Heatsink and Motherboard confusion

[Omicron]

I am trying to connect a Zalman Heatsink/Fan model CNPS9500 to my ASUS
Motherobard model P5NSLI.
My confusion is the following:
The heatsink has a 3-pin female connector on the end which is suppose
to be connected to the CPU Fan power connector on the motherboard.
However, this motherboard connector is a 4-pin male connection.
How do I make the 3-pin female from the heatsink mate with the 4-pin
male on the motherboard?
Now, ASUS states in their manual that they use something they call Q-
Fan features which, if I understand correctly is designed to self-
regulate the fan speed. That may very well be what the "extra" fourth
pin is on the MB.
This heatsink also comes with something Zalman calls a "Fanmate 2"
which is a physical controller for regulating the fan speed on the
heatsink.
Now, I don't care if I use the Fanmate or allow the ASUS board to do
the work, but regardless of what I do, BOTH the Fanmate and the
Heatsik/Fan itself both terminate with a 3-pin male connection.
Therefore, I do not know how to mate either of these methods with the
4-pin male power source coming off the MB. Can anyone help please?
Thank you.

 

[Paul]

I am trying to connect a Zalman Heatsink/Fan model CNPS9500 to my ASUS
Motherobard model P5NSLI.
My confusion is the following:
The heatsink has a 3-pin female connector on the end which is suppose
to be connected to the CPU Fan power connector on the motherboard.
However, this motherboard connector is a 4-pin male connection.
How do I make the 3-pin female from the heatsink mate with the 4-pin
male on the motherboard?
Now, ASUS states in their manual that they use something they call Q-
Fan features which, if I understand correctly is designed to self-
regulate the fan speed. That may very well be what the "extra" fourth
pin is on the MB.
This heatsink also comes with something Zalman calls a "Fanmate 2"
which is a physical controller for regulating the fan speed on the
heatsink.
Now, I don't care if I use the Fanmate or allow the ASUS board to do
the work, but regardless of what I do, BOTH the Fanmate and the
Heatsik/Fan itself both terminate with a 3-pin male connection.
Therefore, I do not know how to mate either of these methods with the
4-pin male power source coming off the MB. Can anyone help please?
Thank you.

In the Asus user manual, there is a picture of the CPU fan header:

| GND
| CPU_FAN_PWR
| CPU_FAN_IN
CPU_FAN_PWM

The pipe symbol corresponds to the keying plastic. The keying
appears to be designed to mate with a three pin connector. In
any case, you want your Zalman three pin plug, to mate with
the top three pins. GND should be a black wire on the cable
assembly, which may help you mate it the right way around.
But the plastic key also helps a lot - if you install the wrong
way, the insertion force will be quite high. Installed the right
way round, the plug should slide into place easily.

You should do this with the power off. Don't try to plug in
such a power cable while the computer is running. Note the
orientation of the picture in the manual, and you should find
a "U shaped" groove on the Zalman connector, mates with the
plastic key on the fan header.

The Zalman 9700NT has a four pin plug on its fan. That is
intended to cooperate with the CPU_FAN_PWM pin.

http://www.zalman.co.kr/Upload/product/9700NT_eng.PDF

If you are using a three pin fan, and want motherboard control,
the motherboard has to have an option to switch from using
the PWM pin, to modulating the CPU_FAN_PWR pin. Some of the
latest motherboards use the PWM pin only, so connecting a
three pin fan will run at full speed. In that case, the
Zalman FanMate can be used to set the fan to a quieter level.

(Since I don't see an option in the manual for the BIOS to switch
to analog control via the fan 12V supply pin, you are stuck with
the FanMate to control the speed. As near as I can tell. I'm
looking in the e2234_p5nsli manual, not the Deluxe.)

Paul

 

[Omicron]

In the Asus user manual, there is a picture of the CPU fan header:

| GND
| CPU_FAN_PWR
| CPU_FAN_IN
CPU_FAN_PWM

The pipe symbol corresponds to the keying plastic. The keying
appears to be designed to mate with a three pin connector. In
any case, you want your Zalman three pin plug, to mate with
the top three pins. GND should be a black wire on the cable
assembly, which may help you mate it the right way around.
But the plastic key also helps a lot - if you install the wrong
way, the insertion force will be quite high. Installed the right
way round, the plug should slide into place easily.

You should do this with the power off. Don't try to plug in
such a power cable while the computer is running. Note the
orientation of the picture in the manual, and you should find
a "U shaped" groove on the Zalman connector, mates with the
plastic key on the fan header.

The Zalman 9700NT has a four pin plug on its fan. That is
intended to cooperate with the CPU_FAN_PWM pin.

http://www.zalman.co.kr/Upload/product/9700NT_eng.PDF

If you are using a three pin fan, and want motherboard control,
the motherboard has to have an option to switch from using
the PWM pin, to modulating the CPU_FAN_PWR pin. Some of the
latest motherboards use the PWM pin only, so connecting a
three pin fan will run at full speed. In that case, the
Zalman FanMate can be used to set the fan to a quieter level.

(Since I don't see an option in the manual for the BIOS to switch
to analog control via the fan 12V supply pin, you are stuck with
the FanMate to control the speed. As near as I can tell. I'm
looking in the e2234_p5nsli manual, not the Deluxe.)

Paul

Hello Paul,
Yes. I tried the exact connection you denoted (I couldn't stand the
suspense of waiting for a reply!)
The fan powered up fine (as far as I can tell) and the Fanmate is
controlling the fan speed. The fourth pin is just "hanging out in the
breeze" on the MB.
Thanks again.

 

[Stephen]

I am trying to connect a Zalman Heatsink/Fan model CNPS9500 to my ASUS
Motherobard model P5NSLI.
My confusion is the following:
The heatsink has a 3-pin female connector on the end which is suppose
to be connected to the CPU Fan power connector on the motherboard.
However, this motherboard connector is a 4-pin male connection.
How do I make the 3-pin female from the heatsink mate with the 4-pin
male on the motherboard?
Now, ASUS states in their manual that they use something they call Q-
Fan features which, if I understand correctly is designed to self-
regulate the fan speed. That may very well be what the "extra" fourth
pin is on the MB.
This heatsink also comes with something Zalman calls a "Fanmate 2"
which is a physical controller for regulating the fan speed on the
heatsink.
Now, I don't care if I use the Fanmate or allow the ASUS board to do
the work, but regardless of what I do, BOTH the Fanmate and the
Heatsik/Fan itself both terminate with a 3-pin male connection.
Therefore, I do not know how to mate either of these methods with the
4-pin male power source coming off the MB. Can anyone help please?
Thank you.

When you go to plug the fan in, you'll find that it'll fit only over
the correct three pins.

The four pin setup is for PWM fans.

Stephen
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