How many folks here have 4-pin case fans?

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  1. Posts : 6,292
    Windows 7 64 Bit Home Premium SP1
    Thread Starter
       #11

    Yep. You're right. When in doubt, read the manual!

    So maybe Q-fan is working the fans?

    Plugging a 3-pin fan into the CHA_FAN header covers the GND - CHA FAN PWR - CHA FAN IN pins.
    The +5v pin is free.
    So can Q-fan control the speed through voltage?

    If you plug a 4-pin fan into one of these headers, what happens? Anything to gain?
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  2. Posts : 12,012
    Windows 7 Home Premium SP1, 64-bit
       #12

    TVeblen said:

    If you plug a 4-pin fan into one of these headers, what happens? Anything to gain?
    Dunno in your case, but I've read in the last week that not all 4 pin fan headers are created equally. They aren't standardized and you'd just have to experiment. The 4th pin may do this or that, or may be a dummy. That's on the motherboard side. For all I know, the fans themselves are equally confusing.
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  3. Posts : 1,653
    Windows 10 Pro. EFI boot partition, full EFI boot
       #13

    TVeblen said:
    Yep. You're right. When in doubt, read the manual!

    So maybe Q-fan is working the fans?

    Plugging a 3-pin fan into the CHA_FAN header covers the GND - CHA FAN PWR - CHA FAN IN pins.
    The +5v pin is free.
    So can Q-fan control the speed through voltage?

    If you plug a 4-pin fan into one of these headers, what happens? Anything to gain?
    The +5v on the pin runs the PWM fan at full speed (though it isn't really necessary, plugging it into a 3 pin header will do the same - don't know why they have it as 4 pin except maybe to be able to claim it is 4-pin). Its speed can be controlled by voltage on the voltage pin by Q-fan. It has no advantage over a 3 pin fan though.
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  4. Posts : 6,292
    Windows 7 64 Bit Home Premium SP1
    Thread Starter
       #14

    I know the fans run on 12v normally. Perhaps the 5v is what is used to modulate the speed ramp up? Just guessing now.

    Interesting though. Never thought of any of this until now!
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  5. Posts : 1,653
    Windows 10 Pro. EFI boot partition, full EFI boot
       #15

    TVeblen said:
    I know the fans run on 12v normally. Perhaps the 5v is what is used to modulate the speed ramp up? Just guessing now.

    Interesting though. Never thought of any of this until now!
    Yes it is. A constant DC 5v is 100% duty cycle yielding full speed. But also, if there is no voltage on the pin (like plugging into a 3 pin header), the PWWM fan will run full speed. IDK, maybe there are some PWM fans out there that need that 5V to run at full speed. I haven't come across any though.

    -
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  6. NoN
    Posts : 4,166
    Windows 7 Professional SP1 - x64 [Non-UEFI Boot]
       #16

    My motherboard have 4 of those, 4pin PWM headers. Apart the CPU header, 2 i choosed to go 4pin PWM Fans, the last one is plugged with a 3pin Fan 200mm sized sided fan. The all lot is monitored by AI Suite II.

    Otherwise i'm using a Fan Controller bay 5,25" for 4 of 140mm Fans and 1 slim 120mm Fan. I'm close near a jet plane sound at full speed!!!
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  7. Posts : 1,653
    Windows 10 Pro. EFI boot partition, full EFI boot
       #17

    NoN said:
    My motherboard have 4 of those, 4pin PWM headers. Apart the CPU header, 2 i choosed to go 4pin PWM Fans, the last one is plugged with a 3pin Fan 200mm sized sided fan. The all lot is monitored by AI Suite II.

    Otherwise i'm using a Fan Controller bay 5,25" for 4 of 140mm Fans and 1 slim 120mm Fan. I'm close near a jet plane sound at full speed!!!
    Are you sure they are PWM? They may be only voltage controlled with 4 pins. I woulsd suspect the chasis 4-pins are not PWM.
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  8. Posts : 6,292
    Windows 7 64 Bit Home Premium SP1
    Thread Starter
       #18

    On my Asus board the four 4-pin chassis headers are not PWM.
    They are GND | CHA FAN PWR | CHA FAN IN | +5v .
    The CPU header is PWM. Got a CPU-Optional header that is PWM too.
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  9. NoN
    Posts : 4,166
    Windows 7 Professional SP1 - x64 [Non-UEFI Boot]
       #19

    GeneO said:
    NoN said:
    My motherboard have 4 of those, 4pin PWM headers. Apart the CPU header, 2 i choosed to go 4pin PWM Fans, the last one is plugged with a 3pin Fan 200mm sized sided fan. The all lot is monitored by AI Suite II.

    Otherwise i'm using a Fan Controller bay 5,25" for 4 of 140mm Fans and 1 slim 120mm Fan. I'm close near a jet plane sound at full speed!!!
    Are you sure they are PWM? They may be only voltage controlled with 4 pins. I woulsd suspect the chasis 4-pins are not PWM.
    I think so...they all are tagged PWM (See attached Pic) taken from my Asus motherboard manual instruction.

    The CPU_Fan is max 1A (12V)
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails How many folks here have 4-pin case fans?-capture.png  
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  10. Posts : 1,653
    Windows 10 Pro. EFI boot partition, full EFI boot
       #20

    Yep, looks like they are. Very few boards have all PWM.
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