Aurora R11, can I add a fan here?

Hey @mako64 

I would say yes, but not a 4pin PWM fan as this is sure to throw a BIOS error, if any only a fixed speed 3pin fan.

I did connect a 60mm 3pin fixed speed fan to the CPU FAN header to blow air up through the VRM, shown here:

Start her up and check fans

Yeah, that one is used for the OEM Air Cooling Fan, so it would be likely to trigger a startup error with most 4PIN fans, but like @markburv said, a 3 PIN fan should work fine.  The mobo doesn't have voltage regulation options so it would run at one speed. 

Awesome guys that’s exactly the info I need to know. 

so If I wanted to add another front fan on the top would I have to run a splitter for both top and bottom fans? Or just connect the add on 3 wire fixed fan to that cpu fan header. Mark I tried to follow the wire harness is that 60mm fan is it placed in the front where the spinner hard drive would go?

Thanks !

I would put both front fans on one 4 PIN PWM header so they run at the same speed (and would both be controlled), and both rad fans on the top fan header so they run at the same speed too. 

I'd leave the CPU header empty.   I wouldn't put more than 2 fans on any one header though. 

Oh wait I think I see the fan now above the cards vram sorry I looking and try to follow the cpu fan plug in/header.

I tested Noctua 80mm and 120mm and didn't get any error. 

I think the only error you get is when you put a different fan on the bottom front. 

Lots of folks on here and on reddit (allienware forum) have done something similar to get more air into the case up top, i.e., put a second intake fan on the front up top where the HDD bay is....remove the HDD plastic cage and metal bay and use that space for a standard fan (Noctua's are popular) and connect it with a Y-splitter that comes with the Noctua fans so the original OEM fan on the bottom in the front is using the 4-pin from the Y-splitter and the new front intake fan is using the 3-pin from the Y-splitter, with the other end of the Y splitter then going to the motherboard header where the original front fan was controlled. This will give you no Bios errors and be fully controllable.  It's and easy job and the posts I found have the part number for the Noctua fan and it's like $15 on Amazon.   I have also seen folks add a fan at the very bottom as an intake in one of the 2.5" drive bays below the GPU and use the empty fan header for the air cooled option but that doesn't seem to be as common as adding the top intake fan by the CPU.  

Thanks for your input. I really think this R11 and this 3090 needs more airflow for sure. I’ll be looking for the Noctua fans as mentioned. I don’t want it to be to complicated or bios issues I want to add a front fan and a fan blowing on the gpu vram area like Mark has it. When gaming my vram temp are around 80-85c and I don’t think that’s as bad as I have read others going to 110c. I don’t think I’ll ever have that problem because I don’t Mine or do any video stuff I just play DCS on this machine. 
But I definitely want better air flow especially for this gpu. 

Top fan- Noctua IPPC-3000

Bottom Front - Noctua NF-A12X25

3 wire fixed speed to blow on the gpu Vram 60mm ? This could be a usb that I can run it out the back and plug in usb.

is this correct?  

Okay Great R72019 !  I'm getting the Noctua fans you recommend but you said they were just laying around so do you prefer the Noctua fans over the popular Corsair M120 Pro ? Can I use 2 x Noctua NF-F12 IPPC 3000 PWM Heavy Duty for the front ? or should I use the 2 x Corair M-120 Pro.

The 60MM Noctua NF-A6X25 FLX -  is the correct one?  I'm not sure about the Rad fans yet that looks alittle complicated at this time. 

Thanks again !

"3 wire fixed speed"

You could plug the 60mm directly into the psu too.  That's how I connected my vrm fan. The tiny fans aren't noisy so they can run at full speed. 

It looks like a nice fan. You can use something like this for the 60mm fan to connect it to the PSU.  https://www.amazon.com/Adapter-Connector-Computer-Cooling-Splitter/dp/B07MM2GHY7/ 

Since the 3PIN and 4PIN models are the same price, I'd go with the 4PIN to give you the option for PWM control if you ever wanted it in the future.  This one:  https://www.amazon.com/Noctua-NF-A6x25-PWM-Premium-Quiet/dp/B00VXTANZ4/

The other difference between the 3PIN and 4PIN models is the 4PIN model comes with a Y splitter (neither the F12 nor the ML120 pro includes that, so it would save you some money there). 

The 3PIN model linked comes with a 3PIN to molex adapter instead of the y splitter - but you couldn't use that because the OEM psu does not include a molex cable.  So no $$ savings there. 

The F12 IPPC 3000 moves more air (but makes more noise) than the Corsair ML120 Pro.  If you have the OEM Nidec fan on the radiator, then you probably wouldn't tell though because it's not as noise as that.  One thing to keep in mind, the IPPC 3000 will stall at low RPMs, so you might need to manually adjust the fan curve on idle (so that it is always moving).  Other than that, it is just personal preference.  The F12 series is designed with radiators in mind (high static pressure fans). 

Super great advice, I have what you suggested on my list. I think I will just go Corsair ML-120 Pro the front case fans. I’m not ready to do the rad fans yet but F12 I do. Thanks again for your time and advice.

I honestly don't understand why DELL makes it so difficult to connect fans to these systems. There's I don't know how many questions and issues related to using/adding fans to these systems.

One big improvement DELL could make is to remove these fan restrictions and let people connect their own preferred fans. Would save so much headaches for customers who purchased these systems...

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@mako64 wrote:

Oh wait I think I see the fan now above the cards vram sorry I looking and try to follow the cpu fan plug in/header.

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Yeah that black cable goes along the top of the fan, to theleft and then up staying inside the case over internals of the MB external connectors (ethernet, usb, etc), at the top lefft of the motherboard it then goes from left to right towards the CPU_FAN, 3 pins connected on the right 3pins of the 4pin connector

Here is the fan

I agree ! It seems to be that the fans are the same in all the cases no matter what size gpu’s are in them. If the higher graphic cards are configured in the unit that need more air flow than the fans should be as much as an upgrade too.