Computer 3 Pin Fan Connector Pinout

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Computer 3 pin fan connector pinout.

3 pin connectors are usually used for the smaller chassis fans with lower power consumption. A three pin connector is basically power 5 12 volt ground and signal. It will also have three square holes on the front and three wires entering the back. The 3 pin senses fan rpm revolutions per minute.

A pwm capable fan is usually connected to a 4 pin connector pinout. A 3 pin fan connector will be smaller in size than the 4 pin pwm fan connector. When no revolutions are sensed by the system an audio alarm or no system boot will occur warning the user or preventing proccessor overheating and burnout. Chassis and cpu fans may use either 3 pin or 4 pin power connectors.

Typically the motherboard is required to pull the pin up through a resistor with the fan connecting it to ground once or more per revolution. But after attempting to use them they worked out pitifully. 4 pin connectors are usually used by cpu fans with higher power consumption. 3 pin connectors are usually used for the smaller chassis fans with lower power consumption while 4 pin connectors are usually used by cpu fans with higher power consumption.

The signal wire measures how fast the fan is moving without any controls for the fan s speed. Ground 12 v sense control. Note that chassis and cpu fans may use either 3 pin or 4 pin power connectors. It is a small thick rectangular in line female connector with two polarizing tabs on the outer most edge of one long side.

The image below displaying is the difference between a 4 pin pwm fan connector left and a 3 pin fan connector right. With this type fan speed is typically controlled by increasing or decreasing the voltage over the power wire. 4 pin connectors are usually used by cpu fans with higher power consumption. Fans with three pin connectors must be used on 3 pin cpu fan pinouts.

Connectors usually used for computer fans are the following. Fans and on board fan headers are backwards compatible. Three pin molex connector kk family this molex connector is used when connecting a fan to the motherboard or other circuit board. On space constricted fan control hubs the 4 pin connector failed to lock onto the fan s wire leading to the adapter falling off the fan s wire lead.

3 pin connectors are usually used for the smaller chassis fans with lower power consumption. Chassis and cpu fans may use either 3 pin or 4 pin power connectors.