Someone willing to explain Fanbus?

[IFMU]

Ok, I have done some searching, and I can see that it has been explained some. Ive even looked at cliffs page to see if I could find a DIY on there but havent had any luck.
Now what I need is the actual layout of how to make a fanbus. Nothing exciting, just the connection for about 6 fans. No LED's, no switches, no adjustables. Just a simple connection for 6 fans. From what Ive seen so far, all I need to do is basiclly run all of the fans to a central locale and that plugs into a molex for power. Now as a note, I am horrible at terms, names etc.... So could I get a link? or a generic pic to show me? I THINK I know how it is supposed to go, but Im not positive and I do not want to risk it and just try it. I would like to have an idea as to how close to right I am..... now... anyone?

 

[stool]

Usually, at cliff's you can find pics and schematics in the Gallery and the Lab.

Most people use these , placed in a project box. All red terminals are wired together, same with black. I use European barrier strip to junction all the wires together, then hook them to a 12v molex.

A neater solution is to use one of these , wire all the red wires to the center terminal, black to the outside, then use these hooked up to the fans with the same orientation, to easily plug and unplug the fans. You can either solder or heatshrink wrap the connectors

 

[IFMU]

bu duh huh?

Ok I kinda follow what you mean, but not completely...

How are the wires hooked up? do you set up the 12v, and ground to run from the molex to run through all fans? so they all connect to one molex connection? or? Sorry, but Im horrible at this... well ok Im kinda new as well.. lol.... mind explaining a little more?

 

[customrig]

You take the 12v line of each terminal or whatever you are using and solder all those together. Then you do the same with the ground. Now you have a bunch of red wires soldered together and a bunch of black wires. From each of those bunches solder another corresponding wire outside the project box or what ever your housing this thing in. Then you feed the two lines into a molex or what ever you are using to power it. It quite simple once you get the hang of it. Just basic soldering is all. Good luck.

 

[IFMU]

Ok, I think I follow. Heres a pic I threw together to show what Im thinking your meaning. Is this right?

 

[Iron Hawk]

yep, looks good to me

 

[customrig]

pretty sweet have fin with ur fanbus

 

[IFMU]

Ok so this will work.. excellent... Now to start working on how to set it up in the case hell the easy part - lol

 

[IFMU]

Ok, next step here actually... LoL... How do you set that up with a speed adjuster? Baybus? I think its called? How do you set the power up in that?

 

[stool]

Place a rheostat between the power(your new fanbus) and the fan. I use the ground, but you can use either. Put 1 lead from the fanbus on the center pole on the rheostat, and run a lead from either of the other two poles to your fan. Doesn't need any independent power.

 

[IFMU]

Place a rheostat between the power(your new fanbus) and the fan. I use the ground, but you can use either. Put 1 lead from the fanbus on the center pole on the rheostat, and run a lead from either of the other two poles to your fan. Doesn't need any independent power.

Ok, well that made no sense to me what-so-ever! LoL

Anyways... Im not sure if this is on OC anywhere, so I thought Id write up a small DIY guide in here. And if anyones (Admin/Mods) are interested, they could post it in the tips area. So the next few posts will be going over the CHEAP making of a homemade fanbus. So in turn, if anyone wants to know in the future... here yea goes

 

[stool]

Just for a visual, check out here

 

[IFMU]

Kewl and thanks, Ill keep that around for my next rig...

 

[IFMU]

Actually just thought of something. Im wanting to set up my rad fans to go off of this fanbus. However they have a motherboard header connection, with the speed reader in the middle. Its a 3 wire setup. How do I wire this into the fanbus as it stands? Im not worried about reading the rpm of the fans.... do I just dead end the middle wire? and hook up the other two to the yellow and black?

 

[FireMogle]

For my fanbus I use RCA jacks, I find them a little more compact and neat than the speaker wire I have heard of, same concept only a little smaller. For the fans with 3 wires, not connecting the middle(speed wire) should do the trick, however I would like to use the RPM sensor, so If it were me I would use somthing like stereo mini-jacks or somthing like that, and preserve the RPM sensor.

 

[stool]

Actually just thought of something. Im wanting to set up my rad fans to go off of this fanbus. However they have a motherboard header connection, with the speed reader in the middle. Its a 3 wire setup. How do I wire this into the fanbus as it stands? Im not worried about reading the rpm of the fans.... do I just dead end the middle wire? and hook up the other two to the yellow and black?

I usually deadend the RPM sensors. Don't assume the middle is the RPM sensor, usually it is on one end.

FireMogle, that's just what I suggested above. Pretty neat and easy setup.

 

[IFMU]

How do you know which is the rpm sensor?

 

[stool]

Most of the fans I have w/RPM sensors have red/black/white, or red/black/blue, with white or blue being the fan sensor. Some are yellow/ red/black, with yellow being the sensor. Almost all seem to have the RPM sensor to the left on the flat side of the connector. When I cut off the connectors I try the wires out in the 12V rail to see what I need to hook up.

 

[IFMU]

Ok guys, thanks for all the help!~! I figured it out and made one!~! hehehe (sorry, Im proud of myself!~! )

Well I decided to post a couple of pics up for you so you could see how it looks and give me any pointers as to how it couls have been done better, or whatever!~!

An inside shot of the wiring. I have them straight across, all positive is in the center, and all neg/groung is the outside. Look ok?

An outside shot of how it looks together.

sorry for the bad pics again, but all I got is a webcam. comments?

 

[IFMU]

oh, one more thing. Im kinda curious, how well would it work if I was to hook up my black lights and sound light to this? Would that pull to much juice? or would it be ok?

Thanks again for all the help guys n gals!~! Greatly appreciated!~!