Fan connections, witch way to go?
 

I'm updating my old computer with a new motherboard/processor/PSU,ram, etc. Lian Li PC10.

Motherboard is MSI 890FXA GD70

I'm wiring it up now and there is a question on hooking up the fans (4).

There ar 4 3 pin fan conections on the MB. However there are no 3 pin fan connections coming from the power supply. I believe it is expected that one will just hook up the case fans (They have Molex connections) to the Molex connectors coming from the PSU.

Would it be better to hook up the fans directly to the 3 pin motherboard connections via a Molex to 3 pin adapter ?
If so where does one get the adapters?

Hooking fans up to the motherboard with the 3 pin connector gives you the ability to check and control fan RPM from software. If you use the 4 pin molex connectors to the PSU, the fans will simply run at full speed all the time (unless the fan has a built in thermal control).

There is a school of thought that putting too large of a fan on the motherboard connectors can be bad for the board. I have never had a problem with it personally, but it seems wise enough to leave the 3 pin motherboard connectors to the relatively small fans on the GPU and CPU, and connect larger fans (say, 120mm or more) to the PSU through a dedicated fan controller.

That is exactly what I have done to my server; The normal smaller fans that came with the hardware I have wired to the motherboard, whereas the bigger fans I have installed I have run through a seperate fan/temperature controller. Overall case temp is pretty good for six fans :)

I have connected two 200mm-fans and a 120mm fan from my case to my mainboard and never had a problem with it. So i would go for the 3-pin connectors.

Where did you get the Molex (Fan) to 3pin female adapters necessary to do this? A link would be very helpfull. I can only find 2/3/4 pin male connectors witch of cource won't work.

Thanks to all, if you guys come up with anything please let me know ASAP, it's ruff sitting here just wondering!

BTW, all fans are about 80mm that came with the Lian Li case. They must be quality because I have never had a problem with them.

Lola

Do you want just the adapter, or are you up for manually modifying the connectors?

http://www.google.com/products?hl=en...bih=743&lr=all

Maybe you could find the exact one on there you need.

All those fans in my case have "native" 3-pin connectors. But you can buy those adapters at every hardware-shop. I don't know where you live (not even the continent), so a link would not be very helpful.

Most of these adapters are showing "Male" 3 pin connectors. I believe one is showing two molex and a female connector.


I'm trying to do this with as few connectors/wires in the systm as possible (obvious reasons). I hope you understand?

I did see a few females in the list, not sure what page. But like TobiSGD said, maybe you could go to your local hardware shop or Radio Shack and pick a few up.

That sounds like a plan, thank you for the response, I'll give it a go!

Cool, sounds good. Let us know how it goes!

I agree. But, remember that not all fan controllers are supported. I mean I did hook up my fans to the mobo, but had no control over their speed, nor could I see their speed. Instead, I just used the molex and they run full speed. They're quiet enough.

I think there may be some truth to the theory in that if the fan is not of good quality or draws too much power ... maybe it could damage the mobo. It has never happened to me, so I can't validate it.

I tried Radio Shack today, they didn't have it. I think for right now I'll just hook up with the molex type till I hear from MSI as to what I should or shouldn't do. I'll get back to you guys and let you know what they said, if they answer, it's been 3 days now and no email reply from them.
Thanks to all.

True, though you dont have to run at full speed. You can run at 5volts or 7volts easy enough with standard molex, just move the live pins (7v is not recommended by me though, and some fans will not be able to spin up at 5v).

One machine I built years ago and gave to a friend has been running a 120mm fan from the motherboard 3 pin connectors with no issues. That was with an intel P3 motherboard as well, if anybody is going to be conservative with max draw for fans, etc, its intel in the late 1990s. I've never had anything bad happen myself, but I do know somebody who blew a fan connector with a 80mm fan. It was a high speed fan (like 80+CFM a minute, which is a lot for a 80mm fan).

Generally, I'd say that as long as you arent using a huge fan, or a very high speed fan that motherboard connectors are just fine.

The motherboard manuacturers used to list 'max amps' or similar limits in the datasheets, but they dont seem to anymore. MSIs sales robots probably dont have the foggiest idea what the max draw from the motherboard fan headers is.

As for where to get the connectors, try here-

http://www.cwc-group.com/molex2510.html

Searching 'molex 2510' might get you a cheeap price, or a distributor somewhere closer. BTW, not everybody calls them 'molex 2510', I'm pretty sure that the local parts store I use calls them....err...something headers. I forget exactly, I'try to remember to check when I go there next.

*edit- another common name is '3 pin female IDC'

http://www.allpinouts.org/index.php/..._Fan_Connector