How-To: Fan adapter cable

Eponymous · Sep 15, 2018

Google photos is being a pain. Here's a link to the photo.

ColonelXZ · Feb 8, 2019

ImLagging said: ↑

For anyone like me who plans on using their UDOO x86 with a heavy CPU load, a fan will be a must. Since the officially offered fan is not currently on sale, I decided to make an adapter for a fan I had on hand. In the pictures below, you can see the fan connected and running.

Here are the parts that I used. I purchased them from mouser.com. The cable with the pre-crimped lead is part # 79758-0014. The 3 position small molex connector is part # 51021-0300. The 3 pin header is part # 22-23-2031. Each one is relatively cheap and easy to assemble. However, the 28AWG cable is longer then I need. The other issue is that the lead on the cable are too small to properly fit the header. So I'll most likely cut it to size then solder it to the header. However, they fit perfectly with the small molex connector.

If you look closely at the last image, the small molex has a dot on one side. That dot will face outward when looking down at the UDOO x86. The right cable (when looking at the dot) should connect to the right pin on the header (when looking at the raised back of the header). That pin on the header then connects to the Yellow cable on the fan. The middle cable is for Red. If you have a 3 pin fan, then the black will be on the left. Unfortunately, I have 3 black cables for my adapter, so it makes things a bit harder to look at without physically separating the cables.

The UDOO has settings within the BIOS that dictate when the fan will turn on and at what speed (assuming you have a 3 pin fan). If I remember correctly, the lowest CPU temp is 55 degrees before the fan will turn on. You then have 3 speed options (50%, 75% and 100%). If you have a 2 pin fan, then you'll only get 100%. If you set the speed to be under 100%, then you have a second setting for when the temp gets over a specific setting, then the fan will turn on at 100%. This will work well with either a small 30mm x 30mm fan like I have or with a larger fan like some others have mentioned using.

I did order a few extra of these parts just in case I made any mistakes. So if someone would like one and you're not handy with soldering or working with these small parts, let me know and I can send you one for a reasonable cost plus shipping. I'm not looking to get rich, just to cover my cost and time.

EDIT:

Here's the final version after I cut the wires to size and properly soldered the connections. I also added some heat shrink to protected the connections. The shorter length helps since the length of the fan cable is so long already. I could have just cut the fan connector from the fan and soldered my connector directly instead of using the header, but I like this adapter better as it allows me the freedom to switch the fan out without cutting and re-soldering.

Click to expand...

Very cool work. Btw, where did you get the fan from?

ImLagging · Feb 24, 2019

ColonelXZ said: ↑

Very cool work. Btw, where did you get the fan from?
Click to expand...

Sorry for the late reply. I bought mine from Microcenter. Here’s a link to it: https://www.microcenter.com/product/347958/EC3010M12CA_Ball_Bearing_30mm_Case_Fan

I ordered online and picked up in store since they’re just down the road. I would imagine anything you find on eBay would work as well.

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How-To: Fan adapter cable

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