Do I need to connect the SATA cable to the fan extention card?

[ASAP_Gooby]

Hey guys, ever since I've built my PC (about 2 months ago), I've had problems with my bottom fans for the radiator. They're set in a push/pull configuration. The problem is that one of the 8 fans on the bottom doesn't spin, however I don't think it's a faulty fan because it does turn on if I reconnect the header to the expansion card.

 

I think the problem was that the case's side panel was so close to the already tight connections to the "PCB-8-Way PWM" expansión card that it somehow disconnected the power to that one fan (the fan next to it is just now doing the same thing).

 

Or it may be because I don't have thenough SATA cable (I think it's SATA) plugged into the port on the card:

I think that bottom most port is a SATA, so do I have to connect this to the SATA ports on the mobo so the fans recive sufficient power?

 

I didn't do this on the other card that's only 6-way and it works fine (but it is 6 fans not 8, and 3 of which aren't pwm):

 

So should I plug that one cable in? (Maybe the fans will be quieter too?)

[W-L]

2 minutes ago, ASAP_Gooby said:

Hey guys, ever since I've built my PC (about 2 months ago), I've had problems with my bottom fans for the radiator. They're set in a push/pull configuration. The problem is that one of the 8 fans on the bottom doesn't spin, however I don't think it's a faulty fan because it does turn on if I reconnect the header to the expansion card.

I think the problem was that the case's side panel was so close to the already tight connections to the "PCB-8-Way PWM" expansión card that it somehow disconnected the power to that one fan (the fan next to it is just now doing the same thing).

Or it may be because I don't have thenough SATA cable (I think it's SATA) plugged into the port on the card:

I think that bottom most port is a SATA, so do I have to connect this to the SATA ports on the mobo so the fans recive sufficient power?

I didn't do this on the other card that's only 6-way and it works fine (but it is 6 fans not 8, and 3 of which aren't pwm):

So should I plug that one cable in? (Maybe the fans will be quieter too?)

Since it's a PWM hub you will want to remove the 3 pin fans since they will only run at full speed and you need to plug in the sata power for the fans since that is how the fans will be powered, the 4 pin cable coming in is for a PWM control signal to change the speed of the fans. 

[G27Racer_188]

Yes, you should plug in that SATA as it is for power.

You can damage the header on the motherboard if you have too many fans connected to it.

[ASAP_Gooby]

1 minute ago, G27Racer_188 said:

Yes, you should plug in that SATA as it is for power.

You can damage the header on the motherboard if you have too many fans connected to it.

Oh heck, thanks. I hope I haven't screwed it up yet

[done12many2]

Spoiler

So should I plug that one cable in?

 

Yes, plug in a SATA power cable.  The fans will continue to receive there PWM signal from the motherboard, but the power will come from the SATA power, which is distributed throughout that PWM distribution block.  I use two of those myself and they work great.

[ASAP_Gooby]

2 minutes ago, W-L said:

Since it's a PWM hub you will want to remove the 3 pin fans since they will only run at full speed and you need to plug in the sata power for the fans since that is how the fans will be powered, the 4 pin cable coming in is for a PWM control signal to change the speed of the fans. 

I get that I should remove those 3-pin fans, but do I absolutely have to, or will it damage something if I keep them in? I'm asking because I don't have any place to connect those fans, and I don't have the funds to buy more pwm fans, but I probably will in the long run.

[done12many2]

1 minute ago, ASAP_Gooby said:

I get that I should remove those 3-pin fans, but do I absolutely have to, or will it damage something if I keep them in? I'm asking because I don't have any place to connect those fans, and I don't have the funds to buy more pwm fans, but I probably will in the long run.

 

You can leave them hooked up, but they'll spin at max regardless of any custom fan curves that you set.

[W-L]

Just now, ASAP_Gooby said:

I get that I should remove those 3-pin fans, but do I absolutely have to, or will it damage something if I keep them in? I'm asking because I don't have any place to connect those fans, and I don't have the funds to buy more pwm fans, but I probably will in the long run.

You can keep them in but you will want the sata power cable installed, the only reason I recommend to remove them is they will be running at full speed which usually will be quite loud for most fans.

[ASAP_Gooby]

Thank you all so much! @W-L @done12many2 @G27Racer_188

[ASAP_Gooby]

1 hour ago, done12many2 said:

  Reveal hidden contents

So should I plug that one cable in?

 

Yes, plug in a SATA power cable.  The fans will continue to receive there PWM signal from the motherboard, but the power will come from the SATA power, which is distributed throughout that PWM distribution block.  I use two of those myself and they work great.

So I did connect the SATA cables and it IS running quieter, but the front 2 fans still are not running even if I crank up the fan controllers to 100% (I think 1 or 2 of the pull fans behind these also aren't spinning) Is this a power saving thing, but then again they should all be going at low speeds... maybe it has to do with the speedfan fan controllers I set up... any ideas?

 

I hope the fans aren't broke...

[W-L]

7 minutes ago, ASAP_Gooby said:

-SNIP-

Is your 4 pin input cable coming from the motherboard if so make sure they are setup as PWM based control, also for the fans that aren't spinning are they the 3 pin versions. 

[ASAP_Gooby]

13 minutes ago, W-L said:

Is your 4 pin input cable coming from the motherboard if so make sure they are setup as PWM based control, also for the fans that aren't spinning are they the 3 pin versions. 

 

I'm pretty sure it is set to PWM, the mode is set to manual, any other option either does nothing or makes the fans go to max. and the 3 pin ones are working.

[W-L]

1 minute ago, ASAP_Gooby said:

I'm pretty sure it is set to PWM, the mode is set to manual, any other option either does nothing or makes the fans go to max. and the 3 pin ones are working.

This shouldn't affect anything but unplug the 3 pins are any of the PWM fans running at all? If not then you may need to check the output mode to ensure it's PWM and that the sata is powered they should spin up. 

 

[ASAP_Gooby]

On 12/17/2016 at 7:10 PM, W-L said:

This shouldn't affect anything but unplug the 3 pins are any of the PWM fans running at all? If not then you may need to check the output mode to ensure it's PWM and that the sata is powered they should spin up. 

 

I didn't unplug the 3 pins yet, but when I turned it on one of the front fans actually started up.

 

 

So at least that fan works. I'll unplug those 3 pins when I have time, right now not having every fan work isn't impeding the performance