USB to molex converter/connector?

[pkypkypky]

Is there some way you can power a 3/4 pin fan via a USB cable? Do they make something like that? Help!

 

[Zepper]

You would have to have a low power 5V fan as that is all the voltage that USB has. Firewire has some 12V available which might be able to run a low power fan. I saw some 5V fans at http://www.bgmicro.com if you're intetested.

.bh.

 

[pkypkypky]

Originally posted by: Zepper
You would have to have a low power 5V fan as that is all the voltage that USB has. Firewire has some 12V available which might be able to run a low power fan. I saw some 5V fans at http://www.bgmicro.com if you're intetested.

.bh.

But how am I going to get it plugged in through the usb? Can't find anything on that link.

 

[GalvanizedYankee]

If you need to power an external fan, do it the easy/right way.

Buy a PCI slot cover that has a 3 or 4 pin Molex male socket. SVC and several other
venders have them.

As a novelty USB fans were sold several years ago, it was a very weak toy fan.

Galvanized

 

[Zepper]

Yeah, I forgot all about the USB personal fans. There's lots of junk that can plug into USB: personal massager, toothbrush, etc. etc. If you really want to hook a generic power connector to use the puny +5V available there, then you'll likely have to make the cable yourself. http://www.jab-tech.com has 3 and 4 pin molex parts for creating that end and I suppose you'd have to cut up a cheap, short USB cable for that end which will also give you the wires to attach the molex contacts to. Or you could cut up a fan extension and splice the male end onto the cut up USB cable.
. If you want external power from a desktop, then Galvanized's answer is the best way to go. They have the same sort of thing to go into an unused 3.5" external bay (or a 5" bay with an adapter). Some even have drive data connectors on them too.

.bh.