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Cooling Splicing Fans

Discussion in 'Hardware' started by sixfootsideburns, 27 Dec 2009.

  1. sixfootsideburns

    sixfootsideburns modeteer

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    So I have run out of 3-pin fan Headers on my Mobo :wallbash: but I want to add another fan to help keep temps on my GPU lower. I know I can buy a 3-pin to molex adapter if I need to but I'd rather not.

    My question is the following.... is it possible to take the two exhaust fans on the rear of my case, splice the cables together, and then plug them both into one header?

    I am curious if this will lower speeds/change the power input to the fans or something of that nature. If people think the results will be minimal/nonexistent then I would rather do that then buy an adapter and add more cables to manage.


    Thanks in advance! :thumb:
    sideburns
     
  2. Fazed

    Fazed Minimodder

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    Theoretically, yes.

    You can splice fans together, but you need to ensure the power drawn by multiple fans, does not exceed what the Fan header channel on the mobo is capable of outputting. Check you're mobo documentation to see if you can see any reference.

    Generally, Your average 120mm fan draws about 1 watt (0.1 Amps), so 3 x of these would obviously pull 3 watts (0.3 Amps). I would imagine most fan header channels on the mobos can output much more than this, but you'd need to check.

    One thing to also consider, a mobo fan header, can only read one RPM signal from one fan, so you would need to disconnect any other RPM Tach wires on any additional fans.
     
  3. sixfootsideburns

    sixfootsideburns modeteer

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    well both fans are 80mm and here is a link to my mobo,
    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?item=N82E16813131366

    And here is what the manual says about the fan headers...

    "The fan connectors support cooling fans of 350mA ~ 2000mA (24W max) or a total of 1A ~ 7A (84W max)at +12V. Connect the fan cables to the fan connectors on the motherboard, making sure that the black wire of each cable matches the ground pin of the connector."

    Also, which wire would be the RPM Tach wire?
     
  4. Unicorn

    Unicorn Uniform November India

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    2-1 three pin converters do exist, although as explained above you need to watch the current draw. I make my own 2-1's and 3-1's for radiators from old 3 pin - molex converters that I never use.
     
  5. thehippoz

    thehippoz What's a Dremel?

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    yep it should work.. I have a couple in my case.. the splitters are cheap too if your into looks
     
  6. sixfootsideburns

    sixfootsideburns modeteer

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    i couldnt care less about looks, haha

    As I said in my original post I am aware the converters work I would just rather avoid buying any more silly cables if I can.

    hippoz is it as simple as splicing the cables from each fan together, then reattaching the spliced wire to the 3-pin female fan header?
     
  7. Fazed

    Fazed Minimodder

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  8. sixfootsideburns

    sixfootsideburns modeteer

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    the issue is I am from the US, haha. So UK ebay wont be a good idea for me.

    Do you think it will be easy enough to just do it myself? I mean I'm not electrical wiz but I major in mechanical engineering and have taken a few EE classes, so simple stuff should a snap
     
  9. Fazed

    Fazed Minimodder

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    I was just giving you an example of the kind of thing you'd need.

    But honestly, it's really not very taxing to make your own. 1 female 3-pin connector, 4 male 3-pin fan connectors, a couple of ft of red and black 24 gauge wire,a few inches of yellow wire, a soldering iron and you've got yourself a 4 -1 splitter. It's basic stuff.
     
  10. Unicorn

    Unicorn Uniform November India

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    Exaclty. Looks is the main reason I make my own guys... I make them the same colour as all the other custom wiring in the system then sleeve them with loose weave sleeving. It couldn't be easier and the benefit for me is it means that I can set the fans on a 2.120 or 3.120 radiator as one in the control software instad of setting them individually.
     
  11. sixfootsideburns

    sixfootsideburns modeteer

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    why do you need 4 3-pin male connectors? Theoretically couldn't I just eliminate the male connectors entirely (other than the one on the mobo) and just splice the wires of the two fans together directly? And as said I would just leave out the RPM Tach wire on one of the fans
     
  12. Fazed

    Fazed Minimodder

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    Yes, you could technically splice all of the fans into 1 female connector. although it would be a tight fit, and very....permanent!

    The point we were trying to make was, if done with the connectors, you could just disconnect the fans if you needed to in the future, with out the hassle. Fans do fail over time and need replacing.
     
  13. sixfootsideburns

    sixfootsideburns modeteer

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    I guess my problem is that I don't think I have 4 male 3-pin headers laying around. I have a burnt out mobo I suppose I could take headers from I suppose if those would work
     
  14. Unicorn

    Unicorn Uniform November India

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    +1

    Tell you what, if you want me to send you a couple of fan header splitters I will make them for you. Just tell me what you need and I can have them with you in a couple of days.
     
  15. Fazed

    Fazed Minimodder

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    You can purchase them online, they're very inexpensive.
     
  16. sixfootsideburns

    sixfootsideburns modeteer

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    thats a very very generous offer mate, and I really appreciate it but the shipping costs from Ireland to US would hardly be worth it. I think I can most likely work it out on my own I just want to understand what I'm doing. I'm the type of person that needs to know the reason for doing something before I do it otherwise I'm bound to botch it.

    Perhaps I am not quite understanding it correctly but wouldn't I only need two male headers?

    I am only looking to splice two fans to one mobo header
     
  17. Unicorn

    Unicorn Uniform November India

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    No problem mate - yeah if you are only splicing 2 fans to one header then you'll need 2 male + 1 female header. It goes without saying, but I'll say it anyway - double layer heatshrink the wires too, you don't want anything shorting out! By double layer I mean heatshrink each individual layer then put a larger diameter piece over those to hold them in place.
     
  18. thehippoz

    thehippoz What's a Dremel?

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    yeah basically splice the red wire from both fans together and the blacks together.. the yellow goes to one of the fans only
     
  19. sixfootsideburns

    sixfootsideburns modeteer

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    awesome I think I can manage that ok, haha

    Do you think I'm ok to get my male headers from an old mobo? I just assume not have to order them and wait for them to arrive
     
  20. Fazed

    Fazed Minimodder

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    It would be a bit of a nightmare to de-solder, and the bottom pins where you would solder the wires to, will have been trimmed to sit flush with the under side of the mobo, might not be much left there to splice the cables to.

    You could give it a bash, nothing to loose if the mobo is already knackered.
    A bit of a botch, IMO tho.

    But it's your kit:D
     

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