FRONTPAGE Zalman PWM Mate Review

[Overclockers.com]

Plenty of overclockers use fan controllers. With each controller we sweat the Watts each channel can control, and calculate how many fans we can put on a single channel. What if we didn?t have to worry about that? That's why Pulse Width Modulation was imported into fan control.

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[arcadiabc]

Not working 100%

I tried a similar setup and I could only fully control 3 PWM fans, not 5. As soon as I connect the 4th fan the PWM Mate can only reduce the speed of the fans by about 90%. Unless I did something wrong?

1 - I connect a 4pin to 3pin molex adapter to the PWM Mate link this one:
http://justabitlol.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/3-4-pin.jpg

2 - Then connected the Akasa 5 fan splitter to the PWM Mate.

3 - As soon as connect the 4th fan, the PWM Mate stops fully controlling all fans. When I play with the dial, I only sense the fans slowing down slightly. When I just leave 3 fans connected, the PWM Mate controls the fans as advertised.

 

[niikovac]

(I hope this is the right section ...)
Hello,
I'm new on this forum but I have read various articles with pleasure.
I submit my problem:
I'm doing a wooden cabinet that will contain my pc, and I would like to provide it with an independent ventilation.
As a fan I chosed the gentle typhoon at 3000 rpm (D1225C12B7AP-29).
3 for extraction and one for the internal recirculation (the introduction of air is passive ..).
My aim is to be able to power these fans with an external power supply (not computers) independent and be able to adjust the speed indipendently of the group from 3 extractor fans and one for recycling.
After ahving done my homework I have come to this configuration:

Apply to all the fans 4 modifcation for control via PWM signal.

Universal switching power supply 12V 3A with 3 plug (part number HB030) connected to the power of 3 extractor fans in parallel (by connecting the respective additional molex).

Switching power supply 12v 2a 3-5 plug for hdd (code HB200) connected to outlet type "Internal Power Y-Cable 4-pin molex 12v" with the two ends connected to two Zalman PWM Mate.
One of the two pwm mate will go directly connected to the single ricirculation fan and give power and the control signal.
From Second pwm mate i'll take only the PWM signal control to regulate the 3 extraction fans.

Now I ask you, apart from the reasons for the cabinet construction, the choice of the fans and the type of use...
If i connect this configuratio i will risk an "explosion" of my precious fans or of the pwm mates?
power supplies are properly sized according to you?
The pwm mate is able to simultaneously control the three fans?
you can feed the entire system with a single power supply? if so what is it?
are 2A too much to feed a pwm mate? what should i use?

Thank you in advance for any reply and I apologize for possible nonsense.

 

[LoganG]

It is actually better if you start your own thread instead of resurrecting one from the dead.

 

[ehume]

@niikovac -

What you describe sounds reasonable. Just make sure you feed the PWM Mate 5 Volts at the appropriate wire. It modulates 5v to control the fans.

The fans take 12v to power themselves. Don't get the two different Voltages going to the wrong places, and you should be all right.

And as for resurrecting the thread: most folks look down on the practice. I don't mind it for my threads. In fact, your proposal may be the right use for PWM Mates.

Be sure to keep a build log. Post some pics here, along with some links to the log.

 

[niikovac]

Hello, thank you for your reply and your very informative article. Unfortunately the only mail-order I've found in Europe with the pwm mate in stock told me after a week that this product is unavailable and discontinued. I don't have any official news on it, but today i can't find a place to buy it in Europe. I was hoping to use this solution instead of voltage regulation believing it would be more efficient, but not this time, i hope that this product or something similar will be available in the future. For now I will go with a 30W per channel rheobus , hoping it will not create too much heat.

 

[ehume]

Ship it from the US? It is small and very light.

 

[dddzuro]

PWM mate

Hi,
@niikovac - I'm ordering PWM mates and I can order an extra one for you, if you would like. According to your nickname, you are probably somewhere near Send me an email.

@ehume - your posts are great, however I am not quite sure how to do the wiring for my application of the PWM mate. I would like to control 4 fans without a PC - only with power supplies. Can you please comment, wheather my wiring is correct...

Thanks,
Dzuro

 

[Conumdrum]

You have PWM fans? If so they will run at full RPM unless you have a PWM signal to each fan and no need for 5v either.

I don't see a PWM input to the fans. If they are voltage controlled fans just get a fan splitter, cheaper.

 

[ehume]

Each PWM Mate has a plug and a socket.

Plug > Ground (white) > socket > gnd (white) > PWM Mate
Plug > 12 Volt (black) > socket > 12v (black) > PWM MAte
Plug > RPM (black) > socket (signal comes from fan to socket to plug)
Plug > PWM (black) (skips socket and becomes 3d wire to PWM Mate) > PWM Mate
Socket (4th wire) < PWM Mate

So the plug, the socket and the PWM Mate all have four wires:

Plug is gnd/12v/RPM/PWM
Socket is gnd/12v/RPM/PWM
PWM Mate is gnd/12v/PWM-in/PWM-out

Your PWM splitter's plug goes in the PWM Mate's socket.

HTH

 

[Conumdrum]

ehume, what if he has PWM fans and no speed signal? He's not using a PC so he has not PWM to control the fans. Wouldn't it be cheaper to get a fan splitter that can handle 2A that will accept a 4 pin connector?

They will run at full RPM anyway........

 

[dddzuro]

Hi,
thanks for the replies. I understand the wiring of the PWM mate now, however I am not sure how to control the fans without a PC // motherboard.
1., 2. and 4. wire from PWM mate goes directly to the 1., 2., and 4. wire of the fans - is that sufficient or do I have to have something additional for the PWM in (3. wire on the PWM mate)?

I am not using the standard plugs and socket on the PWM mate, therefore only the connections on the PWM mate are important to me.

And yes I am using the 4-pin fans, because they came along with the heat sinks I bought. Otherwise I would rather have 3-pin fans... These 4-pin fans in my case don't work at all, if I plug them in 12 V.

Any ideas, whether it is possible to control 4-pin fans without a PC?

Thanks,
Dzuro

 

[dddzuro]

Should I connect +5V to the PWM mate 3. wire (PWM in)?

 

[Conumdrum]

Without a square wave of some frequency you won't be able to control the speed. You can make your own speed controller so you don't need a PC. The post on how to do it is right next to this one.

 

[ehume]

Dudes . . .

If you provide the PWM Mate with 5v power, that is enough. The PWM Mate creates its own PWM signal. This:



I have five fans controlled by the PWM Mate. (My FP5 PWM splitter only controls 5 fans; if you get the Swiftech 8-fan PWM splitter you ought to be able to do better.) Notice in the back. One of the two higher-up fans is sitting on the PSU. There is no motherboard there. When I took this shot the motherboard was twelve feet away and not connected to this at all.

 

[Conumdrum]

Ohhhh! I didn't know that maybe I should of payed closer attention to the review.

 

[dddzuro]

Cool - I try to put 5V on the PWM in wire on the PWM mate. I'll post a picture, when I'm done
Thanks for all the INFO!
Dzuro

 

[dddzuro]

It works

This is the correct wiring scheme:

 

[ehume]

Correct . . . except that wire 3 on the PWM Mate is not Sense, but 5V supply.

 

[dddzuro]

I was a little quick with my conclusions

The fans work without the controller on 100% power.
The controller works without the 5 V suplly, however it can control only one fan or maybe two. Does anybody have an idea what do I have to do, to control four or more fans?

The problems may be arrising from the fact I have a switch adapters for 12 V and 5 V. Would a steady 12 V and 5 V solve the problem or is there something else?