# Installing multiple fans



## DeerParkWater

A motherboard that I am working with only has 2 fan slots(cpu fan and 1 case fan). What are the different types of ways to add more case fans than just the 1. Is there a card that goes into the pci that has extra fan slots? Thanks.


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## Praetor

You can add almost as many as you want as long as your PSU can handle it (i.e., dont connect 50 fans on one chain). Several different approaches:

*A single fan controller with multiple outputs:*
Something like the Vantect 201 fan controller here http://www.xoxide.com/nexfanconnxb.html (i use 2), fits in the 5.25 bay of your computer and takes a standard 4 pin molex as power input and has four outputs. Two outputs make are 3 pin power cables and two are the 4 pin molex cables. A simple, cost effective way of increasing your fan count. You may want to make use of either http://www.xoxide.com/4to3.html or http://www.xoxide.com/3to4pinadaptor.html depending on your preference for fans

*Multiple Splitters*
Each power connecter you have can be split using a y-splitter, http://www.xoxide.com/3pinsplitter.html or http://www.xoxide.com/4pinsplitter.html ... you can only do this so many times before the voltage delivered on any given rail begins to falter. In general the 4 pin Molex's are more "steady" and allow for more splitting than the 3-pin "motherboard" type connectors

*SATA Power*
If your mobo/PSU has SATA support and you dont use SATA drives you can make use of something like this to power your drives http://www.xoxide.com/seatapoad.html

*Hot-plug*
Many case fans come with a power connector that allows for the fan sit "in between" something. Have a look at http://www.xoxide.com/80alcasfan.html you notice there are two 4 pin molex connectors. One connector hooks up to the acutal power source and the second one allows you to continue using that rail to power somethig else (i.e., another fan or a HDD or soemthing). Again, you can only connect up to so many (usually less than 6) in a single daisy-chain.

*PCI Cooling*
http://www.xoxide.com/3dedge.html and http://www.xoxide.com/slotcooler.html are two options you can make use of if you've got free PCI slots.


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## DeerParkWater

That pci thing looks like a winner out of those options because I have a few slots left open. Thanks again.


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## Praetor

Not a problem, just note that the basic slot cooler only pushes ~20cfm ... a dinky comparison next to say, a Tornado/X-blaster which put out in the 80/50cfm range.


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## 72montecarlo

Just another option for a PCI slot cooler. http://www.frozencpu.com/cgi-bin/frozencpu/slf-02.html


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## Praetor

I was going to suggest (as well as buy one) except http://www.xoxide.com/3dedge.html took care of the role of PCI card cooling


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## Turkishmoose

Whats this about computer fans to mobo's issue? Does the mobo put a limit on the amount of fans you can put in a case??


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## Praetor

Yes. It comes with a limited number of 3pin power cables of which of course you can split ... up to a limit.


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## darkd3vil

yeah i am looking into getting those front bay fan things and also a hdd fan cover thing seem pretty easy to connect like everything else and what not and my case has 4 fans built in plus the 1 psu so i got 5 fans going on in it


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## Praetor

Which one? Thermaltake Hardcano12? Vantec Vortex? They're expensive yes but its a onetime cost and they're sooooooooo useful. (I'm still deciding which one i want heehee)


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## JrDave2324

do you think its possible/smart to cut into the side of your case to add a side fan? i mean if you do it very carefully and everything and then add like a fan grill over the hole. im not saying im even considering it, but it just was a thought i had since my case has only the front and back fans....

also a quick question about fan connections. my setup is as follows..
1. Antec 120mm rear case fan (pushes air out) has two connectors, 4-pin molex male and female, where female is connected to a male 4-pin molex from the PSU
2. CompUSA brand 120mm front case fan (pushes air in) has one connector (3-pin) but came with the 3to4-pin adapter with male and female molex. so i have the adapter plugged into the 3-pin and the female molex plugged into a male 4-pin molex from the PSU.

the fans are nothin special at all, so im wondering if that sounds like theyre set up well and shit. since i kinda need/want more/better cooling i was wondering what brands you would all suggest and what the best option i would have is for cooling.


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## Praetor

> do you think its possible/smart to cut into the side of your case to add a side fan? I mean if you do it very carefully and everything and then add like a fan grill over the hole. im not saying im even considering it, but it just was a thought I had since my case has only the front and back fans....


Yeah go for it 

As for the other two fans, nothing immediately alarming about their setup


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## JrDave2324

what about brand reccomendations? just anything from xoxide?


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## Praetor

Nah, xoxide has some good ones and then they have some bling-bling-not-so-good ones. The general rule is "go for the solid performer and if you must have lights, get a lit fangrill". As for reccomendations, it depends on your style: quiet or brute force. If you're the type to say "in the middle", get a brute force fan and a fan controller


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## JrDave2324

k sounds good

and i think i might try the fan in the side mod if i get real bored


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## Jimbob1989

Where is the computer cos more fans will mean more noise?

Jimbob


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## JrDave2324

my computer is already too loud in my opinion, so i prolly wont cut into the case. im thinkin of getting a slot fan, prolly 3D Edge Fan Kit from xoxide, and then replacing all of my current fans, including HSF, with higher quality ones. my case, as stated before has places for two 120mm fans. so anyone have suggestions on fans that size, either from xoxide or newegg, that are also fairly quiet (cuz this computer will be sitting in a college dorm room, so i dont want it too loud), and a good HSF for an AMD 64 3000+ (socket 754 i believe)


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## Praetor

> Where is the computer cos more fans will mean more noise?


If you're acoustically paranoid, you can always get Vantec Stealths.



> that are also fairly quiet (cuz this computer will be sitting in a college dorm room, so I dont want it too loud),


Unless the walls are made of cardboard, that wont be a problem. I ran 6 Tornados and a Volcano at full blast with both my and my roomate's door half open and he didnt hear it unless he seriously tried to listen for it. If you want you can always just get a fan controller to tone things down when you need them quiet


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## JrDave2324

ok im thinkin about getting the Thermaltake Venus 12 HSF, cuz my CPU is at 57-60C...i think thats too high correct?


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## Praetor

Not too high but getting a cooler would be nice  You only have to start worrying if the temps are in excess of 70°C on a regualr basis


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## JrDave2324

any suggestions for the case fans, im think of going with one quiet one and one powerful one. but i do believe my case only supports 120mm fans. now what would be the best way to arrange them? more powerful blowing air out the back and quiet blowing air in the front? or vice versa?


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## Praetor

> any suggestions for the case fans, im think of going with one quiet one and one powerful one


Quiet: Vantec Stealth
Loud: Vantec Tornados

Tornado OUT, Stealth IN


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## JrDave2324

im thinkin about this Enermax  for the exhaust and a stealth for the intake, along with a Venus 12 for the HSF and possibly a slot cooler but most likely not


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## Praetor

You are probably best off with two super fans and use a fan controller for the noise


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## JrDave2324

yeah thats what im starting to think....would a 92mm or 80mm Tornado fit my case though? it has 120 mm slots so would that even work?

and with the fan controller, the fans dont hook up to the PSU correct? the controller hooks to the PSU and the fans are powered off that right?

edit: i dont have a floppy drive (cuz i got one of those USB sticks), so should i go with a 3.25'' or a 5.25 fan controller


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## Praetor

- You can get adapters so you can use different sized fans on certain holes.
- You are correct about the fan controllers
- As for size, it dont matter


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## JrDave2324

where can i find an adapter for 120 to 80 or 120 to 92? xoxide doesnt carry any


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## Praetor

Why would you want to downsize??


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## Jimbob1989

sorry were back tracking gents but I placed a post here asking where the pc was going because of the noise it would make and praetor said you'd have to be paranoid to care. I'm sure i'm not the only one in saying when your using multiple fans and you sleep in the same room, it gets really annoying after a bit. I may be wrong but it appears we are gettig a little competitive Preator.

Jimbob


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## Praetor

> sorry were back tracking gents but I placed a post here asking where the pc was going because of the noise it would make and praetor said you'd have to be paranoid to care. I'm sure i'm not the only one in saying when your using multiple fans and you sleep in the same room, it gets really annoying after a bit


You remember your post but you fail to remember the one that responded to it:


> my computer is already too loud in my opinion





> I may be wrong but it appears we are gettig a little competitive Preator


LOL sigh... read my comment about acoustic paranoia again. And then read it again. It'll make sense (i've got a sound sensitive roomate)


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## JrDave2324

the reason i would want to downsize is because, as i said, my case fits 120mm fans and the tornados are 80mm and 92mm.....thats why


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## Praetor

Here's the Sunon equivalent of the 120 Tornado: http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProductDesc.asp?description=11-999-007&depa=0

Here are some alternatives to the Tornado120:
http://www.xoxide.com/fmc3xw.html
http://www.xoxide.com/12alcasfan.html 
http://www.xoxide.com/thunderblade4.html  <-- *very* nice power/noise ratio


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## JrDave2324

ahhh there we go, thats what im talkin' about


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## JrDave2324

i still think i might go with either the...
Enermax Adjustable Speed 120mm Cooling fan 
Max Air FlowCFM): 63.05~94.92
Noise(dBA): 24.60~30.10
Nominal Speed(RPM): 1800~2300

or

Thermaltake Thunderblade 120mm (BLUE) LED High Performance DC fan 
Max Air FlowCFM): 78
Noise(dBA): 21
Nominal Speed(RPM): 2000


they both seem to be great fans, but the Enermax pushes more air for only a little more noise. also i was wondering you can replace fans inside the power supply? cuz my PSU seems to be really loud, so i want to replace those fans with some more efficent ones. not sure on the size of the fans (its a 350W Antec)


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## Praetor

> they both seem to be great fans, but the Enermax pushes more air for only a little more noise. also I was wondering you can replace fans inside the power supply?


Not sure if you can. Firstly i think they all use 25mm fans but i could be wrong, some might use the 38mm standard. Also, some have funky connectors that just dont work with normal fans ... have a look


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## JrDave2324

yeah, eh well, it was just a thought


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## JrDave2324

is better to plug the HSF into the fan controller or leave it in the mobo


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## Praetor

Fan Controller... that way you can control it


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