This Mode of control is called Voltage Control Mode or DC Mode, and it is the ONLY method of controlling the speed of 3-pin fans. Any lower voltage may cause the fan to stall, and usually cannot start up a fan that is not turning. The mobo header varies the voltage on Pin #2 from 12 VDC (max speed) down to about 5 VDC. The female (with 3 holes) connector on the end of the fan's wires has two ridges on one side just outside the Pin 1 and 3 locations, and these fit over a plastic tongue sticking up from the base of the male (with 3 pins) header on the mobo, so you can only plug the fan in one way - no errors. In this case, can each individual fan header be modified to use PWM and voltage? Or do all fan headers have to be all voltage or all pwm on the motherboard.The two designs work differently and require different modes to control their speeds.ģ-pin fans have these connections from mobo header to fan: Connect the 3x 140mm pwm fans to one fan header, and the 3x 140mm non-pwm fans to another header. If I buy 3x 140mm's but they are PWM, won't the 3x 140mm that are INCLUDED with the case spin at full? I don't think the fan hub above can control both nonpwm and pwm on the same hub.only the pwm then will be regulated and the nonpwm will run at full blast.Īm I thinking it right? So basically sounds like 2 options.īuy 3x 140mm non-pwm fans of the same model and run all 6 in the sata powered fan hub and hook up to one mobo fan header to control voltage.īuy 3x 140mm pwm fans and 2 Y splitters.

Should the 3x 140mm's that I buy also be NON-PWM (3 pin)? In that case, I will have 6x 140mm 3 pin and in theory, if I plug those into the fan hub above and plug that into a motherboard header, the motherboard can adjust the speed based on internal temps right? My question is, I want to have them all connected to this sata powered fan hub and have the mobo control the speed based on internal temps. I'm also looking to add an additional 3x 140mm fans. I'm looking to pick up the be quiet pure base 500dx which comes with 3x 140mm non-pwm fans. Trying to get some clarification and see if I can get some help.

3 pin fan controller