Bought Case fans with the wrong type of pins

[Pantextual]

I bought two Corsair NR120L fans for my first build and it was only after it arrived that I found out it has a 2-pin molex. I use a Asus B550-A motherboard which has 4-pin fan headers. Is there any way I can use these fans or do I need to get new 4-pins fans?

[filpo]

5 minutes ago, Pantextual said:

2-pin molex. I use a Asus B550-A motherboard which has 4-pin fan headers. Is there any way I can use these fans or do I need to get new 4-pins fans?

no they are powered by molex connectors by your psu. Just find those cables from the psu to the fans and you'll be all set (you should have molex cables in the box if its modular, if its not it should be on the end of the psu)

[Cazmorior]

8 minutes ago, Pantextual said:

I bought two Corsair NR120L fans for my first build and it was only after it arrived that I found out it has a 2-pin molex. I use a Asus B550-A motherboard which has 4-pin fan headers. Is there any way I can use these fans or do I need to get new 4-pins fans?

Yes there is a possibility, just search 2pin Molex to 4pin. I don’t know if you have all the abilities, but it exists.

A link I got:

https://www.reichelt.de/power-molex-2-pin-st-3-pin-bu-luefter-30-cm-delock-83659-p163105.html?PROVID=2788&gclid=Cj0KCQjw_r6hBhDdARIsAMIDhV_5dn0U02DJlCCMFEGNfOaID1ckjx7ZgMy60qXI_Gkryz32ntCaMK4aAi7ZEALw_wcB&&r=1

I think @filpoknows better…

[IkeaGnome]

I'd return them. The NR120L should have a 4 pin connector, not a 2 pin connector. 

The only place I can find them with a 2 pin connector is an Aliexpress listing. 

You could find and make adapters to make them work, but it's probably more of a pain than it's worth. 

[Pantextual]

4 minutes ago, filpo said:

no they are powered by molex connectors by your psu. Just find those cables from the psu to the fans and you'll be all set (you should have molex cables in the box if its modular, if its not it should be on the end of the psu)

I'm sorry, It's my first build and I'm  starting to realize no matter how many YT vids I watch about PC Building, there's still a lot I don't know yet lol. I attached pics of the cables I haven't used yet,The ones I've used yet are the CPU, Motherboard, PCIE and sata cables. I'm using a Be quiet! PURE POWER 11 FM 650 PSU btw.

[Gorgon]

16 minutes ago, Pantextual said:

That connector looks like the connector inside a power supply for it's cooling fan so these are likely replacement Corsair Power Supply fans.

[Pantextual]

3 minutes ago, IkeaGnome said:

The only place I can find them with a 2 pin connector is an Aliexpress listing.

Yeah, that's where I got it from.

[Gorgon]

2 minutes ago, Pantextual said:

Those are molex connectors.

[filpo]

5 minutes ago, Gorgon said:

Those are molex connectors.

 

5 minutes ago, Pantextual said:

Yeah, that's where I got it from.

you know you can use 4 pin molex connectors right? The other two pins just won't be used

[Gorgon]

Yup - here's a image of the fan connector inside a CX750m Power Supply.

 

So bottom line is that these are likely 12V only fans and are missing the tachometer and Pulse-Width Modulation pins on the cables so while they could be adapted to a 3 or 4-pin connector it would require finding the right adapter or finding donor cables from old fans and doing some soldering.

 

Likely better to just buy some new fan with proper 3-pin or 4-pin connectors

[Pantextual]

28 minutes ago, Gorgon said:

So bottom line is that these are likely 12V only fans and are missing the tachometer and Pulse-Width Modulation pins on the cables so while they could be adapted to a 3 or 4-pin connector it would require finding the right adapter or finding donor cables from old fans and doing some soldering.

So I guess that means I can't use the fans as is without changing the pins then?

[Pantextual]

35 minutes ago, filpo said:

you know you can use 4 pin molex connectors right? The other two pins just won't be used

How do I go about doing that?

[filpo]

3 minutes ago, Pantextual said:

How do I go about doing that?

just plug the fan connector molex into the psu molex

[Gorgon]

9 minutes ago, filpo said:

just plug the fan connector molex into the psu molex

The fan in question likely did not come with a 2-pin to Molex adapter cable as it is not a case fan but a replacement fan for a Corsair power supply. The big hint, aside from the connector, is the clear plastic tubing surrounding the cable as this is what you see inside Corsair Power Supplies on their fan cables, likely to prevent the cables getting melted by heat sinks.

[IkeaGnome]

14 minutes ago, filpo said:

just plug the fan connector molex into the psu molex

That won't just plug in. That isn't a 2 pin molex connector. The pins in a molex connector are almost the size of that entire 2 pin connector on the fan. 

OP would need this, but it's the cost of the fan, so probably isn't worth it.

https://www.moddiy.com/products/4-Pin-Molex-Connector-Male-to-2-Pin-GPU-Mini-Fan-Connector-Male-2.5mm.html

[Gorgon]

19 minutes ago, Pantextual said:

So I guess that means I can't use the fans as is without changing the pins then?

Correct. The existing connector either needs to be replaced with the proper connector to mate with the motherboard fan header (and wired correctly) or a two-pin power supply fan header to 3-pin or 4-pin motherboard fan header (or 4-pin molex plug) adapter needs to be found.

[Pantextual]

2 minutes ago, IkeaGnome said:

That won't just plug in. That isn't a 2 pin molex connector. The pins in a molex connector are almost the size of that entire 2 pin connector on the fan. 

OP would need this, but it's the cost of the fan, so probably isn't worth it.

https://www.moddiy.com/products/4-Pin-Molex-Connector-Male-to-2-Pin-GPU-Mini-Fan-Connector-Male-2.5mm.html

The 2 pin in that link is a male connector. The connector on my fan is also a male 2-pin, I don't think that's the one for me

[Pantextual]

10 minutes ago, Gorgon said:

Correct. The existing connector either needs to be replaced with the proper connector to mate with the motherboard fan header (and wired correctly) or a two-pin power supply fan header to 3-pin or 4-pin motherboard fan header (or 4-pin molex plug) adapter needs to be found.

Guess I'll buy some new fans then. sucks that I wasted money on these ones. If you have any recommendations for some decent fans, I'll appreciate it.

[IkeaGnome]

13 minutes ago, Pantextual said:

The 2 pin in that link is a male connector. The connector on my fan is also a male 2-pin, I don't think that's the one for me

That's what you get with pictures that don't match descriptions. Good catch.

Leaving this here in case anyone later on sees it. female 2 pin mini GPU fan connector to male 3 pin motherboard fan header.

https://www.moddiy.com/products/Mini-2%2dPin-GPU-to-3%2dPin-Fan-Adapter.html

[Gorgon]

7 hours ago, Pantextual said:

Guess I'll buy some new fans then. sucks that I wasted money on these ones. If you have any recommendations for some decent fans, I'll appreciate it.

Depends on your case and other components. Noctua NF-A12 are good as are Corsair ML-120s but they I tend to buy more expensive fans so others who buy less expensive fans might have suggestions for inexpensive 120mm case fans.