GPU fan wire issues

So, my Radeon HD 4650 has been acting up lately 😲 and I just need it to limp along for about another month until I swap out most of my build.

Anyway, I hooked it up to my PC yesterday, and when I got zero signal on the monitor for some reason, I started poking around under the hood. Long story short, I managed to yank a thin red wire right out of its pin—assuming "pin" is the right word for what I'm looking at; I've got a photo if anyone needs proof. And before you start: save your breath, I know exactly what I did. Bravo me!

Here’s the shot:

https://imageshack.com/i/ngtozkj

The issue is I have no clue where that red wire originally came from. I can see the black one matches up with its counterpart, but I'm lost on this red one. I'm guessing it goes with the red pin, but I want to be certain since I'm definitely not an expert on this stuff.

If my logic holds, I'll need to strip a tiny bit of insulation off the red wire and pry open the corresponding pin (maybe yellow, one of the two blacks, or red), shove the stripped wire back in, and crimp it shut. It seems like it should work similarly to how you'd join two wires using a crimp connector, if I'm not mistaken.

If anyone actually knows the fix and doesn't mind walking me through it, I'd appreciate the help. 😁

EDIT: In case it matters, the fan on this card isn't the original one.

What kind of connector is that, a fan one? Maybe post a wider shot so we can actually tell what we're looking at 🙂

That is a Molex connector from the power supply. It isn't connected to the graphics card because its fan doesn't use a Molex connector, nor is it some kind of splitter for a 12v 6-pin power lead since this specific card doesn't require one.

It is likely just a cable for one of the fans in your Computer Case, or perhaps a power lead from an old PATA hard drive or a PATA DVD-RW drive. In any case, it won't have anything to do with what you see on the monitor.

Take a look at the power supply; it might not be delivering the right wattage. Also, check if the graphics card is fully seated in its PCI slot, and double-check the cable running from the GPU to your monitor.

Did you hear any beep codes during the boot sequence? Try pulling out a stick of RAM or just swapping its position. It has to be one of those things. Honestly, it's hard to say much more than that without guessing.

That isn't an issue for you at all.🙂

Since those fans require 12 volts to function properly, and given your earlier comments about working on the graphics card, I assume you meant the fan cable is attached to the GPU. You were mistaken there. That cable needs to be connected to the yellow wire (12V).

Connecting it to the red wire won't cause any damage since that provides only 5 volts. It's lower voltage, so nothing will break, though it might not spin the fan. Some 12V fans might start spinning at 5V, but they’ll be incredibly slow.
Others won't move at all. If you want to be certain, just briefly touch the cable to the red wire to see if it starts spinning and if the speed is sufficient.

There is another option: you can run it at 7 volts. It'll spin slowly, which might be enough for some, though I doubt a GPU fan will get the RPMs it needs. However, PC builders often use 7 volts for a Computer Case because it keeps 12V fans running quietly.
To get 7 volts, you combine the wires: the yellow wire provides 12V (+), and the red wire provides 5V (acting as the negative).
12-5=7v

Why don't you have a picture? If you're using an APU, you should check the BIOS and ensure the video output is set to prioritize the graphics card in the PCI slot.

Best,

@fadedorca66 and @Mario - I forgot to mention that this fan is screwed directly onto the graphics card (and obviously, it's not spinning right now). Two thin wires come out of it—one black and one red—and they plug into the larger pins on that Molex connector (check image #2 and my explanation for clarity). The black wire goes with the other thick black wire, but the red one goes with... well, that's the question. I'm guessing it's yellow, not red, though. 🙂

Here are two more shots:

1. The GPU fan and those two thin wires coming off it (it's not an OEM part, so there's only one screw) - EDIT: ImageShack is being a pain in the neck. 😠 Check the second image; you'll see four small thumbnails on the right side. The top-middle one was supposed to be the link here, but for some reason, it's not working.

2. This picture looks complicated, but I know everything worked fine before (until that thin red wire from the GPU fan snapped off), so I don't want to mess with it too much. You can see the computer case fan in here too, which is why everything connects via the Molex connector (male end) to the power supply, if I've got that right. On the right side of the image, you can see what I posted in the first thread.
https://imageshack.com/i/n8ywn8j

@John Turner34 You're right, I neglected to mention that this is the fan mounted on the video card. I'm going to reconnect that snapped red wire to what looks like a yellow one; I'm not about to start playing chemist with the red wire since the fan wasn't exactly loud before anyway. Now, this might sound like a rookie question, but is it difficult to pry open a pin and then crimp it back shut once I slide the red wire in? 😕 I've never done this before—is just a basic toolkit enough?

Good luck trying to pry that open just to put it back—you’ll probably snap the pin, wreck the connector, and break your finger before you even get anywhere. 😁

Just snip that yellow wire in half and strip a little bit of insulation off both ends. Then take the stripped end from that red fan wire you pulled out, twist all three together, and wrap them up tight with some electrical tape.

If you don't actually need that other connector, you might as well just cut it off. Just make sure you insulate every single wire individually, unless you're looking to set your Computer Case on fire. 😁

It isn't difficult. It might be tricky the first time, similar to how Pickey dealt with it.
Something small, like a clip, prevents the pin from popping out. You can try to... actually, no.
Here is a video demonstrating that...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cs-aTLleoL0
Once you do that, you can easily solder a thin wire to the yellow pin or cable. Alternatively, just bend the clips slightly and push the Molex connector back in.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MnSwi1Cj8A

This is quite interesting if there isn't good contact, which happens more often than you'd think.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVxBmxs3KQ0

Or simply take a soldering iron and strip a tiny bit of insulation off the yellow wire—just one spot, don't cut the whole wire. Apply a little solder to that spot, apply some solder to the end of a thin wire, then join the thin wire to the thick one. It's easy. Add some electrical tape and you're done.
I've done this a thousand times; it's the fastest way.

Best regards,

Just finished the fix and everything’s running smooth (for now) 😁

To wrap it up, I just stripped a tiny bit of the insulation off the red fan wire and tucked it into the opening at the base of the pin where the yellow wire is exposed. I secured the whole thing and tightened it down. If it ends up pulling loose, I’ll switch to that method you suggested, Willis.

Thanks for the help, everyone 👍