Videocard fan thru PSU?

[slim_lim]

I'm wondering if it's possible to adapt the fan on a typical Nvidia card to run off the main PSU not off the card. Anybody done this? What do I need to do?

[Zuck Gou :)]

I just cut off the 3-pin adapter and plugged the wires straight into the molex connector from the PSU.

It's alot safer than going through the vidcard.

[slim_lim]

Sorry I don't think I understand. Could you elaborate? Nvidia cards come with a 2-wire fan and a really small connector, not sure if it's standard. It won't fit in anything that comes out of my PSU, but perhaps there's a converter or I can rewire it?

[M00CH]

yeah just rewire it...

cut the connector off and either wire a molex connector onto it, or what i usually do.( with small fans like that/stockfans) is to remove two of the connectors from the molex of a device i dont use much (second CD-ROM) and wire it in with it, this way i save a connection and it realy dosent hurt the second cd-rom ...

[slim_lim]

OK, I get it. :) But if I mod it the connector into molex it won't help me much. My PSU only has those big 4-pin connectors coming out that are free and one tiny 2-pin female connector (I wonder if I can use that one somehow. It's about the right size but unfortunately female), not sure what it's for. I guess I could get a 3 pin molex-to-4 pin adapter cable...
I wonder if I can connect that nvidia connector to my PSU without cutting it. Is that thing standard? Maybe it's possible to buy/build a converter.

[bdf24]

Just go to Radio Shack and pick up a female molex connecter. Then cutt the wires for the fan on the card. Wire them thru the female molex connecter and plug it into the male molex from your PSU. Then your done. Would'nt take but a few minutes. Unless your worried about voiding the warrenty then it may not be a good idea.

Originally posted by bdf24
Unless your worried about voiding the warrenty then it may not be a good idea.
But where's the fun in that! :)

[slim_lim]

Well, I guess I am worried about voiding the warranty. So it would be best if I can do it in such way that it'll be reversible. I wonder if that connector nvidia cards use are a standard size. Then I'd get the female version of it, plug the fan into it and wire that into my PSU. Guess I'll just have to drop by Radioshack and see what they have.
One problem though: my PSU has no molex connectors coming out of it, only those big 4-pin ones. I guess I could rewire to that. Which 2 of the 4 pins do i use though? I also have one female 2-pin (I'm guessing it's the kind used to feed LEDs) coming out of the PSU. Maybe that one'll be more appropriate?
Sorry for being nitpicky. I'm a n00b to this kind of modding and I want to get it right. :)

[PsycoPhreak]

You should also be sure what the fan's voltage is before connecting to anything other than its factory location...

Most fans on Video cards that I've come across are 5 volts...
Hook one of these up to the 12 volt line and it'll die quick without you possibly even knowing it has (until its to late)..

If its a 12 volt fan, hooking it to the 5 volt line might not give it enough juice to spin up, or it won't push enough air if it does..

just be sure what the fan is rated for before anything else...:D