4 pin molex from fans can't connect to 4 pin power molex

[matthew1111]

Hi, so my case has fans hooked up to a controller, and then the controller has a 4 pin male connector hanging out. I am having problems connecting this male molex to the female molex coming from my power box. The male's pins are not lining up exactly, and even after I kind of rearrange them it still won't go in. Is there a way to fix the lining up of the molex, or replace it with a possible extra or such?

NZXT Phantom Case, ASUS Crosshair IV, Rosewill 1000W Modular Power

Thanks for any help

 

[Ubrales]

Welcome to Tom's Hardware Forums!

If the connectors are both 4-pins Molex, they will plug in. The Molex pins are sloppy inside the plastic housing and sometimes some force is required. Make sure that you match them up correctly; the connectors are polarized and are meant to be plugged in only one way.

Once plugged in, some force will be required to unplug them.

 

[matthew1111]

I believe I matched them up correctly because one side won't go in at all, and the other side goes in then stops. For the side that kind of goes in, I feel I applied enough force, but maybe not. Is it necessary to rearrange the pins manually, or should pressing hard enough force them into their slots? I true rearranging the pins by moving them around in their holes a bit trying to make them line up but to no avail.

 

[Ubrales]

I believe I matched them up correctly because one side won't go in at all, and the other side goes in then stops. For the side that kind of goes in, I feel I applied enough force, but maybe not. Is it necessary to rearrange the pins manually, or should pressing hard enough force them into their slots? I true rearranging the pins by moving them around in their holes a bit trying to make them line up but to no avail.

You did right! Use a little extra force to push them together. I too wondered about this in the beginning, but now I am used to exerting quite a bit of force to plug them together.

 

[matthew1111]

Okay thanks for the morale boost 😛 I'll try when I get home...it won't break if I press TOO hard, right?

 

[Ubrales]

Okay thanks for the morale boost 😛 I'll try when I get home...it won't break if I press TOO hard, right?

No, it won't break! Use some force and push them together. Unplugging them also will take a lot of force. The pins as well as the mating parts are made from sheet metal in high speed (1,200 strokes/min.) progressive dies. Then plated and inserted into the plastic housing. This is why they are hard to mate.

Difficult to plug-in - difficult to unplug.

 

[matthew1111]

And difficult to break! 😀
Okay thank you very much for your help so far, I'll try when I get home today!

 

[Ubrales]

And difficult to break! 😀
Okay thank you very much for your help so far, I'll try when I get home today!

These things are made in Auburn Hills, MI.

 

[matthew1111]

It plugged in!

 

[clutchc]

Aren't Molex connectors the most miserable thing ever designed!? I hate those things. Isn't about time the industry abandons those 1980s connectors?

 

[matthew1111]

For Sata? I believe they were switching over to them a bit. My hard drive takes a data now instead of a molex.

 

[delluser1]

Aren't Molex connectors the most miserable thing ever designed!? I hate those things. Isn't about time the industry abandons those 1980s connectors?

http://www.molex.com/molex/index.jsp;jsessionid=hkV97RKmny0yvMh0Q6QMTQ**.node0

 

[Ubrales]

It plugged in!

Great! Now leave it plugged in; unplugging is also a hassle; takes a lot of force! This is because of the manufacturing process that I mentioned earlier.

 

[matthew1111]

Best answer selected by Matthew1111.

 

[matthew1111]

No need to unplug it
Thanks for all your help - I just started my computer for the first time and there were no explosions haha! Installed Windows 7 as well.