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I have a ASRock Extreme4 motherboard and would like to add one or two extra fans to my current rig (Carbide Air 740).

But I do not know where to plug in the fan, and I'd rather not unlpug another fan to trade ; I'm already using all the chassis slot (3 or 4 of them) & CPU slot obviously.

I've read I can buy "fan connectors", but I do not know the answer to these questions :

  • Can I use such a device with my motherboard?
  • If so, where do I plug it ? Simply on one of the fan connectors and it serves as a "hub" ?
  • If so, can you recommend an actual fan connector? I don't need much control, fan will probably run at near high speed at all times.

Current situation : I'm trying to cool down the HDD rack that is running extremely hot (all disks are above 70 degrees celsius), and what I'm gonna do is add an extra fan behind those disks, pushing hot air outside the case. Btw if you do happen to have a better solution for that specific issue that is also great.

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  • I would recommend researching fan controllers and how they work so you can define your requirements. Come back with your list and concerns and we can help you find the one that fits your needs.
    – Cfinley
    Commented Jun 1, 2018 at 17:53

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I wouldn't use a PWM fan (plugs into motherboard) for this. You're cooling HDDs and the thermostats on the motherboard won't be very good at detecting HDD temps, so you'll probably want the fan to run at maximum speed. Instead, get fans that use your Power Supply Unit's molex connectors (the four-pin connectors that jiggle in their plug if you move the wires). This pulls the motherboard completely out of the equation. If your PSU is modular, one of the module cables should have these plugs on it. Otherwise, they will be part of the wire bundle that has the other cables, or you can use a SATA -> 4-pin power adapter (about 3 bucks on Amazon).

As for physical mounting, you'll want to mount to the front, back, or sides of the HDD. If there is a fan already directly in front of the HDD pulling air in, then a second fan won't help much unless the case is particularly large. If not, that's where I'd put the fan, and have it blow across the drives and into the airflow that drags air out of the top and back of the case.

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