Fan Controller for radiator [Archive]

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GMdoubleG

01-24-10, 08:05 PM

Gotts

01-24-10, 08:15 PM

I was asking the same sort of Q over here (http://www.overclockers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=632177). Doesn't seem there are many options for 3 fans, let alone 6. Maybe it's not that common to have 1 chan control an entire set of fans on a rad? [whereas I thought it was].

Conumdrum

01-24-10, 08:26 PM

6 fans per rad? Not normal. Might need to move up to the BigNG with USB support and chainable. Big $$

muddocktor

01-24-10, 08:33 PM

This Sunbeam controller here (http://www.jab-tech.com/Sunbeam-Rheobus-Extreme-Black-pr-4090.html) can handle 30 watts per channel and has 6 channels. And this Lamptron model here (http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/lablalfcfanc1.html) is also rated for 30 watts/channel and has 4 channels. Unless the fans you plan to use are rated higher than 5 watts each, either of those controllers will do what you want.

atomic ferret

01-24-10, 08:38 PM

So, correct me if I'm wrong but:
P=IE
So each channel needs to be able to handle 2A, which at 12V is only 24W. Several Lamptron controllers can handle that.

baditude_df

01-24-10, 08:57 PM

Hello all,

Has anyone seen a decent fan controller that could handle 6 fans soldered in parallel to run off of one channel? I am putting 6 fans on each of my XSPC radiators and want to control the fans as one. There will be a total of 12 fans between the two radiators so I don't need a fan controller with lots of channels.

Each radiator will have three yate loon mediums on one side and three Ultra Kaze 2000rpm 38mm fans on the other side. I believe each channel will need a minimum of 2amps (please correct me if I am wrong). I've looked extensively and I haven't found anything that would work. Any help would be appreciated.

Also, has anyone tried to make their own?

Thanks

Why two different fan types? Do you already own some and don't want to buy more?

6 fans per rad? Not normal. Might need to move up to the BigNG with USB support and chainable. Big $$

I think it's just a push pull config he's talking about, no?

This Sunbeam controller here (http://www.jab-tech.com/Sunbeam-Rheobus-Extreme-Black-pr-4090.html) can handle 30 watts per channel and has 6 channels. And this Lamptron model here (http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/lablalfcfanc1.html) is also rated for 30 watts/channel and has 4 channels. Unless the fans you plan to use are rated higher than 5 watts each, either of those controllers will do what you want.

This is the way I see it. If he's using six sub 5watt fans like a YL highspeed, then he should be able to wire all six into one channel of a Rheobus extreme. In this case the wattage load should be somewhere ~24w.

GMdoubleG

01-25-10, 06:52 PM

The 6 fans are in a push/pull configuration on both radiators. One radiator for my 5870 and one for my i7. I already have 5 Ultra Kaze 38mm fans, 3 38mm San Ace fans, and 12 yate loon mediums laying around from multiple water cooling builds for friends. I figured that putting three 38mm fans on the push side and 3 yate loon mediums on the pull side would work well. Am I wrong on that? I wanted to put all 6 fans on the radiators on one channel since I thought they should always be running at the same speeds to keep good air flow through the radiator.

Ultimately, I am trying to build the very best cooling possible without it being really LOUD. I figure I can handle the noise created by more medium speed fans over fewer high speed loud fans as long as I have a fan controller that can limit the noise during movie watching.

Edit: What about this controller?
http://www.frozencpu.com/products/993/bus-36/FrozenCPU_Silver_PWM_6x_Fan_Controller_525_Bay.htm l?tl=g34c17&id=zJqpjgbX

The specs say:
Specifications: Pulse width modulation fan speed control module
Voltage: 12V DC Input 12V DC output x2 (3A/12V DC)
Wattage: 20W per fan speed control channel
Supports: Control 6 fans (2 fans per channel)

How does it handle 3A per channel at 12V DC? Does this mean it can handle my 6 fans?

boucher91

01-25-10, 07:31 PM

it seems as it could but i suggest the sunbeam rheobus extreme i have 4 and they work great..
1 used to power 10 tornados gawd glad thier long gone now....

Conumdrum

01-25-10, 07:48 PM

You need 4-pin fans for PWM. Make sure the controller works with just 3 pin fans, otherwise they will run at top speed if you can't use regular voltage control.

looking at the back of the controller, it has 6 3 pin connections and two PWM connections.

If it was 3 Amps each channel would be 36 watts.
3 amps x 12 volts = 36 watts. Wow, you'd be looking at 9 Amps through a cheapo molex connector to power the device. Whats the max amp rating of a basic 4 pin molex?
Looks like 11 Amps, the 8981 series, look at the right side, it has the specs.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molex_connector

GMdoubleG

01-25-10, 08:24 PM

Conumdrum: Are you saying that I need a fan controller with PWM (4pin) control?

Conumdrum

01-25-10, 09:08 PM

No, but the one you listed had PWM. I'm pretty sure all of the fans you want to control are 3 pin? Then no, you DON'T want PWM fan control.

I was bringing up the point that it was a PWM controller, and looking into it more it has headers for both, but only two PWM controllers on the back I can see.

GMdoubleG

01-25-10, 10:31 PM

Oh ok. I think the PWM connectors are for the option for cathode lighting. No?

A side note, if I have three San Ace Fans pushing ~100cfm and three Yate Loon fans pulling ~70cfm through a XSPC RX360 radiator, should I have any foreseeable problems?

Conumdrum

01-25-10, 10:45 PM

I have had cathodes. They have two wires. Dunno if you can vary a cathode light. I don't think so.

Push pull, I dunno. Most just run the same fans. Never seen tests on different fans, don't expect to.

Actually, I don't see your reasoning. Your trying to make this rad act like a BIX rad. You got a low FPI rad and your trying to make it work like a high FPI rad. I don't see the gains your looking for to be honest.

If you can handle the noise, buy a BIX rad that responds uberly to what your trying to do.
Take away 25% of the performance and then compare to your XSPC RX. You will see what I mean.

GMdoubleG

01-25-10, 10:54 PM

I thought that the BIX rads only responded to really high cfm fans? Would the Push/Pull configurations with these fans work with a BIX?

Conumdrum

01-25-10, 11:05 PM

LOL, you got 100 CFM fans. Try looking at Martins review of the GTX 480. 100 CFM fans is way above my GT 1850 fans. And I got a XSPC RX 120.3 rad on my GPUs.

Calculation says............... my fans are 57.6 CFM. And quiet. Yours are 100 CFM, and loud as silly.

GMdoubleG

01-25-10, 11:10 PM

Hmm, I haven't actually listened to the 100CFM fans yet. I think I should plug those in and see what they are really like. If they are as loud as you say, I think I may need to go Yate Loons all the way around.

You are running one RX360 with 3 GT1850 for only your i7 965, right? What are your temps and OC (assumed)?

Conumdrum

01-25-10, 11:33 PM

No overclock, no need to but I always get the urge to OC. Gotta staty green and just no reason too, it's hard. Just upgraded to the XT, my CPU for 5 min loads at under 50C at 63F 23C room temps. Barely hitting 50C in past tests for an hour and fans are at meduim speeds. Room temps about the same. I'm easily under 55C after an hour.

Ohh idle right now is in the low 30's, at 29/30 at boot up.

So even with a 4.0 my overclocks would be really good.

Sorry I don't have any OC data, just everything is fast enuff for now. I did push my E66o0 and my old 8800GT cuz I needed to. We'll see what happens tomorrow night, I'll be installing Mass Effect 2.0 WOOT!!!

Conumdrum

01-25-10, 11:37 PM

ACK redo, I got my PA 120.3 on the CPU. With a shroud. But close to the tests of the XSPC RX, which I have on my GPUS. So yea, my temps are way fine without the need of planet moving fans. And just 3 fans (same) on each rad.

GMdoubleG

01-25-10, 11:39 PM

After reading through the triple rad reviews on Martin's. I noticed that the BIX is the better choice with any fans over 1500rpm. Would the closer fins on the BIX cause a louder noise than the RX360 because of resistance? Jab-tech has the BIX360 for $99 and since that is the same price as the RX360, why would anyone choose the RX360 over the BIX360?

GMdoubleG

01-25-10, 11:44 PM

After reading through the reviews on Martin's, it seems that the BIX360 outperforms the RX360 with any fans over 1500rpm. Would the closer fan grouping on the BIX cause more noise than the RX360 simply because of air resistance (excluding noise caused by the fans themselves). Jab-tech has the BIX360 for $99 and since that is roughly the same pricing as the RX360, why would someone choose the RX over the BIX?

Conumdrum

01-25-10, 11:49 PM

If you got massive amounts of heat to remove and can't fit a 120x4 low FPI rad and can handle the noise, the BIX is very very the best choice.

100 CFM fans are LOTS louder than the GTs. Even without a rad.

I'm listening to quiet Guitar solos now on internet radio, wife is asleep in the next room. I can hear my PC, mainly my friggin PSU fan, but a very low DB. My rad fans are at half speed, I never have to turn them up from where they are now even gaming.

Dude, it's all about your heat load. If a 120x3 low FPI rad and quiet fans keeps the temps in the 60's (I load in the low 50's) why the hell would you choose anything else?

It's quality of life issues dude. I don't get it. Try driving your car for a month with no muffler. It will get old fast...........

If your after max overclocks and love benching, then even a BIX won't be enough. Whats your PC usage? Gaming/music forums? Or MAX powa and numbers?

Conumdrum

01-25-10, 11:53 PM

Lastly, remember all you need is to keep the temps in a reasonable range. Your setup is overkill like mine. Make it quiet and it's a tool to enjoy life.

GMdoubleG

01-26-10, 12:14 AM

Thanks. You have talked me out of my insane 38mm fans and I'll just stick with the yate loons. I will, however, use 3 fans push/pull just because I have already made my radiator brackets. I simply want a medium overclock of my i7 920 and, after looking around, even a 4.0GHz OC of my 920 will only produce 270W heat. I think 6 yate loons on a RX360 will handle that. I won't be OCing my 5870 at all so I definitely won't need the 38mm fans on the RX360 in that loop.

PS. My family builds custom cars and I have driven some of them with open headers, horrendous at best!

Conumdrum

01-26-10, 12:19 AM

Great, glad I can help, thats why we all hang out here. Learn something, pass it on.

GMdoubleG

01-26-10, 12:58 AM

How loud do you think the San Ace's and Ultra Kaze fans are while being underpowered? That is, essentially, what a fan controller does, correct?

Conumdrum

01-26-10, 01:01 AM

Yep.
Do what you want to, you got the fans so play with it, it's your stuff.

dyckah

01-26-10, 02:44 AM

i have the ultra kaze 3000rpm fans hooked upto my fan controller, and they will spin right down to 300rpm, at which point, my power supply makes more noise than they do.

GMdoubleG

01-26-10, 03:38 AM

What kind of fan controller are you using? Does it say on it how fast the fan is spinning?

Conumdrum

01-26-10, 09:19 AM

I use the cheapo, wonderful
http://www.jab-tech.com/Sunbeam-5-1-4-Rheobus-Kit-BLACK-pr-2530.html

Two knobs have my rad fans, another for my HD fan, and the last one for my mobo top cooling.

dyckah

01-26-10, 09:51 AM

What kind of fan controller are you using? Does it say on it how fast the fan is spinning?

im, using the sunbeam rheobus extreme, and no, it comes with a couple wires to plug the sensor wire into a motherboard header, and im viewing the fan speed via those.

Conumdrum

01-26-10, 10:24 AM

This is new, some links.
http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=240091
http://www.frozencpu.com/products/9640/bus-211/Lamptron_30W_-_4_Channel_Aluminum_Rheobus_w_Multi_Color_Backlit_ LED_-_Black_FC-5.html?id=yQCWNpra
http://www.techreaction.net/2010/01/12/review-lamptron-fc5-fan-controller/

tomasgi

01-26-10, 04:14 PM

tomasgi

01-26-10, 04:16 PM

If some one with more experience confirms that that would work I might want to try that.:D

EarthDog

01-26-10, 04:29 PM

Couldn't you use this (http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=48&products_id=21287) to connect all the fans and then connect the port to a normal 4 channel fan control:eh?:?I would imagine not as all that power still has to go to the fan controller which is limited in wattage. not to mention how you would connect it to the controller.....

GMdoubleG

01-26-10, 04:38 PM

tomasgi

01-26-10, 04:39 PM

@ EarthDog
:-/:eh?::shrug: that's why I asked:o

EarthDog

01-26-10, 04:40 PM

Never hurts to ask! But yeah that and the step down in voltages means its already regulated... ;)

baditude_df

01-26-10, 05:30 PM

Conun: I like that fan controller a lot and, at 30W per channel (2.5A), it could handle 6 yate loons mediums in parallel. I believe that all the fans would need to be the same in order to read the fan rpm correctly.

Tomasgi: I'm not sure if you can use that as a relay since it hooks up 12 fans but gives them different volts (4 fans at 12v, 4 at 7v, 4 at 5v).

If you splice fans into a single channel it will not give an accurate fan RPM in my experience. Not like it matters with my rheobus anyway, but I did try it with a Scythe Kamameter with no luck.
I've since started capping off the yelow wire at the fan body instead of carrying it all the way to the controller.

GMdoubleG

01-26-10, 08:33 PM

Why do you cap off the yellow wire? What does that do?

baditude_df

01-26-10, 08:41 PM

Because I don't need it. It's just the RPM lead. If I'm daisy chaining fans onto a Rad, I just chop the yellow wire right away so I don't have to screw with it, and splice the Red and Black wires to the controller or a 4 Pin Molex to run right off the power supply.
If I'm running 1 fan per channel like I am right now with these Denki's, then I'll just splice all three wires because it's easy.
It's just that in my experience in trying to monitor fan speed of multiple fans spliced into the same line, it just didn't work. So now I don't even bother with it.
If I want to know if a fan is running at its full rated speed, I'll just quickly splice on a 4 pin molex and hook it directly into my PSU, and hook another of the same model into my controller at full blast. If they sound the same then you can be pretty sure that your controller is running your fan at or very close to max rated RPM. That's all I really need to know, and really have no need for an RPM monitor or an RPM lead.
Typically however, a fan controller will run slightly less than 12v at max. According to my multimeter, mine puts out 11.3v at max setting.

Below is a picture of the first time I spliced fans into the same plug.

http://img135.imageshack.us/img135/171/img0794tb8.jpg

I made sure to include the yellow lead all the way through and wired into a 3pin fan connector to be controlled and monitored by my Digital fan controller. It read a single fan no problem, but was very unstable and read erroneous values when I plugged the spliced line in. I decided just to cut that 3pin off and replace it with a 4pin molex adapter and run right off my PSU like so:

http://img171.imageshack.us/img171/2726/img0805ad5.jpg

GMdoubleG

01-26-10, 08:45 PM

When you daisy chain the fans to one channel, are you soldering the lines together at the same spot? I've never soldered before, nor have I tried to make a daisy chain of fans so I am trying to gather info so I only need to do it once.

baditude_df

01-26-10, 09:08 PM

I always solder each connection, then shrink tube each line, then shrink tube them all together.

Listen, I'm not saying it won't work for you, but I can't seem to get a decent RPM signal out of a spliced set of fans so I just thought I'd give you a heads up.

GMdoubleG

01-26-10, 09:52 PM

I'm not looking to get the rpm sensor working. I'm actually going to use a fan controller without the rpm showing. I am just looking to see what the cleanest way to chain the fans together will be.

GMdoubleG

01-26-10, 10:08 PM

Conumdrum

01-26-10, 10:20 PM

Yep, your correct at that. It kinda ruins the fans for individual use but a waire can be easily added.

I'll make a quick pic guide this weekend etc using some old stuff and open up some connections on my old Yate Loons 3x parelled for a rad. Can't get to it till this weekend.

GMdoubleG

01-26-10, 10:48 PM

That would be awesome Conumdrum. Thanks

baditude_df

01-27-10, 12:20 AM

I'm thinking that since I will be running all the same fans on one channel then I could get rid of the yellow wires on two of the fans and keep just one yellow wire to show the rpm of the set of fans. That is if I were to use a fan controller with an rpm sensor.
Are there any decent guides to first time soldering of fan wires?

I'm pretty sure that splicing all three RPM wires together like in the picture beow is where I went wrong, back when I was actually interested in monitoring it on my digital controller. Leaving only one RPM wire will work, and should give you an accurate representation of what all three fans are doing since they are all getting pretty much the same amperage.

I'm not looking to get the rpm sensor working. I'm actually going to use a fan controller without the rpm showing. I am just looking to see what the cleanest way to chain the fans together will be.

I'll let you know how I did my wiring while you're waiting for C. It's quite easy once you actually put the fans on the rad and visualize it. I did this without a guide, and without any prior soldering experience and it worked out just great. Since you want to leave one RPM wire, this example will include that. Sorry, at the time I did not take step by step pictures but I think you will get the drift.

Assuming you have the fans, you'll need:
1. Wire Strippers that go down to 20 gauge.
2. Wire cutters or kitchen shears.
3. Shrink tubing & Lighter - 2 or 3mm and some 1cm tube should do.
4. Solder gun and solder. Optional, you don't really need this, but I'm anal. Practice on some scrap wire b4 you start. It's pretty easy though.
5. Some kind of mat to solder over so you won't burn what's underneath.

- Use the nozzle end of the rad as a reference. The wires on a stock yate loon fan will reach the length of the rad.
- Pull all 9 of the wires tight along the side of the fan bodies like in my picture and cut them all in the same place(save the ends), but make sure to leave a few inches to play with. When you do this, obviously the far fan will have the longest wires, shorter for the mid and shortest for the near fan. Then nip the yellow wire of from the far and middle fans right at the fan body.
- Then bundle the far fan wires and the middle fan wires and slip a shrink tube over them and slide it back as far as it will go. This will hold the wires tight to the fan frames and keep things neat. This is shown in the picture below.
- Then do the shrink tube thing with the 4 bundled wires from the far and mid fans and the 3 wires from the near fan to keep them tight to the side of the fan bodies as is also in the picture below.
- Now you've got a bundle of 7 wires (3 black, 3 red and 1 yellow).
- Strip about 3/4" of insulation of each wire in order of color, and twist the matching colors together into one.
- Slip a 2" piece of shrink tube over each twisted pair as well as the yellow wire and pull it back out of the way. You can just as easily do this on the fan connector side. Then slip a 2" piece of bigger shrink tube over that.
- Now take the fan connector you cut from the near fan, cut to desired length, strip 1" of insulation and twist together with the corresponding color wires on the rad side. Solder each connection, slip the shrink tube over the each soldered connection and heat it. Then the larger shrink tube over the three connections, heat it and you're done.

Finished product:
http://img44.imageshack.us/img44/998/completew.gif

GMdoubleG

01-27-10, 06:57 PM

Wow, that does seem pretty simple. Thanks for the break down step by step. I wouldn't have thought about heat shrinking the individual lines and that would be bad.

GMdoubleG

01-30-10, 05:23 AM

I bought a Lamptron FC-2 Rheobus Fan Controller which has 45W per channel and there are 6 channels. There are three 4 pin connectors on one power line (black and red wires). Do I need to connect three 4-pin connectors from my PSU to all three connections on the fan controller?

baditude_df

01-30-10, 09:25 AM

http://www.overclock3d.net/reviews/cases_cooling/lamptron_fc-2_rheobus_fan_controller/2
That is your controller correct?

Plug a 4pin Molex from your PSU into the controller, connect your 3 pin fan wires and you're of to the races.
The particular 4 pin Molex connection on that controller simply allows you to use a male or female, but also has a third connections to allow you to run another device in series.
Maybe like another LC-2 controller or a monitor panel or something.

GMdoubleG

01-30-10, 02:18 PM

That's the one. Thanks.

Gotts

01-30-10, 05:33 PM

Conumdrum

01-30-10, 07:51 PM

Con, looking forward to your tutorial since I will be looking to do the same thing as the OP.....if the FC-5 (http://www.overclock.net/other-cooling-discussions/569734-lamptron-fc-5-fan-controller-new.html) ever comes in stock anywhere. :shrug:

Hehe, the front page of OC Forums.

http://www.overclockers.com/annual-water-cooling-cleaning-rebuild-journal/

GMdoubleG

01-31-10, 08:08 PM

Hey Conumdrum,

Are you saying that your fan soldering in parallel is in your article on the front page? I've looked through it several times and can't find it.

Conumdrum

01-31-10, 08:30 PM

Well I did it that way. Shows my old wiring in a pic, but I didn't make a tutorial on that.

I should of took pics as I made up my new fans for the rad, didn't even think about that, grrr.

I have seen a post/tutorial over a year ago somewhere. I looked and couldn't find it anywhere.

davep7

02-14-10, 02:05 PM

this fan controller can handle up to 45 watts per channel.... i still dont know if you can wire all 6 fans to that channel you should be able to though... i have 6 ultrakaze fans 3000 rpm, 134cfm, 12v/0.6A each.... that totals to 43A... i think ill just wire 3 and 3 and use 2 channels....

Lamptron Fan Controller FC-2 (http://www.crazypc.com/products/fc-2-82981BK.html)