Wiring up replacement fans

CooK1E · 11 Jul 2014 at 09:29

Apologies if this is a rather simple set of questions. I'm replacing the fans in a very noisy sky box, however they are all 2 pin fans and not 3 pin as supplied by OCUK.

60MM I've ordered:
https://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=FG-020-NB

Existing wiring:

Suggested wiring:
Black to Red
Brown to yellow

40mm
https://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=FG-018-NB

Existing wiring:

Suggested wiring:
Black to Black
Red to Red

Can someone confirm that I'm correct in my thinking?

davido_labido · 11 Jul 2014 at 09:38

You can buy little adapters for a couple of quid. I can't see your pictures as im currently on WiFi that blocks imageshack, but from 2 pin to 3 pin, you should just be using the black and red wires on the fans. The other wire is just there to control fan speed. Until I can get on my computer, that's as close to help as I can offer I'm afraid!!

CooK1E · 12 Jul 2014 at 10:08

Thanks - the reason I was querying is the board has 12v and PWM written on it, which would normally not be used (and isn't used in the adapters)

Tealc · 12 Jul 2014 at 12:37

Maybe the Sky box switches the ground on and off in a PWM like signal. I wouldn't worry too much about that but you will need to make sure the red wire from any fan goes to the 12v side and the ground to the PWM side.

As for the connector, well it looks like a 2mm pitch JST connector while all PC fans will come with a 2.54mm Molex type connector.

What I'd do is to cut the wires of the original fan off and solder my new fan to the existing wiring on the board, making sure I insulated the connections I made.

In the case od the red/black wiring just respect the same convention and you won't go far wrong. This connector looks to be the same connector, probably PH series JST, like we see on graphics card fan connectors, but 2 positions rather than 4.

CooK1E · 13 Jul 2014 at 20:33

Cheers - was going to chop the existing wires and just solder them. This will also allow me to change them if they for whatever reason don't work!

CooK1E · 15 Jul 2014 at 16:52

Just for thread closure:

The 40mm was a simple colour to colour.

The 60mm required the Live (12v) and the PWM cables.

In both cases I just cut the cables and soldered them together using the existing connectors.