How many folks here have 4-pin case fans?

[TVeblen]

I have a Corsair 550D case. It came with three 120mm 3-pin fans.
I thinking about upgrading these to 4-pin PWM fans because..... well, because.

Curious as to how many people do this.
Or, does anyone have a case that came with 4-pin fans?

 

[linnemeyerhere]

With the four pin as you know you just gain the ability to monitor the fan. So what you would need is a multi pwm fan splitter and come off the mobo's four pin headers to your fans an any pumps. I don't do this myself but after doing so then you might want to research software options to display and monitor the fans speeds and parameters.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

My Antec Solo II case came with 3 pin fans.

Right now, the only PWM fan I have is on my Scythe cooler.

My current case fans are all 3 pin--a Scythe Slipstream 800 rpm as an intake and an Antec True Quiet exhaust on the low setting, which spins at about 400.

I'm going to rebuild next year (Skylake) with a Noctua cooler that will have a PWM fan.

I recently purchased (as an impulse on sale for $22) a Noctua NF-F12 PWM fan that is theoretically designed to excel as a cooler fan, but I'll probably put it in my current installation as a case fan as an experiment. It comes with a PWM splitter and a low noise adapter that reduces its max speed from 1500 to 1200. It's supposed to spin as low as 300 in PWM mode, so it may be fine as a case fan for my situation.

If this Noctua NF-F12 doesn't work out as a case fan, I'll probably add it on to my upcoming Noctua cooler, matched with its included NF-F12 in push/pull mode. I'm toying with the idea of overclocking a Skylake K model.

I'm considering using ONLY PWM case fans in my next build as I'm constantly looking to reduce noise. However, I still have a couple of spare new 800 rpm Scythe Slipstream 3 pins that I should put to some use. And the fact is they are effectively silent at that speed in my case, so I wouldn't really reduce noise with a switch to PWM.

The main sources of noise in my case are the 2 spinning hard drives that store data. I don't think I'll be able to do any more significant noise reduction unless I go all SSD, but that can't happen until I can buy SSDs of 1 TB or more for a sane price. That's probably several years away.

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Five of the fans on my new case are four pin 140mm PWM fans and the front 200mm is a three pin. My MOBO chassis fan headers support either all PWM or all voltage control. Even though a voltage controlled fan (3 pin) runs at full speed when on a PWM header, I plan on running the fan at full speed anyway so I'm going to run all the fans on PWM. I used a splitter cable to run the two top fans on the top MOBO chassis fan header, the two side fans run through a hub to the bottom chassis fan header (the hub makes it easier to disconnect the side fans when removing the side panel), and the rear and front fans each get their own chassis connector. Automatic fan speed control is easy through the UEFI using AI Suite II.

 

[TVeblen]

Thank all.
One of the reasons why I was thinking of this is that I am under the impression that the Asus Q-Fan control can't work without the PWM header. Pretty much all I seem to be able to do now is monitor the fan speeds.

Q-Fan adjusts the speed on my CPU cooler, which is 4-pin.

Since most high end MBs have 4 pin case fan headers it seems strange that high end cases don't come with 4-pin fans. Or is my $130 case not high end enough?

 

[Pauly]

I mostly get 4 pin fans for my cases, nothing extravagant, mostly arctic cooling F12 pwm, if you have four pin headers might as well use them and you don't have to listen to all fans going full power all the time unnecessarily

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Since most high end MBs have 4 pin case fan headers it seems strange that high end cases don't come with 4-pin fans. Or is my $130 case not high end enough?

Hmmmm.......I haven't spent much time in the last year or two examining what type of fans are now included in cases.

Offhand, I can't recall any cases that I know come with PWM fans, but maybe some do?

Maybe the higher end case makers figure if you are particular enough to be a home builder and willing to spend 100 plus on a case, you're also finicky enough to not be satisfied with whatever fans are included and so would probably replace your fans anyway. I'd imagine there is some correlation between higher end cases and fanaholics/fanaholism.

I'm not yet a fanaholic, but I probably wouldn't be satisfied with a random PWM fan unless it was known to be exceptionally quiet. I'm more interested in low noise than temperature reduction beyond a certain point--say idling in the upper 30s and heavy loads under 75--in a warm room.

The lack of PWM fans in cases might change as more and more motherboards have multiple PWM headers. I've got a 4 year old mid to upper level Gigabyte board that has only 1 PWM header.

I'd also like to see continuing improvements in fan control from the BIOS. I've heard Asus is quite good at this, but I haven't owned an Asus board in 6 years or so.

 

[Layback Bear]

Four pin fan connectors on case fans to me are useless.
You can monitor and control the fan speed but I'm not really sure why you would want to off of the motherboard. When you plug it into the motherboard what sensor on the motherboard is controlling the speed? Well it's hit and miss.

In my opinion the starting place for a cool system is case fans arranged in a fashion for proper air flow. My method is to use quality quite case fans run full voltage (100%). This allows maximum air flow quietly.
If for some reason I wanted to control fan speed of the case fans I would use a Fan Controller rather than the motherboard or any programs.

The fans that come with a case varies so much from case to case brands it's kind of pot luck how good and quite the fans are. The case fans that came with my Corsair 600T were junk. They were quite but very poor air flow; so I replaced them.
The case fans that came with my Phanteks Enthoo Primo were excellent and that is what I use and I added two more fans from Phanteks to the case.

1. Start off with quality quiet fans or replace them.
2. If you want to control case fan speed use a Fan Controller.
3. Some use in line resistors and are happy because they have found a speed and noise level that keeps their case cool and quiet. Not a particle way if you want adjustability.

Note:
Before replacing the original case fans for noise problems check the mounting.
Some times they are not mounted properly is the reason for the noise.
I have had noisy case fans and all I had to do is mount them with a small rubber washer on the four screws between the case and fan to solve the problem.
I have had nose from case fans of quality that I had to cut out the webbing where the fans mounted to stop the noise. The noise was made by all those little holes the fan had to move the air through.

As you can see their are many variables when it comes to solving fan noise problems and still have proper air flow. It's a lot of trial and error.

 

[TVeblen]

Nothing wrong with the fans, they are relatively quiet and move air. I've just got all these buttons to push but they aren't hooked up to anything yet!

It's my TX850 that sounds like a jet engine.

I think you're right Ig - lots of cases come with no fans. They must figure that if you need to gussy it up with neon fans you can do that on your own!

 

[GeneO]

I have a Corsair 550D case. It came with three 120mm 3-pin fans.
I thinking about upgrading these to 4-pin PWM fans because..... well, because.

Curious as to how many people do this.
Or, does anyone have a case that came with 4-pin fans?

Only two of your fan headers are PWM - the CPU FAN and CPU FAN OPT. And the CPU FAN OPT is governed by the speed of CPU FAN. The other two case 4 pin fan headers on your board are not PWM, they are voltage controlled (note the +5V pin in place of the PWM pin).

The advantage of PWM is you can start the fans up at a lower voltage and speed than with voltage controlled, so you can run them at a lower speed.

If you want your case fans to be PWM controlled by the CPU temp, you will need to get a PWM splitter and run it off of the CPU FAN HDR. You just have to make sure it has a power source other than the motherboard fan header, as you might overload the header with too many fans running off of it. I use one of these:

Swiftech 8-Way PWM Cable Splitter - SATA Power (8W-PWM-SPL-ST) - FrozenCPU.com

As you can see it gets its power form a SATA power connector.

I have 7 fans in my case (not counting the PSU or graphics card) and under normal load you can't hear them at all.

-

 

[TVeblen]

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?

 

[ignatzatsonic]

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.

 

[GeneO]

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.

 

[TVeblen]

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!

 

[GeneO]

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.

-

 

[NoN]

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!!!

 

[GeneO]

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.

 

[TVeblen]

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.

 

[NoN]

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)

 

[GeneO]

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