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I ordered 3 chassis fans for my PC but I have only 2 connector pins left on my motherboard, so I was looking at a female to male Y splitter for the connector when I found this in the box:
What is the purpose of the cable in the first image?
Gerwin
Posted 2016-05-12T13:32:03.283
Reputation: 181
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It’s for powering the fan using the classic Molex power connector. So as not to reduce the amount of available power connectors, it offers a pass-through connector.
This is also what you’re looking for because you may overload your motherboard’s fan controller otherwise.
Daniel B
Posted 2016-05-12T13:32:03.283
Reputation: 40 502
I've updated my post, would I need the special connector, I don't think I do – Gerwin – 2016-05-12T13:44:50.397
? No? If, like you said, you don’t have enough free fan connectors, one fan needs to get its power elsewhere. Connecting two fans to the same fan controller channel can destroy the fan controller. – Daniel B – 2016-05-12T14:05:32.587
1Just note, you loose the ability to adjust fan RPM's if you use the big 4 pin Molex connector. The motherboard connectors usually are PWM, so they can adjust the fan speed on demand (usually temperature based). – SnakeDoc – 2016-05-12T15:49:20.083
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This is a molex power connector. You can connect a molex power cable from your Power Supply Unit to this to power the fan.
If your PSU does not have molex connectors (quite possible since many modern PSUs only have Sata Power connectors) then you might just be able to power the fan using the motherboard connector. If not you can get a Sata Power to Molex convertor very cheaply on Amazon.
So, if your PSU uses Molex power cables then use this to power the fan. If not then you can choose between getting a Sata Power to Molex convertor cable OR a female to male Y splitter as you suggest in your original post.
Matthew
Posted 2016-05-12T13:32:03.283
Reputation: 972
I'll edit my post to show the connectors on my motherboard 1 moment please – Gerwin – 2016-05-12T13:42:18.040
would I need the other connector? – Gerwin – 2016-05-12T13:50:45.437
If you have 3 fans and you want to run them off of 2 motherboard connector pins then you will need to get a splitter as you suggest in your original question. If you have Molex PSU cables then you could avoid this by using the connector you show in the original question. So, you do not NECESSARILY need the other connector. Does this answer your query? – Matthew – 2016-05-12T14:00:44.217
The connector on the photo is not a molex connector, as answerers say. It's AMP MATE-N-LOK connector, it is not compatible with molex. See more details.
– Egor Skriptunoff – 2016-05-12T16:40:10.2801@EgorSkriptunoff It's a molex; the image that you're referring to is incorrect. – AStopher – 2016-05-12T17:46:41.670
@cybermonkey - More correct name for these connectors is TH-4M / TH-4F. In country where I live (Russia) such connectors are never called molex. Taiwan suppliers don't call them molex too. – Egor Skriptunoff – 2016-05-12T20:06:38.773
2@EgorSkriptunoff That image you found is incorrect; the connector is a molex connector. It's an industry standard connector which is somewhat legacy now. – AStopher – 2016-05-12T20:21:12.810
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@EgorSkriptunoff In the country where I live they are called Molex, and was pioneered by the Molex Connector Company....https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molex_connector
– Moab – 2016-05-12T20:41:30.857@cybermonkey - Molex produces tons of types of connectors. When ordering a connector, you should provide its full type name, for example "Molex 76825-0008". You will not be understood saying "Give me the molex connector" :-) But probably somewhere people that are far from being an engineer are calling every plastic connector "molex"? – Egor Skriptunoff – 2016-05-12T22:04:08.357
1@EgorSkriptunoff I'm not entirely familiar with the history behind it, but at some point people started referring to that and only that connector as molex. While it may not be it's official name, it is encountered under that name in many places and even catalogi. – None – 2016-05-13T00:16:39.677