[shelfos]

Newbie here . . . my first PC build. It's been real fun so far, but I'm stuck. I'm seeking your expert advice. So here goes . . . (and thanks for any help!)

I have an Asus P5W DH-Deluxe mobo.
It has the following fan headers:
1 - "4-pin" fan header - using to control the CPU fan.
4 - "3-pin" fan headers

I have a NORCO rackmount case that has the following fan configuration:
- 2 x 120mm front fans
- 2 x 80 mm top fans
- 2 x 60mm rear fans (optional and not currently installed)

All the fans have the 4-pin molex connectors, and the mobo has the male ATX 3-pin headers. Obviously I would need adapters to connect them.

1. Assuming noise is not a factor, what are your suggestions for an optimal setup?

2. Does the fact that all the fans only have 4-pin molex connectors indicate in any way that I should only be plugging them into the power supply instead of on the mobo headers (using adapters of course)?

3. If I plug all the fans directly into the power supply I assume they will always be powered on, but is there a problem with that? (see question 4)

4. Does the mobo require any fans be connected to it?

5. What are the pros/cons of installing the rear fans (in addition to, or instead of the top fans)? If in addition to the front and top, there would be 6 fans total with only 4 available mobo headers. Any way to split onto one header (is this recommended and if not, then what is recommended way to plug all 6 fans in?)

Thanks for you help.

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5. What are the pros/cons of installing the rear fans (in addition to, or instead of the top fans)? If in addition to the front and top, there would be 6 fans total with only 4 available mobo headers. Any way to split onto one header (is this recommended and if not, then what is recommended way to plug all 6 fans in?)

The best way to have fans Setup, is 2 intake 2 exhaust and if you have one on the side and on the top set the side one to bring air in and the top one to push air out.

As for the fans you can get the splitters and just use the power supply molexes to connect the extra fans as needed. But dont overkill the system.

As for does the motherboard need a fan..no, but your cpu fan has to be plugged into the motherboard's 3 pin header near the cpu.

[slurpy]

5. What are the pros/cons of installing the rear fans (in addition to, or instead of the top fans)? If in addition to the front and top, there would be 6 fans total with only 4 available mobo headers. Any way to split onto one header (is this recommended and if not, then what is recommended way to plug all 6 fans in?)

The best way to have fans Setup, is 2 intake 2 exhaust and if you have one on the side and on the top set the side one to bring air in and the top one to push air out.

As for the fans you can get the splitters and just use the power supply molexes to connect the extra fans as needed. But dont overkill the system.

As for does the motherboard need a fan..no, but your cpu fan has to be plugged into the motherboard's 3 pin header near the cpu.

[SRX660]

All it means that the fans have molex plugs is that the case maker chooses to do them that way.

You have a real overkill here for fans, I personally would hook up JUST one of the front fan's and one of the top fan's. Then i would download a program like speedfan and monitor the temps. You can experment with running different fan'sto see which creates the lowest tempratures in the case and for the CPU. You may have to take some paper tape and block off fans that you are not using so there are no short curcuits between side-by-side fan's. A short circuit would be where one fan pulls air from the fan next to it and not all the way thru the case.

It could be that by using the motherboard plugs you may let the motherboard control the fan speeds. The fans must have 3 wires in the molex plugs for it to work. Here are adapters you can buy to hook them to your motherboard connectors.

http://nexfan03.stor...to4padwirp.html

http://www.directron...adapterkit.html

http://www.xoxide.co...readaptors.html

Now the fans can be plugged straight into the molex connectors coming from the power supply but they probably will be running at full speed all the time which makes for a noisy computer and may be overkill for a NON-overclocked computer. You can also get fan speed controllers to lower fan speeds and noise.

http://www.xoxide.com/fanmate.html

http://www.xoxide.co...ontrollers.html

SRX660