What Cable Do I Need?

mrkilo

Honorable
Dec 25, 2012
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Hi guys,

Recently put together my first gaming PC and the case (CoolerMaster HAF 932 Advanced) has 4 built in fans. My power supply (CoolerMaster GX 750W) only had enough plug-ins for 3 of the fans. I want to overclock and don't want to do this until I get my 4th fan up and running. I have a Hyper Evo on my i7-3770k but just to be safe I want the 4th fan to operate. There is no plug-in that will fit on the motherboard for the fan. (intel dz77re-75k mobo)

I need some type of adapter cable to convert my male power plug (I think it is a 4plug with option for 6plug) to fit the fans 4 pronged male plug. The fans cables are molex. It also can be taken off in the middle and there is a little 3pin female socket for motherboards i think, but my motherboard only has male sockets for 4pin fans.

There are so many different types of adapters I am confused as to which one to buy?
 

mathew7

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Jun 3, 2011
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You can use the 3-pin fan connector in the MBs 4-pin (there is just one way you can plug it thanks to the raised plastic). In "the old times" the power supply pin out of the 3 was used to control the fan speed, but it was problematic as not all fans started at the same voltage (something Intel never supported). So Intel introduced the 4th pin specifically for speed control (I don't remember exactly, but it may have been with Core2Duo). But some motherboards still support the old way of speed control through the "compatible" 3-pins, even when they have the 4th pin. So in your worst case scenario, your fan will be 100% all the time. If the fan would require too much power, they would have not put the 3-pin connector.
 

mathew7

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Jun 3, 2011
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18,860

Nothing for full-speed. The optional part is speed control, which may or may not work on 3-pins (not work as in you set a lower speed but it's still full-speed).
 

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