Question Where to buy 3-pin fan header and terminals?

[Scrub-a-dub]

Hello,

I work in automation and am trying to replace a San Cooler 80 that runs on a robot controller. Rarely do I work on CPUs, so this one is a little frustrating because I'm not extremely familiar with certain IT vocabulary. I'm looking for a website to buy, or at least a little lesson on the wordage on the name for the metallic terminals that cover the stripped wires of a given fan cooler, that then allow the wires to click into the header to provide conductivity to the PWM on the motherboard.

I thought when I bought the fans from Digi-Key, they would come with headers already attached to them and ready to be plugged into the board. But now I'm kind of just stuck with 2 fans and 6 stripped wires because I'm an IT noob, I guess.

I hope this is understandable.

 

[Aeacus]

These things?
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Maxmoral-Plastic-Computer-Interface-Connector/dp/B08HYSHFQZ/

Here are opposite (male) plugs as well (who knows, someone might need those as well),
amaon: https://www.amazon.com/Maxmoral-Plastic-Computer-Interface-Connector/dp/B08HYTGH7D/

But now I'm kind of just stuck with 2 fans and 6 stripped wires because I'm an IT noob, I guess.

This is actually quite normal when buying industrial fans. E.g most Delta fans come with only leads (bare wires), rather than a plug.

 

[Scrub-a-dub]

These things?
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Maxmoral-Plastic-Computer-Interface-Connector/dp/B08HYSHFQZ/

Here are opposite (male) plugs as well (who knows, someone might need those as well),
amaon: https://www.amazon.com/Maxmoral-Plastic-Computer-Interface-Connector/dp/B08HYTGH7D/


This is actually quite normal when buying industrial fans. E.g most Delta fans come with only leads (bare wires), rather than a plug.

Oh my lord, yes. That was easy lol; Thank you!

 

[Misgar]

Now all you need is the appropriate crimp tool for the terminals. I have one costing $150 given to me by a professional wireman that makes a proper job, or you could just bodge it with a pair of pliers and a soldering iron.

 

[Paperdoc]

Those connectors are the correct standard 4-pin ones used for the newer PWM type of fans. You do not tell us what type of fan (3-pin older, or 4-pin newer) you are buying, nor the type of header you plug into. IF the headers are same as computer standard (3- or 4-pin), this will work. The standard 3-pin mobo male header has 3 pins with a plastic tongue sticking up next to them. Hold the connector so the open end is up, and the wires enter from the bottom. Turn it so the ridges down one side face you. The standard pinout and colours are:
Pin #1 - on the RIGHT - Black: Ground
Pin #2 - MIDDLE - Red: + VDC power.
Pin #3 - LEFT - Yellow: speed signal (pulses generated by the fan to send back to the host header)

In the older system, the VOLTAGE on Pin #2 is varied from 12 VDC for full speed down to about 5 VDC minimum for slow speed without stalling the motor.

For a female 4-pin connector like the ones linked to you above, note that the fourth hole is OUTSIDE the span of the wide ridges. Pin #4 is the PWM control signal from a 4-pin mobo header using the new PWM Mode of signals. In this signal system the Voltage on Pin #2 is always 12 VDC, and the PWM signal is used by a chip within the motor to adjust speed. It must be a PWM type of fan with a special chip to do this. NOTE that the wire colour codes on standard 4-pin fans are NOT the same as 3-pin ones.

The mechanical and electrical details of the two fan systems were made as similar as possible so that you CAN plug either fan into either header type. If fan design matches header type they work as you expect. If mis-matched, here is what you get. A 3-pin fan plugged into a header supplying signals in PWM Mode gets 12 VDC from Pin #2 and runs full speed all the time. It does not receive and could not use the PWM signal from Pin #4. A 4-pin fan plugged into a header sending signals in the older Voltage Control Mode system gets no PWM signal from Pin #4 so its chip cannot modify current flow to alter speed. BUT the power supplied on Pin #2 does VARY over the 5-12 VDC range, so the motor speed IS under control.

Obviously you need to know the functions of the wires on the new fans you plan to use so you can connect their wires to the correct female sleeves in the new connectors.

 

[Scrub-a-dub]

Those connectors are the correct standard 4-pin ones used for the newer PWM type of fans. You do not tell us what type of fan (3-pin older, or 4-pin newer) you are buying, nor the type of header you plug into. IF the headers are same as computer standard (3- or 4-pin), this will work. The standard 3-pin mobo male header has 3 pins with a plastic tongue sticking up next to them. Hold the connector so the open end is up, and the wires enter from the bottom. Turn it so the ridges down one side face you. The standard pinout and colours are:
Pin #1 - on the RIGHT - Black: Ground
Pin #2 - MIDDLE - Red: + VDC power.
Pin #3 - LEFT - Yellow: speed signal (pulses generated by the fan to send back to the host header)

In the older system, the VOLTAGE on Pin #2 is varied from 12 VDC for full speed down to about 5 VDC minimum for slow speed without stalling the motor.

For a female 4-pin connector like the ones linked to you above, note that the fourth hole is OUTSIDE the span of the wide ridges. Pin #4 is the PWM control signal from a 4-pin mobo header using the new PWM Mode of signals. In this signal system the Voltage on Pin #2 is always 12 VDC, and the PWM signal is used by a chip within the motor to adjust speed. It must be a PWM type of fan with a special chip to do this. NOTE that the wire colour codes on standard 4-pin fans are NOT the same as 3-pin ones.

The mechanical and electrical details of the two fan systems were made as similar as possible so that you CAN plug either fan into either header type. If fan design matches header type they work as you expect. If mis-matched, here is what you get. A 3-pin fan plugged into a header supplying signals in PWM Mode gets 12 VDC from Pin #2 and runs full speed all the time. It does not receive and could not use the PWM signal from Pin #4. A 4-pin fan plugged into a header sending signals in the older Voltage Control Mode system gets no PWM signal from Pin #4 so its chip cannot modify current flow to alter speed. BUT the power supplied on Pin #2 does VARY over the 5-12 VDC range, so the motor speed IS under control.

Obviously you need to know the functions of the wires on the new fans you plan to use so you can connect their wires to the correct female sleeves in the new connectors.

Qibaok Crimping Tool Kit Ratcheting Crimper with 1550PCS 2.54mm Dupont Connectors and 760pcs 2.54mm JST-XH Connectors for AWG 26-20(0.1-0.5mm²)Qibaok Crimping Tool Kit Ratcheting Crimper with 1550PCS 2.54mm Dupont Connectors and 760pcs 2.54mm JST-XH Connectors for AWG 26-20(0.1-0.5mm²) Opens in a new tab This is what I went with. I know the attached link was for 4-pin, but I basically just got a kit in case there are any others in the future needed. Thank you for the lesson though, I suppose I did not know that. I'm certainly not a professional in CPUs, but I'm sure I'll be able to figure it out...I more so just needed the name of them; I could not track them down anywhere for the life of me.

 

[Scrub-a-dub]

Now all you need is the appropriate crimp tool for the terminals. I have one costing $150 given to me by a professional wireman that makes a proper job, or you could just bodge it with a pair of pliers and a soldering iron.

$150 ??! Good god. Looks like I'll stick with the $15 Amazon crimper for now lol.

 

[Aeacus]

I more so just needed the name of them; I could not track them down anywhere for the life of me.

Funnily enough, i put into Google: "4-pin fan plug" and got the amazon link i shared as 3rd answer. 😆 Then again, i've searched a TON of PC stuff + then some via Google during my years helping out here in TH forums and Google seems to favor me, giving me right answers right off the bat. Either that, or my Google-Fu is just that good.

$150 ??! Good god. Looks like I'll stick with the $15 Amazon crimper for now lol.

High-end, professional crimpers do cost a lot. Cheap ones get the job done as well but won't last that long.