Fans in parallel?

kasvad · Post by **kasvad** » Mon Apr 03, 2006 3:15 am

I have an Antec P150 with one 92 mm intake fan installed. The fan is controlled by the motherboard by the usual 3-pin connector.

I want to install an additional intake fan, but there's only one connector on the motherboard (Intel D915GAG).

So how do I control the extra fan?
Can it be connedted in parallel with the existing fan, or...?

Any help will be appreciated!

/Kasvad

Tibors · Post by **Tibors** » Mon Apr 03, 2006 3:45 am

You can buy (or make) Y-cables to connect two fans to the same connector. But you should look up the max. wattage of the fans and see if your mobo can provide that over a single header.

kasvad · Post by **kasvad** » Mon Apr 03, 2006 4:07 am

Thanks!

How do I make it?
Do You have instructions somewhere?

/K

Skylined · Post by **Skylined** » Mon Apr 03, 2006 11:03 am

I would mod that case and put a 120mm instead of two 92mm, if possible a 120mm x 38mm fan.

Why don't you just run the fans directly off the PSU?

kasvad · Post by **kasvad** » Mon Apr 03, 2006 12:14 pm

Hmm - I don't want to spoil the case.
But a single 92 mm fan could run directly off the PSU. I hadn't thought of that.

Any recommendations on quiet 12 volt fans?

/Kasvad

Tibors · Post by **Tibors** » Mon Apr 03, 2006 12:19 pm

I have never seen (or heard) a fan of any size that was quiet enough for me at 12V.

You can make it yourself this way:

Cut of the connector of one cable.
Remove the tacho wire of that cable completely.
Strip a part of the ground-wire and the +12V-wire of the other cable.
Solder the ground-wires of both cables together.
Solder the +12V-wires of both cables together.
Heatshrink or el-tape the solder joints.

Code: Select all

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If you look at a connector on the mobo, then with the tab above the pins, they are:
1. tacho
2. +12V
3. ground

If you're going to buy two extension cables for this, then it won't be cheaper than buying an Y-cable. Of course you can do this with the leads from the fans themselves, so you get less cable mess.

lenny · Post by **lenny** » Mon Apr 03, 2006 12:47 pm

Look for a relatively quiet 24V fan. But unless you're prepared to pay high prices and order from DigiKey or have easy access to them, it's easier modding the fan's power connector (if it is a 4 pin Molex type) to run off 5V (or 7V if you're adventurous).

A fanmate is a fairly inexpensive alternative.

Skylined · Post by **Skylined** » Mon Apr 03, 2006 5:15 pm

kasvad wrote:Hmm - I don't want to spoil the case.

It's called modding, not spoiling.

Get a fan controller or DIY.