On/Off Switches for Fans

[bottlecan]

so i have a few fans that are really loud. i need them for when i render things but when im just doing anything else they really dont need to be on... i was wondering if anyone has ever gotten a couple on off switches from radio shack and spliced the wires of the fans to be able to shut them off. this would be connected to a fan control not to the mobo.

 

and

 

i have a pair of 40mm fans propped up next to the NB heatsink. do guys think that i could splice the wires from both fans together so they occupy only one slot in on the fan control connection?

[sack_patrol]

so i have a few fans that are really loud. i need them for when i render things but when im just doing anything else they really dont need to be on... i was wondering if anyone has ever gotten a couple on off switches from radio shack and spliced the wires of the fans to be able to shut them off. this would be connected to a fan control not to the mobo.

 

and

 

i have a pair of 40mm fans propped up next to the NB heatsink. do guys think that i could splice the wires from both fans together so they occupy only one slot in on the fan control connection?

hey bottlecan, I think you should have no problem putting some switches, although you will have to know how to place them properly but I imagine that it isn't too hard, since I my UV cathodes have a on/off switch on the back of the case and the switch seems very simple and I see zero things that could go wrong with connection a switch to your fans.

 

As for the multiple fans on one switch, also possible. What you need to find though is a switch that has double pins. There will be one set that is for one fan, and another set for the other fan. By no means should you connect the wires on the 2 fans together though...I don't think that that's ever a good idea. Just get a on/off switch with double pins they should be situated like this: : : : : <the top are for one fan and the bottom for another. They may not be 4 though...maybe 3. You'll need to connect the right pins to the right cable so that when you switch it it connects and disconnects meaning you'll have to connect the wires to 2 pins, on next to the other. Third one stays open so that when you switch the switch, it cuts contact.

 

Not sure I explained it very well but it's pretty simple...I think you'll get it.

[Drdeath]

Why not get one of these:

 

http://www.frozencpu.com/products/8998/bus-189/Scythe_Kaze_Q_35_4_Channel_Fan_Controller_-_Black_KQ01-BK-35.html?tl=g47c17s284

[Drdeath]

Or if you only need 1 or 2 try this:

 

 

http://www.endpcnoise.com/cgi-bin/e/std/sku=fanmate2

[bottlecan]

i have one of these but it doesnt turn them off.

 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811999046&cm_re=fan_controller_3.5-_-11-999-046-_-Product

 

i did just run into this....

http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0332416

 

http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0332418

 

SO UGLY but it looks exactly like what i want. and some crappy company is the only one who makes fan switches like this... figures

[sack_patrol]

Oh...your looking for THAT kind of switch lol. Well my idea was a bit low tech but effective non the less.

 

As for your switch not turning on or off the fans, it could be that you didn't connect everything correctly. + all 3 models are identical meaning you have zero guarantee that the other 2 on microcenter will be any different. It IS possible that your unit is simply broken but I doubt it.

[Locutus]

The google-fu is weak with you folks.

 

http://www.iceteks.com/articles.php/fanswitch/1

 

As for the second part, this is how I would use the switch to turn off two fans. Because they are in-line, you can hit one switch and kill both fans (the red/black cables leading away from the molex connectors represent the fans) and you wouldn't have to worry about doing more than one soldering and/or splicing job.

 

Edited May 8, 2010 by Locutus