Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 16

Thread: New power supply, no system fan connector

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Nakhorn Sawan, Thailand
    Beans
    226
    Distro
    Ubuntu 12.04 Precise Pangolin

    New power supply, no system fan connector

    I was surprised not to find this question addressed before. I want to upgrade my graphics card, so I was warned that I would need a better power supply. I have an old Acer Aspire M1610, which has a 250W PSU, I intended to buy a cheap 450@, but the salesman persuaded me I needed better than that, so I got a Raidmax RX-630SS. When I started to remove the old power supply I gound a 3-pin connector to what is labeled "system fan" on the motherboard. There is no similar connector among the cables for the new PSU. Should I take i back to the store and get a different PSU?

    In addition, the old connector is very hard to remove. Many years ago when I was dealing with hardwar maintenance more often the connector came off easily -- there's no lever to press to release. I'm working with an Acer F672CR motherboard here, and the Service Guide doesn't show anything. Should I just keep pulling harder?
    Last edited by Acharn; March 5th, 2013 at 02:28 PM.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Beans
    14,783

    Re: New power supply, no system fan connector

    The PSU has its own internal fan controller.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Beans
    Hidden!
    Distro
    Ubuntu 22.04 Jammy Jellyfish

    Re: New power supply, no system fan connector

    RAIDMAX PSUs are the bottom of the barrel. You'd be better off getting something else.

    The system fan connector on the motherboard should be going to a case fan.

    The power supply should have been plugged into two places on the motherboard - a P4 (or P8, maybe) connector with 4 or 8 pins and an ATX connector with 20 or 24 pins.

    Specs are here:
    http://support.acer.com/acerpanam/de...M1610sp2.shtml
    Last edited by CharlesA; February 17th, 2013 at 05:46 AM.
    Come to #ubuntuforums! We have cookies! | Basic Ubuntu Security Guide

    Tomorrow's an illusion and yesterday's a dream, today is a solution...

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    SW Forida
    Beans
    Hidden!
    Distro
    Kubuntu

    Re: New power supply, no system fan connector

    I thought it was one of the cables that plugged into another connector and branched off with the smaller fan connector and another for hard drive or something else.

    But last time I had a power supply cable with the 3 pin connector and I need 4 as that gives variable speed or something worthwhile. Fan control is different than all the other connectors.
    UEFI boot install & repair info - Regularly Updated :
    https://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2147295
    Please use Thread Tools above first post to change to [Solved] when/if answered completely.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Beans
    Hidden!
    Distro
    Ubuntu 22.04 Jammy Jellyfish

    Re: New power supply, no system fan connector

    Quote Originally Posted by oldfred View Post
    I thought it was one of the cables that plugged into another connector and branched off with the smaller fan connector and another for hard drive or something else.
    Probably one of these:
    http://www.amazon.com/Fan-4-Wire-Mol.../dp/B000BSN5TE


    But last time I had a power supply cable with the 3 pin connector and I need 4 as that gives variable speed or something worthwhile. Fan control is different than all the other connectors.
    The only fan i've seen use a 4 pin connector is the CPU fan. All other ones I've seen use 3 pins - one for power, one for ground and one for the speed - via PWM usually.
    Come to #ubuntuforums! We have cookies! | Basic Ubuntu Security Guide

    Tomorrow's an illusion and yesterday's a dream, today is a solution...

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Beans
    2,047

    Re: New power supply, no system fan connector

    ~
    Last edited by ahallubuntu; June 27th, 2013 at 09:46 PM.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Nakhorn Sawan, Thailand
    Beans
    226
    Distro
    Ubuntu 12.04 Precise Pangolin

    Re: New power supply, no system fan connector

    Quote Originally Posted by Temüjin View Post
    The PSU has its own internal fan controller.
    Yes, That's not the problem. According to the Service Manual for the motherboard there's a fan mounted at the back of the case that they call the "System Fan". That fan connects to a point on the motherboard between the CPU and the rear of the case. Just behind the HDD, on the motherboard, is a point with three pins that the Service Manual says,

    Code:
    8. Connect the System Fan power connector to the MB connector.
    I used to do maintenance on a bunch of PCs for a school, and some of them had this feature, most did not. Usually when we bought new power supplies they did not have this "System Fan power connector" and I used to just ignore them, never had a heating problem but we're talking ten years ago and more.
    Last edited by Acharn; February 17th, 2013 at 10:55 AM.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Beans
    14,783

    Re: New power supply, no system fan connector

    Oh... well you would need to plug a fan there (probably not the PSU). So just to confirm, your CPU does have its own fan and own fan connector, correct?

    Did your old PSU have an external 3-pin fan connector? If so, how many wires were going to it? My last PSU had that connector, but it was only a 2-wire affair for the purpose of monitoring the PSU fan's RPM and making sure it was still kicking.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Nakhorn Sawan, Thailand
    Beans
    226
    Distro
    Ubuntu 12.04 Precise Pangolin

    Re: New power supply, no system fan connector

    Quote Originally Posted by ahallubuntu View Post
    On older motherboards without system fan connectors (not "CPU fan"), the case fan could be hard wired to the power supply with an adapter. But if you did so, it would always run at 100% speed and could not be monitored or controlled by the motherboard.

    If your old PSU truly has a hard wire connector (not an adapter) to connect to a case fan, you could buy an adapter to do the same thing using one of the 4-pin old-style molex connectors and plug the adapter in there. But if for some reason the motherboard really does have a sysfan connector and it was just overlooked before, try to use that instead.
    OK, I think this may be the solution. I need to find out what voltage that System Fan power connector is carrying.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Beans
    14,783

    Re: New power supply, no system fan connector

    I think you're making it too difficult. As long as your CPU has its own fan/connector, you don't need to plug anything into that fan connector.

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •