DELL fans use a different pin-layout than normal fans, so watch out before connecting them!
Posted by jpluimers on 2021/10/28
Some links on IBM X-series and DELL versus standard fan pin lay-outs (one day I will try to merge them into a better overview story):
- [Wayback] 3 pin and 4 pin Fan Wire Diagrams | Cooler Master FAQ
3 pin Fan Connections
*cable coloring varies from fan to fan
Pin Name Color Color Color Color 1 Ground Black Black Gray Black 2 +12v Red Black Gray Yellow 3 Tach/Signal/Sense Yellow Black Gray Green 4 pin Fan Connections
*cable coloring varies from fan to fan
Pin Name Color Color Color Color 1 Ground Black Black Gray Black 2 +12v Red Black Gray Yellow 3 Tach/Signal/Sense Yellow Black Gray Green 4 Control/PWM Blue Black Gray Blue - [Wayback] IBM X-series system fan connectors: sysxfanconn.png
- [Archive.is] Solved: 780, CPU fan pin out – Dell Community
Dell sometimes swaps the wires around so that you will fry a dell fan on standard and the other way round.It has 5 pins but only 4 wires are used.Dell does not publish this. And some dells use standard wiring.
I believe this is correct.YMMV
4pin PWM on 3 pinDell MB
Pin NumberFunctionDell wire colorStd Fan
Pin NumberStd Fan wire colorDescription1Sens (TACH)White/Yellow3GreenSens (TACH)2+12vRed2Yellow+12v3GndBlack1BlackGnd4PWMBlue4BluePWM5Keyunused
DELL FAN WIRES AND COLORS[Archive.is] Solved: Fan pin out order – Dell Community
The order is what is required for your specific model.I have seen no difference in the colors only the order of the pins.Note the Difference in this adapter.
So if your fan is NON standard you may need to remove the pins and re order them to be correct. The fans are not any different only the wire order.Dell started making all the wires black so you cannot tell. its not documented and its not the same on all dells all models all years.
DELL VS INTEL FAN COLORS
DELL To Standard 4 pin adapter
Note The KEYWAY
Another ay to look at it - [Archive.is] Proprietary fan header issues – Dell Community
Dell uses standard fans and the wires are swapped around in such a way that if you plug a standard fan onto the dell header you will fry the fan and the motherboard.None of this is documented.SOME models use standard wiring.Some Models use all black wires so you cannot tell.Dell Fan Wire Black Red White or Yellow
Dell 3 wire fanDell 4 wire fanDell 5 wire fanIf you use adapter or re wire the standard fan to the way Dell does it there wont be any issues.Dell sometimes swaps the wires around so that you will fry a dell fan on standard and the other way round.It has 5 pins but only 4 wires are used.Dell does not publish this. And some dells now use standard wiring.
I believe this is correct.YMMV
4pin PWM on 3 pinDell MB
Pin NumberFunctionDell wire colorStd Fan
Pin NumberStd Fan wire colorDescription1Sens (TACH)White/Yellow3GreenSens (TACH)2+12vRed2Yellow+12v3GndBlack1BlackGnd4PWMBlue4BluePWM5Keyunused
DELL FAN WIRES AND COLORSDell does not use standard wiring or Pinouts on their fan headers.Dell fan wires are deliberately swapped round.PWM and Tach and 12v and Ground.For 3 wire they reverse 12v and tach.Black Red White notBlack White Red
DELL 3 PINThis can lead to self destruction for a dell fan on standard motherboard or the other way round.
This is the CPU FAN for Example.Dell MB
Pin NumberFunctionDell wire color
Pin #INTEL Fan wire colorDescription1Sens (TACH)White/Yellow3GreenSens (TACH)2+12vRed2Yellow+12v3GndBlack1BlackGnd4PWMBlue4BluePWM5Keyunused
DELL FAN WIRING
–jeroen
The Wiert Corner - irregular stream of stuff 
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