Using a 4-pin "Y" splitter for 2 fans vs separate headers

[MoonC A T]

Does using a 4-pin fan splitter degrade fan performance at all, assuming the headers are both case fan headers? One of the headers is in a very awkward place so instead of using the separate headers I'd like to use a splitter off the other header.

Thanks.

[Washell]

Check the wattage of both fans and the wattage the fan header can provide. If the fans combined are less or equal than the header can provide, you're fine.

They're certainly not going to run at half speed due to the splitter.

[Supafly]

No, provided your not trying to draw more than the header can supply.

Usually you can put 2 fans into a splitter to a motherboard header just fine. Though check the wattage as larger and more powerful fans could surpass what the header can provide. If I remember right most motherboard fan headers supply 1A. Honestly can't ever remember it being different. Just checked my motherboard manual and that's what mine says.

Using my fans as examples the Safety current (A) is the important part. As you can see you should be fine using 2 in any combination. Highest is 2x140mm which is 1A the max my motherboard supplies to a header.

120mm BeQuiet Silent wings 3 high speed
Electrical specifications
Rated Voltage DC (V) 12
Operating Voltage DC (V) 5 - 13.2
Current consumption (A) 0.16
Safety current (A) 0.37
Input power (W) 1.92

140mm BeQuiet Silent wings 3 high speed
Electrical specifications
Rated Voltage DC (V) 12
Operating Voltage DC (V) 5 - 13.2
Current consumption (A) 0.14
Safety current (A) 0.5
Input power (W) 1.68

[MoonC A T]

Originally posted by Washell:

Check the wattage of both fans and the wattage the fan header can provide. If the fans combined are less or equal than the header can provide, you're fine.

They're certainly not going to run at half speed due to the splitter.

Originally posted by Supafly:

No, provided your not trying to draw more than the header can supply.

Usually you can put 2 fans into a splitter to a motherboard header just fine. Though check the wattage as larger and more powerful fans could surpass what the header can provide. If I remember right most motherboard fan headers supply 1A. Honestly can't ever remember it being different. Just checked my motherboard manual and that's what mine says.

Using my fans as examples the Safety current (A) is the important part. As you can see you should be fine using 2 in any combination. Highest is 2x140mm which is 1A the max my motherboard supplies to a header.

120mm BeQuiet Silent wings 3 high speed
Electrical specifications
Rated Voltage DC (V) 12
Operating Voltage DC (V) 5 - 13.2
Current consumption (A) 0.16
Safety current (A) 0.37
Input power (W) 1.92

140mm BeQuiet Silent wings 3 high speed
Electrical specifications
Rated Voltage DC (V) 12
Operating Voltage DC (V) 5 - 13.2
Current consumption (A) 0.14
Safety current (A) 0.5
Input power (W) 1.68

Thank you.

MB Header is 1A and fans are Noctua NF-F12 Chromax with a peak draw of only 0.05A each.

Looks like one of the headers supports 2A...

CPU fan ~ 1A
Chassis Fan ~ 1A
Chassis Fan/Water Pump ~ 2A

[Supafly]

Yeah so you're fine for 2 fans per header then

Originally posted by ᴹᴼᴼᴺC A T:

Looks like one of the headers supports 2A...

CPU fan ~ 1A
Chassis Fan ~ 1A
Chassis Fan/Water Pump ~ 2A

Yeah thats the one to plug a water pump into. Cane use fans but if you have a watter coolor that the header to use as the other 1A headers likely won't supply enough juice to the pump of a larger system.

[_I_]

4pin wpm splitter will only report back the sense rpm from one of the fans
if both fans are pwm the pwm signal will control both fans

do not put wc pump on a fan header, unless its labeled as pump
use a sata or molex power adapter for a pump to keep it at full speed all of the time

[MoonC A T]

Thanks all. I ended up buying 2 separate fan extensions vs a Y splitter.