard will specify how much current (or watts) that a single fan header can supply. The you need to look up the specs of your fans to see how much current (or watts) they draw (add up the watts). Don't overload the fan header's power capacity.

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2x4b

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Oct 28, 2013
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You can plug a 3 pin fan plug into a 4 pin header. They are designed that way.

Your motherboard may be able to handle 4 fans, you will have to do some work. The manual for your motherboard will specify how much current (or watts) that a single fan header can supply. The you need to look up the specs of your fans to see how much current (or watts) they draw (add up the watts). Don't overload the fan header's power capacity.

 
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juanrdp

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Nov 7, 2012
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You could use a 4pin Fan conected to a 3Pin, but you will loose the PWM (pulse width modulation) that regulate the speed of the fan, it will allways run at max speed.

The second question is a no without modifications. In the 3 Pin you have a ground, +12 but the third is a Tachometer, and therefore 4 fans would need four diferent 3 pins connectors, maybe if you use the +12 and ground hardwired to the fourth and only one thacometer signal from one of them would work, but take into account that the power allowance from the mainboard is distributed allong the 4 fans, you will get a very low spin speed.

Easier just to connect the fans to molex (anyway you will loose the thacometer that is the only advantage of the board).
 
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