looking for controller for 4-pin fans

[cprince]

Hi! I'm looking for a controller that will control 4-pin fans. Newegg.com only have controllers for 3-pin fans. Thanks.

 

[coolpurplefan]

Uh, maybe you can look at the adapters for the Vantec Nexus NXP-301. I thought those were included in there.

Or, maybe look at the adapters, splitters, whatever case-mod.com has.

 

[bruceb]

You need this one: Zalman #ZM-MFC2

http://www.zalman.co.kr/eng/pr...w.asp?idx=274&code=017

Note: It is not cheap ... the 4 pin type fans use Pulse Width Modulation
to change the speed, whereas the 3 pin fans use only Ground, +VDC
and have an RPM Output wire .. you vary the speed by changing the Voltage
to the Fan ... on a PWM fan you vary the Duty Cycle of the power going to
the fan

 

[Zepper]

4-pin fans (PWM) will work on 3-pin headers/controllers too as the first three pins are the same. Or you might be talking about fans with drive power type connectors and you won't find those as the connectors take too much room - you'll need to use adapters.

.bh.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

This is a "non-problem," or I suspect that you are "hardware-averse." I know someone who has a BA in Computer Information Systems and they're deathly afraid to even open their box, so -- nothing to be ashamed of.

Some fans come with options for both 4-pin Molex and three-pin mobo-fan-header plugs. Most controllers are designed for three-pin plugs, because they take up less space.

You can do any of several things:

[If you keep a small cyber-junk-pile], you should be able to find some three-pin headers with wires attached. Cut 'em, and solder 'em.

You can buy three-pin headers and wire at the local electronics store.

Talk to Sidewinder or FrozenCPU staff, and they may have whatever headers you want made up for the conversion. But most fans that have tach-monitoring (the yellow or blue wire) also come with conversion kits, enable you to monitor the fan on the motherboard while powering it from a Molex plug.