Help connecting additional fans to motherboard or PSU - Only 2 CHA_FAN connectors

[TheGrimSqueaker]

Hi.

Newbie alert! Please be gentle🙂

I would like some advice about adding additional case fans to my PC build.

Here are my components:

Asus Z97M-Plus Micro ATX Motherboard
Intel Core i5 4670K Quad Core Retail CPU
Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO
EVGA NVIDIA GTX 750Ti FTW with ACX Cooling
G.Skill 8GB (2x 4GB) Dual Channel Ares Series Memory Kit
Be Quiet! CM BQT L8-630W PSU
WD 1TB 3.5 inch Internal Hard Drive - Caviar Blue
Crucial CT240M500SSD1 2.5-inch 240GB SSD
Fractal Design Define Mini Series Micro ATX Case
Samsung 24x Retail SATA DVD Writer
Microsoft Windows 8.1
2x Fractal Design 120mm Silent Series R2 120mm fans
2 x GELID Solutions Slim 12 PL Blue Silent Slim 120mm PWM fans

I currently have 2 fans that came with the Fractal Design Define Mini case, they are 2 Fractal Design 120mm Silent Series R2 120mm. I would like to add 2 GELID Solutions Slim 12 PL Blue Silent Slim 120mm fans, but my motherboard only has 2 chassis fan connectors.

I know potential solutions are fan splitters, connecting direct to the PSU with a molex adapture etc.. but I'm still not 100% sure of the best option mainly because of my lack of knowledge regarding VOLTS, WATTS and AMPS. I'm worried I might overload the motherboard or mess-up the PSU.

What is the best option for the above build? Would attaching two fan splitters on to each chassis fan connector cause any problems? I currently have 2 of these fan splitters from Amazon UK Akasa PWN Fan Splitter Cable. Would these be suitable?

Any help or advice would be greatly received.

Best Regards,
Susan

 

[legend001523]

No that's fine, the splitters can handle up to very high voltages so you can connect it to the motherboardusing a fan splitter, but if you want them to be on full power then you can also connect them to the psu

 

[byza]

Since the Fractal mini comes with a build in voltage fan controller, I'd plug the two non-pwm fans that you have into the fan controllers and plug the PWM fans into the mobo, but you can use a splitter and it won't cause any issues.

 

[TheGrimSqueaker]

So would using a splitter reduce the maximum speed of the fans? And would I still be able to control RPM on the 4 pin fans?

In regards to the fan controller that came with the Fractal Design case, it connects using a molex connector; this can't be connected directly to my PSU because it doesn't have any molex sockets, however the PSU did come with a cable which has 3 IDE (HDD) 4-pin connectors. Am I right in thinking that this is another name for a molex connector? Up until now I've had no need to use it so wasn't sure what it could be used for or what it was.

Thanks for the useful and reassuring advice so far!

 

[legend001523]

So would using a splitter reduce the maximum speed of the fans? And would I still be able to control RPM on the 4 pin fans?

In regards to the fan controller that came with the Fractal Design case, it connects using a molex connector; this can't be connected directly to my PSU because it doesn't have any molex sockets, however the PSU did come with a cable which has 3 IDE (HDD) 4-pin connectors. Am I right in thinking that this is another name for a molex connector? Up until now I've had no need to use it so wasn't sure what it could be used for or what it is.

Thanks for the useful and reassuring advice so far!

no, they will still be full speed, and yes, I think so, but the speed of both the fans will be the same

 

[byza]

The 3 pin fans will run at full speed, the 4 pin fans will run at the speed you set them at.

The molex connector looks like this

 

[TheGrimSqueaker]

The 3 pin fans will run at full speed, the 4 pin fans will run at the speed you set them at.

The molex connector looks like this

Yep, that's the one I got. Thank you for your help.