Controlling cheap case fans

Wolfhound

Wolfhound

Wolfhound

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Joined
8 Jul 2007
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3
In the process of building my new machine i have stumbled upon a problem. One of my aims with my new PC is to be able to control every fan in the case via two fan control 5.25" drives in the front of the case. However i have the problem that the cheap thermaltake fans that come with the case have power connections straight into the 4-pin molex, with only a yellow cable that can plug into the fan controllers for giving an RPM reading, without any real control.

So I have come to the conclusion that i have two options.

1) The easy but expensive method of replacing all 3 of the case fans with better ones that have the right 3-pin or 4-pin connectors that fit into my fan controllers.

or

2) The probably cheaper more time consuming method of re-wiring the fans with 3-pin molex connectors instead.

Now i think i could cope with buying and fitting 3 new fans, but i was wondering if anyone knows what tools etc I would need for the task of re-wiring the fans i already have instead of splashing out on some new ones.
 
Hmm, unless i mess around with the wiring first then buy new fans when i mess it up. Looking at prices, i could buy enough pins and headers to rewire 6 or so fans for the price of a new fan.

From what i can tell it doesn't look that hard, i'll update here as soon as i get the parts i need :)

I'd still like to hear from anyone with experience of doing this.
 
you can make any 12v fan 7v just put it in google and u will find out how

edit:

here you go
all you do is move the pins that go from the fan to the psu

normal
12v.jpg


7 volts to the fan
7v.jpg


12 volts to the fan
5v.jpg
 
Last edited:
I'm surprised that fans like that exsist, I thought it was just fans with no RPM sensor that went straight to molex conectors.

My vote is to go for the re-wiring option. There's only three wires so it cant be any harder than wiring a mains plug! Just copy a different fan to make sure you get the wires in the right order, and it should be a doddle.

PK!
 
You mean a 3 pin crimp housing with 0.1" pitch (Thats 2.54mm for you metric lot). You just crimp the pins around the wire and push it into the housing.
 
Yeah, as long as it is just a matter of crimping the pins with the wire around with a pair of pliers insted of having to get a special crimping tool like with cat 5 cables.
 
I use some long nose ones. The pins are a bit small and fiddly, but can be done. I use electronics pliers. The housings are pretty cheap, and make sure it comes with the pins, as sometimes you buy them seperatly.
 
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