How can I connect this 3-pin Slot 1 CPU fan to my system that uses a 2-pin connector?
Retrocomputing Asked by gparyani on February 20, 2021
I’m trying to put a new CPU cooler in my 1999 IBM Aptiva 2163-580 (which has an Intel 440BX chipset, in case that’s relevant). The system uses a Slot 1 CPU.
The old cooler had a 2-pin connector, which mated exactly with the connector on the system board:
The new cooler, on the other hand, has a 3-pin connector, which doesn’t match the connector on my system board:
How can I connect this new fan to my system and make it work?
2 Answers
As per the other answer, in your case the yellow wire is not needed - it's a tacho signal that shows the current fan speed.
It is possible to physically plug the new fan into the old connector with only the red and black wires connecting to the board. However the pinout of the fans are not compatible at the moment - the red and black wires are reversed which will not function correctly.
Fortunately KK connectors can be dissassembled relatively easily. If you use a small jewelers flat head screwdriver (or some other similar object), and gently press down on the metal latches in the slots on the side of the plastic connector housing, the wires should pull out.
You can then either swap the red and black wires over in the 3-way connector, or preferably plug them in to the old two-pin housing. If using the latter option, the yellow wire can simply be cut off or wrapped in insulation tape.
Correct answer by Tom Carpenter on February 20, 2021
Just plug it in, making sure the red and black wires are the ones on the pins. The connector should be keyed to enforce this. The yellow wire is for monitoring the fan's speed, and isn't required for normal operation.
You may need to swap the wires around if the keying doesn't match. This is simple enough: the connectors are held in place by small springs, which can be released by pressing down on them through the side of the connector with a small screwdriver or similar, while pulling on the wire.
Answered by Mark on February 20, 2021
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