Adapter + Adapter + Fan splitter

[Gon_Freecss]

Building my 1st PC and want to have 4 case fans and I read that I shouldn't use a fan splitter on the motherboard but to connect it straight to the PSU. I need a mobex to 3 pin adapter + fan splitter to be able to connect my fans. Problem is my PSU doesn't have molex connectors so I'm deciding to get another adapter. Now, I'll have: SATA to mobex; mobex to 3 pin; and a fan splitter connecting 4 fans. Is this optimal? or should I get a fan hub(silverstone) that connects from SATA?

 

[raisonjohn]

Motherboard fan headers are rated at 1A max. unless otherwise stated in the manual to have more (such as some Asus fan headers having 3A for high-amp fans).

You can safely use a fan splitter (whether 2x or 3x or 4x splits) off of 1 fan header of your motherboard as long as the total ampere draw of all the fans connected to the header does not exceed the 1A (I personally set the limits to 75% of that or 0.75A).

Check the sticker at the back of your 4 case fans. There is a spec there which tells you how many amperes it draws.

Unless you want all your fans to run at 100% 24/7 full load without adjustments in speed based on temps/fan curves, then plugging all case fans via PSU is okay.

 

[Gon_Freecss]

I'm buying 3 cooler master sickleflow and have a case fan that came with my spec-01 case. I'm also using an old m3970am angelica 1.2 motherboard my friend lent me. Do you know if my motherboarf will support it? And is it bad to run 4 fans 100% all the time? thanks

 

[raisonjohn]

I'm buying 3 cooler master sickleflow and have a case fan that came with my spec-01 case. I'm also using an old m3970am angelica 1.2 motherboard my friend lent me. Do you know if my motherboarf will support it? And is it bad to run 4 fans 100% all the time? thanks

Which Cooler Master SickleFlow are you going to buy?
SickleFlow 120 1200 RPM = 0.12A
SickleFlow 120 2000 RPM = 0.35A
SickleFlow 120 2000 RPM Blue LED = 0.35A
SickleFlow 120 2000 RPM Red LED = 0.35A
SickleFlow X (Non LED) = 0.35A
SickleFlow X (Blue/Red/Green LED) = 0.35A

If it's going to be one of the 0.35A-current draw, then, I will limit it to two fans connected in one header (i.e., 0.35A + 0.35A = 0.70A total draw).

If it's going to be that 1200 RPM version (at 0.12A), then, technically, you can run 6 of these fans (total of 0.72A) of that one fan header.

Note that as per your manual, the motherboard (made by Gigabyte) has 1x CPU Fan Connector, 1x Pump Connector, and 1x System Fan Connector. The manual does not state if the Pump Connector is also a 4-pin or 3-pin (similar to the fan connector). You should verify this as you have the actual motherboard at hand. Most other motherboards, when having a Pump Connector/Header, is run at full +12VDC speed (synonymous to plugging it directly to the PSU).

So, having those 3 connectors in your motherboard (the CPU fan is plugged in the CPU Fan Connector), you would technically have 2 more fan headers to plug your case fans (Pump Connector, subject to verification, and the System Fan Connector).

If you are plugging in a grand total of 4 fans, as you said (3 CM SickeFlow + 1 Corsair Spec-01 Case Fan), then you can buy a couple of Y-splitter, connecting 2 fans to each header. This will limit your "Adapter + Adapter + Fan Splitter" cable hunting you initially intended to do.

 

[the nerd 389]

The only advantage of connecting to the PSU directly is that it can supply more power to the fans. If you connect directly to the PSU, you won't have the ability to control fan speeds or monitor the fans. A two way Y-splitter is only a bad idea for very high power fans, such as some made by Delta for servers, and those cost $50 or more per fan.

As stated above, your motherboard connectors can each support at least two of the fans that you're using per header. There is no reason for you to go through multiple adapters.

While I don't think it's the best option, here is the part you would need to connect all four fans directly to the PSU:
https://www.moddiy.com/products/SATA-15%252dpin-to-4x-PWM-4%252dPin-or-3%252dPin-Sleeved-Cable-Adapter-%2830cm%29.html

If you instead want to connect two fans to each of the two motherboard headers, you would need two of these:
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812987008&cm_re=fan_splitter-_-12-987-008-_-Product


Both of these adapters accept both 3-pin fan connectors and 4-pin PWM fan connectors. They will work for all fans except those that have Molex 4-pin connectors instead of a fan connector.

 

[Gon_Freecss]

Wow, I didn't realize that I could use the pump connector to power my fans. Unfortunately I was impatient and bought a 3 pin to 4 x 3 pin fan splitter and a silverstone fan hub system yesterday. I should have done more research. You said that, "when having a Pump Connector/Header, is run at full +12VDC speed (synonymous to plugging it directly to the PSU)." so that means that your way(2 Y-splitters) and my way are the same except my way costs more money

 

[raisonjohn]

Wow, I didn't realize that I could use the pump connector to power my fans. Unfortunately I was impatient and bought a 3 pin to 4 x 3 pin fan splitter and a silverstone fan hub system yesterday. I should have done more research. You said that, "when having a Pump Connector/Header, is run at full +12VDC speed (synonymous to plugging it directly to the PSU)." so that means that your way(2 Y-splitters) and my way are the same except my way costs more money

Sadly, yes. But that's ok, as learning experience will get you a long way