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Peripherals What on earth have I accumulated here?

Discussion in 'Hardware' started by ModSquid, 14 Jun 2020.

  1. ModSquid

    ModSquid Multimodder

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    Short and sweet with this one - have found these leads in a box and have no idea what they're for:

    lead1.jpg lead2.jpg

    First one looks like it takes a Molex power feed to a fan and then maybe takes a PWM signal from the board to the same fan?? Why the different leads/voltages/whatever?

    Second one (ignore the screwdriver handle) maybe is a Molex passthrough doing similar to above but with less/different leads? Stumped. The four colours going from one to the other is the passthrough I suppose, but only using the 12(?)v plus white lead to a fan adapter and a single white (what?) lead to a header attachment is something I can't even fathom.

    I should start labelling these things when I get them.
     
  2. Xlog

    Xlog Minimodder

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    Its a fan adapter, basically you use it if you motherboard cant supply enough current for the fan (or pump), the 3 pin plug in both cases is for tacho, just in second case they assume that the motherboard is on the same ground as the fan supply and omit the ground wire.
     
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  3. Mr_Mistoffelees

    Mr_Mistoffelees The Bit-Tech Cat. New Improved Version.

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    I had a doobry like the second one, when I had a Zalman Z7 case, many years ago.
     
  4. adidan

    adidan Guesswork is still work

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    Yeah I have some of those i my box of random bits.

    Will never use them but won't chuck 'em.
     
  5. RedFlames

    RedFlames ...is not a Belgian football team

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    This, it's the kind of think you'd need for your ear bleed inducing delta type fans or the high rpm noctua industrial fans as there's no way you're running one of those off a board header.
     
  6. ModSquid

    ModSquid Multimodder

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    Aha! Second lockdown mystery of the day solved, thanks to the bit-crowd!

    The second lead actually makes more sense to me - straight power passthrough without losing a Molex socket, with a tacho wire attached feeding from the board to the fan. The first lead obviously costs you a Molex socket, but why does it need a ground AND signal lead from the board? I thought if the fan was grounded the board wouldn't need to be (but I know nothing of these dark magicks).

    Interestingly though, I do have one of those Noctua industrials running in my wind tunnel effort, straight from the motherboard. I haven't gamed in anger yet or adjusted the fan curve in the BIOS properly, so no idea how it holds up but will keep an eye on it.
     
  7. David

    David μoʍ ɼouმ qᴉq λon ƨbԍuq ϝʁλᴉuმ ϝo ʁԍɑq ϝμᴉƨ

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    I've amassed loads of those. I've chucked a few in the bin but I keep finding more - I think they're breeding in the garage.
     
  8. Bloody_Pete

    Bloody_Pete Technophile

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    Tacho only reports fan rpm, so its technically from fan to board :p+

    It ensure the fan and board are on the same ground plane :) In theory it'll be the same, but it never hurts to do it in my experience.

    Its only 6.6w (if its the 3k one) so you should be fine :) If it was a 10k or 15k delta then...
     
  9. adidan

    adidan Guesswork is still work

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    Many pins, many holes - nature finds a way.
     
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