Official GIGABYTE Forum

Questions about GIGABYTE products => Motherboards with AMD processors => Topic started by: Traveller on August 28, 2011, 03:49:44 am

Title: Which type of CPU fan socket can be used with GPA890 motherboard?
Post by: Traveller on August 28, 2011, 03:49:44 am
Hi all.

I notice from the manual that the 890GPA motherboard has a CPU fan header for four pins. Does this mean that I can only attach a CPU fan that uses all four or has a 3 to 4 adapter, or is it possible to just attach a fan that uses 3 pins and just leave one pin out on the header?

I am totally new to controlling a CPU fan, voltage or any of that PWM stuff!

Thanks.
Title: Re: Which type of CPU fan socket can be used with GPA890 motherboard?
Post by: absic on August 28, 2011, 06:58:32 am
Hi there,

you can use a 3 Pin Fan on a 4 Pin header without the need for an adaptor. You should only be able to place it on the header in one position because of the design of the plug and socket.
Title: Re: Which type of CPU fan socket can be used with GPA890 motherboard?
Post by: Traveller on August 28, 2011, 07:01:50 pm
Thanks for the reply absic. Is any kind of functionality reduced by using three pins only? What is the fourth pin for? Also, does the Cool 'n Quiet function of AMD work with this motherboard (rev. 2.1, original BIOS)? Thanks.
Title: Re: Which type of CPU fan socket can be used with GPA890 motherboard?
Post by: TheFiend on August 29, 2011, 10:44:41 am
On Gigabyte mobo's 4-pin headers are for use with PWM fans where the speed of the fan can be controlled by the motherboard. It is also quite possible to use a 3-pin fan and control it's speed by setting the "Smart Fan" control option to voltage in BIOS "PC Health Status".

On one of my systems I have replaced the PWM fan on the CPU cooler with a Noctua 3-pin fan and it runs much quieter.  ;Dl
Title: Re: Which type of CPU fan socket can be used with GPA890 motherboard?
Post by: Grozdan on August 29, 2011, 10:50:08 am
To be sure what is what, the black connector wire is a ground wire so you should start from that. That's the first pin, second is +12V/Speed control, third is sense and fourth is speed control...
Title: Re: Which type of CPU fan socket can be used with GPA890 motherboard?
Post by: Traveller on August 29, 2011, 02:08:41 pm
Thank you TheFiend/Grozdan for that very helpful information. I now understand it A LOT better! Since I do not have a clue about what kind of voltages or speeds are appropriate for which temperatures. I think it would be safer if I let the motherboard automatically control the fan. I have never altered any settings in BIOS before, except turning on/off onboard graphics, setting order of boot devices and maybe some other very simple, obvious settings. I do not do any overclocking or play games but the room temperature, along with the heat produced by the monitor is quite warm. Thanks.
Title: Re: Which type of CPU fan socket can be used with GPA890 motherboard?
Post by: Dark Mantis on August 29, 2011, 02:23:01 pm
Just make sure that you have enough fans in a intake and exhaust configuration in the case along with the ones you are discussing attached to the motherboard. If in doubt try and make sure that the intake and exhaust balance each other out.
Title: Re: Which type of CPU fan socket can be used with GPA890 motherboard?
Post by: Traveller on August 30, 2011, 12:53:48 am
Hi Dark Mantis. The case already has one 120mm fan at the front and one 120mm fan at the back. I have bought another 120mm fan for the front (because that's where space has been provided for an extra fan). Apart from that, there will be a 92mm fan attached to the CPU heatsink, which I think will be facing towards the back of the case. The graphics card (GTX260) will use its own fan. Is that an ok setup? The PSU fits at the bottom of the case, so the heatsink fan should blow more towards the rear case fan and not towards the PSU. Thanks. Oh and the case has foam attached to both side panels to reduce noise, so that probably will increase the heat even further!
Title: Re: Which type of CPU fan socket can be used with GPA890 motherboard?
Post by: Dark Mantis on August 30, 2011, 08:52:37 am
Two 120mm fans are not really enough and it will certainly benefit from the inclusion of the extra 120mm fan at the front. The rest of myour system soiunds like it is set up as best as possible and yes the noise blocker insulation won't help with heat dissipation.
Title: Re: Which type of CPU fan socket can be used with GPA890 motherboard?
Post by: Traveller on August 30, 2011, 02:40:42 pm
Hi Dark Mantis. Sorry I'm a little unclear about your advice, do you mean I should include an extra 120mm fan APART from the second 120mm fan I've bought for the font or are you referring to the one I bought?
Title: Re: Which type of CPU fan socket can be used with GPA890 motherboard?
Post by: Dark Mantis on August 30, 2011, 03:19:34 pm
Sorry if I was unclear there. I just meant that two fans in total were not enough for your case. Adding the third will obviously help but even then it is not exactly overkill is it? A lot depends on the volume of air that the fans can shift but most fans have a maximum of around 45cfm and often are turned down from that maximum setting to keep the noise down. More fans would be better but it can be difficult to find somewhere to install them.
Title: Re: Which type of CPU fan socket can be used with GPA890 motherboard?
Post by: Traveller on August 30, 2011, 09:11:22 pm
Ok, thanks Dark Mantis.
Title: Re: Which type of CPU fan socket can be used with GPA890 motherboard?
Post by: Traveller on September 10, 2011, 08:20:03 pm
Hi. The motherboard only has the following fan sockets - sys fan1, says fan2, cpu fan and pwr fan. If I have three case fans, one of them will have to be powered via the big molex connector. Is there a preference over which fan (rear fan or one of the front two fans) should be connected via the big molex connector? On the subject of fans, I have just realised that my heatsink (Hyper TX3) can only be mounted so that the fan blows towards the top or bottom of the case on my 890GPA motherboard. Isn't it possible to mount it so it blows front to back? If not, which is preferable, toward the top or bottom? My PSU is at the bottom of the case with the rear fan near the top and the two front fans are near the bottom. Thanks.
Title: Re: Which type of CPU fan socket can be used with GPA890 motherboard?
Post by: Dark Mantis on September 10, 2011, 08:24:45 pm
In that case I wouldn't use the SYSFAN_2 as it only runs at half speed. SYSFAN_1 is ok. The large molex connectors are a better idea straight off the PSU I would say to point your CPU fanupwards as hot air tends to follow that path anyway and just try to get thewm al;l to flow from the front in and out of the back as best as possible.
Title: Re: Which type of CPU fan socket can be used with GPA890 motherboard?
Post by: Traveller on September 10, 2011, 08:34:00 pm
Thanks for the quick reply Dark Mantis! Forgot to ask, should the heatsink fan blow air through the heatsink or pull air from it in a one fan setup (not push/pull)? Thanks.
Title: Re: Which type of CPU fan socket can be used with GPA890 motherboard?
Post by: Dark Mantis on September 10, 2011, 08:43:24 pm
Well it would normally draw in fresh cool air from the outside but you can soon check this by holding a sheet of light paper near the fan and you will be able to see if the fan is sucking the paper towards it or not.
Title: Re: Which type of CPU fan socket can be used with GPA890 motherboard?
Post by: Traveller on September 10, 2011, 08:52:50 pm
Ok thanks, my pc will soon be dismantled!
Title: Re: Which type of CPU fan socket can be used with GPA890 motherboard?
Post by: TheFiend on September 13, 2011, 09:43:27 am
I've just built a system for a friend using a TX3 CPU cooler and the cooler can be mounted  horizontally or vertically.

It is best to mount the fan so it blows air through the fins, but it also is possible to attach 2 fans on a TX3 to operate in a push/pull configuration.

I am now considering using a TX3 on my 955BE system with a duct to draw in cooler air..
Title: Re: Which type of CPU fan socket can be used with GPA890 motherboard?
Post by: Traveller on September 13, 2011, 03:13:11 pm
Thanks for your advice TheFiend.

I managed to mount it so that air blows from front to back and through the fins. It's only one fan at the moment.
Title: Re: Which type of CPU fan socket can be used with GPA890 motherboard?
Post by: Dark Mantis on September 13, 2011, 03:25:25 pm
The TX3 cooler is very good especiallly considering the price but it is limited in performance unlesss you have the fan turned right up. I think a push/pull arrangement would be a big step forward for little outlay.
Title: Re: Which type of CPU fan socket can be used with GPA890 motherboard?
Post by: TheFiend on September 14, 2011, 01:21:54 am
The TX3 cooler is very good especiallly considering the price but it is limited in performance unlesss you have the fan turned right up. I think a push/pull arrangement would be a big step forward for little outlay.

Actually I replaced the Coolermaster fan with a Noctua 92mm one, controlled by voltage and was surprised how cool it ran whilst testing it with some BOINC crunching - 100% CPU load on 4 cores for 24 hours.

The lad I built it for is rather fussy about noise and he was well impressed.
Title: Re: Which type of CPU fan socket can be used with GPA890 motherboard?
Post by: Dark Mantis on September 14, 2011, 06:46:22 am
The TX3 cooler is very good especiallly considering the price but it is limited in performance unlesss you have the fan turned right up. I think a push/pull arrangement would be a big step forward for little outlay.

Actually I replaced the Coolermaster fan with a Noctua 92mm one, controlled by voltage and was surprised how cool it ran whilst testing it with some BOINC crunching - 100% CPU load on 4 cores for 24 hours.

The lad I built it for is rather fussy about noise and he was well impressed.

Thanks for that piece of info as it was something I was considering doing but was unsure of the outcome. I did think it would be worth doing. ;)
Title: Re: Which type of CPU fan socket can be used with GPA890 motherboard?
Post by: TheFiend on September 14, 2011, 08:15:20 am
Thanks for that piece of info as it was something I was considering doing but was unsure of the outcome. I did think it would be worth doing. ;)

Glad to be of service.....  ;D

I've tried most makes of fan over the years, but them ones that have impressed me the most on performance/noise are the Noctua's. At one point used Delta Screamers - great for airflow but just too damn noisy!!!!
Title: Re: Which type of CPU fan socket can be used with GPA890 motherboard?
Post by: Dark Mantis on September 14, 2011, 08:20:14 am
I've tried most makes of fan over the years, but them ones that have impressed me the most on performance/noise are the Noctua's. At one point used Delta Screamers - great for airflow but just too damn noisy!!!!

Can't say I am surprised with a name like that....kind of gives a hint doesn't it ?  The Noctua are excellent fans though.
Title: Re: Which type of CPU fan socket can be used with GPA890 motherboard?
Post by: teknology9 on September 14, 2011, 11:34:49 am
Hello All,

I have a Noctua NH-U12 SE and I am very please with it, not only that the support from Noctua is very good and if you want to have the fans in the direction of the rear exhaust case fan they will give you a free upgrade kit to do this here -

http://www.noctua.at/main.php?show=productview&products_id=36&lng=en

Compatibility lists for motherbaords can also be found by clicking the links at the top of the page.

And no.......I dont work for Noctua either!!!

Cheers,

teknology9