[SOLVED] Zalman Z3 Plus case fan controller

[rascalov]

Hello dear members. I am owning a Zalman Z3 Plus case and ASRock Z97 Pro 4 motherboard.

1. How can I connect the 2 fans from top to fan controller?
2. Is it alright to connect all fans (2x front, 2x top, 1x back) all of them to motherboard headers? I mean, in long-term, it can affect motherboard's traces because of load? I know they are motors. How much current can drive those headers? Is the voltage 12V or 5V on those headers?
3. How can I connect fans to molex from PSU, instead of MB headers. I want them to drive at full speed.

Thank you for all your answers.

 

[alexoiu]

Hi,
The simplest way would be using cables like https://www.amazon.com/ModTek-4-Pin-Molex-Connector-Connection/dp/B00MYA3A4C/

 

[rascalov]

So, with that cable, molex to PSU and instead of using motherboard's headers, 3 pins to 3 pins?

And about the load on motherboard's headers? Long term and how much volts? And how can I reconnect these two top fans to work from the frontal fan controller?

 

[alexoiu]

"So, with that cable, molex to PSU and instead of using motherboard's headers, 3 pins to 3 pins?"
Yes, if fans running at full speed are not an issue.

"And about the load on motherboard's headers? Long term and how much volts? And how can I reconnect these two top fans to work from the frontal fan controller?"
Regarding load, it's not about voltage, but amperage. To be on the safe side, I'd say that you can add fans to one header up to about 750 mA.
Not sure about the two fans question. Can you detail it? They are connected to what headers now?

 

[rascalov]

So, at full speed a fan can go to 700mA? On one header? If I have 5 fans, on each fan header there will be about 700mA? All fans are connected to motherboard headers.
With "long term" I wanted to say can the MB be overloaded?

 

[alexoiu]

No. If you check the specs of https://www.corsair.com/ww/en/Categ...rgb-led-config/p/CO-9050059-WW#tab-tech-specs
it says power draw 0.3 A, although not quite correct, cause you don't measure power in Ampers.
The fan headers on boards can go up to 1A, 2A or more for the AIO dedicated ones, depending on manufacturer and board model.
So, if connecting two of the above mentioned fans (I total = I fan 1 + I fan2 for parallel connections, so 0.3 A + 0.3 A= 0.6 A) to one header would not be an issue. No overload on long term. 5 fans would be too much.

 

[rascalov]

No 5 fans on one header. 5 fans on 5 headers. 4 Zalman fans and 1 Marvo fan.

 

[alexoiu]

But your board does feature only 2 chassis fan headers, if I'm not wrong?
However, to answer your question, no overload if all fan headers on board connected.

 

[rascalov]

Motherboard has 2x chasis fan (1x 3 pin; 1x 4 pin)
2x CPU fan (1x3 pin; 1x4 pin)
1x Power fan 3 pin

 

[alexoiu]

No issue, then. No overload.

 

[rascalov]

Hi. I am back.
Case solved. I connected the 2 top exhaust fans to 2 connectors that came from fan controller and supplied with voltage from molex 2 pins (12V and GND) directly from PSU. The 2 intake fans are connected directly to molex 2 pins (12V and GND) from PSU.

 

[alexoiu]

Hi, Great.