Case fans & PWM control

[FreedomEclipse]

Just wanted to know how many of you run your CASE FANS via the fan headers on your motherboard vs having them hooked up to a fan controller like i do.

No need for an in depth debate about it, Just a show of hands to say if im crazy or not as im planning on tossing out my fan controller and replacing it with a Icy Dock 4 Bay 2.5 Sas Sata Mobile Rack that will allow me to make use of my spare SSDs that have been sitting here for years.

thanks

 

[sneekypeet]

I marked other, as many of my builds get connected to the internal fan hubs. For you, it seems like a compromise, you can still have fan control, and you free up the bay for the SSD cage.

Something along these lines... https://www.nzxt.com/products/grid-plus-v3 or this https://www.corsair.com/ca/en/corsairlink

 

[crazyeyesreaper]

Yeah i use an internal fan hub from Swiftech, Thus all fans have their RPM set by the PWM signal from the CPU fan header. This has been paired with a custom PWM profile in the motherboard BIOS

 

[FreedomEclipse]

Both great ideas. I am aware that Asus do a 'fan extension card' that would work in conjunction with my new motherboard but the problem is nobody sells it here in the UK. I'll have a look at the NZXT. I think that's definitely worth a buy

 

[rtwjunkie]

Other: exhaust usually set to motherboard own pwm. Intake fans all attached to Fractal 5, 7, or 12 volt controller/switch, which I leave on full force 12v.

 

[FreedomEclipse]

I marked other, as many of my builds get connected to the internal fan hubs. For you, it seems like a compromise, you can still have fan control, and you free up the bay for the SSD cage.

Something along these lines... https://www.nzxt.com/products/grid-plus-v3 or this https://www.corsair.com/ca/en/corsairlink

Corsair Link isnt cheap and going by the NZXT Grid+ V3 reviews, it sucks ass (something to do with CAM software or something???)

Yeah i use an internal fan hub from Swiftech, Thus all fans have their RPM set by the PWM signal from the CPU fan header. This has been paired with a custom PWM profile in the motherboard BIOS

how bout for the fans on your CPU controller as well? all the same? I use different size fans and speeds on my setup so this might not be such a good idea if i followed suit?

 

[crazyeyesreaper]

Corsair Link isnt cheap and going by the NZXT Grid+ V3, it sucks ass (something to do with CAM software or something???)



how bout for the fans on your CPU controller as well? all the same? I use different size fans and speeds on my setup so this might not be such a good idea if i followed suit?

Rear (1) 140mm fan Phanteks
Front (1) 200mm fan Phanteks
CPU cooler (2) 120 mm NB-eloops
6W PWM Pump

All are controlled by the Swiftech PWM / ALED splitter. Works fine all fans spin up or down based on CPU temp with a custom profile. No issues to report even with the various different RPMs.

 

[sneekypeet]

Corsair Link isnt cheap and going by the NZXT Grid+ V3, it sucks ass (something to do with CAM software or something???)

There are a few out there. CAM has gotten better since all this started. Those two were just high end examples. You may be able to eBay an open board with fan headers (no software) that will work and just double sided tape it in somewhere. Just do a search for internal fan controllers and you will see all of the various makers and options.

 

[Hockster]

I run the Corsair Commander Pro for the fans and Lighting Node for the RGB. Link isn't the best software, but controlling everything with one app is a lot better than needing four.

 

[Deleted member 67555]

Proprietary.... I have to use TT controllers...
My next fans are Raidmax RGB... universal Daisy chain or InWin

 

[windwhirl]

Three 120 mm fans controlled by the motherboard's PWM.

However, they are all 3-pin types, so I normally set them up using the motherboard's programmed modes (Silent, Normal, Full Speed) or according to temperature, inside UEFI. I can't change their settings once the OS boots up. Not really a problem though, since it rarely goes above 55/60°C under heavy load in summer (around 50°C during winter).

 

[HammerON]

I prefer a fan controller.

 

[londiste]

1000-1200rpm are not silent fans. Not even by far. 500-600 rpm and we're talking...

Other - Aquaero 5 LT with "optional" heatsink (that is definitely required due to overeating issues with anything over 1 fan on each channel).
Hardware or hardware-ish speed control is awesome. I am not using it for all that the thing is capable of but I really like it for controlling 8 fans plus a pump from a combination of hardware and software sensors.
https://shop.aquacomputer.de/index.php?cPath=62_63_64&XTCsid=f5affnrsbk98rocc7q04mqvq2vsfjomu

 

[FreedomEclipse]

1000-1200rpm are not silent fans. Not even by far. 500-600 rpm and we're talking...

Depends on the fans. I cant hear my corsair ML fans when they are running at 1000-1200rpm

 

[Vayra86]

Got a nice, silent custom case fan profile set up in BIOS that ramps up along with the GPU fan/temps under gaming loads. Motherboard PWM. Works fine, set it once, forget forever. I don't like fiddling with separate fan controllers while using the PC.

As for fan speeds; I opted for high speed case fans so that I have options; as long as I run them at 40% they are inaudible at 900-1000 RPM (and still move tons of air), when cpu temp hits 80 C my curve moves to 60-70% which puts them at a similar level as the GPU in terms of noise, and they go hurricane mode @ 2200 RPM when temps get out of bounds. (beQuiet SilentWings 3 HS PWM x3 front intakes). In my old case I had low RPM 'silent' intakes that maxed out at 1100-1200 RPM and they were more audible while moving less air. I'm seeing a huge improvement in GPU temps ever since, like -5C.

 

[londiste]

Depends on the fans. I cant hear my corsair ML fans when they are running at 1000-1200rpm

I have not seen (or rather, heard) fans that were not audible at 1000 rpm, this includes Corsair ML-s. Fan noise really does not vary that much with fan model or quality as much as one would expect. Given that fan does not have some real problems its noise level is primarily determined by its rpm.

 

[EsaT]

Depends on the fans. I cant hear my corsair ML fans when they are running at 1000-1200rpm

Then those aren't moving that much air.
Because that actual pushing of air always creates noise.
Bearing/motor noises have nothing to do with that.
And anyway fans without noise making bearing/motor have existed long before Corsair MLs.

...going by the NZXT Grid+ V3 reviews, it sucks ass (something to do with CAM software or something???)


how bout for the fans on your CPU controller as well? all the same? I use different size fans and speeds on my setup so this might not be such a good idea if i followed suit?

When product page says "Output Channel Voltage: 5W Max" I sure wouldn't have that great trust of them knowing much about electricity in the first place...


After using static setting fan controllers for years myself got Aquaero in last summer...
It's pretty much programmable logic device.
Besides physical sensors and readings from software you can make also make "virtual sensors" combining multiple inputs.
Have one such for CPU: If Aquaero loses software sensor input it uses data from physical sensor put onto base of heatsink as "backup".
(of course there's also possibility of default values to use as "fail safe" for software sensors if losing their input)

Then sensor readings are used as input for controllers.
With those then assigned to wanted fan output channel.
With of course plenty of configuration options also in those. (like min/max speed/start boost per output)

 

[FreedomEclipse]

I have not seen (or rather, heard) fans that were not audible at 1000 rpm, this includes Corsair ML-s. Fan noise really does not vary that much with fan model or quality as much as one would expect. Given that fan does not have some real problems its noise level is primarily determined by its rpm.

How can you hear fans that are 'inaudible' ???, Surely thats the whole idea behind having a silent fan is it not? I have had loads of different sets of fans in the past and corsair MLs have to be one of the quietest I have ever heard.

Then those aren't moving that much air.
Because that actual pushing of air always creates noise.
Bearing/motor noises have nothing to do with that.
And anyway fans without noise making bearing/motor have existed long before Corsair MLs.

They are pushing a decent amount of air while remaining quite silent at 1000rpm

For the record. I run the 120mm ML Pro on my AIO and 140MM ML Pros on the front of my case. I dont even need to push the fans to 25% on my fan controller to get good airflow. I stick my hand inside my case and i can still feel a decent amount of air being pulled in.

I run a custom profile using Asus fanXpert as the ML120s are directly plugged into the motherboard and there is no audible difference between 450-480rpm silent profile of the 1000-1100rpm user profile that i run 24/7 its only when youre pushing close to 1300rpms when you can start to hear the hum. otherwise If i side the voltages right back on my fan controller, I cant even hear my PC from across the room.

Think of it what you will. Human hearing in general is quite a personal thing. Some people hear better than others while others do not so it becomes quite subjective.

But having owned and tested many fans from Thermaltake to Arctics to Fractals to akasa's, to Phanteks to Yate Loons to Silverstones to Noise Blockers to Noctua's to Antecs to Nidecs to EK's. I know what I am hearing and feeling when it comes to the fans that I am using.

 

[londiste]

They are pushing a decent amount of air while remaining quite silent at 1000rpm

Maybe our ears are different. 30 dBA is not inaudible, far from it.

For the record. I run the 120mm ML Pro on my AIO and 140MM ML Pros on the front of my case. I dont even need to push the fans to 25% on my fan controller to get good airflow. I stick my hand inside my case and i can still feel a decent amount of air being pulled in.

Now we are getting somewhere. Do you mean you keep them at 25%? In that case sure, they are probably inaudible. Judging from spec, that is 500 rpm.

I run a custom profile using Asus fanXpert as the ML120s are directly plugged into the motherboard and there is no audible difference between 450-480rpm silent profile of the 1000-1100rpm user profile that i run 24/7 its only when youre pushing close to 1300rpms when you can start to hear the hum. otherwise If i side the voltages right back on my fan controller, I cant even hear my PC from across the room.
Think of it what you will. Human hearing in general is quite a personal thing. Some people hear better than others while others do not so it becomes quite subjective.

OK. I guess our ears are just different.