Can You Connect 3 Pin Fan To 4 Pin Header

So can you hook a 3 pin fan connector to a 4 pin mobo header.

Can you connect 3 pin fan to 4 pin header.

It comes with 4 cables. The noctua s nf a8 flx comes with other cable adaptors that will fit a 3 pin header from to a 4 pin header so it must work. I have a noctua dh14 has 2 fans that are 3 pin and they always run at an unnecessary full speed. I have a 3 pin exhaust fan on the back of the thermaltake chaser.

I know you can buy a molex psu adapter but i would much rather hook it up to the 4 pin mobo if possible. This is a 3 pin and my motherboard nor my psu has any connection for specifically a 3 pin connector. 4 pin fan controllers hand off the pwm signal to the fan itself and these fan controllers supply an uncontrolled a 12vdc. The 4th pin is for adjustment.

The fan will function normally no matter type of fan header is used. 3 pin fans will power up at 4 pin connectors but only at full speed. The new 4 pin to 3 pin fan header restoration connector cable adapter allows for use of a standard 4 pin fan to adapt to a 3 pin motherboard plug in configuration. You can plug 3 pin fans into 4 pin fan headers.

You really only need 2 of the pins for the power. Also you can plug 4 pin fans into 3 pin fan headers as well. Cpu fan header 3 4 pin hi is there any way around the fact that if i connect a 3 pin fan to the cpu fan header and aux cpu fan header the fan runs at full speed and no software or bios settings can alter its state. The image below displaying is the difference between a 4 pin pwm fan connector left and a 3 pin fan connector right installing a 3 pin fan to the motherboard.

With out it the fan will run at 100. This is probably why they are not able to speed control your fan. It allows the motherboard bios os to control the speed of the fan. You can connect a 3 pin fan to a 3 pin or 4 pin header on the motherboard.

Avoid plugging 3 fans into a single fan header. In addition the 4 pin combo molex pass thru power connector and tachometer rpm reporting serves a primary purpose in restoring your computer to its original condition subsequent to.