7V Power Adapter for 4-pin fans... Any Thoughts?

[Udimet720]

I came across this link for a 7V Power Adapter for a 4-pin fan.

Product Link

Of course, they explain how it works and it is really easy to mod almost any four pin adapter to provide 7V instead of 12V. Basically, you just have to switch the position of the lead the fan uses.

Standard leads arangement:

5 G G 12 (incoming voltages/colors on the male adapter)
R B B Y

R B B Y (wire colors on the female adapter)
| |
| |
V V


Modified Leads on the female adapter:

5 G G 12
R B B Y

B Y
| |
| |
V V

By selecting the +12V and +5V leads, you get +7V. Thus, the fan will spin at a lower speed and, therefore, with less noise. Of course, this also lowers the CFM. But, I'm trying to get my computer a little quieter and this might be a good way to amke any old fan a lot quieter while still getting a "decent" flow out of it.

Anyway, I was just wondering if anyone has tried doing this and if it caused any problems.

 

[sohcrates]

I don't know if it's worth buying an adapter specfically for it, it's pretty simple to wire up. Positive fan lead to +12 and negative lead to +5 (instead of ground)

I have a baybus that switches some of my fans between 12 volts and 7 volts...been using it for 2 years now w/out a problem.

It's a good idea for noise reduction

 

[hmagoo]

is there an easy way to just pop the pins out of either the male or female and switch them on a 4 pin connector?

btw, I use the cool connectors that I got with my Silverado HSF. I have 6,10,8,12 three pin connections. They are pairs (the Silverado uses two 3 pin connectors), and I haven't split them up yet because the resisitors are shrinkwrapped together. The 6 volt connectors work great for the retro fit 60mm video card fan that I hang next to the GPU, and the internal 92mm PSU fan on my Enermax.

 

[sohcrates]

well, they DO pop out, but they're never quite the same after that...a little loose....but i usually just use "wire taps" from radio shack to connect the fans and cut off the existing connectors...although, i suppose some people wouldn't want to do that.

 

[mrCide]

wow, what an amazing waste of money..

 

[hmagoo]

by looking at the "Card Cooler XT" at $34, I would think that it may be an even bigger waste of money than this. I didn't look too closely perhaps the Cardcooler.com website was in Canada or something.