How do you install a fan?!

I have the fan, the spot on my computer, and my case sitting at home wide open waiting for the new fan that i bought. but my question, how does it get powered...

 

By a connector on the power supply or motherboard.

 

I should of been more specific. I searched my motherboard, but only found one plug for a fan, and it is on my CPU... I couldent find any other ones on my motherboard, I was asking if there were special "addons" that you could install to have more plugs

 

I believe any power for fans off the motherboard also allows for monitoring and control. If your question is can more of these be created than exist on the original board, I don't think so.

A normal power connector that would power your cd, dvd or hard drives would power additional fans anywhere in the computer. The fan may need a 3 pin to 4 pin conversion.

My Antec TRU380 PS has two fan only connectors that are voltage controlled (separate power source) from the PS. They make it clear that they shouldn't be used for anything but fans.

I hope I understood the question correctly.

 

absentmindedJWC,


Are you thinking of one of these?

Cheers,

ICE

 

iceolated

Is there any limit you are aware of for the number of fans anyone should use off the motherboard 3 pin fan power?

 

I don't know of any specific limit.

I think it would be based on two things:

- Amount of power that the fans draw
- Capacity of the 3 pin header on the board.

I have never had a need for such a splitter but I certainly wouldn't connect any more than two fans to a single 3 pin header.

The 3pin Header is powered through the motherboard. If the motherboard only has one 3 pin header, that header may not be designed to support the elecrical demands of more than one fan. Depending on the fan those demands can be miniscule to very great. If you have a need for several fans you are best getting a 4 pin to 3 pin convertor and run them from a standard molex plug from the power supply...something like this works well.

Cheers,

ICE