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Using MB 3-pin fan headers

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Old Nov 13, 2007, 05:59 PM   #1
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Using MB 3-pin fan headers
Hey dudes
I've been looking all over the intarnetss for this
3 PIN MOLEX FEMALE TO 4 PIN MOLEX MALE POWER CABLE - (eBay item 160134447222 end time Dec-01-07 02:21:02 PST)

I can't seem to find this particular cable elsewhere than ebay (9$ shipping to canada... wow nice.)

Is there another name for this cable?

Basically my Sonata III case came with a 120mm antec fan in the back and the fan has a 4-pin molex plug only.
I want to plug that fan (+ my PCI bracket fan) into my Motherboard's 3-pin fan headers (my MB has room for like 6 of those)

Help me ObiWanKenobi!
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Old Nov 13, 2007, 07:25 PM   #2
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Why not just plug them to the PSU?
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Old Nov 13, 2007, 07:33 PM   #3
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4pin will work with plugging a 3pin into, the only thing 4pin has is speed control or a temperature sensor if supported.
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Old Nov 13, 2007, 10:49 PM   #4
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System Specs

i don't think he's talking about the 4pin CPU fan plug, but the 4 pin HDD/CD power molex

i had the same problem with my case fans (4pin) and fan controller (3pin) but i got greative with a soldering iron - so there's always that option
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Old Nov 14, 2007, 01:52 PM Threadstarter Thread Starter   #5
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I'm talking about taking a fan with a 4-pin-only molex (plugged straight into my PSU) and using a converter cable to plug it into a 3-pin fan header slot on my motherboard so that I can monitor RPM.

But I found some on eBay it's alright. It's a rip-off for cables though.
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Old Nov 14, 2007, 02:37 PM   #6
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would it not just be easier to buy a splitter cable for the 4 pin molex, and pull the power for the fan off a hdd or dvd drive? splitter cables are dirt cheap and plentiful. thats what I did with my sonata when my modular psu ran outa cables
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Old Nov 14, 2007, 03:44 PM   #7
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System Specs

to be honest.....newegg only carries the three pin to molex to do the exactly opposite thing you are trying to do......(hooking a three pin fan to molex
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Old Nov 21, 2007, 03:51 AM   #8
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Find a 3 pin connector and cut and solder the wires on. You get to enjoy the fun of soldering and make it yourself, so +1 for pride of ownership.

Its just red to red and black to black, the other wire isn't necessary
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Old Nov 21, 2007, 07:10 AM   #9
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i just tear those 4pin large molex fans out and put in good quality 3pin standard fan fans.
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Old Nov 21, 2007, 09:09 AM   #10
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I do foresee 2 issues here: the fan, even though it's drawing power from the PSU directly via the 4 pin Molex, is probably only using 2 wires: power (red), and ground (black). By using a 4 pin Molex to 3 pin fan header, yes you will be able to power the fan by the board, but you won't get RPM feedback, because you will be missing the 3rd wire responsible for this feature.

This also brings up the second issue: depending on the design of the board it may constantly warn you that the fan is dead (and I mean warn you via a nice loud noise from the speaker on your board/hooked up to it), because it's not getting feedback from the fan.

Just TYSK.
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