Fan power connectors...

[xxTurbonium]

Why do fan connectors have a double sided molex connector, having both male and female molex?

Is it so you don't "lose" a molex "connection" by plugging a fan into one? I hope this is the case, since I'm now short two molex connectors ever since I got a new PSU (I've had to sacrifice power to my 2 optical drives in favour of cooling).

 

[Zepper]

Yeah, or to stack fans onto one PSU connector.

.bh.

 

[Ika]

It's so you don't run out of preciously-useful molex connectors.

 

[xxTurbonium]

Originally posted by: Zepper
Yeah, or to stack fans onto one PSU connector.

.bh.

Wow I never knew this. Very helpful.

Does it matter how many of them I stack? And I'm assuming that I need some sort of molex cord/adapter to come out the other end of the connector, unless I'm connecting the other end straight into another device?

 

[tylerdustin2008]

Well you can't stack that many, as you will pull to much wattage for the 12v rail. And you do not need any special connector to connect them to another device. You would if the molex has only two wires... black and yellow, thus you can only connect it to another fan.

 

[xxTurbonium]

Um, I hope my PSU can handle my system...

4 hard drives
2 optical drives
P4 3.2C
6800 GT
sound card

430W Seasonic S12, ~30A 12V

 

[Zepper]

Each connector should be able to handle up to 9 Amps (if true Amp or Molex contacts), that will give you up to 27 Yate Loons on one connector - that should be enough. One connector should handle any typical number of fans. I run my fans off a fan controller that uses only one PSU connector.

.bh.

 

[tylerdustin2008]

Your power supply will do just fine.