Help with Case Fans for a noob

[drwifflesniffle]

Hi, I'm building a custom gaming PC. It's my first build, and I'm a total noob. I've read other forum posts but they are all too complicated (two Molex and one floppy connector cable". You would use it to power peripherals that have Molex connector, and floppy drive. PATA/IDE HDD, CD/DVD, and some case fans do have Molex. Molex does have both +12V and +5V wire.). There are five fans built into my case, and they all have black, red and yellow wires. The wires then split into two, one being a piece with 3 holes and one being one with four big holes coming out of one end, and four pins coming out of the other (So its almost like they connect together, like LEGOS) But how am i supposed to connect them, and to where on my motherboard?
Thanks for reading.

 

[sharkbyte5150]

Most case fans should have a small 3 or 4-pin connector and those will connect on the motherboard where it says "chassis fan". There are also Molex connectors (white housing with 4 pins) that can connect to the connections on your power supply. I'm guessing that with 5 case fans you'll have to use a combination of both. If this is unclear, please share your system specs. Were the case fans included in the case or ones you installed?

 

[jonjonjon]

are you talking about something like this. a 3 pin to molex. if it is i believe the reason why they have a male and female molex is so you can daisy chain them together.

http://www.amazon.com/Alpha-Omega-3-Pin-4-Pin-Adapter/dp/B000BSJGL0

 

[sharkbyte5150]

Yes, something like that. What mobo are you using, how many chassis fan connectors and how many molex connections are on your PSU?

The front intake fan will probably connect to molex, while top and rear exhaust fans should connect to chassis fan connections and if there is a side intake, that would be molex as well or use the 3 or 4-pin to molex adapter.

 

[drwifflesniffle]

Most case fans should have a small 3 or 4-pin connector and those will connect on the motherboard where it says "chassis fan". There are also Molex connectors (white housing with 4 pins) that can connect to the connections on your power supply. I'm guessing that with 5 case fans you'll have to use a combination of both. If this is unclear, please share your system specs. Were the case fans included in the case or ones you installed?

Case:

DIABLOTEK CYCLOPS Case (All 5 fans were pre- installed)


Motherboard:

ASUS M5A97 LE R 2.0

Power Supply:

OCZ ModXStream Pro 600w

Is that ok ?

 

[drwifflesniffle]

Yes, something like that. What mobo are you using, how many chassis fan connectors and how many molex connections are on your PSU?

The front intake fan will probably connect to molex, while top and rear exhaust fans should connect to chassis fan connections and if there is a side intake, that would be molex as well or use the 3 or 4-pin to molex adapter.

My power supply doesn't have a molex connector. What can I do?

 

[sharkbyte5150]

I just looked up your PSU and it does have the molex connectors on it, they're just black instead of white but they have 4 metal prongs inside (male) or you have the ones that are female I think with the squeeze tabs on them.

Click on the picture where it shows the bundles of cables and enlarge it.....the second bundle from the left are molex....

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341017

 

[drwifflesniffle]

Ok thank you
but one more thing
Do i connect all the molex together, plug them in to Chassis_fan and then to the psu, or do i only have to connect to one of them?

 

[sharkbyte5150]

Really the only reason to connect fans to the chassis fan header on the motherboard is to be able to monitor and control fan speed through the BIOS settings. I'd assume the rear exhaust and top fans have the 3 or 4 pin small connectors, not molex so that one will connect to the chassis fan header on the motherboard.

Basically, the easiest thing to do is just connect whichever fans have the small 3 or 4-pin connector to the chassis fan connectors on the board, and use MOLEX for the fans that have that kind of connector.

Here is a website on someone that built their system into that case...maybe some of the illustrations and text will help...

http://www.thinkcomputers.org/diablotek-cyclops-mid-tower-case-review/4/

 

[drwifflesniffle]

Really the only reason to connect fans to the chassis fan header on the motherboard is to be able to monitor and control fan speed through the BIOS settings. I'd assume the rear exhaust and top fans have the 3 or 4 pin small connectors, not molex so that one will connect to the chassis fan header on the motherboard.

Basically, the easiest thing to do is just connect whichever fans have the small 3 or 4-pin connector to the chassis fan connectors on the board, and use MOLEX for the fans that have that kind of connector.

Here is a website on someone that built their system into that case...maybe some of the illustrations and text will help...

http://www.thinkcomputers.org/diablotek-cyclops-mid-tower-case-review/4/

All five of them have molez and 3 pin connectors.

 

[sharkbyte5150]

Are you still unsure how to connect all fans using available PSU connectors?

 

[manofchalk]

Connect as many fans as you can to the mobo fan headers using the 3pin connections, then plug the rest directly to the PSU using the molex connections.

 

[drwifflesniffle]

Best answer selected by drwifflesniffle.

 

[sharkbyte5150]

Connect as many fans as you can to the mobo fan headers using the 3pin connections, then plug the rest directly to the PSU using the molex connections.

This will allow you to control fan speed in the BIOS or using the AI Suite on the drivers disc.