Where do I install a fan?

Charliep44 · Oct 9, 2014

Sorry if this is in the wrong category.

I am interested in buying a LED fan for my gaming pc. I have never installed a fan before and I am wondering after the fan has been mounted in the case/side panel. Where do I plug in the fan connector for it. Do I plug it into my motherboard or do I find a certain cable what my PSU will have and plug it into the similar one?

Thanks.

blaxout1213 · Oct 9, 2014

There should be a 3 or 4 pin connecter coming off the fan. This plugs in to your motherboard (3pins can be plugged into 4 pin slots). Just look around it shouldn't be to hard to find.

FinalDrive · Oct 9, 2014

The case should have several mounting points for fans, where you place them depends on what you have installed. My system has 2 intake fans on the front, one on the side, and 2 exhaust, back and top. Case fans will probably connect to the PSU rather than the MB, but some MB's have a case fan plug that can be monitored by the system, this is more to if you want to check it settings in UEFI/BIOS. If your PSU does not have fan connectors you will need an adapter, unless the fans have a MOLEX connector, which you definitely should have available.

If you need fan connectors and only have MOLEX there are adapters that will give you some.

Charliep44 · Oct 9, 2014

blaxout1213 :

I saw a video of a guy plugging his fan into his PSU cords. My motherboard is a GIGABYTE GA-970A-DS3P. I already have 2 fans in the pc. One fan is what the case came with and the 2nd fan is part of my Cooler master watercooling Seidon 120m

zink1701 · Oct 9, 2014

It depends on the type of fan you buy. There are 3 different connectors (3 pin, 4 pin small molex and std molex) the std molex http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/31/Molex_female_connector.jpg will plug onto you 12v rail from the power supply. The 3 and 4 pin connecters http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/imageview.php?image=8186 plug directly onto the motherboard. Your motherboard and powersupply will support any connector providing they are not used up by other hardware.

blaxout1213 · Oct 9, 2014

Charliep44 :

While its possible to do that, its not really ideal. You cant control (or even monitor) anything about a fan plugged into the PSU. I would only suggest it if all your mobo connections are full. If you only have 2 fans you should have at least 1 free.

Charliep44 · Oct 9, 2014

zink1701 :

So I can plug the 3 and 4 pin into the psu wires?

Charliep44 · Oct 9, 2014

tetsuya23 :

http://www.scan.co.uk/products/gigabyte-ga-970a-ds3p-amd-970-sam3-am3plus-ddr3-pcie-20-(x16)-2-way-crossfirex-atx?utm_source=google+shopping&utm_medium=cpc&gclid=CjwKEAjw5NihBRCZmdLkuuTHyWYSJACtCY0J42uKjy_XM4u-gOXcxTyCUGfRrrbaFGwOqyMdOermKhoCTiTw_wcB Pretty sure that is my motherboard. And for my fan, I am looking for a nice looking one which has green LED's. I prefer it to be silent, but I do not really care about the sound. I do have a default red led fan which came with my cooler master case, I am guessing that is plug in. And not sure if my cooler master seidon 120m also gets plug into it. The Seidon came with a fan which it attach to the top back of my case, I am guessing that fan is plug into one as well.

Charliep44 · Oct 9, 2014

tetsuya23 :

Charliep44 :

By the looks of it, Your motherboard which I presume is this "GA-970A-DS3P", have 1 3 pin System Fan number 2 below the motherboard pcb, 1 4 pin System Fan number 1 on the right side of the motherboard pcb and a 3 pin power fan on the upper right side of the motherboard pcb.

Go to this Website: http://www.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=4591#ov

Click image number 2 where the motherboard is laid flat

Click the image again to zoom it in and hover your mouse and it will zoom in the motherboard further.

If you go to the left side/edge of the motherboard from top to bottom slowly > you will see a 3 pin socket with markings "SYS_FAN2"

Hover your mouse again at the bottom edge of the motherboard, from left edge hover the mouse slowly to the right side
Near the left bottom edge you can see another socket now its a 4 pin with a marking "SYS_FAN1" then scroll further to the right side and theres another socket with 3 pin with the marking "PWR_FAN

Those sockets can be used for your fans if your fans come with the 3-4 pin connectors.

If your fans comes with a molex connector, you can connect them directly through your molex connectors connected to your PSU.

This is a typical molex connector that comes with a fan and a PSU.

<-- Left side connector is the Female one while the Right side is the Male connector

http://cdn.overclock.net/3/3c/350x700px-LL-3caee271_molex_extension.jpeg

Basically you connect the Male into the Female.... I know right... xD just joking but its how they are named!
Its a male and female connector, usually the Fans will come with a female connector and you will attach it on a male connector connected to your PSU.

Thanks for the help. I want to know if you could plug a pin into a 4 pin. And also is there a thing which can spilt the fan 3/4 pins into 2 more or something? If not once I use all 3 of them I use the psu.

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Where do I install a fan?

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