Case Fans

Wee · 31 Jul 2006 at 15:38

After reading a few posts here, i hear you're able to change the voltage that your case fans run on. The default is 12v i believe, but people seem to be lowering it to 7v or 5v to reduce the sound level. I'm using the default fans that came with my Lian Li, and they make a right racket. I was wondering how easy it is to lower the fans from 12v to 7v or 5v?

krooton · 31 Jul 2006 at 15:44

Fan controller is the nicest to use, hard-modding them involves switching the wires around

Borden · 31 Jul 2006 at 15:45

It's very easy, all you need is a small screwdriver or similar tool.

Look here

Wee · 31 Jul 2006 at 16:23

a lot less hassle to get it done than i thought. Cheers for the link.

Question though. How easy is it to move the wires to change the voltage? I seem to remember the wires being pretty lodged in.

comp builder · 31 Jul 2006 at 16:41

i think youcan change the fan voltage in the bios cant you?????

krooton · 31 Jul 2006 at 17:08

comp builder said:
i think youcan change the fan voltage in the bios cant you?????

Some of them I think, also you can use software to do so, but this only applies to 3pin connectors on your motherboard, not any fans that are on PSU molexes

Borden · 31 Jul 2006 at 17:11

Wee said:
a lot less hassle to get it done than i thought. Cheers for the link.

Question though. How easy is it to move the wires to change the voltage? I seem to remember the wires being pretty lodged in.

That's where a small screwdriver comes in.

If you look at the molex pins there are little barbs on them holding them in place. Use the small screwdriver to bend in the barbs and pull out the pin, then just switch them around and pull out the barbs again. Then it's just a matter of pushing the pins back in and connecting up the fan. It's very easy once you're used to it

Wee · 31 Jul 2006 at 17:18

Ah, sounds easy enough. Just need to get my hands on a small screwdriver. i doubt a philips would do the job ...

Borden · 31 Jul 2006 at 17:21

Wee said:
Ah, sounds easy enough. Just need to get my hands on a small screwdriver. i doubt a philips would do the job ...

I can't remember where i got my screwdriver (i think it came in a christmas cracker

) but it's been really useful. The head is only about 3mm wide.

Tweezers would probably do the trick but if you can't find anything, there are molex removal tools available on the net which should work nicely.