When it comes to connecting one it can be simple, but multiple PC fans can cast doubt on certain users. Therefore, we teach you the keys to achieve it.
The ventilation of a tower is essential for the transfer of heat from the inside to the outside to be effective. If we don’t, the hot air will stay inside, potentially triggering the fatal thermal throttling on the GPU, CPU, or the M.2 SSD. Therefore, we are going to see how we can connect several PC fans, as well as what tricks there are.
Index of contents
- How to connect multiple PC fans
- Direction of each fan
- Where to connect each fan
- HUB adapter to connect more fans
- SATA adapter for fans
- HUB to control all fans
- Buy 140mm fans
- Bonus tip: don’t over-tighten the screws
How to connect multiple PC fans
Connecting a fan is easy because the motherboard has enough connectors. The problem occurs when we want to install several and there are only 4 or fewer connectors for it, so we are going to observe certain tips for the installation of PC fans.
Direction of each fan
You should know that the fans only push air in one direction , so we must position them correctly to create a decent air circuit inside the box. As a trick, look at the back of the fan because there are usually arrows that indicate where they push the air.
No arrows on the back? Nothing happens, in the fan’s instruction manual the manufacturer has to specify it, as well as they will put illustrations of how to arrange it in the box. This is very important, especially when we are going to install several fans in the PC case .
Where to connect each fan
In most motherboards we will find 4-pin connectors with the following descriptions :
- SYS_FAN– System or case fan.
- CHA_FAN– Chassis or case fan.
- PWR_FAN: fan for power supplies (don’t connect it here).
- CPU_FAN: processor heatsink fans or CPU fan.
- AIO_PUMP: for liquid cooling water blocks.
- EXT_FAN: 5-pin connector for a fan extension card (rare).
Ideally , connect the fans of the PC in the connectors that are SYS_FAN and CHA_FAN , especially late then reprogram. If you buy a fan extension card and you have an EXT_FAN, plug it in there.
HUB adapter to connect more fans
It is not uncommon to see how many users have a large box in which they can install many fans. The downside to this is that they may find that the motherboard has insufficient 4-pin CHA_FAN or SYS_FAN connectors.
Peace of mind, there is a solution and it is a HUB adapter that with only one 4-pin connector outputs several 4-pin ports; come on, a lifelong adapter. All the news is good with these HUBs because:
- They are very cheap.
- They are tremendously useful.
GeekerChip PWM Fan Hub, Fan Hub Splitter Cable-1 Female for Computer 12V 4-Pin
4-pin Fan Hub compatible with 12V CPUs and 4-pin connector case fans.
4,59 EUR
Last updated on 2021-04-24
SATA adapter for fans
Yes, as you read: use a SATA port to connect several fans . We rarely use more than 2 SATA 6Gb / s ports because we don’t usually install many SSDs; even less so with the arrival of M.2 SSDs , which have an assigned slot.
In the end, the utility is the same: power several fans from one connector. In this way, we can power up to 4 additional fans through just one connector. Of course, this can cause problems when reprogramming them later because the SATA connection is atypical for these purposes.
12V 4 Pin PWM & 5V 3 Pin ARGB with SATA 15 Pin Power 2 in 1 Hub 6 Way Sync CPU Fan RGB Lighting Splitter
14.99 EUR
Last updated on 2021-04-24
HUB to control all fans
The user is usually focused on connecting and running all the PC fans , but how are you going to control them? Well, Noctua or Corsair have their own HUBs , which act as a switchboard where all the fans are connected and, thus, be able to control them all without problems.
We think it is highly recommended to buy these HUBs if you have different fans of the same brand , such as Corsair. The American brand incites its ecosystem with its own HUB, being able to synchronize the lighting of all Corsair fans through the HUB.
So, it is not only useful in order to program the ventilation curves, but also to have a synchronized lighting in the box.
In case the PC case allows us to connect 140mm fans , we recommend this option because it will considerably increase the cooling capacity (as long as the airflow, RPM and static pressure parameters are followed).
In this way, we will not need as many 120mm fans , which causes us the problem of not having enough connectors on the motherboard. For example:
- Install 6 x 120mm fans (3 front – 3 top).
- Install 4 x 140mm fans (2 front – 2 top).
Bonus tip: don’t over-tighten the screws
We found it useful to close this article with a tip that will come in handy for the future maintenance of your fans. It is always good to be proactive, and it seems that, when we install them, we tighten the screws almost to the maximum “so that they do not vibrate” or “they do not come loose”.
Well, we are going to advise against tightening the screws too much because, over time, you will have to clean them. To do this, you will work more comfortably by unscrewing them and cleaning them on a table.
As time goes by, there are boxes that have materials which can shrink from heat or the conditions to which they are exposed. This can make it very difficult to unscrew the fan if we squeeze it hard back in the day.
We hope this information has been useful to you. If you have any questions, you can comment below and we will answer you right away.
