While there is the obvious way of connecting the fans to a motherboard. Are there some other ways to connect the fans and do they have any adventages or disadventages over some other ways? I'm not talking about the direction the fan blows (which seems to be the most common search result). I mean the way the are controlled. For example, if you'd connect all fans to the same connector with the CPU cooler they should at least in theory be all controlled by CPU temperature. Another thing is that if a motherboard has multiple CHA fan connectors, can the fans be controlled individually or are they both behind the same controller?
Which connectors to connect each fan?
- Thread starter SusiKette
- Start date
rodolphe.viard
Reputable
- Feb 27, 2018
- 292
- 0
- 4,960
Hi SusiKette,
Every fan will be controled by the CPU temp.
One Fan header one control curve.
Tip : Take more air in than out to keep dust outside of the case.
Rodolphe.
Every fan will be controled by the CPU temp.
One Fan header one control curve.
Tip : Take more air in than out to keep dust outside of the case.
Rodolphe.
faalin
Illustrious
- Feb 22, 2012
- 6,311
- 498
- 41,240
Most motherboard only give out 1 Amp of power at each of the 3/4pin headers on the motherboard, so on the safe side i would only plug 2 fans in to a header some will do 3 but i only go with 2.
Next depending on the motherboard each fan header might be able to control the fan that is plugged into it. I use Asus ROG boards an they come with AI suite software that allows you to control the fans plugged into the motherboard, you can also use SpeedFan but that is not always a guarantee to work.
You can always use a fan controller, most will fit in a 5.25" bay and will get power from the PSU and then there will be voltage pots on the front (most of them) or software to control the speed of the fan. This way you have full control of the fan so you have to monitor temps and adjust fans to your liking for noise over cooler temps.
Last would be just using an adapter to go from 3/4 pin to a molex and plug them directly to the PSU with no control and the fan will run at max speed.
Next depending on the motherboard each fan header might be able to control the fan that is plugged into it. I use Asus ROG boards an they come with AI suite software that allows you to control the fans plugged into the motherboard, you can also use SpeedFan but that is not always a guarantee to work.
You can always use a fan controller, most will fit in a 5.25" bay and will get power from the PSU and then there will be voltage pots on the front (most of them) or software to control the speed of the fan. This way you have full control of the fan so you have to monitor temps and adjust fans to your liking for noise over cooler temps.
Last would be just using an adapter to go from 3/4 pin to a molex and plug them directly to the PSU with no control and the fan will run at max speed.
So since each header has their own control curve, should I use as many of them as possible or use one curve to control all of them?
If my CPU's Tjunction is at 100°C how should the curves be set? What temp is good to start increase fan speeds and at what temp should I put max speed?
If my CPU's Tjunction is at 100°C how should the curves be set? What temp is good to start increase fan speeds and at what temp should I put max speed?
offroadguy56
Honorable
- Apr 3, 2013
- 450
- 1
- 10,960
Hope I can provide some useful info. Fan headers are usually of 2 types, 4 pin PWM (pulse width modulation) or 3 pin DC voltage control. PWM uses a frequency to control the fan speed allowing for better accuracy. Voltage control changes the speed of the fan based on the voltage.
PWM fans and headers are usually reserved for CPU coolers with the 3 pin voltage control variant for the case fans.
Motherboards will usually have the options to either set all the fans at a certain speed, change speed based on CPU temperature or system component temperature (usually the VRM), or a combination of the prior. Some mother boards will allow custom fan curves to be set allowing finer control of what fans spin at what speeds at what time.
If you don't care or don't want to trouble yourself with everything plug the fans that cool the CPU into the CPU fan headers and anything that isnt cooling the CPU will go with what ever is left.
Optionally there are 3rd party fan controllers allowing you to group fans together to allow greater ease at managing fan speeds.
The easiest thing to do is open up the BIOS/UEFI and take a look at the fan controller section. My $120 Z170 board allows me custom fan curves and allows me to control 2 "zones" which are the CPU fan headers and the chassis fan headers. More expensive boards will allow more zones.
PWM fans and headers are usually reserved for CPU coolers with the 3 pin voltage control variant for the case fans.
Motherboards will usually have the options to either set all the fans at a certain speed, change speed based on CPU temperature or system component temperature (usually the VRM), or a combination of the prior. Some mother boards will allow custom fan curves to be set allowing finer control of what fans spin at what speeds at what time.
If you don't care or don't want to trouble yourself with everything plug the fans that cool the CPU into the CPU fan headers and anything that isnt cooling the CPU will go with what ever is left.
Optionally there are 3rd party fan controllers allowing you to group fans together to allow greater ease at managing fan speeds.
The easiest thing to do is open up the BIOS/UEFI and take a look at the fan controller section. My $120 Z170 board allows me custom fan curves and allows me to control 2 "zones" which are the CPU fan headers and the chassis fan headers. More expensive boards will allow more zones.
I'm going to write about the automatic fan control systems built into mobos. While you can buy separate third-party fan controller modules to mount in the front of your case and MANUALLY set the speeds of each of your fans, I believe the pre-programmed systems in mobos that do adjust fan speeds according to measured temperatures automatically are much better. Note that ALL of these are really TEMPERATURE control systems. That is, their focus is the actual measured TEMPERATURE at a sensor, and they manipulate the speed of a fan aimed at the heat site to keep the temperature at a target value. In all cases, the mobo makers have pre-programmed their BIOS with info on the proper target temperatures for each of the many devices that might be connected or plugged in, and what the fan controls should do for them. Normally they also offer you for each header three other options: fixed slow speed for quiet operation (but reduced cooling!), fixed full speed (max cooling and noise), and custom fan speed curves you can set yourself. I advise NOT using the custom curve tool until you have some experience with your system. The default automatic settings usually work very well.
There are two "groups" of fan control systems on a mobo, There is always one for the CPU chip connected to the CPU_FAN header, and maybe to others like a CPU_OPT or something. On these almost always the only choice for which sensor is used as its guide is the one inside the CPU chip; its signal is fed out to the mobo on one chip pin. Then there are several SYS_FAN or CHA_FAN headers intended for use with case ventilation fans. Although they MAY all be linked to a single control loop, most often each can be configured individually. Most commonly these all are guided by a single temperature sensor built into the mobo and positioned wherever the designer felt was the best sensor location. However, many mobos now have more than one sensor on the mobo, and the allow you to choose which of these (or even choose the sensor inside the CPU) to use to guide each header individually. This allow you, for example, to decide to position a fan to blow onto a particular mobo key component and use the temp sensor in that location to guide that fan.
You MAY encounter two other types of fan headers. You still see some called PWR_FAN. They are no longer popular. Their design was to cooperate with a feature in some PSU units. PSU fans may always run at full speed, but more commonly today the PSU itself manages its own fan speed according to its own internal temperature. Some PSU's had a set of three wires ending in a female fan connector just like a 3-pin fan's, and this can plug into a mobo PWR_FAN header if you have one. The only thing this does is communicate the PSU fan's speed to the mobo so it can be displayed for you. There is NO attempt by the mobo to control that PSU fan. In many cases the mobo makers have fitted this header with a fixed Ground and +12 VDC supply on Pins 1 and 2, like a 3-pin fan header, so that it can be used as an uncontrolled power supply for a fan if you do not need it for those special leads from the PSU. But since it has no control ability, I advise not to do that. You may also see a mobo header called PUMP or something similar. Usually it is fitted to supply a constant 12 VDC on Pins 1 and 2 for a pump in a liquid-cooling system for your CPU, because many such systems are designed to have their pump run full speed all the time.
Computer fans come in two main types, each in several sizes. (The sizes are the length of one side of the square frame of the fan.) The older type has three wires from the motor to a female connector (with holes) that has two ridges on one side, just outside the three holes' locations. The male mobo header has a plastic "tongue" sticking up beside its three pins, and the ridges on the fan connector slide around this to guarantee you can only connect them one way. The wires are Black for Pin #1 (Ground), Red for Pin #2 (+VDC supply), and Yellow for Pin #3 (fan speed.) The motor generates the fan speed signal as a pulse series (two pulses per revolution) sent back to the mobo on Pin #3 for counting and display. Although this is NOT used for speed control, it IS used to monitor the fan for failure to turn. To control the speed of this fan type, the mobo alters the voltage supplied on Pin #2 from 12 VDC (full speed) down to about 5 VDC min. Any lower voltage may cause the fan to stall and fail to re-start until the mobo jolts it with a higher signal to get it going. At start-up (boot time) the mobo always sends out the full 12 VDC for a few seconds to be sure the fan starts up and goes on about its POST self-checks. After a short time it finishes that and reads the speed signal (ensuring it is working) and the target temperature sensor, and then adjusts the fan voltage down to what is necessary to keep temperature on target. Thereafter it changes the voltage according to the temperature sensor readings.
The newer 4-pin fans have a different design for how they are powered and controlled.The female connector is a little wider with a fourth hole just beyond the two ridges on the side, and the mobo male header likewise has a matching fourth pin. The connector designs mechanically allow both types of female connectors to plug into either type of male connector. Electrically the signals are similar but changed in two places. Ground (Pin 1) and Speed (Pin 3) are exactly the same. Pin #2 carries a fixed +12 VDC supply (does not vary), and Pin #4 carries the new PWM signal. Inside the fan motor there is a small chip that uses the PWM signal to modify the flow of current from the +12 VDC supply line though the motor windings to achieve speed control.
Thus we now have two different methods for controlling the speed of a fan motor, and the two design families have SOME compatibility. The older method for 3-pin fans is called Voltage Control Mode, aka DC Mode. The newer method is called PWM Mode. If you MIX items, there are two possible "mis-matches" with these results. A 3-pin fan on a PWM Mode header will always run at full speed, yielding good cooling, but just no control. It always receives the fixed +12 VDC supply on Pin #2, and it never receives the PWM signal from Pin #4 because it cannot use it, anyway. The other way - a 4-pin fan on a header using Voltage Control Mode - DOES result in controlled fan speed, although not quite as well technically as the "proper" PWM Mode control. In this case, the fan motor never gets a PWM signal from Pin #4 because the mobo is not sending it, so it cannot modify the voltage supplied on Pin #2. BUT that voltage IS being reduced by the mobo to change fan speed, so it works.
What is being done now on most mobos can be confusing. Almost all are using 4-pin male connectors for all headers, BUT the MODE that they use for control can vary. Some use only the new PWM 4-pin Mode. Some use only the older Voltage Control Mode and ignore the 4th pin. Some allow you to set which Mode is used manually for each header in BIOS Setup. Some claim that each header can detect which fan type has been plugged in and automatically change their Mode according to that. But note that there is a possible "cheat" there: if the mobo header uses only Voltage Control Mode, it CAN control either fan type, because the new 4-pin fans CAN be controlled by a 3-pin header. This becomes a problem only when using a fan Hub (later) to connect several fans to a single header, because a fan Hub MUST have a PWM signal to work.
There's a third fan type you may encounter. It comes with a connector on its wires that is much wider - about 3/4" wide with space for four round pins in a shroud - called a male 4-pin Molex connector. This mates with a female connector directly from the PSU. That PSU female output was originally used to supply 5V and 12 V DC power to IDE hard drives, optical drives, etc., and it became popular for other items. So a fan can be connected that way, often using a connector that has only two of its four pins because it only needs to connect to the +12 VDC part. This type of fan can only run at full speed with no control, and it cannot report its speed to the mobo - it has no connection there. There is also a variation on that. Some such fans come with BOTH a male 4-pin Molex AND a female 3-pin fan connector on their wires so you can use it with EITHER type of connection, but NOT BOTH.
Most mobo fan headers can supply up to 1.0 A current in total to all fans connected to that one header. This allows you to use either a SPLITTER or a HUB to connect two or more fans to the same header, subject to that limit. In doing so you must look up the specs of the fan and note the max current it uses. Many now range from 0.1 A to 0.3 A. However, be careful with some LED fans. Many of the older simpler types merely have LED's added in parallel to the motor and share whatever power supply it gets, thus increasing the current load of that fan, so check the specs!
SPLITTERS and HUBS are different devices. A SPLITTER merely connects all its fans in parallel to the power supplied from the mobo header. It has one arm with a female connector that plugs into a mobo header. It has two or more arms (or headers on a board) with pins to plug in the fans. It has no other arm types. Thus the limit on current available from the header is important. A Splitter may be either 3-pin or 4-pin, and you can connect either fan type to either Splitter type. It is becoming very common to use only 4-pin splitters no matter what fan type you have, because they will work just fine. A mobo can accept from its fan(s) the speed pulse signal (for pulse counting) from only ONE fan - two or more such signals is confusing yielding wildly varying erroneous readings. So any proper Splitter will connect to its mobo header the speed line from only ONE of its fans, and ignore all the others. The same rule applies to Hubs. IF you use a Splitter (or Hub) to connect more than one thing to the CPU_FAN header, it is important that the one signal fed back to that header IS the key cooling element for cooling of the CPU. (In cases of liquid cooler systems, follow the maker's instructions.) That is because many mobos give special close attention to the speed signal of the CPU cooler and, if it fails or is missing, will send out a quick warning of failure, then shut down the entire system to prevent damage from overheating, without even waiting to the CPU internal temperature to run high. It may also refuse to allow the system to boot if there is no CPU cooler signal there. So that header MUST receive a fan speed signal, and it REALLY should be the actual CPU cooler and not something else!
A HUB is different in a special way. It may appear to be a collection of wire arms, a circuit board, or a closed box. In addition to the two cable arm types of Splitters, it has one extra arm that must plug into a power output (either 4-pin Molex or SATA) from the PSU. ALL power for the fans on a Hub comes from the PSU, thus avoiding the limit of what a mobo header can provide. For almost all HUBS, the unit supplies +12 VDC Power and Ground connections from the PSU, sends back to the mobo header the speed of ONE fan, and merely connects the PWM signal from the mobo header to all of its fans. This means that ALL of the fans used with the Hub MUST be of the 4-pin design so they can use that PWM signal to control themselves. There are one or two Hubs on the market now that are exceptions to that rule because they use the PWM signal differently and change the control MODE used on their output ports.
OP, that's a lot of info to digest in one blast. To help apply that to your system exactly, post back here what mobo and exact model number you have. Post also case fan details - how many, what maker and model of each - and we can look up all the specs and zoom in on how you can make it all work.
There are two "groups" of fan control systems on a mobo, There is always one for the CPU chip connected to the CPU_FAN header, and maybe to others like a CPU_OPT or something. On these almost always the only choice for which sensor is used as its guide is the one inside the CPU chip; its signal is fed out to the mobo on one chip pin. Then there are several SYS_FAN or CHA_FAN headers intended for use with case ventilation fans. Although they MAY all be linked to a single control loop, most often each can be configured individually. Most commonly these all are guided by a single temperature sensor built into the mobo and positioned wherever the designer felt was the best sensor location. However, many mobos now have more than one sensor on the mobo, and the allow you to choose which of these (or even choose the sensor inside the CPU) to use to guide each header individually. This allow you, for example, to decide to position a fan to blow onto a particular mobo key component and use the temp sensor in that location to guide that fan.
You MAY encounter two other types of fan headers. You still see some called PWR_FAN. They are no longer popular. Their design was to cooperate with a feature in some PSU units. PSU fans may always run at full speed, but more commonly today the PSU itself manages its own fan speed according to its own internal temperature. Some PSU's had a set of three wires ending in a female fan connector just like a 3-pin fan's, and this can plug into a mobo PWR_FAN header if you have one. The only thing this does is communicate the PSU fan's speed to the mobo so it can be displayed for you. There is NO attempt by the mobo to control that PSU fan. In many cases the mobo makers have fitted this header with a fixed Ground and +12 VDC supply on Pins 1 and 2, like a 3-pin fan header, so that it can be used as an uncontrolled power supply for a fan if you do not need it for those special leads from the PSU. But since it has no control ability, I advise not to do that. You may also see a mobo header called PUMP or something similar. Usually it is fitted to supply a constant 12 VDC on Pins 1 and 2 for a pump in a liquid-cooling system for your CPU, because many such systems are designed to have their pump run full speed all the time.
Computer fans come in two main types, each in several sizes. (The sizes are the length of one side of the square frame of the fan.) The older type has three wires from the motor to a female connector (with holes) that has two ridges on one side, just outside the three holes' locations. The male mobo header has a plastic "tongue" sticking up beside its three pins, and the ridges on the fan connector slide around this to guarantee you can only connect them one way. The wires are Black for Pin #1 (Ground), Red for Pin #2 (+VDC supply), and Yellow for Pin #3 (fan speed.) The motor generates the fan speed signal as a pulse series (two pulses per revolution) sent back to the mobo on Pin #3 for counting and display. Although this is NOT used for speed control, it IS used to monitor the fan for failure to turn. To control the speed of this fan type, the mobo alters the voltage supplied on Pin #2 from 12 VDC (full speed) down to about 5 VDC min. Any lower voltage may cause the fan to stall and fail to re-start until the mobo jolts it with a higher signal to get it going. At start-up (boot time) the mobo always sends out the full 12 VDC for a few seconds to be sure the fan starts up and goes on about its POST self-checks. After a short time it finishes that and reads the speed signal (ensuring it is working) and the target temperature sensor, and then adjusts the fan voltage down to what is necessary to keep temperature on target. Thereafter it changes the voltage according to the temperature sensor readings.
The newer 4-pin fans have a different design for how they are powered and controlled.The female connector is a little wider with a fourth hole just beyond the two ridges on the side, and the mobo male header likewise has a matching fourth pin. The connector designs mechanically allow both types of female connectors to plug into either type of male connector. Electrically the signals are similar but changed in two places. Ground (Pin 1) and Speed (Pin 3) are exactly the same. Pin #2 carries a fixed +12 VDC supply (does not vary), and Pin #4 carries the new PWM signal. Inside the fan motor there is a small chip that uses the PWM signal to modify the flow of current from the +12 VDC supply line though the motor windings to achieve speed control.
Thus we now have two different methods for controlling the speed of a fan motor, and the two design families have SOME compatibility. The older method for 3-pin fans is called Voltage Control Mode, aka DC Mode. The newer method is called PWM Mode. If you MIX items, there are two possible "mis-matches" with these results. A 3-pin fan on a PWM Mode header will always run at full speed, yielding good cooling, but just no control. It always receives the fixed +12 VDC supply on Pin #2, and it never receives the PWM signal from Pin #4 because it cannot use it, anyway. The other way - a 4-pin fan on a header using Voltage Control Mode - DOES result in controlled fan speed, although not quite as well technically as the "proper" PWM Mode control. In this case, the fan motor never gets a PWM signal from Pin #4 because the mobo is not sending it, so it cannot modify the voltage supplied on Pin #2. BUT that voltage IS being reduced by the mobo to change fan speed, so it works.
What is being done now on most mobos can be confusing. Almost all are using 4-pin male connectors for all headers, BUT the MODE that they use for control can vary. Some use only the new PWM 4-pin Mode. Some use only the older Voltage Control Mode and ignore the 4th pin. Some allow you to set which Mode is used manually for each header in BIOS Setup. Some claim that each header can detect which fan type has been plugged in and automatically change their Mode according to that. But note that there is a possible "cheat" there: if the mobo header uses only Voltage Control Mode, it CAN control either fan type, because the new 4-pin fans CAN be controlled by a 3-pin header. This becomes a problem only when using a fan Hub (later) to connect several fans to a single header, because a fan Hub MUST have a PWM signal to work.
There's a third fan type you may encounter. It comes with a connector on its wires that is much wider - about 3/4" wide with space for four round pins in a shroud - called a male 4-pin Molex connector. This mates with a female connector directly from the PSU. That PSU female output was originally used to supply 5V and 12 V DC power to IDE hard drives, optical drives, etc., and it became popular for other items. So a fan can be connected that way, often using a connector that has only two of its four pins because it only needs to connect to the +12 VDC part. This type of fan can only run at full speed with no control, and it cannot report its speed to the mobo - it has no connection there. There is also a variation on that. Some such fans come with BOTH a male 4-pin Molex AND a female 3-pin fan connector on their wires so you can use it with EITHER type of connection, but NOT BOTH.
Most mobo fan headers can supply up to 1.0 A current in total to all fans connected to that one header. This allows you to use either a SPLITTER or a HUB to connect two or more fans to the same header, subject to that limit. In doing so you must look up the specs of the fan and note the max current it uses. Many now range from 0.1 A to 0.3 A. However, be careful with some LED fans. Many of the older simpler types merely have LED's added in parallel to the motor and share whatever power supply it gets, thus increasing the current load of that fan, so check the specs!
SPLITTERS and HUBS are different devices. A SPLITTER merely connects all its fans in parallel to the power supplied from the mobo header. It has one arm with a female connector that plugs into a mobo header. It has two or more arms (or headers on a board) with pins to plug in the fans. It has no other arm types. Thus the limit on current available from the header is important. A Splitter may be either 3-pin or 4-pin, and you can connect either fan type to either Splitter type. It is becoming very common to use only 4-pin splitters no matter what fan type you have, because they will work just fine. A mobo can accept from its fan(s) the speed pulse signal (for pulse counting) from only ONE fan - two or more such signals is confusing yielding wildly varying erroneous readings. So any proper Splitter will connect to its mobo header the speed line from only ONE of its fans, and ignore all the others. The same rule applies to Hubs. IF you use a Splitter (or Hub) to connect more than one thing to the CPU_FAN header, it is important that the one signal fed back to that header IS the key cooling element for cooling of the CPU. (In cases of liquid cooler systems, follow the maker's instructions.) That is because many mobos give special close attention to the speed signal of the CPU cooler and, if it fails or is missing, will send out a quick warning of failure, then shut down the entire system to prevent damage from overheating, without even waiting to the CPU internal temperature to run high. It may also refuse to allow the system to boot if there is no CPU cooler signal there. So that header MUST receive a fan speed signal, and it REALLY should be the actual CPU cooler and not something else!
A HUB is different in a special way. It may appear to be a collection of wire arms, a circuit board, or a closed box. In addition to the two cable arm types of Splitters, it has one extra arm that must plug into a power output (either 4-pin Molex or SATA) from the PSU. ALL power for the fans on a Hub comes from the PSU, thus avoiding the limit of what a mobo header can provide. For almost all HUBS, the unit supplies +12 VDC Power and Ground connections from the PSU, sends back to the mobo header the speed of ONE fan, and merely connects the PWM signal from the mobo header to all of its fans. This means that ALL of the fans used with the Hub MUST be of the 4-pin design so they can use that PWM signal to control themselves. There are one or two Hubs on the market now that are exceptions to that rule because they use the PWM signal differently and change the control MODE used on their output ports.
OP, that's a lot of info to digest in one blast. To help apply that to your system exactly, post back here what mobo and exact model number you have. Post also case fan details - how many, what maker and model of each - and we can look up all the specs and zoom in on how you can make it all work.
This list should have all components relevant for cooling along with the relevant information about them:
Case: BitFenix Nova (2x front fans + 1x rear fan)
Motherboard: Asus z370-F (1x CUP_FAN header + 2x CHA_FAN headers)
CPU: Intel Core i7-8700k (TDP at base frequency 95W and Tjunction at 100C)
Cooler: Arctic Freezer 33 eSports Edition (recommended TDP 210W and max TDP 320W)
Fans: 3x Arctic BioniX F120 (69 CFM and 0.5 sone at 1800 RPM)
J_E_D_70
Splendid
- Mar 21, 2012
- 7,291
- 59
- 30,290
Your mobo:
1 x 4-Pin M.2_FAN connector 1 x 4-Pin AIO_PUMP fan connector 1 x 4-Pin CPU fan connector 1 x 4-Pin CPU_OPT fan connector 2 x 4-Pin Chassis fan connectors
You can control 6 fans. The included fan, 3 added, 2 from your cooler = 6. Should put each on its own header.
I’d start by setting all to silent in bios and see what temps you get. Then, increase curve from there as needed.
http://dlcdnet.asus.com/pub/ASUS/mb/LGA1151/ROG_STRIX_Z370-F_GAMING/E13351_ROG_STRIX_Z370-F_GAMING_UM_WEB.pdf?_ga=2.78027665.485811986.1526820215-1462141448.1516514780#page65
1 x 4-Pin M.2_FAN connector 1 x 4-Pin AIO_PUMP fan connector 1 x 4-Pin CPU fan connector 1 x 4-Pin CPU_OPT fan connector 2 x 4-Pin Chassis fan connectors
You can control 6 fans. The included fan, 3 added, 2 from your cooler = 6. Should put each on its own header.
I’d start by setting all to silent in bios and see what temps you get. Then, increase curve from there as needed.
http://dlcdnet.asus.com/pub/ASUS/mb/LGA1151/ROG_STRIX_Z370-F_GAMING/E13351_ROG_STRIX_Z370-F_GAMING_UM_WEB.pdf?_ga=2.78027665.485811986.1526820215-1462141448.1516514780#page65
I have some slightly different recommendations.
Your case comes with one fan of unknown type, but I suspect it is 3-pin, and suggested for the rear exhaust position. You say you are buying three Arctic BioniX F120 fans (4-pin type) but your case has only three mounting positions. I will assume that you are NOT going to use the fan supplied with the case. The Arctic BioniX F120 fans you are buying come with a useful feature. In addition to the normal female fan connector on the end of its cable, each also has a second male connector into which you can plug the female from another fan. This allows you to connect two of these fans to a single mobo fan header. It is exactly like using a Splitter, except that you don't have to buy the Splitter. Your mobo fan header can easily handle the load of two of these fans. Your mobo has two CHA_FAN headers. I suggest you connect the two fans mounted in the front intake positions together and into the CHA_FAN1 header at upper right of your mobo. Then plug the third fan, mounted in the rear exhaust position, into the CHA_FAN2 header at left middle of the board.
You do not have a pump or liquid cooler system. Your cooler is a dual-fan (4-pin type) unit in which one of the fans also has this extra male output connector on its cable. So plug the two CPU fans together this way and into the CPU_FAN header specifically. That uses up three mobo fan headers and supplies all the fans. You will not need to use any other fan headers.
You will need to configure those three headers in BIOS Setup. See your mobo manual, p. 3-2 to 3-4. To enter BIOS Setup you push the "Del" key early in the boot process. Personally I simply hold that key down to be sure that the process "sees" the keypress and puts you into BIOS Setup, probably in EZ Mode. From there click at the bottom on Advanced Mode or press F7. Then at the top click on QFan Control or press F6. See p. 3-7. There you can choose which fan header to configure, then make your choices. For the CPU_FAN header set to PWM Mode at upper right. At the bottom I suggest choosing "Standard" Mode so it will use automatic control of CPU cooling fan speeds based on the temperature sensor inside the CPU chip. I do not recommend limiting those fans' speeds using the "Silent" Profile. When done, click "Apply" at the bottom. then proceed to the CHA_FAN1 header. There also set it to use PWM Mode and Standard Profile. You should find that you have a choice of three (or four?) temperature sensors for this header. Do not use the CPU sensor, and I suggest the "regular" mobo temperature sensor. The others are for particular mobo components if you want to concentrate fan cooling on them. Again, click on "Apply" and proceed to CHA_FAN2. Make the same settings there and "Apply". When done, use "Esc" to go back to the Advanced Mode screen. At top right, click on Exit, see p. 3-25. Choose "Save Changes and Reset" to save your settings and reboot.
This will put all of your fans under automatic control based on the appropriate temperature sensors. At a later time after you have experience using your system you can consider custom fan settings if you wish.
Your case comes with one fan of unknown type, but I suspect it is 3-pin, and suggested for the rear exhaust position. You say you are buying three Arctic BioniX F120 fans (4-pin type) but your case has only three mounting positions. I will assume that you are NOT going to use the fan supplied with the case. The Arctic BioniX F120 fans you are buying come with a useful feature. In addition to the normal female fan connector on the end of its cable, each also has a second male connector into which you can plug the female from another fan. This allows you to connect two of these fans to a single mobo fan header. It is exactly like using a Splitter, except that you don't have to buy the Splitter. Your mobo fan header can easily handle the load of two of these fans. Your mobo has two CHA_FAN headers. I suggest you connect the two fans mounted in the front intake positions together and into the CHA_FAN1 header at upper right of your mobo. Then plug the third fan, mounted in the rear exhaust position, into the CHA_FAN2 header at left middle of the board.
You do not have a pump or liquid cooler system. Your cooler is a dual-fan (4-pin type) unit in which one of the fans also has this extra male output connector on its cable. So plug the two CPU fans together this way and into the CPU_FAN header specifically. That uses up three mobo fan headers and supplies all the fans. You will not need to use any other fan headers.
You will need to configure those three headers in BIOS Setup. See your mobo manual, p. 3-2 to 3-4. To enter BIOS Setup you push the "Del" key early in the boot process. Personally I simply hold that key down to be sure that the process "sees" the keypress and puts you into BIOS Setup, probably in EZ Mode. From there click at the bottom on Advanced Mode or press F7. Then at the top click on QFan Control or press F6. See p. 3-7. There you can choose which fan header to configure, then make your choices. For the CPU_FAN header set to PWM Mode at upper right. At the bottom I suggest choosing "Standard" Mode so it will use automatic control of CPU cooling fan speeds based on the temperature sensor inside the CPU chip. I do not recommend limiting those fans' speeds using the "Silent" Profile. When done, click "Apply" at the bottom. then proceed to the CHA_FAN1 header. There also set it to use PWM Mode and Standard Profile. You should find that you have a choice of three (or four?) temperature sensors for this header. Do not use the CPU sensor, and I suggest the "regular" mobo temperature sensor. The others are for particular mobo components if you want to concentrate fan cooling on them. Again, click on "Apply" and proceed to CHA_FAN2. Make the same settings there and "Apply". When done, use "Esc" to go back to the Advanced Mode screen. At top right, click on Exit, see p. 3-25. Choose "Save Changes and Reset" to save your settings and reboot.
This will put all of your fans under automatic control based on the appropriate temperature sensors. At a later time after you have experience using your system you can consider custom fan settings if you wish.
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