Plugging case fans in to Evga PSU

[rabbitcfh]

Hello, I am building my first PC and I have a question regarding connecting case fans. My motherboard is MSI Z87 G45, my PSU is Evga NEX750G Gold and my case is Zalman Z11+.

I plugged two of the case fans into SYSFAN1 and SYSFAN2 slots on my motherboard, but the two remaining fans have different plugs - shown below:

The PSU came with some cables including these (there are two that say PERIF on them):

And this is my PSU:

Am I correct thinking that I need to connect the fan cables in pics 1 and 2 to the PERIF cables in 3 and 4, and then plug the ends labelled PERIF into the two PATA slots in the PSU?

If that is right, can I (should I?) instead connect one of these cables into the SYSFAN3 slot on the mobo, and only the last remaining fan into the PSU?

 

[Rami Zerker Reini]

It would be most likely ideal to use all the MoBo SYSFAN slots you have available.

 

[jb0nez]

I don't know about the Z87, but the Z77 has CPUFAN, SYSFAN1 and SYSFAN2 as the PWM (4 pin connector) fan connectors, plus two more connectors for non-PWM (3-pin) fans. So you shouldn't even need the adapters you picture (called MOLEX). The case fans in question likely have a 3-pin connector up the cable a little ways (never seen a case fan with just Molex connectors but I suppose they exist), just use that and plug into your mobo. My Rosewill case has fans that have both 3-pin and the larger Molex connectors; I was able to hook everything up to my MSI z77 motherboard...one front, one side, one back, one top, and one cpu cooler. I added a second cpu cooler fan though and at that point had to use a molex connector from my power supply for one fan.

Edit: The "Perif" connector you picture looks like it's a PCI-E power connector- you plug those into the top of your video cards. Not for fans.

 

[rabbitcfh]

I don't know about the Z87, but the Z77 has CPUFAN, SYSFAN1 and SYSFAN2 as the PWM (4 pin connector) fan connectors, plus two more connectors for non-PWM (3-pin) fans. So you shouldn't even need the adapters you picture (called MOLEX). The case fans in question likely have a 3-pin connector up the cable a little ways (never seen a case fan with just Molex connectors but I suppose they exist), just use that and plug into your mobo. My Rosewill case has fans that have both 3-pin and the larger Molex connectors; I was able to hook everything up to my MSI z77 motherboard...one front, one side, one back, one top, and one cpu cooler. I added a second cpu cooler fan though and at that point had to use a molex connector from my power supply for one fan.

Edit: The "Perif" connector you picture looks like it's a PCI-E power connector- you plug those into the top of your video cards. Not for fans.

I had another look and I can swear the two fans (one rear and one side) only have molex connectors as in pictures 1 and 2 (instead of 3 pin connectors like the other 2 case fans do). This cable came with the mobo - is this a molex to 4 pin adapter and can I use it to connect one of the fans (which one would be better - the rear one?) to the remaining SYSFAN pin on the mobo?

But why does it have two 4 pin connectors?

The case also came with this cable:

What do I need this cable for?

Also this is my mobo's layout if you need it: http://www.pcgameware.co.uk/images/MSI-Z87-G45-GAMING-Motherboard-top.jpg

 

[TanFrash1]

It's like that: this 3-to-4-pin adapter you showed will be used to connect two fans directly into your PSU (by its Molex connectors). Try to plug the maximum fans you can to the PSU for 100% speed and best cooling. Check out my tutorial on that: http://www.tomshardware.com/faq/id-2060691/connect-multiple-case-fans.html

 

[rabbitcfh]

It's like that: this 3-to-4-pin adapter you showed will be used to connect two fans directly into your PSU (by its Molex connectors). Try to plug the maximum fans you can to the PSU for 100% speed and best cooling. Check out my tutorial on that: http://www.tomshardware.com/faq/id-2060691/connect-multiple-case-fans.html

Which slot in the PSU should I connect it to?

 

[TanFrash1]

It's like that: this 3-to-4-pin adapter you showed will be used to connect two fans directly into your PSU (by its Molex connectors). Try to plug the maximum fans you can to the PSU for 100% speed and best cooling. Check out my tutorial on that: http://www.tomshardware.com/faq/id-2060691/connect-multiple-case-fans.html

Which slot in the PSU should I connect it to?

The PATA ones (at the lower left).

 

[rabbitcfh]

It's like that: this 3-to-4-pin adapter you showed will be used to connect two fans directly into your PSU (by its Molex connectors). Try to plug the maximum fans you can to the PSU for 100% speed and best cooling. Check out my tutorial on that: http://www.tomshardware.com/faq/id-2060691/connect-multiple-case-fans.html

Which slot in the PSU should I connect it to?

The PATA ones (at the lower left).

Ok thanks, and to connect them to PATA should i use PERIF cables?

 

[TanFrash1]

Yes. It's like this: http://imgur.com/a81VYa3

This cable was used some time ago to connect PATA drives (they were powered by a Molex connector). Nowadays you only use it for some peripherials, such as fan controllers (and case fans 😀).

 

[jb0nez]

I tried to find a schematic for your mobo online to determine how many fan connectors you have on it--there should be at LEAST 3x4 pin (labeled CPUFAN and SYSFAN1 and 2) and 2x3 pin ( labeled SYSFAN2 and 3) since my MSI z77 has those. But I couldn't find one. Regardless, that molex adapter with two 4 pin connectors hanging off allows you to connect 2 fans to the molex which then goes to PATA on the PSU. Keep in mind, 4 pin fans are meant to dynamically adjust rpm's, but will not if connected to a molex--they'll run at their max rpm all the time (this is not a problem, just a noise consideration; you can plug 3 pin fans into them if needed). That second adapter you picture: I'd need to see the far end connectors but it looks like a molex to PCI-E adapter to me, again for video cards. Since your PSU has built-in connectors for 2 video cards the general recommendation is to not use those to power video cards.
Hope that helps!

 

[TanFrash1]

I tried to find a schematic for your mobo online to determine how many fan connectors you have on it--there should be at LEAST 3x4 pin (labeled CPUFAN and SYSFAN1 and 2) and 2x3 pin ( labeled SYSFAN2 and 3) since my MSI z77 has those. But I couldn't find one. Regardless, that molex adapter with two 4 pin connectors hanging off allows you to connect 2 fans to the molex which then goes to PATA on the PSU. Keep in mind, 4 pin fans are meant to dynamically adjust rpm's, but will not if connected to a molex--they'll run at their max rpm all the time (this is not a problem, just a noise consideration; you can plug 3 pin fans into them if needed). That second adapter you picture: I'd need to see the far end connectors but it looks like a molex to PCI-E adapter to me, again for video cards. Since your PSU has built-in connectors for 2 video cards the general recommendation is to not use those to power video cards.
Hope that helps!

No, these cables he showed are not adapters, but the Molex cables themselves. The plug looks like a PCI-E one, but it should be plugged in the PATA power output, since the PCI-E output has 8 pins, and the PATA has only 6.

 

[jb0nez]

Oh I understand, that's the PATA side of the PSU connector. Roger that. Although just FYI PCI-E connectors can be 6 or 8 pin. Most quality PSUs (like yours) have 8 on all connectors, and you can kind of peel back 2 if you need only 6.

 

[rabbitcfh]

Yes. It's like this: http://imgur.com/a81VYa3

This cable was used some time ago to connect PATA drives (they were powered by a Molex connector). Nowadays you only use it for some peripherials, such as fan controllers (and case fans 😀).

Thanks, it worked! I connected the 3 remaining case fans (turns out there are 5 case fans, not 4 like I initially thought. Found one more on one side) using the PERIF cables and plugged them in straight into the PSU. Works great!

jbonez, thanks to you too!

 

[TanFrash1]

You're welcome! Any doubt just PM me

 

[jb0nez]

You're welcome, glad I could help (a little). I just went through this myself on my new system build...