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So my fan upgrade just failed...

LogicalDrm
By LogicalDrm
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Today was supposed to be good day as I would have my new fans in. But turns out that everything is not what it seems. First I learned that fan marked to be 200mm by NZXT isn't that. So Spectre Pro that I have bought to replace it is too big. It actually fits just if I take frame off. But since inner frame is so thin, blades hit into fan filters. So one fan going to be returned/changed.

 

Second thing came after boot and is more Gigabytes fault. Mobo has 4pin connectors and even BIOS calls them to be PWM controlled. Which they aren't. 4th pin is is voltage control, not PWM. Basicly it means that I can't control fans any other way than using BIOS. And that lowest setting isn't really Silent while being labelled as such. They are running at 1000rpm instead of 500rpm while idle. I have option to connect them to CPU headers but I think I'll use voltage reducers instead. I could return them but I don't really see the point. They would still have to use either fan control or reducers. Bit sad.

 

E: Actually I think I'll connect them to CPU header. Then I only need 1 more 4pin splitter. Or get used to noise.

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If the 4th pin was voltage control you would have destroyed your motherboard and fan. Just because it is 4 pin PWM doesn't mean the motherboard will give you control. Most motherboards do not give you the option to change your fan speeds unless you have a motherboard like ASUS which comes with AI Suite and fanXpert. It also makes no difference whether it is 3 pin or 4 pin, they can both be controlled. A fan doesn't need to be PWM to be controlled. All fans are voltage controlled. If you can actually change the speed depends on your motherboard.

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If the 4th pin was voltage control you would have destroyed your motherboard and fan. Just because it is 4 pin PWM doesn't mean the motherboard will give you control. Most motherboards do not give you the option to change your fan speeds unless you have a motherboard like ASUS which comes with AI Suite and fanXpert. It also makes no difference whether it is 3 pin or 4 pin, they can both be controlled. A fan doesn't need to be PWM to be controlled. All fans are voltage controlled. If you can actually change the speed depends on your motherboard.

 

I know that. Its just that I tought I would have nice and quieter system after upgrade where new fans would run almost silent at idle. Instead they are pretty noisy even using Silent optimized setting. I'll have another look tomorrow and see if using reducers has better effect. Or then get 4pim splitters and connect all those to CPU fan connectors. Which have better working A15's from Noctua.

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And seems like I've missed something critical while doing research on fans. Spectre Pro is too big (the 200mm one) but Spectre would fit. That solves one thing.

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Meh cpu fan headers are only capable of controlling 4pin pwm fans. Chassis headers are capable of voltage controlling fans or PWM. Keep in mind some fans come with a 4pin header but they don't have the pwm wire or in other words they arent pwm.

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Meh cpu fan headers are only capable of controlling 4pin pwm fans. Chassis headers are capable of voltage controlling fans or PWM. Keep in mind some fans come with a 4pin header but they don't have the pwm wire or in other words they arent pwm.

 

True. But in this case its oppisite. Fans are PWM, mobo headers aren't though they have 4th pin. :)

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For some odd reason using LNA adapter with this mobo and these fans just don't work. Seems like I'm back with 3pins if shop allows me to change them.

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What motherboard do you have that has fake 4th pins on the fan headers?

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What motherboard do you have that has fake 4th pins on the fan headers?

 

Gigabytes Z87X-UD3H. By searching abit I think its issue on all their boards of that gen. Don't know about newer ones.

 

Store accepted as RMA the 200mm fan and two 140mm ones. So I'll be getting replacements soon.

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Gigabytes Z87X-UD3H. By searching abit I think its issue on all their boards of that gen. Don't know about newer ones.

 

Store accepted as RMA the 200mm fan and two 140mm ones. So I'll be getting replacements soon.

I can't find anything on that. Got a source?

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I can't find anything on that. Got a source?

 

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/answers/id-1769426/motherboard-fan-connectors-pwm.html#12566554

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showpost.php?p=25508717&postcount=10

 

Thats two boards of Z87 gen that have system/chassis fan headers marked as 4pin VCC, not PWM. Plus the UD3H ofc.

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Today was supposed to be good day as I would have my new fans in. But turns out that everything is not what it seems. First I learned that fan marked to be 200mm by NZXT isn't that. So Spectre Pro that I have bought to replace it is too big. It actually fits just if I take frame off. But since inner frame is so thin, blades hit into fan filters. So one fan going to be returned/changed.

 

Second thing came after boot and is more Gigabytes fault. Mobo has 4pin connectors and even BIOS calls them to be PWM controlled. Which they aren't. 4th pin is is voltage control, not PWM. Basicly it means that I can't control fans any other way than using BIOS. And that lowest setting isn't really Silent while being labelled as such. They are running at 1000rpm instead of 500rpm while idle. I have option to connect them to CPU headers but I think I'll use voltage reducers instead. I could return them but I don't really see the point. They would still have to use either fan control or reducers. Bit sad.

 

E: Actually I think I'll connect them to CPU header. Then I only need 1 more 4pin splitter. Or get used to noise.

Buy a fan controller and stick the controller in your case. That was what I did.

 (\__/)

 (='.'=)

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Buy a fan controller and stick the controller in your case. That was what I did.

 

Case has built in one for up to 4 fans. Problem is that I would like them to adjust according to CPU temp or load. And I like to know how fast they are running. I've noticed that fan controls are good only if you need to adjust all fans to some wierd rpms that aren't in sync. Or if your mobo hasn't got enough headers.

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Case has built in one for up to 4 fans. Problem is that I would like them to adjust according to CPU temp or load. And I like to know how fast they are running. I've noticed that fan controls are good only if you need to adjust all fans to some wierd rpms that aren't in sync. Or if your mobo hasn't got enough headers.

There is no real purpose to do that. The only fans that do need to do that are your GPU fans because GPU's can get very hot. CPU's tend to not have this problem unless you are using the Intel stock heatsink. Any good CPU cooler can have fans set to low and you won't get anywhere near your max TDP of the CPU. My fans are all set to low so I just have an air circulation through my case because that is all you really need. Unless you are Overclocking and your temps get very high on your CPU at full load or even a little load. Other people might be different though it's all up to personal preference. 

 (\__/)

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There is no real purpose to do that. The only fans that do need to do that are your GPU fans because GPU's can get very hot. CPU's tend to not have this problem unless you are using the Intel stock heatsink. Any good CPU cooler can have fans set to low and you won't get anywhere near your max TDP of the CPU. My fans are all set to low so I just have an air circulation through my case because that is all you really need. Unless you are Overclocking and your temps get very high on your CPU at full load or even a little load. Other people might be different though it's all up to personal preference. 

 

Maybe so. There also the thing that faster the case fans run, slower all other fans have to run. So if I could have all fans react to same temp/load sensor, it would be silent as idle and really quiet under load. But for now I'm happy with this.

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Maybe so. There also the thing that faster the case fans run, slower all other fans have to run. So if I could have all fans react to same temp/load sensor, it would be silent as idle and really quiet under load. But for now I'm happy with this.

You can do what you want if you buy a fan controller that has temp sensors on it so you can put the sensors all around your case and then attach each fan to separate sensors. 

 (\__/)

 (='.'=)

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You can do what you want if you buy a fan controller that has temp sensors on it so you can put the sensors all around your case and then attach each fan to separate sensors. 

 

This case has also those :) Well, not the controllable type. When someone make fan controller which uses USB or Asus ROG type connection to read mobo sensors and temps, shows rpms and is either lcd or software controllable, then I'm in. Closest thing that I've seen is NZXT Grid+ but since CAM isn't much of software yet. I have to wait and see.

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