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Case Fans and Fan Controller

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  • Fan
  • Systems
  • Fan Controller
Last response: in Systems
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October 10, 2014 1:51:54 PM

So I've been building PCs for quite a while, but I've never run across a system where either there weren't enough fan headers on the motherboard or there wasn't a built-in controller on the case. Here be my dilemma:

Just bought a Corsair 760T and got it all built and such. Installed are:
3x Rosewill RED LED 120 fans (3 pin headers) in top, intake mode
1x Corsair H55 in the rear, going Rad > Fan in Pull for exhaust> Case. Fan is plugged into chassis fan spot, Pump is in CPU header. This is working fine.
2 Front 140s, stock, in intake mode
The case has this power thing going where it takes one SATA intake power connector and provides 4 (of course) 3-pin cable connectors into which to put fans of your choice and then you can switch them between "performance" and "quiet" modes.
So, moral to the story is, I have 4 fans (3 top and 1 front) getting power from this pseudo-controller, and 1 fan-pump combo getting its power straight from the motherboard.
When I try to hook up this last fan to a Molex connector > 3pin adapter, it literally sparks, smokes, and melts through the wires in seconds, and i have to quickly yank the power and blow out the acrid smoke. So, I assume this means I cannot connect a fan directly to Molex due to voltages?

Which leads me to my next question- does anyone know of a fan controller out there that meets the following criteria?
-5.25 bay install
-Black (not gunmetal gray, we're talking blacker than the blackest black times infinity)
-If there aren't LEDs, great, but if there are, they need to be red (I'm vain, sorry)
-gets its power from SATA. The Corsair AX760i that I have has no molex connectors, only SATA, and I'd rather not have to buy a bunch more cable converters etc.
-Needs to support at least 5 fans. Don't care if they're individually controlled or not, and realistically I don't care if it's a "controller" so much as a "thingy that I can plug into a SATA connector and end up with 5 places to plug in fans" so I guess if it goes that route, I don't care if it's 5.25 or something internal.

I'm guessing I'm going to have to get a fan controller if I want to use all the fans available?
Sorry if any of this is misleading or noobish, I have never really dealt with fans and such before.

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October 10, 2014 2:30:45 PM

I've actually looked around quite a bit for one a few months back and I never found anything. It's going to be quite difficult to find one, especially if there are strict restrictions on the colour of the actual device. I would honestly suggest you just bite the bullet and get a cable to convert the sata to 4 pin molex. Startech normally has a bunch of converters so you can just get a cable that will convert the sata power into a 4 pin molex and plug that into nearly any 5.25" fan controller. That way you'll have a far better selection of controllers to choose from and you won't have to spend an eternity searching.

Sorry that my answer is that there really isn't one out there (at least that I could find) but using a small cable to convert sata into 4 pin molex really shouldn't be that bad. If you feel the need to keep checking though, ForzenCPU has the best selection of fan controllers i've seen so I would suggest looking there.

Hope this helps :) 
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