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Can my motherboard control 3 pin fans?

Posted: Mon Aug 31, 2015 10:35 pm
by QUIET!
It has been a while since I have used anything beside four pin PWM fans.

Now I have two 80mm three wire case fans and I think I will want to adjust their speed.

I was planning to use a 4 pin Y adapter that is 3 pin compatible but now I'm thinking that my motherboard (Gigabyte Z170) might be able to read the RPM but maybe not control the speed.

My alternative is an old Zalman Fanmate 1 rheostat control that I scavenged from an old P4. For that to work, I'll need a 3 pin Y adapter because my 4 pin Y adapter isn't as 3 pin compatible as I need, it doesn't fit.

Of course with my wires routed under the motherboard and the two options requiring different routes, I would like to avoid a re-do.

I hope my motherboard can do it because the fanmate adds heat and a little clutter.

Any way, someone must know about three pin fans, tell me which way to go.

Re: Can my motherboard control 3 pin fans?

Posted: Tue Sep 01, 2015 5:15 am
by lodestar
In short, yes your Gigabyte motherboard will allow you to control 3-pin fans. Obviously check the manual for your particular board but be aware that some Gigabyte boards have 4 pin system fan headers which look like they would control PWM fans. They don't; both 3 and 4 pin fans plugged into these headers will work like 3 pin fans but with speed control. To establish this is the case set the BIOS to Silent profile for one of these headers and plug in a 3 pin fan. It will be immediately obvious under system idle conditions whether the fan is being controlled or not.

Curiously some Gigabyte boards have a 3 pin system fan header which doesn't control 3 pin fans, but runs them at the full 12V.

Re: Can my motherboard control 3 pin fans?

Posted: Tue Sep 01, 2015 5:41 am
by QUIET!
Thank you.