# how to make my own power adapter



## ihatelolcats (Nov 21, 2008)

hello. i bought an antec 300 case for my first system build ( http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129042&Tpk=antec 300 ). the fans it came with can only be hooked up directly to the PSU as it is, but i want them connected to the motherboard so i can control their speed with software. if it makes a difference, the fans have a manual switch to pick between 3 possible speeds. basically what i need is a 4 pin peripheral connector to a 3 pin motherboard fan header (male) adapter. i'll draw a picture in case i confused you 
i would like to mod it myself instead of buying a real adapter. thanks


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## Gilletter (Nov 22, 2008)

don't quote me, but I'd assume tie the grounds together... check what the pins represent on the mobo header... if it's like +5v +12v and ground I'd go with that idea


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## JrRacinFan (Nov 22, 2008)

Are the fans 2 wire or 3 wire?


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## ihatelolcats (Nov 22, 2008)

the fans appear to be 3 wire, though there are actually 5. the extra 2 are probably for the switch. 
gilletter, in the manual there is a diagram of the headers. one pin is rotation, one ground, and one 12V. i have no idea what rotation means.
please understand also that i have little experience messing with electronics


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## Mussels (Nov 22, 2008)

The rotation wire is the RPM sensor. 4 pin fans wont support that.

To get 4 pin fans onto a 3 pin fan header, you'll simply need to snip some wires off with pre-existing plugs. that means for 3 fans to be changed, you'll be snipping the plugs of 3 existing fans and soldering them together. I really dont see the point, just choose a fan speed the fans work with, and stick with it.


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## ihatelolcats (Nov 22, 2008)

mussels, my fans are 3 wire...which means 3 pin. either that or i'm confused.
are you saying i won't be able to control the speed once they are powered from the motherboard?


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## Mussels (Nov 23, 2008)

ihatelolcats said:


> mussels, my fans are 3 wire...which means 3 pin. either that or i'm confused.
> are you saying i won't be able to control the speed once they are powered from the motherboard?



i guess i should clear this up. i've got a habit of calling fans 3 pin or 4 pin (normal 3 pin fan header, or 4 pin molex) however there are 4 pin PWN fans for mobos now. i'll get pics.





2 pin on the left, 3 pin on the right





4 pin PWM fan header





Molex

Which does your fan come with, and which do you want it to have in the end.


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## ihatelolcats (Nov 23, 2008)

wow, nice pics. my fan came with the 4pin molex (last pic) but i want to plug it into the 3 pin fan header on the mobo (first pic).


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## Mussels (Nov 23, 2008)

ihatelolcats said:


> wow, nice pics. my fan came with the 4pin molex (last pic) but i want to plug it into the 3 pin fan header on the mobo (first pic).



now the question i want to ask is why: you said they have controllers built in, IMO its a lot easier to deal with (hearing wise) if the noise is constant - its the changes in sound that people notice the most.


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## ihatelolcats (Nov 23, 2008)

this is a multi-function PC, i game and browse the internet and do work on it. the low fan speed is fine for easy tasks, but when i want to play crysis/whatever, i need more air flow, and taking the side off to change the speed gets old fast


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## Mussels (Nov 23, 2008)

ihatelolcats said:


> this is a multi-function PC, i game and browse the internet and do work on it. the low fan speed is fine for easy tasks, but when i want to play crysis/whatever, i need more air flow, and taking the side off to change the speed gets old fast



hmm, ok.

well the problem really is that you're going to need to buy an adaptor, or chop up the fans wiring to achieve that. it should also be worth noting that you're really going to want a few fan headers free on the mobo - i'd never run more than two fans on the one mobo power header, theres a risk of drawing too much power and blowing the board.

http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=19_197&products_id=2681

i just use these, in the link above. no idea how to get them where you are.


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## Urbklr (Nov 23, 2008)

You won't be able to control the fans anymore by plugging them into the 3-Pin, you will be getting the same 12v, and your fans don't support the RPM/PWM feature. You may need to invest in a controller. I say, just set them on medium or something, best of both sides..


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## ihatelolcats (Nov 23, 2008)

i guess i'll just pick some up from a local store. thanks for the help.
edit: well, damn. guess i need to pick up some new fans with non-retarded wires.
can't you change the voltage to the motherboard headers with software?


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## Mussels (Nov 23, 2008)

Urbklr said:


> You won't be able to control the fans anymore by plugging them into the 3-Pin, you will be getting the same 12v, and your fans don't support the RPM/PWM feature. You may need to invest in a controller. I say, just set them on medium or something, best of both sides..



his motherboard software will alow him voltage control. he wont have RPM sensors, but he isnt using a 4 pin header so PWM is irrelevant.


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## Urbklr (Nov 23, 2008)

Mussels said:


> his motherboard software will alow him voltage control. he wont have RPM sensors, but he isnt using a 4 pin header so PWM is irrelevant.



Ohh, okay. Last time I played with software(long time ago) it didn't work on anything but my CPU fan.


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## ihatelolcats (Nov 23, 2008)

thanks for the fast responses


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## Urbklr (Nov 23, 2008)

ihatelolcats said:


> thanks for the fast responses



Your welcome, why do you hate lol cats?


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## ihatelolcats (Nov 23, 2008)

haha, you must not surf the internet much


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## Urbklr (Nov 23, 2008)

ihatelolcats said:


> haha, you must not surf the internet much



Must not, I love them


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## ihatelolcats (Nov 23, 2008)




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## Urbklr (Nov 23, 2008)




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## Gilletter (Nov 23, 2008)

I would go with the adapter listed above... and I had to google lolcats... yeah... they'd be funnier without the ebonics...


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## Jeffs8 (Apr 1, 2009)

Hi.

Hate to resurrect this thread, but the pictures Mussels posted above make my question a lot clearer. I recently built a new computer (ASUS P6T Deluxe V2 Mobo) and put a NH-U12P heatsink/fan on it instead of the stock one that came with the i7. The stock fan could connect to the 4 pin PWN CPU_Fan port on the motherboard, but the fans that come with the Noctua fans are only 3 pin and can only connect to other 3 pin ports on the motherboard. I connected everything just fine and the fans are both blowing, but every time I boot up, I get a CPU Fan Error message and have to hit F1 in order to continue. I understand why I am getting it (I'm not using the CPU_Fan slot), but my question is whether it would be alright to just disable that slot in the BIOS or whether I need some sort of adaptor to plug one of my CPU fans into that slot?


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## alexp999 (Apr 1, 2009)

You should be able to use a 3 pin fan on the 4 pin CPU header.

Otherwise just disable the fan monitoring in the BIOS.


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## EnglishLion (Apr 16, 2009)

Agreed, the 4pin header for the CPU fan should be designed so that a 3 pin fan can connect to it.  You don't even need to know which three pins as it only fits in one position.


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