Fans

The Astroman

The Astroman

Active Member
1) How come certain fans only have black and red wires?
2) The 120 mm blue LED fan on the back and the 120 mm fan on the front of my Thermaltake Tsunami can't be regulated using my AKASA AK-FC-03... The one at the back has 2 sets of wires: one which has 2 wires, a black and a red. The other set is just a yellow wire that ends into a fan connector which I plugged into my Akasa. When I plus the red and black wires into a molex plug into my PSU, and the yellow wire into the Akasa, the fan works, but can't be regulated. When I don't plug the red and black wire into my PSU, but only the yellow wire in the AKASA (which is powered by a molex connector), the fan doesn't even turn on... For my other fan, the front one, it only has a set of a red and black wire, which don't end up in a male molex connector, but in a fan connector, which I plugged into my Akasa but it too can't be regulated... The only fan in my PC that CAN be regulated is the CPU fan, which has ONE set of THREE wires, a yellow, a green and a black one.

Did you understand?
 
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How come certain fans only have black and red wires?
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Because thats all thats needed. The yellow wire is a RPM telemetry cable

Did you understand
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I understood but i didnt see a question. If you wanted to know how to control the fans with only two wires, you need to use a non-mobo fan controller
 
1) what is a non-mobo fan controler? I use an Akasa AK-FC-03 (in a bay).
2) Do only certain fans have a yellow wire? Is this specified on purchase of the fan? Since my front fan has no yellow wire, but only a red and a black one, I can't control it?
 
what is a non-mobo fan controler? I use an Akasa AK-FC-03 (in a bay).
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As in you use a real FC rather than the mobo to control the fans, which you are

Do only certain fans have a yellow wire? Is this specified on purchase of the fan? Since my front fan has no yellow wire, but only a red and a black one, I can't control it?
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Why such the concern for a stinkin yellow wire? ;) If you have it great, if you dont, its not the end of the world and prolly better for wire management :P As for how to control, like i said, dont use the motherboard to power the fans and you're fine :)
 
Praetor said:
Why such the concern for a stinkin yellow wire? ;)
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Because without it, having a fan controler is just a waste of money. You said without the yellow wire, you can't control the fan...
 
The yellow wire is only for monitoring the speed of the fan (which is why you don't really need it). The fan is controlled by regulating the voltage to the fan (black and red wires)
 
Yeah, that's what I thought too. Now why can't I regulate my fan at the front? It only has a black and a red wire which I plugged in the fan controler...
 
I know! Am I stupid... What I was plugging in the FC was the yellow wire. All my fans end up in male molex connectors, except the CPU which already ends up with all it's wires in a 3-pin connector. Now what I have to do is buy 4 to 3-pin adapter so I can plug the fans ending in a male molex connector into the FC...This should work, right? I'm getting this from Sharkoon (http://www.sharkoon.com)
 
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Well, the post I wrote above seems to be wrong, cause I don't think 4 to 3-pin adaptors exist. Now folks, here is the thing, ill ask it one more time: All my fans except for the cpu fan end up in a molex connector. Now, how do I get them to plug into my AKASA AK-FC-03 which only has MALE FAN connectors... =3-pin connectors, not 4-pin...What do I do?
 
Because without it, having a fan controler is just a waste of money. You said without the yellow wire, you can't control the fan...
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Without the fan wire you cant determine the speed of the fan. You can still adjust the voltage :)
 
Is it possible that some fans come with 4-pin plugs to bring 'em electricity (molex) and others have 3-pin (fan connectors) ? I found a 120mm blue LED case fan on newegg, and they had a picture of it out of the box, and it had a 3-pin connector... Should I get it? It has a max CFM of 93.7!

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=11-999-122&depa=0

P.S It says: "Connector: 3 Pin" !! I'm getting it! Pretty pricy though: 15$ (for a fan?!?)
 
molex - plug it into your psu, thats what they were designed for.
molex to 3/4 pin exist, 4 to 3 pin exist, saw some in pc wordl teh other day :).

molex - the only kind which doesnt connect ot mobo, needs something called a resisotr if you want to lower the voltage - bit of solderig >> slower fan.
 
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