Voltage issue?

[Dawgdoc]

A few electrical engineering/computer related questions for the experts......

This is definitely one of my weaker points.

On one of my systems, I am using these Yate Loon Fans from Petras (http://www.petrastechshop.com/12yalod1cafa2.html), and this Sunbeam 6 way fan controller (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811995016). Brief specs on the controller are Input 12V±10%, output 4-12V±10%, (max output 30 Watt each channel) but theres prob more details on the spec page too if thats not enough.

1. I find that when the fans are hooked up directly to the mobo, they spin SIGNIFICANTLY faster and generate much better air flow as compared to when they are hooked up to the fan controller. Ive switched power cables both PSU side and controller side. I happen to have 2 of these controller and I switched out the controllers and nothing I do makes them spin as fast as when directly hooked up to the mobo. Yes ive tried turning the dial to max on the controller :P

Any suggestions?

2. Can I splice/solder the wires from multiple fans together to work with a single 3 pin fan attachment? Can I do that if I want to plug them into the mobo? How about the fan controller? Will they spin as fast and get as much voltage as if I run the wires seperately with seperate connectors?

Thanks!

[Super Nade]

It seems like the controller is capping the current in some form (it will do so if it is an active-device controller). I'd have to look at the internals to figure out why? Instead of using the motherboard fan connectors, I would suggest grabbing a 3 pin--? molex adapters and running the fan off of a molex. Never run high power fans off the motherboard.

[Dawgdoc]

Never run high power fans off the motherboard.

Why is that?

Would is be ok to splice 2 fan wires into a single 3 pin connector, and then take that 3 pin connector and hook it up to a 3/4 adaptor and then to the PSU?

Or is that not ok?

[glock19owner]

Why is that?

Would is be ok to splice 2 fan wires into a single 3 pin connector, and then take that 3 pin connector and hook it up to a 3/4 adaptor and then to the PSU?

Or is that not ok?


Most MB fan headers only support 12a or so and most high power fans are well past 12a...so there is a good chance you could burn the MB when you burn a MB fan header by using a fan past its rated amp specs.

[Hipcrostino]

12w not 12a. 12 amps would be AWESOME though!

;)

[Dawgdoc]

Ok so I hooked up all of the fans to 3-4 pin adapters and directly to the PSU.

3 fans on the PA 120.3, 2 fans on the swifty 240, and 3 case fans LOL....

Slight problem though....not really a problem per se but...

The whole reason I wanted the fan controller is because I wanted to control the noise of the fans. This is the main reason I went watercooling on this rig.

They arnt really loud at full blast, but I know I can make them and the whole machine barely audible if I could use a fan controller.

Any ideas on how I can get a fan controller to give me max volts? I want the option of max volts, but also the flexibility of a controller.

Thx!