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Case fan question (3-pin fan into 2-pin socket)
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Oneota
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May 31, 2010, 06:33 PM
 
Hello, all,

I got a refurbished DVR from DirecTV when my original DirecTivo crapped out on me. This refurb DVR ended up having a bad fan, which I didn't figure out until I already had a bunch of stuff on its hard drive that I didn't feel like losing.

So, I got the part number off the fan, went to NewEgg, and ordered what I thought was the same thing. Turns out it's not quite the same, as the motherboard on the DVR has a 2-pin lead for the fan, and the fan that I got is expecting 3 pins. I'm guessing the 3rd pin is for speed control, which the DVR doesn't care about.

On top of that, the physical connector is a lot different. What are my options here? Can I snip the connector off the bad fan and solder it onto 2 of the wires of the new one?

The old one has red and black wires, the new one has red, black, and yellow. But the place on the old fan where the wires are connected is <blank> <black> <red> whereas the new fan is <red> <black> <yellow>.

My only other option, as I see it, is to run the DVR with the case off so that the hard drive doesn't overheat. Before I took the case off, I would semi-regularly get this message saying "Your receiver is too hot and will shut down momentarily to prevent damage" and then it'd be off for a good 45 minutes.
"Yields a falsehood when preceded by its quotation" yields a falsehood when preceded by its quotation.
     
Oneota  (op)
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Jun 1, 2010, 07:50 PM
 
Any E.E.-types feel like chiming in?
"Yields a falsehood when preceded by its quotation" yields a falsehood when preceded by its quotation.
     
Big Mac
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Jun 1, 2010, 08:50 PM
 
Don't people change fan wires often? I would have thought there would be adapters.

"The natural progress of things is for liberty to yield and government to gain ground." TJ
     
Eriamjh
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Jun 1, 2010, 09:23 PM
 
The third pin is not speed control, but speed feedback.

If they wired it right, Red and Black are power and ground and white should be the speed lead.

You'll have a harder time making it fit some other connector to plug in.

I'm a bird. I am the 1% (of pets).
     
ibookuser2
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Jun 1, 2010, 09:23 PM
 
The yellow wire is a tachometer output for speed monitoring, and the fan will work fine without it connected. You just need the red and black for power and make sure that both fans have the same operating voltage.

The easiest way to hook things up is to cut both connectors off, leaving enough wire on the one that actually connects to the DVR to strip and solder the wires from the new fan on. Slip some appropriately-sized heat shrink tubing onto the wires before soldering them together, and hit it with a hairdryer once you're done for proper insulation and a nice-looking job.
     
macaddict0001
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Jun 2, 2010, 02:46 AM
 
If the crimp pins are both molex you can remove them from the connector and insert them in the old connector, then cut off the yellow wire close to the fan. There is a special tool for doing this but you may be able to get by with a pick or a small piece of tubing. you can also get new crimp pins if you can find them.
     
   
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