Antec Smart Cool

Lord Alibaski · 1 Jun 2006 at 20:41

Right might sound a bit dumb here but can someone just shed some light on this for me please.

I got one of these the other day to replace the back fan in my Sonata case.

Antec SmartCool 120mm fan

I know i could have just rigged the one i already have to 4vlots but i didn't want to.

The thing i cant understand is what it says in the packaging

*Connect to a none-variable power connector only* for best performance Antec recommends that the smartcool only be connected to a standard (steady voltage) 12v DC power connector. If your motherboard or power supply supports fan speed control, DO NOT connect Smartcool to that variable-voltage header or output.

I have a Antec Neo Power 480 PSU (which as 2 fan power connectors) and my Motherboard is a Gigabyte K8NXP-9 Ultra4, i don't know if this as fan speed control.

Can someone please tell me where do i plug this into...thank you for your help.

senorstealth · 1 Jun 2006 at 21:37

Just connect it to a standard molex connector. Its just on about not connecting it to a fan controller or a motherboard power outlet that alters voltage to control fan rpm

Lord Alibaski · 1 Jun 2006 at 22:03

senorstealth said:
Just connect it to a standard molex connector. Its just on about not connecting it to a fan controller or a motherboard power outlet that alters voltage to control fan rpm

Like I said my PSU as 2 (fan only) molex connectors, do I plug it into these or just straight into a normal molex? The thing is I want to use speed fan to control the fans speed, which then I need to plug the 3-pin connector (with a single wire) to my motherboard so I can control the fans speed. If I do this do I still need to plug the molex into the PSU or will the fan run off the 3-pin from the motherboard.

DaveMac · 1 Jun 2006 at 22:49

Smartfans have a seperate temp sensor wire to automatically control the fan speed hence they need to be plugged into a standard molex.
The 3 pin will connect to the mobo to monitor rpm only, it won't be controllable with Speedfan etc. as a standard 3 pin fan would.

Lord Alibaski · 1 Jun 2006 at 22:52

Cheers for that m8...so i have no need to plug the 3-pin in at all then...thanx for the help.

DaveMac · 1 Jun 2006 at 22:58

NP, you could plug it in to a mobo header to show the fan speed, but that would be all it would do.

Lord Alibaski · 1 Jun 2006 at 23:16

Last question....Sorry about this.

Going back to my PSU (Antec Neo 480) Would it harm the fan if i did plug the Smartcool into one of the fan only molexes. Or do these fan only molexes run off a different voltage to the standard molex.

musicman53 · 2 Jun 2006 at 10:56

Lord Alibaski said:
Last question....Sorry about this.

Going back to my PSU (Antec Neo 480) Would it harm the fan if i did plug the Smartcool into one of the fan only molexes. Or do these fan only molexes run off a different voltage to the standard molex.

If you connect a thermal controlled fan to a fan only connector(molex)on a psu then the PSU monitors heat in the case and tries to ajust the fan speed(up or down)so a thermal controlled fan will have a fit and not know what way is up or down.
I have an Antec True Power with fan only connectors and all I use them for is the fan in front of the hard drives.