Issue with mcp35x + sunbeam rheosmart controller

[amora]

Reference link below for martins diagram, similar to mine except I'm running 4 fans on 2 separate headers on the controller using a splitter cable each.

http://martinsliquidlab.org/2011/04/03/sunbeam-rheosmart-3/

The issue I'm having is that when plugging my mcp35x into the controllers pass-through pmw cable, the pump seems to steals the entire pwm signal away from the controller.

What happens is that the pwm fan control ,through the controller itself, via speedfan, works perfectly IF there is nothing connected to the pass through connector but if something is connected to that connector it routes the pmw signal away from the controller, and for some reason tells it(all 4 of my rad fans) to run at 100%. So pretty much I get to either run my pump at 100% all the time and have pmw control of my fans(with no control of my pump speed at all) via speedfan OR have pmw control of my pump via speedfan but no pmw control of my fans(only control via manual manipulation of the dials on the physical controller).

Just to be sure it wasn't the pump, I grabbed an intel hsf w/pmw and tried again with the pass through and yet again, all of the pmw control gets completely routed to the decide connected to the pass-through connector and, for some strange reason makes my controller put my fans on full blast even though speed fan will be set at for example 30%.

I'm not quite understanding what's going on here as they each both work independently of each other(fans OR pump) but don't work together when all interfaced with one another.

I'm pretty sure the point of having the pmw pass through was to be able to control a native pmw equipped piece of hardware while enabling control of non-native, regular hardware(in this case basic 3 pin fans)

* I'll answer a question I already know will come up:

Are you connecting your pump to the Sunbeam controller itself?
- No, the controller comes with a cable that splits the mobo pmw signal into 2(one going to the controller itself the other is a direct pass through intended for pmw CPU fan)

Again pmw control of the pump and fans work independently of one another, but for some stupid reason will not work together as they should. I just want my pump and all 4 fans to be supplied with the same pmw signal so they can all be controlled at the same time with one setting.

Any ideas!? Helppp

 

[Diggrr]

Well it sounds like you've done the logical testing and still were let down. It may be that the PWM signal on your particular mother board is weak enough that only one device can use it.
Do you only have one PWM plug-in on your motherboard?

to the forums! I'll be back later..

 

[ssjwizard]

You could try using the PWM from the system fan header for one of them. I know its a bit more work setting up configurations for 2 headers but it might be your only option.

 

[amora]

Well it sounds like you've done the logical testing and still were let down. It may be that the PWM signal on your particular mother board is weak enough that only one device can use it.
Do you only have one PWM plug-in on your motherboard?

to the forums! I'll be back later..

First and foremost, THANKS! The welcome is appreciated.

Moving along...

I started to figure that it might be the motherboard/controller considering I'm playing around with a "budget motherboard(asrock g31m-s r2.0 )".

This could be coincidence or outright the nature of cheap mobo's, but I tested the 2 fan version of Sunbeams rheosmart pmw controller that i also have, on an MSI-7525 Boston(-OEM for HP branded computers) motherboard and I got the same result(only works when one or the other are connected) from a completely different motherboard as well as a different controller(smaller cousin of the rheosmart PMW controller family).<- This lil guy is entertaining btw

You could try using the PWM from the system fan header for one of them. I know its a bit more work setting up configurations for 2 headers but it might be your only option.

Unfortunately my other fan pin header is a "dumb header" and offers neither direct DC voltage manipulation nor a pulse width modulation signal.

Might be SOL here, but I dont' really care to give up considering a bought the controllers so that wouldn't have to reach down to my rig every time I want to turn the fans down. Plus, it's annoying at night if my fans are on full blase to have to physically get up and turn the fans down manually...I like just grabbing my iPad, r emoting into my computer and turning them down that way lololl

Yes, lazy! but When you deadlifted 405lbs the day before, working out, it's not so much fun bending over to turn fans off.

=======

Additionally, has anyone noticed when using PWM that fan rpm jumps around like crazy? I would imagine this is merely a direct result of altering the frequency and width of the signal several times...but this is done in very rapid succession, it shouldn't be enough to create such dramatic(by dramatic i mean bouncing up and down 500+/- rpm).

In any case, not that I would have even able to tell that was going on without speedfans RPM graph because the fans don't stutter or chop or make any audible noise, I was just curious if that was normal. Might be just an error as you'd think id be able to hear a 500rpm bounce several times a minute.

...just saying....GT-ap15 are umm expensive and really annoying to find, and they're by far, noise wise, superior to my Zalman zm-f3's which are also awesome, but quite a bit louder with a noticeable tone to them... I really care not to hurt my super quite fans lol

...

 

[Diggrr]

Are you using Speedfan to regulate your PWM speeds, or are you using the BIOS>H/W Monitor to do it? You may have to fiddle with settings between the two, or let BIOS handle it completely (setting target temps in BIOS) with Speedfan monitoring only.

 

[amora]

Well I fiddled with the fan speed settings and turn the control off.

This now had a positive effect, that being that when a PWM intel hsf is connected to the PWM pass through, along with the rest of my fans hooked to the controller....the PMW works fine, controlling all 5 fans in unison.

Thinking i solved the issue, I plugged the pump back into the PWM pass through and once again, the signal get routed away from the controller, puts my fans on high, and only the pump is controlled.

Since the pump even at full speed is silent when inside my case(so i figured I dont' need to vary the speed of this thing up and down) and through testing in my setup that is been determined that at 40% i achieve the best temp results....that I'd control the pump voltage the typical way, using the pots on the controller to create resistance...and it worked! Anndddddd then I thought, wait a minute, how much wattage and amps is this motor. Then had the bright idea of sticking my finger onto the heatsink that was cooling the pot on the controller and it was so hot I jumped back as if i touched a stove top.

I'm going to see what Gabe from swift-tech thinks bc i'm fairly certain I'm the only one seeing this type of behavior...no amount of googling has shown anyone with a similar issue.

 

[Diggrr]

Yeah, when you're using the pump on one of the controller dials, whatever energy isn't used is going to the heat sink. They can get very hot too!

Gabe might have an idea for you, Good Luck!