I agree - fans don't draw enough current for that small difference to matter.
Main Topics
Browse All TopicsHi,
A few weeks ago I asked a question regarding a non-working Dell Poweredge 600SC rear system fan. The BIOS was reporting that the fan was not working, and upon inspection, the fan indeed was not functioning.
A forgot that Dell likes to use strange connectors, so I just picked up an Antec 120mm fan from CompUSA and installed it in the Dell. Since the Antec fan doesn't have the right type of connector to the motherboard to tell the motherboard that it is working, the BIOS still reports an error message that the fan is not working, but this new fan IS working. Since the wire connecting the fan to the motherboard doesn't fit, the computer is reporting this false positive.
Anyway, the fan in the server is a:
JMC/DATECH
1238-12HBTA-3
12V 1.5A
I called Dell, and this specific product they told me is out of its life cycle - no longer produced. Unsatisfied, I searched the Internet for replacement parts rather unsuccessfully. Off I went to eBay, and I was able to find a fan which to me, looks 99% like the broken fan from the server.
The fan I found on eBay is:
JMC
1238-12HBA
12Vdc
1.2A
The fans LOOK identical except for the slight model differentiation & amp difference. The new fan has the exact type of wire to connect to the motherboard, and agian, aside from a slight model name difference, they look identical.
My question is this:
The Antec fan had 2 wires; a power wire to connect to the power supply, and then the motherboard connector. Since the motherboard connector wire on the Antec fan doesn't fit, it's only plugged into the power supply. The old and new JMC fans only have 1 wire - the wire that connects directly to the motherboard. There is no power wire - I guess it gets its power right from the motherboard.
With the slight amp difference ion the fans (old fan 1.5A / new fan is 1.2A), is there a risk of damaging the motherboard, or am I worrying too much about nothing?
This Question has been solved and asker verified All Experts Exchange premium technology solutions are available to subscription members.
Experts Exchange has been collecting answers to technology questions since 1996…3 million and counting! If you have a question, chances are we already have your answer.
If you can't find the exact answer you're looking for, ask our exclusive community of 50,000 experts. You’ll get a personalized answer from a trusted professional.
Thousands of free tech tips, tricks, how-to’s and tutorials are available in our peer reviewed articles section. See for yourself how smart our experts are, no login required.
Access the answers to your technology questions today.
30-day free trial. Register in 60 seconds.
Members of the expert community talk about why the experience at Experts Exchange is different than what you will find anywhere else.

Try it out and discover for yourself.
30-day free trial. Register in 60 seconds.
Join the community of experts here and help other tech pros by answering question in your area of expertise. You can earn FREE access to all Experts Exchange's premium features and resources.
Business Accounts
Answer for Membership
by: MrBillisMePosted on 2005-12-19 at 09:36:19ID: 15512339
I would not worry about the Amp difference, particularly since it is lower. I've even cut the connectors off the the fans and switched them succesfully.