Installing multiple fans

A motherboard that I am working with only has 2 fan slots(cpu fan and 1 case fan). What are the different types of ways to add more case fans than just the 1. Is there a card that goes into the pci that has extra fan slots? Thanks.

You can add almost as many as you want as long as your PSU can handle it (i.e., dont connect 50 fans on one chain). Several different approaches:

A single fan controller with multiple outputs:
Something like the Vantect 201 fan controller here http://www.xoxide.com/nexfanconnxb.html (i use 2), fits in the 5.25 bay of your computer and takes a standard 4 pin molex as power input and has four outputs. Two outputs make are 3 pin power cables and two are the 4 pin molex cables. A simple, cost effective way of increasing your fan count. You may want to make use of either http://www.xoxide.com/4to3.html or http://www.xoxide.com/3to4pinadaptor.html depending on your preference for fans

Multiple Splitters
Each power connecter you have can be split using a y-splitter, http://www.xoxide.com/3pinsplitter.html or http://www.xoxide.com/4pinsplitter.html ... you can only do this so many times before the voltage delivered on any given rail begins to falter. In general the 4 pin Molex's are more "steady" and allow for more splitting than the 3-pin "motherboard" type connectors

SATA Power
If your mobo/PSU has SATA support and you dont use SATA drives you can make use of something like this to power your drives http://www.xoxide.com/seatapoad.html

Hot-plug
Many case fans come with a power connector that allows for the fan sit "in between" something. Have a look at http://www.xoxide.com/80alcasfan.html you notice there are two 4 pin molex connectors. One connector hooks up to the acutal power source and the second one allows you to continue using that rail to power somethig else (i.e., another fan or a HDD or soemthing). Again, you can only connect up to so many (usually less than 6) in a single daisy-chain.

PCI Cooling
http://www.xoxide.com/3dedge.html and http://www.xoxide.com/slotcooler.html are two options you can make use of if you've got free PCI slots.

That pci thing looks like a winner out of those options because I have a few slots left open. Thanks again.

Not a problem, just note that the basic slot cooler only pushes ~20cfm ... a dinky comparison next to say, a Tornado/X-blaster which put out in the 80/50cfm range.

Just another option for a PCI slot cooler. http://www.frozencpu.com/cgi-bin/frozencpu/slf-02.html

I was going to suggest (as well as buy one) except http://www.xoxide.com/3dedge.html took care of the role of PCI card cooling

Whats this about computer fans to mobo's issue? Does the mobo put a limit on the amount of fans you can put in a case??

Yes. It comes with a limited number of 3pin power cables of which of course you can split ... up to a limit.

yeah i am looking into getting those front bay fan things and also a hdd fan cover thing seem pretty easy to connect like everything else and what not and my case has 4 fans built in plus the 1 psu so i got 5 fans going on in it

Which one? Thermaltake Hardcano12? Vantec Vortex? They're expensive yes but its a onetime cost and they're sooooooooo useful. (I'm still deciding which one i want heehee)

do you think its possible/smart to cut into the side of your case to add a side fan? i mean if you do it very carefully and everything and then add like a fan grill over the hole. im not saying im even considering it, but it just was a thought i had since my case has only the front and back fans....

also a quick question about fan connections. my setup is as follows..
1. Antec 120mm rear case fan (pushes air out) has two connectors, 4-pin molex male and female, where female is connected to a male 4-pin molex from the PSU
2. CompUSA brand 120mm front case fan (pushes air in) has one connector (3-pin) but came with the 3to4-pin adapter with male and female molex. so i have the adapter plugged into the 3-pin and the female molex plugged into a male 4-pin molex from the PSU.

the fans are nothin special at all, so im wondering if that sounds like theyre set up well and shit. since i kinda need/want more/better cooling i was wondering what brands you would all suggest and what the best option i would have is for cooling.

do you think its possible/smart to cut into the side of your case to add a side fan? I mean if you do it very carefully and everything and then add like a fan grill over the hole. im not saying im even considering it, but it just was a thought I had since my case has only the front and back fans....

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Yeah go for it

As for the other two fans, nothing immediately alarming about their setup

what about brand reccomendations? just anything from xoxide?

Nah, xoxide has some good ones and then they have some bling-bling-not-so-good ones. The general rule is "go for the solid performer and if you must have lights, get a lit fangrill". As for reccomendations, it depends on your style: quiet or brute force. If you're the type to say "in the middle", get a brute force fan and a fan controller

k sounds good

and i think i might try the fan in the side mod if i get real bored

Where is the computer cos more fans will mean more noise?

Jimbob

my computer is already too loud in my opinion, so i prolly wont cut into the case. im thinkin of getting a slot fan, prolly 3D Edge Fan Kit from xoxide, and then replacing all of my current fans, including HSF, with higher quality ones. my case, as stated before has places for two 120mm fans. so anyone have suggestions on fans that size, either from xoxide or newegg, that are also fairly quiet (cuz this computer will be sitting in a college dorm room, so i dont want it too loud), and a good HSF for an AMD 64 3000+ (socket 754 i believe)

Where is the computer cos more fans will mean more noise?

Click to expand...

If you're acoustically paranoid, you can always get Vantec Stealths.

that are also fairly quiet (cuz this computer will be sitting in a college dorm room, so I dont want it too loud),

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Unless the walls are made of cardboard, that wont be a problem. I ran 6 Tornados and a Volcano at full blast with both my and my roomate's door half open and he didnt hear it unless he seriously tried to listen for it. If you want you can always just get a fan controller to tone things down when you need them quiet

ok im thinkin about getting the Thermaltake Venus 12 HSF, cuz my CPU is at 57-60C...i think thats too high correct?

Not too high but getting a cooler would be nice You only have to start worrying if the temps are in excess of 70°C on a regualr basis