Question Will my motherboard be able to support 7 fans?

Sep 16, 2019
2
0
10
Hello, so I've decided to invest into some fans since my 3 fans have hit the 4 years used mark. After doing research I came to the conclusion of buying 5 Antec F12's for exhaust/intake and 2 Noctua NF-P12's for my Corsair h60. I have a Gigabyte GA-B85-HD3 (rev 2.1) motherboard with 1 CPU fan header (4pin), 2 system fan headers (4pin) and 1 system fan header (3pin). I currently plan on using 2 two-way fan splitter cables and 1 three-way fan splitter cable. Also I plan to connect them straight into my motherboard but I'm worried if this many fans would draw too much power and potentially hurt my motherboard.
 

Mrgr74

Reputable
BANNED
Hello, so I've decided to invest into some fans since my 3 fans have hit the 4 years used mark. After doing research I came to the conclusion of buying 5 Antec F12's for exhaust/intake and 2 Noctua NF-P12's for my Corsair h60. I have a Gigabyte GA-B85-HD3 (rev 2.1) motherboard with 1 CPU fan header (4pin), 2 system fan headers (4pin) and 1 system fan header (3pin). I currently plan on using 2 two-way fan splitter cables and 1 three-way fan splitter cable. Also I plan to connect them straight into my motherboard but I'm worried if this many fans would draw too much power and potentially hurt my motherboard.

Hi Deluxe07,

Have you given any though to having a dedicated (or 2) fan controller? More than likely, the fans you picked out come can come in a pack, most often of 3, that comes with a fan controller & remote to program them. Do the fans you have, HAVE to be plugged into your mobo?

A few basic ideas: (without fans)
#1, #2, Noctura, ThermalTake, Rainbow

A few basic ideas (with fans)
Sunshine, Non-RGB & Splitter
 
Sep 16, 2019
2
0
10
Yes, I just plan on plugging them into my mobo then setting a fan curve and just leaving it at that. I also just don't want to spend more money on a fan controller.
 

Phaaze88

Titan
Ambassador
Motherboard fan headers can handle up to 1A(amp) of power - some can do 2A.
Find out how much power one of your fans can draw, and then:
1A/fan power = number of fans you can put on one header
*Round down for any decimal numbers.

I'm unable to find how much power the Antec fan draws, but the NF-P12 is rated for 0.09A.
You could daisy chain 11 NF-P12s to a single mobo header if you wanted.
 

Paperdoc

Polypheme
Ambassador
Right, the two Noctuas on one CPU_FAN header via a Splitter is no issue. It is LIKELY that the same holds true for the Antecs. Even three of them on one header probably is just fine. I say "probably" because Antec declines to give any spec for max current draw on those fans. But a typical value for similar models is never over 0.25 A per fan, so even three on one header is ON. I am ASSUMING when you say "Antec F12's", you are talking about a standard fan , and NOT one that includes some LED lights in its frame. Those with LED lights use more power.