How many fans can a molex support?

[Butkick]

Hello
I have some fans that plug into the molex connector.
These fans also have another connector that would allow me to connect that fan to another fan via molex.
How many fans can i join in this way safely.

Thanks

[JD]

I don't think there's any known limit. Fans don't really pull much power, it's more that you'll end up with a solid brick of connectors too large to tuck away.

I've also found that some fan molex connectors aren't really built too well and provide a poor connection, so that could become problematic to figure out if you have a huge number of them plugged into each other.

So I'd say 3-4 just to keep things simple.

[Soultribunal]

Originally Posted by jdrom17

I don't think there's any known limit. Fans don't really pull much power, it's more that you'll end up with a solid brick of connectors too large to tuck away.

I've also found that some fan molex connectors aren't really built too well and provide a poor connection, so that could become problematic to figure out if you have a huge number of them plugged into each other.

So I'd say 3-4 just to keep things simple.

+1 there JD.


ST

[Zero82z]

Molex connectors have one +12V pin, and I believe the limit is 9A per pin. A typical fan will use 0.3-0.5A, so it's pretty safe to say that you'll run out of space before you run into any current limitations.

[Jake_HT]

I've got 6 hooked to one. No fires here.

[MpG]

IIRC, Molex originally rated the design for around 18A, although I believe that assumed that it would be spread out over two hot and two return wires. Of course, as JD said, you get poor designs sometimes. But you shouldn't have any issue with 5-6 amps, and it takes a lot of regular fans to reach that point.

Me, I've actually been running about 7A on one of those connectors for quite some time now, although I made the harness myself, so I know it's getting a good connection.

[Butkick]

Thanks Guys

I've seen as many as 20 fans off one connector.. you'll be fine :)