My case fans don't start :(

A

Astralogic

Gawd
Joined
Apr 24, 2012
Messages
581
Hi, my three Corsair AF120 Quiet Editions don't start, I have to open my case and touch them lightly, it's enough to get them going.

Any idea why this is or how to fix it?

Thanks

Edit: All three are brand new.
 
Sounds like your voltage is too low. What are they plugged into? Does this occur if they are directly connected to the PSU through a molex adapter?
 
I've had this happen on old fans where they get weak or the bearings go bad. To have three new fans go bad at the same time though, I'd bet on a voltage issue.
 
They are connected to the motherboard. I don't want them connected to the PSU cos they will be max speed all the time won't they? I couldn't do it even if I wanted to though, I have no way of connecting them to the PSU.
 
In your BIOS check the fan section and set the minimum fan speeds to be higher, or the voltage to be a min of 7v (whichever option you have). And if you're using the low voltage adapters, take them off.
 
Definitely, check in the BIOS if the fans are detected. If they are, try fiddling with the fan speeds and see if that solves the problem.
 
I'll look at those fan settings now.

They are not in an adapter, it's just a 3-pin straight into the board.
 
It's an MSI gd65 gaming, but I have set the minimum fan speed higher and they work OK now.

Thanks for the advice!
 
Just a quick follow up question, I have to set my fans to a minimum of 80% so they actually start moving. Is there a way to get the fans working properly so they move at all speeds?
 
Yes and no.

Short answer: Buy a fan controller.

Long answer: All fans have a minimum required voltage to start spinning. For most fans, (including yours) that's 7V; really nice ones go down to 3 or 4V. Once they are started that voltage can sometimes be reduced for slower/quieter operation and definitely increased for more cooling/noise (3 pin, like yours), or use PWM control for total speed control once started (4 pin). Your motherboard determines if the fans need to spin faster based on its own parameters, but it won't reduce them below that 80% minimum. If they aren't spinning faster under load, then your system isn't warm enough for it to think they should. My only recent MSI motherboard is a very low end part from 2012, so it doesn't have fancy fan control that I can reference to help you. Look around in your advanced BIOS settings to see if you have a fan curve option, this may also be available in MSI's Windows-based control software, that way you can set the temperature conditions to increase speed. If you really want full control over your fan speeds, you'll need to purchase a dedicated fan controller. There are kinds like the NZXT Grid+ that are software controlled, as well as 3.5"/5.25" drive bay mounted devices that can be controlled by hand. Do keep in mind of course, that there is always a minimum voltage (and thus speed) for operation, even if the fan is already spinning. Sometimes it's lower than the rated voltage, sometimes it's not.
 
Another (free) option is to try SpeedFan. Been using it for years. Really nice thing about it is that when it starts up (usually you'll want this to start during boot) it will ramp all the fans it is controlling up to 100%, ensuring they start, then ramp down to your preferred speed vs temp settings. Worth a look before you spend any money.
 
another vote for speedfan. free is always nice. ive been running it since me celeron 300a times if not before that.
 
and a third vote for speedfan. jayztwocents has a good vid on setting it up if you need
 
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