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How do I connect these fans

C

cmputrnrd4lif

Weaksauce
Joined
Aug 13, 2004
Messages
91
I've been wanting some 120mm fans and was able to rescue 2 out of some Dell Precisions that were being recycled at work. I'm not sure how I can use them in my case as I don't have any connectors on my PSU or motherboard that look like they mate up with it.

The connector has 4 wires running to it, instead of the 3 that I'm used to seeing with smaller sized fans. The connector reminds me of a CD-ROM audio cable, but just a bit larger.

Apologies for the bad picture.
fan-con.jpg


If I want to use these fans will I have to modify the connector or find an adapter? Maybe I'm better off just spending $20 on some new fans?

Any suggestions are appreciated.
 
if need be cut the connector off.. since its hard to see the wire colors try finding the 2 wires that power the fan and jerry rig them to one of the 4 pin molex connectors on the psu.. you only need 2 the power wires.. most likely its a 4 pin fan connector to control fan speed since most dell precisions are made to run as quiet as possible so all the fans are usually motherboard controlled..
 
The wire colors from left to right are blue, black, red, white. And yes, it was connected to the mb inside the dell.

I noticed that the connector would mate with a 3 pin connector that was coming off one of the PSU's molex connectors, just like the 3 pin connector on my MB for my cpu fan. Would it be safe to connect to the one coming off the molex connector even though it was 3 pin and these fans have 4 wires? If not, I'll figure out how to rig it up to a molex connector.
 
chances are those 4 pin fans are pwm if im not mistaken. and yes you should be able to connect them to regular 3pin connectors, youll just lose the pwm function.
 
Rogue71 said:
chances are those 4 pin fans are pwm if im not mistaken. and yes you should be able to connect them to regular 3pin connectors, youll just lose the pwm function.
Click to expand...

*newb alert* What is pwm?

I'll give the 3 pin a shot. Thanks.
 
Rogue71 said:
chances are those 4 pin fans are pwm if im not mistaken. and yes you should be able to connect them to regular 3pin connectors, youll just lose the pwm function.
Click to expand...


basically what hes trying to say is that yes it should work on the 3 pin connector but the down side is that the fans will run at 100% 24/7..
 
Just witnessed first hand what you mean... the fan was running at full bore and boy was it loud! I guess I'll need to come up with a solution where I have control over the fan speed.

Thanks for the help, guys.
 
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