Fan cabling in the case

[mubs]

The new system I'm building is going to have many fans. What's the neatest way of powering these? They'll all be controlled by a multi-channel fan controllers sitting in 5.25 bays. Most of these are 2-wire fans (no RPM sensing) with bare leads. I've looked for elegant (small) solutions that will let me connect one bare lead to another in a strainght line, but really haven't found anything good. The best I've done so far is buy a long Terminal Strip and cut it in twos (cheaper than buying multiple smaller pieces).

I'd be mightily interested in your suggestions. Thanks.

 

[Tannin]

You will probably want something more high-tech than this, but the fast and practical method is to strip the ends of the wires, twist them together, and seal it up with heat shrink tube. (Of course, you have to remember to slide the tube on before you join the wires! I always forget if I'm in a hurry.)

You might also like to investigate the wide range of clip-fit wire connectors that car accesory shops carry. Lots of choices there.

 

[ddrueding]

I tend to stip the ends, solder them together, then put a crimp-tube over it to crimp on wither side of the joint (stress relief) and then shrink-tube over that. Of course, this is a lot of work, and I only do it for my own systems. Others are luck if I use some tie straps to keep the wires out of the fans (j/k of course).

 

[LOST6200]

(Of course, you have to remember to slide the tube on before you join the wires! I always forget if I'm in a hurry.)

Ha! I have bene doing that for over 20-something years and still forget sometimes. What aP IITA it can be.

 

[Sol]

A piece of prototyping board might be slightly smaller than the terminal strip. Just cut of a bit with 4 holes and solder a wire into each. But just twisting or soldering the wires and using shrink tube is probably smaller. I usually do both, fan out the wires on each of the bare ends then twist them together and solder. It generally holds very well.

 

[jtr1962]

The only problem with soldering all the leads together is if one fan goes bad it's a pain to disconnect it and replace it. If you have the room in the case you mght try putting phono plugs on all the fans, and then wiring one of those panels with several phono jacks so that you can plug each fan in individually.

Another option would be to use fans with the regular 3-pin plug and plug them in one of those breakway 0.1" headers. You would just wire one set of three pins to match the fan wiring, and then repeat over the length of the header as many times as needed. You'll probably need to skip a pin between plugs.

 

[mubs]

Thanks to everybody who responded; I really appreciate your advice.

I don't want U-shaped connections, where the power-lead and fan lead go parallel into a connector and terminate (join) there; I'd prefer "in-line" conenctions that result in a straight-line type connection. Soldering meets this wish of mine, but I'm only so-so with solder, so that's something I'll probably avoid, not to mention that it's almost guaranteed that I'll forget to sleeve the heat-shrink stuff before I do the soldering.

I'll scout around for some snap-on type connector thingies and see what gives, with soldering being the back-up plan.

 

[Piyono]

Mubs, you can do what I've been meaning to do: buy a small prototyping board and a bunch of 3-pin headers (like the kind used for motherboard fans). Should cost you all of four bucks at an electronics surplus shop.
Find a proto board with holes bridged legthwise in rows and position the headers so that they run along the bridge traces in paralell. Bring your power in at the end of a bridge trace and viola-- instant fan power distro.
Of course, you'll need fans with 3-pin mobo connectors or you'll have to do some cutting and crimping.

Piyono

 

[mubs]

Thanks, Piyono.

I'm too lazy, so I'm buying a bunch of 12" 3-pin fan power extension cables (found a good source). Used with the original 12" Panaflo tails I got when I bought the fans, the cable from each fan will be long enough to reach the fan controller. Thin cables, small connectors, direct fit into headers on fan controller. Voilà!

 

[Howell]

Its too late now but...

A long time ago I used 9V tails as secure but disconnectable connectors. You do need to solder the ends but it works a treat.

 

[mubs]

Howell, do you mean the connectors made for 9V batteries? Now there's an idea I'll file in memory for possible use in the future. Thanks!

 

[Groltz]

Here's a solution.

 

[mubs]

The fan power extension cables have worked out really well; ends up being neat.

I'd like advice on something else. The Seasonic power supply has the most horrid wires I've ever seen; all twisted and gnarly like a 110 year-old's hands. I'd like to sleeve and/or heatshirnk them and some other wires in the case.

a) Wires that have the 'orrid 4-pin molex connectors on the end
b) wires that have the 4-pin floppy connector on the end
c) Fan power wires with the itty-bitty 3-pin male and/or female on the end.

Which one would be better/easier: sleeving or heatshrink? What size sleving/heat-shrink would be appropriate for each? I haven't got a clue.

I bought a length of heatshrink tubing - 1/8" expanded, 1/16" recovered (I presume that means shrunk) - and tried it out on bare wires. I used the boss' hair dryer set on high. The damn thing barely shrank. Am I supposed to use a welder's torch and burn it and the insulation on the wire or what? :eekers:

 

[Buck]

I'd like advice on something else. The Seasonic power supply has the most horrid wires I've ever seen; all twisted and gnarly like a 110 year-old's hands. I'd like to sleeve and/or heatshirnk them and some other wires in the case.

Twist them tight, and they should look better.

I bought a length of heatshrink tubing - 1/8" expanded, 1/16" recovered (I presume that means shrunk) - and tried it out on bare wires. I used the boss' hair dryer set on high. The damn thing barely shrank. Am I supposed to use a welder's torch and burn it and the insulation on the wire or what? :eekers:

Cigarette lighter, or one of those longer BBQ lighters work great. They produce enough heat without having the flame touch the tubing. Just gently wave the flame back and forth under the tubing, turn it a bit so the other side gets heated as well.

 

[Mercutio]

What's wrong with standard wire ties?

When I want my cabling to look neat, I use 4" or 8" ties every 2 inches or something along the run of the cabling.

 

[mubs]

Buck, the wires are twisted enough already! Thanks for the tip on shrinking; I'll have to buy a cigarette lighter if I'm going that route.

Merc, I already put wire ties on some, but I really hate the knobs that remain after you cut the excess off. When the wires themselves are not bulky, wire ties make them bulky and the knobs tend to snag on other things.

 

[Groltz]

but I really hate the knobs that remain after you cut the excess off. When the wires themselves are not bulky, wire ties make them bulky and the knobs tend to snag on other things.

Learn how to lace.

On aircraft, a lot of the wire bundles are held together with lacing cord instead of zipties.

http://www.aeroelectric.com/articles/cable_lace/cable_lace.html

 

[mubs]

Wow, that's a skill that'll have to be developed! Do you lace your wires, Groltz?

 

[Groltz]

Do you lace your wires, Groltz?

In my computers? NO

On aircraft engines? YES

I mostly use zipties in my computers.

 

[mubs]

Thanks, G.

Doofus that I am, I thought I could slip the sleeve/HST over the connectors and be done with it. Trawling the net reveals that the connectors (molex, etc.) have to be "de-pinned" first to slip the sleeve/HST over the wires, and then the connectors have to be "re-pinned". That is way more work than I want to do, so I'll zip-tie for now and lace later when I have more time.