Akasa 3-pin to 4-pin Adapter

benjo · 15 Jul 2006 at 22:30

Hey

Will these work the opposite way? i.e my fans are 4 pin molex cables, but i want them to run through a 3 pin power cable?

Thanks

Yewen · 15 Jul 2006 at 22:41

Buzzing you on msn.

Asuming its for a fan?

Joe42 · 16 Jul 2006 at 13:20

I bought two adaptors to get fans with only a molex connector to work on a 3pin connector, so they do exist and they do work. I don't think those adaptors will work the opposite way tho.

Borden · 16 Jul 2006 at 14:34

They won't work the opposite way, although i managed to re-wire them once so that it worked. I did a really bad job of it though and i ended up having to tape it together

The ones i'm using right now came with my Vantec fan controllers but i doubt they will be sold separately.

Joe42 · 16 Jul 2006 at 14:37

These adaptors exist and are available in the uk. I can't say anymore i'm afraid.

Edit: Its called 'Molex Fan Adapter T Balancer 4 to 3'. Google it.

benjo · 16 Jul 2006 at 16:50

Hi, thanks for the replies.

I just had a scout on overclockers, isn't this what i'm after?

Borden · 16 Jul 2006 at 17:48

benjo said:
Hi, thanks for the replies.

I just had a scout on overclockers, isn't this what i'm after?

Yup, that looks like one, it has a female 3 pin connector so is the right one.

Joe42 · 16 Jul 2006 at 18:24

benjo said:
Hi, thanks for the replies.

I just had a scout on overclockers, isn't this what i'm after?

No, that is not the correct adaptor.
See it only has two wires, one black, one yellow?
Its to allow rpm sensing on fans with only a molex connector. It will not allow you to control the fan in any way. The adaptor you want needs to have a red and black wire to the molex plugs.

This is it:

Borden · 16 Jul 2006 at 19:09

Joe42 said:
No, that is not the correct adaptor.
See it only has two wires, one black, one yellow?
Its to allow rpm sensing on fans with only a molex connector. It will not allow you to control the fan in any way. The adaptor you want needs to have a red and black wire to the molex plugs.

This is it:

I think they're just coloured differently, look at the placing of the wires in the akasa picture and in yours.

EDIT:

Found a clearer picture from Akasa's site:

Akasa Website said:
Akasa cable adapter allows you to connect a fan with a 4-pin connector to a fan control unit with 3-pin connection.

Joe42 · 16 Jul 2006 at 23:14

Nope, i have several of the Akasa ones that came with fans, they do not allow fan control, only rpm sensing.
Yellow is rpm, black negative and red positive.

Edit: Just had a look at one of mine, your right sorry. It looks the same but there is a gap between the yellow and black cables.

Borden · 17 Jul 2006 at 05:49

Joe42 said:
Nope, i have several of the Akasa ones that came with fans, they do not allow fan control, only rpm sensing.
Yellow is rpm, black negative and red positive.

Edit: Just had a look at one of mine, your right sorry. It looks the same but there is a gap between the yellow and black cables.

Never said this before but i think this calls for it.....Owned?

Joe42 · 17 Jul 2006 at 11:49

mark1 said:
Never said this before but i think this calls for it.....Owned?

Hey it was a valid point and a very easy mistake to make, the two adaptors look very similar, both made by akasa, both with 1 yellow and one black cable, but the ones i have here don't allow fan speed control.

Borden · 17 Jul 2006 at 15:00

Joe42 said:
Hey it was a valid point and a very easy mistake to make, the two adaptors look very similar, both made by akasa, both with 1 yellow and one black cable, but the ones i have here don't allow fan speed control.

I was just playing around mate

I know it's an easy mistake and i have to admit that i thought you'd proven me wrong at first

Joe42 · 17 Jul 2006 at 15:49

I went and bought mine from somewhere else because i thought the ones from OcUK were the wrong ones. Now i can get some more with my next order from OcUK, so i'm glad you pointed it out.

One thing to remember about these things, they aren't really supposed to exist and they allow you to do a few things that you aren't supposed to be able to thanks to the male/female types of connectors.

For example, if your an idiot like me you can plug a molex cable into a fan controller (it survived) or into a motherboard header (which might not survive)...

james32 · 17 Jul 2006 at 16:11

i got 2 with my thermaltake hardcano 13 fan controller
they also have the yellow rpm

the ones on overclockers are not the correct ones, dont look
like the ones i have

mine has black wire to black wire yellow wire to red wire on the molex
normal 3 pin, then the speed sensor is a female 3 pin.

ill try get photo, my memory card is goosed somehow.

Borden · 17 Jul 2006 at 17:56

james32 said:
i got 2 with my thermaltake hardcano 13 fan controller
they also have the yellow rpm

the ones on overclockers are not the correct ones, dont look
like the ones i have

mine has black wire to black wire yellow wire to red wire on the molex
normal 3 pin, then the speed sensor is a female 3 pin.

ill try get photo, my memory card is goosed somehow.

All the ones at overclockers are lacking is the speed sensor wire. I'm guessing what you mean is that your cables have a separate 3 pin connector for plugging into the mobo?

The ones on overclockers will work.