Pwm fans come with a 4 pin connectors for fully automatic speed control via your mainboard s 4 pin pwm fan headers.
													
																	Can i connect 3 pin fan to 4 pin motherboard. 
									
	
		
	
																	My rig has 2 pairs of 3 pin fans phanteks ph140sp connected to two 4 pin motherboard headers asus z97m plus via basic y splitters and they work and control just fine. 
																	4 pin fan controllers hand off the pwm signal to the fan itself and these fan controllers supply an uncontrolled a 12vdc. 
																	Fans and on board fan headers are backwards compatible. 
																	I bought a noctua 2 nh d9l and its fits perfectly in the case however i noticed the motherboard pins for the cpu fan are a 5 pin connection. 
															
													
									
	
		
	
																	3 pin connectors are usually used for the smallerchassis fans with lower power consumption. 
																	Even if you put a 3 pin fan into a 4 pin motherboard slot you still can control fan speed on whatever motherboard you have. 
																	Speed control options rpm range will vary between fans and motherboards on a 3 pin connection but the fan will spin. 
																	3 pin fans will power up at 4 pin connectors but only at full speed. 
															
													
									
	
		
	
																	You can plug a 3 pin fan into a 4 pin header just fine. 
																	4 pin connectors areusually used by cpu fans with higher power consumption. 
																	Chassis and cpu fans may use either 3 pin or 4 pin powerconnectors. 
																	If you connect the 4 pin fan connector to a 3 pin header then the fan will run at maximum rpm. 
															
													
									
	
		
	
																	Proper fan connector placement is shown in the figures below. 
																	Please note that 4 pin fans can also be connected to your mainboard s 3 pin fan headers though. 
																	You can connect a 4 pin fan to a 3 pin or 4 pin header on the motherboard. 
																	This is probably why they are not able to speed control your fan. 
															
													
									
	
		
	
																	If you want to use the pwm function then the 4 pin fan must be connected to a 4 pin header on the motherboard. 
																	Just slide the 3 pin and leave the extra pin. 
																	When connected to 3 pin fan headers the fan will run at full speed unless the mainboard supports voltage based speed control. 
																	Is there a possible way to for this to work. 
															
													
									
	
		
	
																	They are both compatible. 
																	I have a hp z420 and wanted to replace the cpu cooler. 
																	Desktop board has a 4 pin fan header. 
																	There is no fan control. 
															
													
									
	
		
	
																	Fan has a 3 pin power connector.