Hey everyone! I'm having some trouble with my CPU fan as the connection on the motherboard seems to be malfunctioning—definitely feels like something's fried. I want to hook it up directly to the PSU so it can run constantly. I've got three pictures to show you: the first is of the CPU fan, and the other two are the available connection ports on the PSU. Can anyone advise on which one to use and what kind of connector I need to get?
2 Answers
Before going straight to the PSU, have you checked if there are any available 4-pin PWM headers on your motherboard? It’s usually better to connect there instead of directly to the PSU. If you do decide to go that route, you’ll need a molex powered fan hub. There are options out there with a knob for control, like this one [https://www.amazon.com/Cooling-YACSEJAO-Channels-1Knob-Controller%EF%BC%881Knob/dp/B0B2ZJK282/](https://www.amazon.com/Cooling-YACSEJAO-Channels-1Knob-Controller%EF%BC%881Knob/dp/B0B2ZJK282/). Just a heads-up, the cable in your PSU 1 photo is likely a CPU or PCIe cable, so it won’t work for powering fans.
That fan hub you mentioned looks awesome. I’m going to check Aliexpress for a cheaper option!
Have you considered using another fan connector on the motherboard? If that’s not an option, you can convert a SATA power cable to a fan connector and use it to power the fan from the PSU that way.
I wish I had more headers to work with, but the one is taken. I can get to it if I remove a lot of stuff, which is a hassle. I know the fan works because I can get it to run if I touch the CPU_FAN connector just right, although not securely. Sounds like it’s getting 12V directly without proper circuit control, whatever that means!