If my motherboard has 3 chassis fan connectors can i only use 3 fans?

KawaiiPotato

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May 17, 2015
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When I was picking my parts to my PC and I chose my motherboard (ASRock fatal1ty z97x killer) I saw that it had 2 cpu fan connectors and 3 chassis fan connectors does that mean I can only use 3 fans in my pc besides the cpu fan I chose? I chose 2 extra red led fans along with my case (fractal design define r5 w/ window) and I just want to clarify I can only use 3 fans or if there is some part I can buy to make it so I can use more fans or if i need a new motherboard that has more chassis fan connectors. Thanks in advanced :)
 
Solution
You can use splitters to attach up to 2 fans per fan port header on most mpbos. However, you also need to pay attention to the fan type - specifically, the number of pins it wants to plug into. You mobo has a mix of 2 types. And each type needs a different type of fan AND of splitter.

The main CPU_FAN port is a 4-pin type, so ideally your CPU cooling fan should be the 4-pin type, also called a PWM fan. If you want or need to use 2 fans for CPU cooling, the second fan ought to be of the 4-pin type also and the splitter should be 4-pin design. Now, your mobo also has a second CPU_FAN2 port that is of the 3-pin design. It is not clear to me in the manual why. BUT sometimes this is to give you choices: you can use 4pin fan(s) on the 4-pin...

Paperdoc

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You can use splitters to attach up to 2 fans per fan port header on most mpbos. However, you also need to pay attention to the fan type - specifically, the number of pins it wants to plug into. You mobo has a mix of 2 types. And each type needs a different type of fan AND of splitter.

The main CPU_FAN port is a 4-pin type, so ideally your CPU cooling fan should be the 4-pin type, also called a PWM fan. If you want or need to use 2 fans for CPU cooling, the second fan ought to be of the 4-pin type also and the splitter should be 4-pin design. Now, your mobo also has a second CPU_FAN2 port that is of the 3-pin design. It is not clear to me in the manual why. BUT sometimes this is to give you choices: you can use 4pin fan(s) on the 4-pin port, OR 3-pin fan(s) the the 3-pin port.

The mobo CHA_FAN ports are a tiny bit more confusing. There is ONE 4-pin CHA_FAN1 port where you should be plugging in one (or two, using a splitter) 4-pin (aka PWM) fan(s). There are also TWO other ports, CHA_FAN2 and CHA_FAN3, that are of the 3-pin type, also called Voltage Controlled fans. On each of these you could plug in one (or two using a 3-pin splitter) fan(s) of that 3-pin type.

A 4-pin fan plugged into either port type will work well, it's just that the 4-pin fan design is slightly better in certain situations. A 3-pin fan works properly on a 3-pin port. But on a 4-pin port, a 3-pin fan's speed cannot be controlled - it always runs full speed. That is why you should match fan type with port type.

For splitters, an important point is that both types of fans send a speed pulse signal generated in the fan motor back to the mobo on Pin #3 for monitoring. It is not good to send to a mobo port BOTH pulse signals from two fans on a splitter. So good splitters prevent this, either by not providing a Pin #3 in one of their output connectors, or not providing the wire from that pin. Examples:
3-pin splitter
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812423168&cm_re=3-pin_fan_splitter-_-12-423-168-_-Product

4-pin splitter
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812423160&cm_re=4-pin_fan_splitter-_-12-423-160-_-Product

There are also devices called Hubs for 4-pin (PWM) fans that allow you to power more than 2 fans from one PWM port. Most ports can't provide that much power (because of heavier momentary start-up currents). But these hubs work by drawing power directly from your PSU with an extra connector, and then sharing the PWM control signal from one port to several fans. However, this can only work in cases of 4-pin (PWM type) fans and ports.

Be aware that using splitters or a hub means that ALL fans connected with such an adapter to the same fan port are being controlled by the particular mobo controller associated with that port. That's not a problem. But it does mean that you should connect to the CPU_FAN port only fans associated with CPU chip cooling; likewise, your chassis ventilation fans all should be connected to the CHA_FAN ports of your mobo.

You can get fans that do not connect to the mobo ports at all - they connect directly to the PSU using a connector called 4-pin Molex originally used as a power supply for HDD's and optical drives. Each such PSU output can power severl fans. BUT there are two significant limits with this fan type:
1. Fans of this type always run at full speed - there is no way for the mobo to change that. The exception is if you also buy and use a Fan Controller which allows you to change the speed of such fans manually, but not automatically via the mobo.
2. Fans connected in this way cannot feed their speed signals back to the mobo for monitoring, so you can't see their speed if you want to.
 
Solution

KawaiiPotato

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May 17, 2015
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The fractal design define r5 comes with 2 fans and im ordering 2 extra corsair air series af140 fans so does that mean I get one 4 pin splitter? I also can't find anywhere where it states how many pins my fans in the case and im ordering have.
 

Paperdoc

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The website for your case specifies it includes 2 of that company's Dynamic GP-14 fans. Elsewhere on their site it says this fan is a 3-pin design (Voltage Controlled). The Corsair website for the AF140 fan line also says they are 3-pin type.

I suggest you order two 3-pin splitters. Use one to connect the two Fractal fans to the mobo's CHA_FAN2 port, and the other to connect the Corsair fans to the CHA_FAN4 port. Both those ports are for 3-pin fans. That way, whatever voltage each port sends out, the two matching fans on it will run at approximately the same speed and produce approximately the same air flow. Consider this before ordering: the splitters I linked to earlier have 6" leads to each fan. If your fan placements might require longer leads, the same splitters are offered also with 12" leads. Wherever you purchase your splitters, look for such options if you need it.

Thanks for Best Solution.
 

KawaiiPotato

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May 17, 2015
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Thanks a ton for helping me out I believe im going to order 2 3 pin splitters as you said but the 12" version THANKS a ton! :)