I need a fan controller...

I'm looking for a fan controller for an upcoming transferance of my current hardware into an old(new)[modified] case. It's an old Antec from 1999, the case in which I built my first home-built rig when I went to college. Two 5.25 externals, two 3.5 externals, two 3.5 internals. I'm modifying the case for both function AND fashion, but function is my top priority.

I need a fan controller. I have three levels of priorities: 1 = Must, 2 = preferred, 3 = bonus.

1. The controller absolutely MUST:

A. Be compatible with 4-pin fans (my two red-LED 120mm case fans are 4-pin molexes). This is the single highest priority I have for the entire controller. I absolutely refuse to use a 3-to-4-pin adapter. That's absurd and inelegant and sloppy.
B. Support enough amperage to control two LED 120mm fans at full blast without burning up
C: High quality! There are plenty of fan controllers/thermal monitors on Newegg, but many of them receieve mediocre/lackluster reviews due to poor build quality (knobs that fall off) or poor circuitry (LEDs that fail, channels that fail, warning alarms that sound for no reason). This is unnacceptable to me.

2. Preferrably, the controller:

A. Includes an LCD readout for temperature display *AND* its own thermal probes for temperature monitoring
B. Can allow the fan to run at its highest speed (Some controllers seem to limit maximum fan speed when compared to a fan that's plugged directly into the power supply. I don't care if the controller can completely turn the fan OFF, I just want to be able to run the fan at the full 12 volts.)
C: Fits in a 5.25 bay (although 3.5 will work in a pinch, I'd prefer 5.25)

3. As an added bonus:

A: Any included lights on the front are RED (which probably isn't going to exist, so...)
B. If not red, then either GREEN or ORANGE (blue is acceptable, but will look like utter shiate)



I recently ordered a Sunbeam thermal controller from Newegg. At first it seemed to fit my needs in that it controlled two fans and I THOUGHT it controlled 4-pin fans. Unfortunately, it only supports 3-pin fans without an adapter. And it has a blue LCD. Why is blue so bloody popular, anyway? Anyway, I RMAd it today.

Newegg has a good selection, but none of them seem to be EXACTLY what I'm looking for. Can anyone here recommend something that will suit my MUST HAVE needs as well as most of the my other priorities?

In a nutshell:

1. Controls 4-pin fans
2. Quality
3. Black
4. 5.25 design (3.5 will work)

Hmmm, I doubt you're going to find any fan controllers that have 4pin molex inputs for the fans. They generally have 1- 4pin molex input for the power input from the psu and they mostly have the 3pin input for the fans.

If you're dead-set on not using 4pin molex to 3pin adapter, then i'd hate to say it, but you're SOL.

In all my years I haven't seen a single fan contoller that fits in the 5.25 bay and have 4pin molex connectors for the fans. i think it's because:

1) 4pin molex connectors take up too much space.
2) if they did build it it would be alot larger and would take up more that just 1-5.25 bay slot. i would imagine dual 5.25 bay slots.


Plenty of fan controllers out there with LCD displays, control temps, and fans, but not with 4pin molex connectors. 99.99% of the controllers only have the 3pin fan connections and 1 molex connection for power input.


Unless you make it you're not going to find one.



http://www.svcompucycle.com/fanandtemman.html


http://www.directron.com/speedcontrol.html

http://www.jab-tech.com/Sunbeam-5-1-4-Rheobus-Kit-BLACK-pr-2530.html one of the best, cheap, simple, 20w per channel fan controllers, widely used around these forums. The problem, it will not take 4pins!!!
Instead of a lcd, it has neat bright red and blue leds. If you dont like them, very easy to take off and i think its possible to solder on a differant color led.


like what neb said, all current/popular types fan controllers does not control fans via 4 pin

My vote is for the Sunbeam. I have one controlling my Delta WFB1212ME and it's great. Can make it nice and quiet then crank it up for full power at the turn of a nob.

Okay, after more searching I came upon this.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813999504

It comes with adapters for control of 4-pin fans. It's black. It fits in a 3.5 bay, but that's okay. It can control LED fans like my Apevia red LED 120mms, which is sweet. (I was worried that using adapters might disallow me from using the LEDs on my fans.) IT as blue LEDs on the front, which sucks, but one Newegg reviewer said that is modifiable.

Of all the controllers I've looked at, this one looks like my best best. Can anyone here comment on its quality/usefulness?

Vantec fan controllers work pretty good. They can't handle the Tornados, but none the less they work nicely. You'l be happy with it. I got the silver one from
RIG RIDER

The sunbeam comes with 4-3 conversion plugs (2, AFAIK). Also 4-3 plugs are cheap enough... just buy a couple when you get the Sunbeam, it will be cheaper then the vantec.

Sunbeam + Four 3-4pin adapters: $21.97 shipped
Vantec: $24.98 shipped

If 3-pin to 4-pin adapters are the issue, just let me know what you need. Below is my spare wire box. The adapters on the right are stock Sunbeam, the one in the middle allows you to plug the tach wire into the motherboard and the power wires into the PSU and the one on the left will power two fans with a small pass-through for the PSU power.

Since you're looking at a rheobus, the stock Sunbeam ones would probably be your best bet but if you want the motherboard to monitor the fan speed you'll need to split off the tach wire so maybe some combination of the above. Modding any of these is easy enough so don't let cabling be the deciding factor.

Okay, the Sunbeam Rheobus that NUTZ linked to looks pretty sweet, but he said that it wont control 4-pin fans.

Then, WonderingSoul (cool name, BTW) referred to "The Sunbeam" as having two 4-3 adapters included. Was he referring to the Rheobus?

That Rheobus looks sweet. If I go with that, then here are my priorities:

1. Adaptation for 4-pin Apevia fans with LEDs
2. The 4-pin adapters *MUST* allow the LEDs to light up (my entire case project is built around the red light coming from these 120mm Apevia LED fans... any adapter I use must supply power to both the fan motor AND the LEDs)
3. If possible, the rheostat must adjust both the fan speed (fan motor voltage) *AND* the LED brightness (LED voltage)


If the Sunbeam Rheobus fulfills all of these objectives WITHOUT having to buy extra adapters for my fans, then I'm going to buy it. However, if the Rheobus does not actually include any 4-3 adapters, someone please let me know ASAP so I can order the adapters if I need them. I'd like to order this stupid thing as soon as possible. The sooner I get this new rig up and running, the sooner I can sell this absurd X-Navigator case.

Oh, and to MVC: I don't need to connect these fans to the motherboard. I don't need to monitor fan speeds, and I want to control my cooling manually (for the same reasons that I prefer manual transmissions to automatics, and for the same reasons that I hate traction control systems). If the Sunbeam comes with its own 4-3 adapters, then I'll use those.

umm wayward.... MVC is offering you the adapters to make 4pin to 3 pin plugs to be used on Sunbeam.....

I used a thermaltake LED Smartfan on my sunbeam and the leds very variable. If they converstion cables with the sunbeam do not work then I am sure some of the MVC ones will.

I know he is, and I thank him for it. It's very generous. But WonderingSoul referred to "The Sunbeam" (and I can only assume that he meant the Rheobus, unless he clarifies further) as having its own adapters included in the package.

Now, if the Rheobus does NOT include its own adapters, then I'll be more than happy to take MVC up on his offer. Hell, I'll even pay him for it.

It DOES include adapters. It comes with 2 3---->4 pin adapters that do let fan Led's glow. I just bought it a few days ago and it is awesome. I have 5 80mm fans (all led) and 2 Vantec Tornado's (80mm variety also). This is the controller you want.

Wayward_Son said:

Oh, and to MVC: I don't need to connect these fans to the motherboard. I don't need to monitor fan speeds, and I want to control my cooling manually (for the same reasons that I prefer manual transmissions to automatics, and for the same reasons that I hate traction control systems). If the Sunbeam comes with its own 4-3 adapters, then I'll use those.

Click to expand...

The Sunbeam rheobus comes with 2 adapters (if I remember correctly) so you'd need a couple more--I've got spares if you want them . At the same time, the rheobus doesn't allow you to monitor fan speed, so if the fans have a tach wire and you wanted to plug it into a motherboard header so you can monitor it there, modifying the adapter is easy enough.

The point is that it's your computer so you should be the one deciding how you want it to work. And, you shouldn't feel limited by any "ready-made" configurations--especially with something as simple as fan plugs. So, if the commercially produced adapters aren't exactly what you're looking for PM me with specs and I'll make them; I do have more than enough parts

Cool. Thanks for the replies, everyone. I'll order the Rheobus today.

MVC: That's very generous of you, and I appreciate the offer, but I only need to control two fans and I don't need to hook a tach wire up to the mobo. The included adapters with the Sunbeam should work fine. If I ever add any more fans to the case, however, I'll let you know.

Again, thanks. You've all been very helpful.

Yeah, sorry, I do mean the Rheobus.

I have had the Thermaltake Hardcano 13 for a few months and like it very much..

3 pin fan connector though..
Comes with 3->4 pin adapters.
4 fan controllers and probes.
Auto or Manual control.. I use manual.
Excellent Large Temp display for easy reading.
Only One Fan/Temp display at a time.
Only 10 deg C increments for alarm.. too bad..but liveable.
Could use a little better filtering on the rpm and temp displays.
Has a card reader.
The selector button could be made more convenient to use (larger) but I got used to it.
Pick your LCD display color..

Best I have found so far..

http://www.thermaltake.com/accessories/a2259hardcano13/a2259hardcano13.htm

Damnit, RTP, now you've gone and ruined everything. They had me sold on a Rheobus!

1. How many adapters does the Hardcano come with? I only need two at the moment.

2. Will the Hardcano work with LED fans?

3. How is it quality-wise? The NewEgg reviews are pretty much horrible for this product. Lots of people complaining about incessant alarms, not to mention the fact that this things uses a battery. Your thoughts?

I think you are referring to the 3->4 pin adapters. I think it came with two but I'm not sure and all of my parts are mixed in my "fan parts box". The review in the link states two. If you search you will find more reviews.

I am controlling a Zalman 9500 LED cpu fan with no problems. I think its only a matter of the extra current the LED draws and as long as your fans are not the large power fans you should be ok. I could not find the fan max current spec, but a more detailed search should find it.. I'll look some more later...(I THINK most controllers are limited to .14A/fan).
I think the quality is good to very good...
Yes I looked at the newegg reviews last night..pretty bad..
I have been looking (and I still check often) for the perfect controller... but IMO just does not exist.. yet...

HC 13 Review:
http://www.tweaknews.net/reviews/hard13/

I would like a controller that can display 2 fans and temps at the same time on a LARGE display and control at least 4 fans in Manual or Auto mode. In Auto mode, each fan should be independently programmable according to user input temp vs rpm data points... maybe even just 4 or 5 data points with linear interpolation between the points. I would like to be able to enter the data points via the front panel and not SW.
(Hmmm.. maybe I should start a thread on what people would like in a controller..)

I should also mention that I like a "Pot" type controller for fans that I change often (less button pushing). I use the Enermax 2 Fan Multifunction LCD controller for this. I control my front intake and side fan using this controller. IMO its not as good quality...and as I remember, its usb cable is not as good a quality as the Thermaltake cable so I use the Thermaltake card reader and the Intel front usb port that came with my mobo (Excellent thick usb cable). I wish I had bought the 4 fan version of the Enermax since I don't use the Enermax card reader.. I think the 4 fan version has a larger LCD display too.
One thing I don't like about the Enermax is that when the fan drops below 1000 rpm an alarm sounds for 30s, so running <1000rpm is inconvenient. Also the Hardcano 13 only allows a minimum Zalman rpm speed of 1500-1600rpm for the cpu And the VGA fan.
SO... Since I (at this time) do not run high voltages to my cpu/mobo and since my system cools Very Well, if I want to lower my rpm's... I can't do it the way I want with either controller..
Enermax:
http://www.enermaxusa.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=28_33

Next month I am going to build another system with a 6700/XBX2. My case is great so I will get another one... and I am also getting another Hardcano 13 and the 4 fan Enermax..
Edit:
Actually.... the more I think about it... you might like the 4 fan Enermax.... I might still get this for my main system too... since I found I don't use the Hardcano 13 Auto mode, and Pots are more convenient.. I may control more fans with the Enermax pots and use the HC 13 for controlling fans that need <1000rpm (except Zalmans) and use the Large LCD display on the HC 13 for reading temps.. still thinking..