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@ Lamptron/Spawne32 - Re: Fan Controllers

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Seebs

Fronting as a Mod Member
Joined
Aug 10, 2010
Location
Sunshine State
This one has been in my head since I built my very own PWM controller as found on this great thread of ours.

So I ask you, Spawne32 and therefore Lamptron... Would it be too much trouble to manufacture a controller that looks like the FC-5V2, and where all four channels are sending out PWM signal instead of power to the fans?

This is how I would envision such a controller

- 1 Molex connector to get power from the PSU.
-- From this single molex we could route the 5V needed to power the controlling circuit (PWM sinal generator), and also the 12V for the fans.


What I think would be the advantages of such a controller:
- Finer control of the speed of the fans.
- Since we're not controlling the fans via resistance, there is little to no heat created in the controller.
- There would not be a "up to XX W per channel" limitation... As long as the PCB tracks carrying the 12V from the PSU to each of the channels on the controller were thick enough; you could plug in even the most power hungry fans on there and not worry about blowing up the controller.

So... Have you guys thought about this? Has it ever been considered?

I know I would buy one in a heartbeat; and I know there are many people like myself that prefer PWM fans to their regular counterparts.

S
 
The current iterations of all of their controllers (FC-2, FC-3, FC-5v2, Touch and now FC-8) are all PWM controlled. They output voltage (for three-pin fans), but the control of that voltage itself is PWM.

Or are you meaning that you want it to control four-pin PWM fans?
 
Or are you meaning that you want it to control four-pin PWM fans?


Yes... I want to control PWM fans. The circuit could be changed so that the pot is used to regulate the amplitude of the pwm signal and then that signal is sent directly to pwm fans that are fed 12V all the time.

I think that doing away with "resistance" controlling where you're just down volting fans would be a much better way of doing this. That way the excess power is not dissipated into heat in the controller itself.
 
Interesting concept, and would be nice to have as an option. I fear the demand wouldn't be there though. Most fans out there are three-pin. That's a decision for Lamptron's market researchers though!
 
Interesting concept, and would be nice to have as an option. I fear the demand wouldn't be there though. Most fans out there are three-pin. That's a decision for Lamptron's market researchers though!

I agree with you on the lack of demand for such a product at the moment. But with some customer education; that could easily be solved. People go for the "normal" fans because the availability of pwm fans is rather limited and they are usually more expensive too. The way I look at this; someone willing to shell out the kind of money that one would spend on GT AP31s is not going to mind spending a couple bucks more to get the pwm version of that fan if it existed and a pwm ready controller were available.

I just think that the "resistance" way of slowing fans down is so dirty and wasteful; and ever since I found bings thread I've been on such a pwm kick that I may even sound like a fanboy some times... but you have to give props where props are due.

I truly hope the Lamptron guys see this and give IT at least a consideration beyond the passing glance over here. I would buy a product like that without even thinking twice about it.



just get one of them cheapo fan controllers from ebay gut it then mount your pots in them holes.... and make 3 more controllers to mount in the back of the bay case make up the harnesses for the 4 seperate pwm channels and 12v and i think youd be ready to rock n roll!

because real men need 6 channels! - http://cgi.ebay.com/ATN-TP-02G-6ch-...865?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4cf607e089


That actually sounds like a great idea dude... Although one would loose the "bling" factor that is something like the FC-5V2 with its lcd sceen and rpm/temp readouts.

If I could figure out how to replace the speed control on one of the FC-5V2 controllers without actually killing the rest of the functionality; I would slap four of my homemade controllers on it and have myself a "super controller"... but my electronics skills are not at that level yet; and buying controller after controller just to learn could get expensive.
 
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Personally, I like the look of a Scythe "KAZE MASTER" better, but if I were buying new fans and controller, I'd definitely go with whatever brand had a decent PWM controller :)
 
First off, I agree that PWM output would be nice.

That said, the current setup using PWM voltage regulators isn't especially wasteful, it's the same regulating scheme (most likely) as your cpu and gpu VRM section is using. Somewhere between 75% and 95% efficiency (as opposed to a resistor at 50%). Where PWM fans come into the efficiency mix I don't know.

That said, a 4pin PWM output circuitboard would be cheap compared to what is required for PWM voltage control. If we can build a circuit with 4pin output for <$5, they can do it for <$1.5 or so.
 
That said, a 4pin PWM output circuitboard would be cheap compared to what is required for PWM voltage control. If we can build a circuit with 4pin output for <$5, they can do it for <$1.5 or so.

My thoughts exactly....
 
Sebastian,

Imo there are several factors why this PWM controller isn't in the top list of these fan controller makers,

  • PWM fan still a minority compared to classic 3 wires fan, just go to popular web shop around, 4 wires pwm fans population prolly only 5% from the overall product range, or even less.
  • Majority of the 'enthusiasts' still don't grasp the advantage of it, hence the demand is considerably low. I could imagine when someday every time we visited computer enthusiast forums around the world, when it comes to fan discussion that people were shouting words like these .. "PWM fan FTW ! Those 3 wires fan is ancient !" .. or something similar, then I believe the fan and the controller makers might change they upcoming product strategy.
  • PWM fan cost is considerably higher compared to their 3 wires at the same model since it has many more components inside.
  • Also the need for controller might be less since the built in mobo bios or program is getting smarter and more features in controlling the PWM fan thru the mobo fan header. <-- This is quite a major factor as well.

So its like chicken or egg epic and I guess for meantime you're stuck with your diy one and as suggested, find a pretty but cheap fan contoller with pretty faceplate and mount the pot there while replace the existing circuit with yours. ;)
 
I know what you mean bing... The pwm fan market is not quite large enough to support this stuff, but we have seen companies put out product that is aimed at very small sectors and still be successful with them... Full MoBo cover waterblocks for example... They are not a high volume product when compared to cpu blocks; and still companies make them.

I understand the point about motherboards becoming smarted and BIOS features being implemented that allow more control over pwm fans that way, but tell me honestly; do you have a single pwm fan connected to your motherboard? I know I don't. :)

A product such as the one I envision would be an "enthusiast" product and those are always aimed at very narrow market groups; that is not to say that there would not be a market for it.

I just hope the Lamptron guys see this and maybe even give it some consideration... In the meantime; I will be McGivering my own device... But rest assured that if/when Lamptron comes out with the FC-5 V2-PWM I will be first in line to buy one or two of them.

:)
 
Only two of the various mobos I've had have had the sort of fan control I want.
An ECS G31m-T 775 board, and this P67a-UD4.
Both are only for the cpu though.
 
Hey Seba, thanks for the suggestions, im gona shoot this off to our engineers for further evaluation. ;)
 
Spawne,

If its firm to go with the pwm contoller, please pass the word to the EE to beef up the PWM output much higher than the standard specification, so people can hook up multiple pwm fans at that single pwm output.
 
Hey Seba, thanks for the suggestions, im gona shoot this off to our engineers for further evaluation. ;)

Oh no problem my friend... I hope they do give it some serious thought. As I said before; put me down for two if they do get made.... I'll pre-order right now if necessary. :)

Spawne,

If its firm to go with the pwm contoller, please pass the word to the EE to beef up the PWM output much higher than the standard specification, so people can hook up multiple pwm fans at that single pwm output.

Maybe a consulting gig for you bing? You could help them out with the circuit design... :)
 
It's time to bring this thread back up from the dead to see if our Lamptron rep has heard back on the idea of the PWM Controller. :D
 
Hey Seba, I no longer work for Lamptron at this time. I may come back to the Lamptron team in November however.
 
It looks like this idea/project/wish is not dead after all.

Just got a reply from a Lamptron rep over at OCN and he seemed stoked to make this happen. It will be a great day when I get my prototype for testing. :D

Hello there
I am the LAMPTRON UK person:
I havent signed on here before as i own my own computer review site (how lamptron found me)
However wow what a brilliant idea, and it makes perfect sense.
Personally I do not see any problem with this and why Lamptron shouldnt impliment it right away.
However as with all things we go through a R&D procedure
Funny you say this as we are looking into doing a 100 watt perchannel model any more than this I cannot say right now
But your ideas DO make sense and I will certainly liaise with Lamptron owner on this.
Fantastic idea
Can you email me direct at xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
and we can talk more on this, ill be VERY interested in hearing your views further
regards
g1lgamesh for lamptron uk
 
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