Will the floppy connector on my PSU power a case fan?

[shanetemple14]

OK so I was so quick to buy my new case that comes with 2 pre-installed 120mm fans that i completely forgot that my motherboard has only 1 case fan header, I know that you can get molex to 4 pin fan headers but I saw that the floppy connectors that comes straight from the PSU are 4 pin female connection. Is it possible to plug the 3 or 4 pin fan connectors of the new case fans into the floppy connector? Will it even slot in and if so is it safe voltage wise etc?

 

[James Mason]

Yes, you can easily power fans from molex connectors, it's not a problem except you usually lose the ability to controll them:
https://www.amazon.com/Splitter-Molex-headers-CONNECT-MULTIPLE/dp/B009D3HV1Q
https://www.amazon.com/CRJ-4-Pin-Molex-Power-Adapter/dp/B01N7H8T8E/

 

[turkey3_scratch]

Yes, you can easily power fans from molex connectors, it's not a problem except you usually lose the ability to controll them:
https://www.amazon.com/Splitter-Molex-headers-CONNECT-MULTIPLE/dp/B009D3HV1Q
https://www.amazon.com/CRJ-4-Pin-Molex-Power-Adapter/dp/B01N7H8T8E/

I think he's talking about the berg connector rather than molex.

 

[lodders]

You might not need both case fans to keep your PC cool enough. Try it and see.

 

[shanetemple14]

Yes, you can easily power fans from molex connectors, it's not a problem except you usually lose the ability to controll them:
https://www.amazon.com/Splitter-Molex-headers-CONNECT-MULTIPLE/dp/B009D3HV1Q
https://www.amazon.com/CRJ-4-Pin-Molex-Power-Adapter/dp/B01N7H8T8E/

I dont mean the standard big ugly 4 pin molex, i mean the small ones that comes of the end of the molex cable.

This one:
https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjvmZjyzP_UAhXBRhQKHRfEDO0QjRwIBw&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.lifewire.com%2Ffloppy-drive-4-pin-power-connector-pinout-2624581&psig=AFQjCNHmoX3Z0qLPaNB8c8h-qNkCJDzebQ&ust=1499806531859346

 

[shanetemple14]

Yes, you can easily power fans from molex connectors, it's not a problem except you usually lose the ability to controll them:
https://www.amazon.com/Splitter-Molex-headers-CONNECT-MULTIPLE/dp/B009D3HV1Q
https://www.amazon.com/CRJ-4-Pin-Molex-Power-Adapter/dp/B01N7H8T8E/

I think he's talking about the berg connector rather than molex.

Yes, I think you know the one I mean...can this be used to power a fan? im not worried about having control over it i just want a soloution to cool the system and power the fans until i get my new motherboard.

 

[Paperdoc]

To answer your main question, NO! The wires and voltages on that floppy disk power supply connector are not the same as what a standard fan connector has.

Now, the original problem is how to connect 2 fans to a single mobo fan header. The answer depends on the fans and on the mobo, so please give us the details. What mobo maker and exact model number? Since the fans came with the case, I suspect they are of the 3-pin type. But tell us the maker and exact model number of the case. With that info we can tell you the best way to make connections including automatic control of the fans by the mobo header.

Fans plugged directly into a PSU, by the way, will always run at full speed - there is no way to control them from that power source.

 

[James Mason]

Yes, you can easily power fans from molex connectors, it's not a problem except you usually lose the ability to controll them:
https://www.amazon.com/Splitter-Molex-headers-CONNECT-MULTIPLE/dp/B009D3HV1Q
https://www.amazon.com/CRJ-4-Pin-Molex-Power-Adapter/dp/B01N7H8T8E/

I think he's talking about the berg connector rather than molex.

Yeah I see now.
@OP I wouldn't try it, they make look like they fit, but they're definitely vastly different power requirements.
It's really surprising your PSU even has floppy connectors. It's actually probably a sign you have a garbage grade PSU.
You can split a PWM 3-ways without too much issue:
https://www.amazon.com/SilverStone-Technology-Sleeved-Splitter-CPF01/dp/B00HJOJS9O

 

[shanetemple14]

Yes, you can easily power fans from molex connectors, it's not a problem except you usually lose the ability to controll them:
https://www.amazon.com/Splitter-Molex-headers-CONNECT-MULTIPLE/dp/B009D3HV1Q
https://www.amazon.com/CRJ-4-Pin-Molex-Power-Adapter/dp/B01N7H8T8E/

I think he's talking about the berg connector rather than molex.

Yeah I see now.
@OP I wouldn't try it, they make look like they fit, but they're definitely vastly different power requirements.
It's really surprising your PSU even has floppy connectors. It's actually probably a sign you have a garbage grade PSU.
You can split a PWM 3-ways without too much issue:
https://www.amazon.com/SilverStone-Technology-Sleeved-Splitter-CPF01/dp/B00HJOJS9O

Its not a garbage PSU per se, It is a VS 550w PSU from Corsair so its obviously not suitable for great overclocks or high end systems but atm it is enough for my system. Do fans not take voltages from 5-12v? What is the voltage coming from that type of connector?

 

[Paperdoc]

The standard power supply leads to a floppy disk drive are Ground (2 of them), +5 VDC, and +12 VDC. The voltages are fixed.

The standard signals supplied to a 3-pin fan are Ground, DC voltage varying from +5 to +12 VDC, and a speed pulse signal return line.

For a 4-pin fan, the DC supply voltage is fixed at 12 VDC, and there is a fourth signal line carrying the PWM control signal.

The signals don't match. More importantly, which signal is on which pin also does not match. You could easily burn out your fan trying to do this. Even if you do, the fan will only run at full speed or slow speed, depending on what connection you make.

Give us the details I mentioned above and we can tell you how to do it right, and easily, with no cut-and-solder customization.

 

[shanetemple14]

The standard power supply leads to a floppy disk drive are Ground (2 of them), +5 VDC, and +12 VDC. The voltages are fixed.

The standard signals supplied to a 3-pin fan are Ground, DC voltage varying from +5 to +12 VDC, and a speed pulse signal return line.

For a 4-pin fan, the DC supply voltage is fixed at 12 VDC, and there is a fourth signal line carrying the PWM control signal.

The signals don't match. More importantly, which signal is on which pin also does not match. You could easily burn out your fan trying to do this. Even if you do, the fan will only run at full speed or slow speed, depending on what connection you make.

Give us the details I mentioned above and we can tell you how to do it right, and easily, with no cut-and-solder customization.

Im sorry that is a little too complicated for me haha, what details do you need? I will be happy to get them

 

[Paperdoc]

What mobo maker and exact model number?

Since the fans came with the case, I suspect they are of the 3-pin type. But tell us the maker and exact model number of the case.

 

[shanetemple14]

What mobo maker and exact model number?

Since the fans came with the case, I suspect they are of the 3-pin type. But tell us the maker and exact model number of the case.

Case: Fractal Design Define Mini C
PSU: Corsair VS 550
Mobo: Gigabyte ga-f2a58m-hd2

 

[turkey3_scratch]

I just looked up images that show the wires on the floppy connector as well as the fan connectors. The wire layouts are different, so I do not believe the floppy connector would power a fan. In fact if you try it and manage to plug it in something like short circuit protection will probably shut down the power supply.

It's really surprising your PSU even has floppy connectors. It's actually probably a sign you have a garbage grade PSU.

There's a lot of good PSUs still coming with a single floppy connector these days, it's usually short and dangling on the end of one of the molex chains. On Jonnyguru OklahomaWolf hates to see it on new PSUs since it's never used but it's more frequent than you'd think.

 

[Paperdoc]

OK. with that info I can advise a good way to connect both pre-installed case ventilation fans to the only mobo SYS_FAN header and have BOTH of them powered AND controlled (for speed) by the mobo automatically.

Those fans are of the 3-pin style - the connectors on the ends of their wires will be female with 3 holes. Your mobo has one SYS_FAN header - male with 4 pins - at the bottom edge. The manual indicates by the labels for that connector on p. 14 that is uses Voltage Control Mode, which is exactly what is needed for 3-pin fans. So you just need a way to connect 2 fans to one header. You need a SPLITTER like this

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812423160&cm_re=coboc_fan_splitter-_-12-423-160-_-Product

Note a couple of features of this simple device.
1. It is designed for 4-pin systems, but it will work just fine for 3-pin fans. When you get it and examine, you'll find that the ridges on the side of the fan female connector must slide around the "tongue" on the Splitter's male output connector, so there is only one way to fit them together. In each case, the fan connector simply will not use Pin #4.
2. Of the two output connectors, one will be missing its Pin #3, and this is correct. That line carries a speed pulse signal generated by a fan back to the mobo header for counting and measurement of speed. The header circuits can only deal with ONE incoming fan speed signal, so the Splitter only sends back the signal from one fan. You will never "see" the speed of the second fan.
3. This Splitter has one input arm and two output arms, and nothing else. Do not buy a HUB. A Hub is a different device and many look like this - just a group of cable arms. But a Hub has an extra arm that must be connected to a power output from the PSU. A Hub can only work if used with both a proper mobo header using PWM Mode for control (yours does not) and with 4-pin fans (yours are not). So don't get a Hub, get a Splitter.

When done this way, both fans will be under automatic control by the mobo. FYI, what that means is that it will monitor the actual temperature measured by a sensor built into the mobo and constantly (if required by changes in workload and heat generation) adjust the speed of the fans to keep that temperature on target, with no effort by you. A second similar system, but based on a temperature sensor inside the CPU chip, controls the fan that cools your CPU.