Member Avatar for v8smurf

hey i have recently built/upgraded a dell dimension from parts from my older computers and some new products when it broke down. but the heat sink on the porcesser gets a bit warm for my liking i was wandering could i solder a new fan in a circuit type arangement off of the original case fans plug i.e run two fans from one socket?? they are 90mm 12v case fans

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Quick practical notes and safety tips that extend the replies from and the confirmation from .

Before adding a second fan to any motherboard header, check the actual current draw for each fan (the sticker or spec sheet will list mA or A). Typical 80–120 mm case fans are usually around 0.1–0.3 A, but some high-performance fans draw more. Compare the summed current to the fan-header rating in the motherboard manual — if the total is higher than the header allows, use a powered solution instead.

If you want safe, reliable wiring, prefer a purpose-made Y-splitter or a Molex-to-fan adapter rather than soldering wires straight onto a header. Proper connectors give strain relief and make troubleshooting easier. Note these practical points:

  • If both fans share one three-pin header, they will be driven by the same voltage and the motherboard may only report a single tach/RPM or get confused by combined tach pulses.
  • Powering fans directly from a PSU Molex/SATA power lead will supply constant 12 V (full speed); to control speed later, use an inline voltage controller, a PWM-capable powered hub, or a motherboard-fed powered hub that passes PWM/tach signals.
  • If you must splice or solder wires, do it at the connector with insulated joints and heat-shrink tubing; never leave exposed solder on wiring inside the case.

For wiring conventions and pinouts see general fan documentation (for example, Computer fan). If quiet operation is a goal, consider lower-RPM fans, a fan controller, or a powered hub so the motherboard is not overloaded and each fan can be managed safely.

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Member Avatar for tbone2sk

Yes you can run two fans off of the 3 pin connector. You can also connect them into the the power supply cables which run at 12v too, but then they will be running at full speed because of the constant 12v.

Member Avatar for v8smurf

hey thanks got it working off the psu cheres for y'help

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