3 fans into one fan controller

diellur

Distinguished
Apr 7, 2011
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Hi all,

I want to control my case's three intake fans off of one controller, and I was wondering if I could use the following splitter to achieve it:

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CB-031-AK

My plan is to get a single fan PCI controller, connect it to this splitter and then connect the fans to the splitter. I think it should work, as the splitter provides power to each fan and the controller limits the voltage to limit the fan speed.

Thoughts?
 

Paperdoc

Polypheme
Ambassador
Yes, this will work. Note a few things:
1. One big benefit is that it draws fan power from a Molex 4-pin PSU header, so it CAN power more than 2 fans at once (well, it has 3 outputs).
2. The unit ONLY works with 4-pin fans - it depends on using the PWM signal. So all your fans must be 4-pin, and the connector on the mobo you plug into must be a 4-pin one.
3. The cable uses one PWM signal to control all 3 fans identically. So if you plug it into the CPU_FAN mobo connector as it is labelled, all 3 fans will be controlled based on the CPU internal temperature. In this case, you REALLY should be running your actual CPU cooling fan from the adapter connector labelled "CPU Fan". On the other hand, IF you want only to control case fans and have them all run identically, plug 3 case fans into the output connectors, but plug the connector for the mobo to the CASE FAN (or SYS_FAN) port that has 4 pins. This will control all 3 fans' speeds based on a temp sensor in the mobo, not on the one inside the CPU case.
4. I note with pleasure that the unit as pictured DOES handle fan speed signals properly. That is, ONLY the output connector marked for the CPU Fan has a fourth (green) wire that takes that fan's speed pulse signal back to the mobo. The fan speed signals from the other two fans are ignored and not wired up at all.
 

klopas

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Nov 22, 2011
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Hello! After reading this thread, I want to do something similar. Thanks for the good info.

I have a KAZE Master Ace fan controller, a Corsair H100 and 4 120mm fans running push/pull. I would love to have all 4 fan speeds working off of one knob on the fan controller to ensure they're all running at the same speed. Is this possible? Otherwise, I was just going to run each on on it's own separate knob.

Thanks!
 
as long as your fan controllers board can handle the extra wattage the the 2 extra fans will need, you should be ok but check the leaflet that came with it. to see if it states it has a max wattage for fans. mine has a max of 10watts per fan, but its a cheap 1..