Where to plug case fans? Depending on the fan functions, the motherboard is by far the most suitable place in terms of plugging case fans because it gives you the chance to adjust the overall fan speed as per your preference!
Seems like you’re getting some plentiful knowledge today as we will discuss every effective method of plugging your case fans into the case.
Where to Plug Case Fans?
Motherboards have reserved fan headers (three-pin or four-pin) for connecting with the case fans. These fans replace the hot air inside the case and protect the inner hardware from a possible meltdown. But the fact is – all of us around the world are not tech-savvy, meaning any of us may get easily confused about
Wondering about where to plug in front case fans? Well, you can plug case fans in 3 different ways, and all of them have their own advantages.
So, let’s dive in a bit deeper.
Plugging It Into The Motherboard
All the motherboards are equipped with at least two Pc fan headers. Line up the connectors on the motherboard. The connectors should have two visible bumps on both ends. Just push it down the guides on the headers. The wires are tied up. So, you don’t have to worry about reversing anything by mistake.
The colors you will find are black, red and yellow. Two of them are for power, one is for the ground, and the 4th wire is specifically for PWR. PWR is in charge of speed management. For a fan with 4 pin connectors, you can simply adjust the speed through your motherboard BIOS.
In case you only find a 4-pin fan header on the mobo, you can still use it for a 3-pin fan connector. Yes, that’s right. But the drawback is that you won’t be able to control the speed at which the fan runs.
Check different ways: How to Connect Fans to Motherboard.
Plugging It Into The PSU
Though we highly recommend plugging the case fans into the mobo, there is another way to do it. You can plug it into the power supply unit. The drawback is that you lose the control you had over speed. The fans will automatically run at the highest speed. So, go for it, only if you are okay with the noise.
The PSU comes with a Molex connector. It helps the fan wires to directly plug into the power supply system. The 4 pin-Molex-connectors are supposed to go in the female-fan-connectors. In case your PSU doesn’t have Molex connectors, try using an adapter.
Read How to connect case fans to PSU, no matter you want to connect one or more.
Connecting To The GPU
A mistake many of us make while plugging the case fans is connecting case fans to gpu. GPU has special fans of its own that are mounted on top of it.
Sometimes when we don’t have enough headers on the motherboard, we remove the shroud of the GPU and plug the case fan’s wires in. Now that has serious chances of damaging your GPU. The GPU fans need more power than a normal case fan. Mostly because the graphics card tends to get hot pretty easily due to the intensive computing while gaming.
Instead, go for an adapter. Also, there are splitters available in stores called Y-splitters.
Case fans should only be powered through PSU or the mobo. It’s better to keep it running 24×7 by plugging it into the PSU than engaging it with the GPU.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can I Plug a Three-pin Fan into a Four-pin Fan Header?
Yes. You can connect both a 3-pin and 4-pin fan into a 4-pin fan connector header pin. But you will lose the power to control your fan speed. Because the fourth pin that allows PWM control will be missing.
Motherboard or Power System, Which is the Most Suitable Place to Connect Case Fans?
You can connect case fans to either the motherboard or PSU. It’s your choice. But we highly recommend you go for the motherboard. Because it gives you the freedom to adjust your fan speed whenever needed, otherwise, your fans will always run at the maximum speed regardless of the workload.
Is it Okay to Plug Case Fans into RGB Headers?
If you have got a PWM fan of 4 pins, you’re good to go in terms of plugging your case fans into RGB headers. In contrast, 3-pin isn’t the ideal choice, and experts never suggest getting it for such a task.
Conclusion
We have reached the bottom of our article. Hope we clarified all your doubts regarding where to plug case fans.
Case fans or Chassis fans as ASUS call it, protect the computer by keeping the temperature in check. So don’t just avoid it thinking your 3-pin fan connectors can’t run on the 4-pin headers. Make sure you follow our guide and install the case fan within just around 10 minutes or so.
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