Can I plug a normal case fan into a Pump fan slot?

Most pump/AIO fan headers supply up to 3A instead of up to 1A. The fan itself will draw less (you will need to look at the fan specs to determine the max current draw). If you plan to use a Y-splitter to connect multiple fans to the same header, this should actually be beneficial.
The PWM signal is at 100% by default, and hence the fans will run at full speed. However you can go into the BIOS, and set the fan curves for this header (assuming your BIOS allows that) to get the same behavior.

[-]

TheApprenticeLife@reddit

Old thread, but you answered my vague Google search. Thanks!

[-]

CookieSlayer2Turbo@reddit

I'm searching in 2025 lol thanks thetuxdude

[-]

CookieSlayer2Turbo@reddit

JESUS CHRIST! Don't sneak up on a guy!

[-]

Johnny_ynnhoJ@reddit

I'll wear my tapping shoes next time.

[-]

Lauris024@reddit

Congratz, your answer is the first thing on google when I search for "can you connect CPU fan to pump fan"

[-]

BasketballHighlight@reddit (OP)

Does that mean I’m famous?? lmao jk

[-]

Mclake51@reddit

You've given the gift that keeps on giving. How's fame threating you?

[-]

Ok_Understanding1612@reddit

Time traveler checking in. Still useful

[-]

Healthy_Ad_414@reddit

This comment is still providing expert advice in Dec 2024!

[-]

aldebarancin@reddit

Search for Noctua NA-SYC1, 4 Pin Y-Cables for PC Fans in Amazon. They worked flawless for me.

[-]

Accomplished_Cap_715@reddit

Still helping the google search community. Thanks.

[-]

OhForChucksBukkake@reddit

Assuming your info is still accurate, +1 from me for yet another person helped with your answer 😌🙏 Thank you.

[-]

dailamtp@reddit

Helpful in 2024 still gif . Confirmed.

[-]

Triforcedude2027@reddit

3 years later still showing up when I google the question and helped

[-]

Crum-Boi@reddit

Here is another question, is there a way to manually turn on and off the LC_pump fan? When it’s on, it runs at 100% speed, but does it always need to be on?

[-]

dreamwalkerx@reddit

you can use this: https://github.com/rem0o/fancontrol.releases

[-]

Nice-Ad1451@reddit

doesn't work if the fan header is plugged into a splitter cable :downvote:

[-]

thefunkygibbon@reddit

to be fair, it doesn't work for me when i have a pump plugged into my pump header. I can't control the speeds of it with fan control. just runs at full whack

[-]

Quirky-Armadillo1428@reddit

Helped me in 2024 lol thank you! For some reason my y splitter isn’t working so going to try plug it directly to the mobo and see if the fans faulty or the splitter

[-]

RelayFX@reddit

Should be fine, so long as the pin count works. All that does is power the part and give an RPM reading. Hell, I plugged my custom loop pump into the CPU fan 2 slot!

[-]

Your pump might not be getting adequate current if you used the CPU fan header, you might want to check the motherboard manual/specs to confirm the max current rating for the CPU fan headers. Most pumps will require something higher (I think 2A+) and hence the AIO/Pump headers usually supply 3A instead.

[-]

Hungry-Platypus-9928@reddit

What if I plugged my fan into the pump header and only that fan is spinning slow compared to the others on regular fan headers and cpu fan headers? Is that possibly indicative of a bad fan? Or just the fact it's in the "wrong" header?

[-]

Capital_Walrus_3633@reddit

He pump header can actually give more ampere. I think 3A instead of 1A

So it would be wise to plug the pump into there, as if she needs it, she’d have 3Amps instead of 1 :) case fans usually only need and take the 1A, so you’d waste a potential of 2A

[-]

anton0343@reddit

Plugged in my fan into the header that said Pump / fan and thought it would be fine, since it says / fan, even configured so that header would read as a fan in bios. It worked for a week and died.

[-]

PixelPete27@reddit

You sure can, I am.

Just have to make a custom fan curve for it and you're good to go.

[-]

rashqarr2@reddit

and how do you do that

[-]

PixelPete27@reddit

My board is an MSI board. So I made one basic one in the bios.

Then downloaded MSI center and made custom curves, i.e. silent, gaming, performance

[-]

Conscious_Cake_2490@reddit

I came here to do the opposite...my system was setup with a Y-Splitter and the system fans connected to the pump slot...and the fans have always been too loud (despite specifically ordering a quiet system). I thought it was weird that to bring the noise down I had to set the "Pump" to Smart Mode. Also thought it was weird, as I was sure my system wasn't water cooled. Hahaha!

I've been playing around learning about all the different components and when I traced the fans, sure enough they were split off the Pump header.

I've now split the inlet and outlet fan to different Sysfan controllers (and fan curves) and the control is much better.

[-]