Fans in to motherboard or PSU?

[jskagg]

Hey guys, I am building my first computer and everything is going fairly well so far. I have a question though, I have an ASUS P5k-e Wifi/ap and a Corsair 520hx power supply and a Coolermaster 690 case. I am installing many fans to keep the case cool (around 5 to 6 total). Is it a good idea to plug them all in to the motherboard since there are enough slots? Or should I plug some in the PSU? Complete specs and fan types are below.


Here are my specs:

Coolermaster 690 case
Q6600 with Coolermaster Hyper TX cooler
Asus P5k-e Wifi/ap
Samsung DVD Burner
Seagate 250gb HD
evga 8800gt
2 yate loon 140mm
1 yate loon 120mm
1 scythe 120mm
2 Coolermaster 120 fans

[Super Nade]

PSU. Daisy chain the fans. Avoid connecting fans and HDD's together though.

[jskagg]

May I ask why it isn't a good idea to use the fan slots on the motherboard?

[burebista]

You should take a look in your MB manual. Somewhere it must be said maximum value (in Amps) which a fan header can support. Then take a look at your fans Amps rated. If it is smaller than in your MB specs you should be fine powering that fan in that MB fan header.

BTW, just for my curiosity, why do you need 2x140 mm fans and 4x120 mm fans for a Quad and a 8800GT?

[Super Nade]

I don't relish the prospect of having the fans fail as a short circuit and shutting down my system while I work.

[jskagg]

My motherboard manual states:

"The fan connectors support cooling fans of 350mA~2000 mA (24 W max) or a total of 1 A-7 A (84 W max.) at +12V."

There are six fan headers (including the CPU fan header).

The 120mm scythe:
irflow: 49 CFM
Noise: 20.1 dBA
Rotation Speed: 1,200 RPM
Connector: 3-Pin (4-Pin adapter included)
Bearing Type: Fluid Dynamic Bearing
Current Draw: 0.15 A

The 120 mm Yate Loon:
Model: D12SL-12
- Dimensions:120x120x25mm
- Rated Voltage: 12 Volts
- Operation Voltage: 6.5~13.8 Volts
- Input current: 0.30 Amp Max
- Operation temperature: -10 to +65 C
- Storage temperature: -40 to +70 C
- RPM: 1350 +/- 10%
- CFM: 47
- dBA: 28

The 2 140mm Yate Loons
# Model: D14SL-12
# Air Flow: 62 CFM
# Fan Speed: 1400 RPM
# Noise Level: 29 dBA
# Power: 2.0 watt
# Fan Size: 140x140x25 MM
# Connector: Includes a 3-pin motherboard power, RPM connector and a 4-pin standard power connector

I don't know what the specs are on the stock coolermasters that came with the case.

I figured that the extra fans won't add that much noise but will cool the fan very nicely. The case easily supports it. So should I plug them in to the mobo or psu? I am thinking a combo of both right now.

[spursindonesia]

Based on my experience, i've used up to 0.50 A fan and powered them through MoBo connector, and no problem. But IMHO, you should only connect fans to the MoBo if you want to control its RPM through MoBo fan speed control or monitor it on the MoBo utility software. If not, you should plug them through the molex connector as said above.

Actually, rightnow i only use 1 fan that is powered through MoBo connector, i use it to cool the northbridge heatsink (stock), using Delta AFB0612HH 0.30 A 4000 RPM -and the MoBo controls its RPM nicely, depending on the chipset temp.

OTOH, you can always connect the RPM sense of fan 3 pins connector -ofcourse you have to mod it before a bit by disconnecting the +12v & ground cable from that connector, and reconnecting it through molex 4 pin connector. That way, you get the RPM reading while power the fan through the molex cable.