I have a better fan for my CPU cooler which is a 3 pin fan, the cooler comes with a 4 pin. Am i safe to put the 3 pin fan on the cooler? Simple one really, but I dont want to break things... thanks in advance
it won't break. but your motherboard won't be able to control the speed of your fan, as that is done trough PWM (pulse with modulation, basically switches the fan on and of very fast) see this, it's from intel for customers with the same question. if you want to control the speed of the fan, you'll have to put a potentiometer or fan controller in line.
have a look at scan. pick one you like. i do it with potentiometers and stuf, so i can't really recommend one.
Not strictly true. PWM is just a different way of controlling and altering the RPM of the fan. PWM, in a nutshell is basically a "digital" way of altering fan speed. the +12v line is switched on and off many times a second to produce varying speeds. The voltage doesn't change from 12v, more switches per sec, faster fan speed, les switches per second, slower fan speed. Whereas with a standard 3-pin fan, it's an analogue affair. The motherboard changes the linear voltage to alter fan speed. e.g. +5v low speed, upto +12v full speed. So yes, you can plug a standard 3-pin fan into a 4-pin CPU fan header and have the mobo control the speed. Check your BIOS, there should be an option for some kind of CPU Fan control, Change from PWM, to Analogue. Or something to that effect.
ah yes; you are right. i appologize for not being totally clear. i wasn't aware that you could change the cpu fan to analoge tough. good point.
