FEATURED Building PWM Controller for 4 wires PWM fan

[bing]

Bummer, really sorry to hear that luckily those components are cheap.

Just look at the bright side, you'll have a chance of building it better on the stripboard and more compact on that next build.

Really interested to see result of extreme air using that beast fan at your copper true, especially with that chilly wind from your window, thanks for the video and the window view.

To embed that vid of yours here at the forum, just edit that youtube link and use this bbcode format to do it at your next vid post -> [yvid]xf3-edrSGnU[/yvid]

 

[LennyRhys]

Update:

My acquisition of the San Ace monster fans has been greatly facilitated by Matt (I.M.O.G.), courtesy of whom they are on their way from the US as I write this...hopefully they will arrive this week!

In spite of what I said about taking a break over the weekend, I decided to brave the bitter cold on Saturday morning and make the arduous one-hour round trip through two feet of snow to the component store to pick up replacement components for a second attempt at the circuit. My 556 ICs still haven't arrived (thanks to the snow bringing the country to a standstill) so once again I built the Nidec circuit with bing's suggested buffer using an additional NE555.

The circuit is now complete and has been installed in a relatively small project box. I deliberately bought a box that would be big enough to house more switches or pots if I decide to add more channels at a later date. As you can see from the picture, there is plenty room on the stripboard should I decide to install another PWM circuit for a typical PWM case fan.

And look at the temperature outside - I really want to do some benching with one of these monster fans on my Copper TRUE whilst it is so cold!!

 

[m0r7if3r]

jez, chilly inside too! I gotta say, I love how neat your board is...if you were careful about it, you could probably just stack the channels with some (electrically) insulating foam between them.

 

[LennyRhys]

Cheers! And yeah it is cold inside too (in the kitchen, that is)

Got a Delta 190 CFM fan for the time being and I did a couple of quick runs with IBT and Prime 95 @ 4GHz. Normally it's 75-85C, but in the kitchen with the Delta @ 4000rpm it's 45-55C under full load, and that was 8C ambient!

When these San Ace fans arrive I'll probably remount my TRUE and make a shroud to bridge the ducting to the CPU fan...can't wait to see what kind of temps I get with 6000rpm/260 CFM and a direct supply of -10C air

 

[m0r7if3r]

I think someone needs to join the benching team Just click my benching team badge and it'll get you started if you're interested

 

[bing]

That is a very nice enclosure box you got there !

Excellent plan on spare space in there, I think with that box's size, you could fit in 2 more controllers, and drill 2 more holes at the panel for two more pots. Really eager to see your monster Sanyo + copper true + chilly wind in action.

Yeah, I suggest you should join our Benching Team !

PS : Really recommend you to write at our front page on all your journey & experience in building this controller up to benching your rig with chilly wind and the result. I believe that will be an awesome article to read.
Contact MattNo5ss if you're willing, he is the News Team for the cooling section.,

 

[bing]

Just got a new toy, big thanks to the generous MIAHALLEN to facilitate the procurement of this beast fan, since its only available in Japan. Don't ask, worry my wife is watching at my back to type the price, it is damn expensive !!!

It the GentleTyphoon on steroid , D1225C12BBZP-00 (PWM version) with rectifier ring for high speed.

Specification : max speed : 5400 rpm , 150.1CFM , 1.14 Amp , 150 Pa / 0.6 inH2O , 50.5 dB

With PWM control can reach minimum speed at 1000 rpm at 0% duty cyle.

Planning to build this controller myself and review this fan at another thread and hopefully I can manage a time to do it after this holiday season.

 

[LennyRhys]

Thanks bing Apparently there is going to be a 2000+ rpm version of the Scythe branded GT. I like the rectifier ring to stop the blades breaking off

Incidentally I had a look at Nidec Servo fans too and I found a spec sheet for this monster:

4450 mA @ 12v, 6300 rpm, 261 CFM, Static Pressure 520 Pa, 2.09 in H20 That static pressure makes even the San Ace fan look like Mickey Mouse

I'd love to write an article for the website and I will contact MattNo5ss as soon as I have my San Ace fans and get the first part of the PWM controller finished!

All my 556 ICs arrived in the post yesterday so I have enough components for five more PWM circuits

 

[MIAHALLEN]

That thing bests my Delta by quite a bit....and even puts out more static pressure than mud's 120x76mm San Ace

 

[LennyRhys]

I read that when you stack two of these fans, the static pressure nearly doubles

Imagine a 120mm fan setup with 1000+ Pa of static pressure

 

[m0r7if3r]

I think part of that pressure is coming from the finger-guard thing, which is acting as a compressor like you see in jet engines, sans the counter-rotation.

 

[bing]

Yeah, I'm aware of that monster fan and its 38 mm thick fan, unfortunately its almost unheard of, and currently available for 24 volt version only, and it looks like they sell it only at Japan.

For most high speed monstrous fans, 12 volt version is quite hard to find, but this is understandable since 24 or 48 volt version has significantly higher efficiency than 12 volt counterpart.

 

[MIAHALLEN]

Victor....top google result is an online store in Japan (in English) and they sell 12V versions for $98 each (cheaper in 20+ quantity)....and it looks like they'll ship international (maybe your next purchase )
http://catalog.e-jpc.com/item/high-...ries-brushless-dc-fans-119x38/g1238b12bbzp-00

 

[LennyRhys]

Until now I've been using resistors to control the speed of my fans - they may be inefficient, but they can be used to great effect with non-PWM fans if you implement them creatively.

I just realised that I had a selection of good quality wirewound resistors that I could use on my Delta, so I did some work this afternoon (in my spare time ) The film resistor is there for size comparison...

It occured to me that I have my desktop fan controller which has a 33R resistor hooked up to the rotary switch (not a pot!) on channel 1 which controls the speed (resistance) of channels 1 and 2, reserved for CPU push (always on) and pull (switching). I tried the 33R on the Delta 3A fan and it knocks it down to approximately 1.3v and, amazingly, the fan still turns

I get about 950 rpm with that resistor and the fan is SILENT; and if I want full speed it's there at the flick of a switch

I know it's not a PWM controller, but here's a short video anyway

 

[bing]

Victor....top google result is an online store in Japan (in English) and they sell 12V versions for $98 each (cheaper in 20+ quantity)....and it looks like they'll ship international (maybe your next purchase )
http://catalog.e-jpc.com/item/high-...ries-brushless-dc-fans-119x38/g1238b12bbzp-00

Damn, that is really igniting my impulse buying nerves.

Until now I've been using resistors to control the speed of my fans - they may be inefficient, but they can be used to great effect with non-PWM fans if you implement them creatively.

I just realised that I had a selection of good quality wirewound resistors that I could use on my Delta, so I did some work this afternoon (in my spare time ) The film resistor is there for size comparison...

Well using high watt resistor is fine, becareful though since it doesn't have short circuit protection and it might toast your psu or worst might catch fire inside that box, suggesting adding a fuse, also those resistors might get very hot, especially in that box that has no ventilation.

Btw are you aware that I got another high power linear voltage controller circuit ? Just take a look at my sig down there.

 

[Brutal-Force]

Looks like a candidate that might need one of these.

 

[LennyRhys]

Update: my San Ace monster fans are now in the UK as of yesterday! They have gone into customs, so now I just have to wait for a knock at my door which will probably come next week!!

Well using high watt resistor is fine, becareful though since it doesn't have short circuit protection and it might toast your psu or worst might catch fire inside that box, suggesting adding a fuse, also those resistors might get very hot, especially in that box that has no ventilation.

Btw are you aware that I got another high power linear voltage controller circuit ? Just take a look at my sig down there.

Heh I didn't think about short circuit protection. Re. the resistors getting hot - one of my resistors (a 10W one) melted some of the plastic enclosure, but no fire yet! But this one I had powered up for several hours...the switch in the video I usually keep it on for less than a minute.

If I do use the Delta fan after getting my San Ace fans, I should make your linear voltage controller for it!!

 

[jalyst]

Excellent thread, I'm really impressed with what you guys are doing, I'm just a little stunned though...

That there aren't any pre-built fan controllers with several channels integrated of the kind Bing demonstrated.
So that one can manage several PWM fans at once, & get speed feedback etc.

Ideally one that can handle a mixture of PWM & non-PWM (4-wire or 3-wire) capable fans if needed.
Surely there's something on this planet that one can buy? Ideally one that needn't be mounted into a 3.5" or 5.25" bay!

I don't have the time to carefully assemble something that can accommodate several fans independently, & even if I did I doubt I'd pull-it-off!

Damn, that is really igniting my impulse buying nerves.

LOL same,
But I think I'd be happy to compromise to 5400RPM in exchange for only 25mm thickness

e.g. the D1225C12BBZP-00

 

[I.M.O.G.]

Update: my San Ace monster fans are now in the UK as of yesterday! They have gone into customs, so now I just have to wait for a knock at my door which will probably come next week!:

Glad to hear it. Looking forward to seeing the final project.

 

[LennyRhys]

Glad to hear it. Looking forward to seeing the final project.

I expected it to arrive here sooner - USPS says "Left NY Dec 06, Arrived abroad Dec 09" I'm wondering...did they give somebody the box and tell them to swim with it?

I'm just a little stunned though... That there aren't any pre-built fan controllers with several channels integrated of the kind Bing demonstrated. So that one can manage several PWM fans at once, & get speed feedback etc. Ideally one that can handle a mixture of PWM & non-PWM (4-wire or 3-wire) capable fans if needed.

A PWM controller such as Nidec's (or bing's modification of it) will work only with PWM fans, which is a huge limitation given tha most fans in the average PC case are of the non-PWM type and wouldn't work with the controller. Non-PWM fans require a 12v circuit like bing's linear voltage controller or, more simply, a rheostat, and the benefit of this is that it will also work with most PWM fans.

When my San Ace fans arrive, and when I decide exactly what fans I'm going to put in my case and where, I'll be building a "proper" fan control unit with designated channels for each fan. There will be only one pwm circuit because I'll only need one San Ace fan (for the CPU cooler) and the rest will either be simple on/off switches or linear voltage controllers courtesy of bing.