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Best way to control radiator fans?

drummereef
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What's your preferred method of controlling CPU cooler radiator fans?  

 

I currently have an ASRock z77 Extreme4 mobo and a Swiftech h220 cooler.  I'm controlling the fans and pump via the PWM CPU fan header on the board.  There is also a second CPU header on the mobo that is only 3-pins - so I'm assuming is voltage regulated.  The reason I'm asking is I have a slight "whine" which I'm guessing is from the Swiftech Helix fans on the h220.  So...

 

Is there a better way to control the rad fans?  Should I use the 3-pin header and control them with voltage instead?  Would a pair of Noctua NF-F12's yield better (quieter) results with less PWM noise?  

CPU i5 3570k, MOBO ASRock z77 Extreme4, GPU XFX R9 270x, COOLER Swiftech h220, SSD Samsung 840 Pro, HDD WD Black 1TB, RAM Corsair Vengeance LP 16gb, PSU Corsair AX750, CASE Fractal Design Arc Midi R2, OS Windows 7 Professional

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Noctuas would be better but only slightly.

 

You can buy an expensive stand alone fan controller but controlling it from the motherboard is much better.

Feel free to PM for any water-cooling questions. Check out my profile for more ways to contact me.

 

Add me to your circles on Google+ here or you can follow me on twitter @deadfire19.

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Noctuas would be better but only slightly.

 

You can buy an expensive stand alone fan controller but controlling it from the motherboard is much better.

OK, thanks Ghost.   So stick with PWM or plug them into the 3-pin CPU header? 

CPU i5 3570k, MOBO ASRock z77 Extreme4, GPU XFX R9 270x, COOLER Swiftech h220, SSD Samsung 840 Pro, HDD WD Black 1TB, RAM Corsair Vengeance LP 16gb, PSU Corsair AX750, CASE Fractal Design Arc Midi R2, OS Windows 7 Professional

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OK, thanks Ghost.   So stick with PWM or plug them into the 3-pin CPU header? 

PWM control is always better.

Feel free to PM for any water-cooling questions. Check out my profile for more ways to contact me.

 

Add me to your circles on Google+ here or you can follow me on twitter @deadfire19.

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PWM control is always better.

Gotcha...  thanks!

CPU i5 3570k, MOBO ASRock z77 Extreme4, GPU XFX R9 270x, COOLER Swiftech h220, SSD Samsung 840 Pro, HDD WD Black 1TB, RAM Corsair Vengeance LP 16gb, PSU Corsair AX750, CASE Fractal Design Arc Midi R2, OS Windows 7 Professional

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voltage straight from PSU, nothing to burn up or break..

or can use remote power to fans and PWM splitter to control from mobo.

 

IMG_0994_600_400.gif

 

airdeano

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Or can use remote power to fans and PWM splitter to control from mobo.

Forgot about those. But surely you need the PWM and the RPM wire to go into the mobo.

 

What you posted is just the RPM sensor wire, you would need the 4th PWM wire to be able to control them with PWM.

 

Or at least that's what it looks like from the picture.

Feel free to PM for any water-cooling questions. Check out my profile for more ways to contact me.

 

Add me to your circles on Google+ here or you can follow me on twitter @deadfire19.

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wow you are right and that's straight off gelids website..

 

i looked at my splitter and there are two wires in the mobo fan header connector..

they really don't need a tach wire, but for monitoring it is helpful.

 

airdeano

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I reccomend using NF-F12 fans and the low noise adapers and hooking that up to the PSU directly, that way it is quiet and as long as you ahve enough rad capacity I don't think it will be a problem as far as heat goes.

Also that way it will be extremly quiet ;)

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OK, thanks for the help guys.  I am using the PWM splitter that came with the h220 kit.  The splitter is powered from the PSU and then the pump and fans are connected to the splitter.  The splitter uses only 2 wires (PWM and Tach) to connect to the motherboard.  

 

So does this mean the fans are really being regulated by voltage and just monitored via the PWM signal?  Also, is it best for the fans on the radiator to ramp WITH the pump?  Or, like Alex (PlayMedium) suggested, to run the fans independent from the pump? 

 

 

 

Sorry for the newb questions...   :wacko:  Here's a link to the splitter I'm using.  http://www.swiftech.com/8-waypwmsplitter.aspx

 

CPU i5 3570k, MOBO ASRock z77 Extreme4, GPU XFX R9 270x, COOLER Swiftech h220, SSD Samsung 840 Pro, HDD WD Black 1TB, RAM Corsair Vengeance LP 16gb, PSU Corsair AX750, CASE Fractal Design Arc Midi R2, OS Windows 7 Professional

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http://www.swiftech.com/pwmcontrollers.aspx

Have a look at the swiftech white paper ..it has a good description on how their PWM controller works.

Excellent, thanks for the link!

But... is it optimal to have the pump and fan synced on the PWM header? Or do a lot of people run their rad fans on a separate control - like fixed voltage from PSU (7v)?

**I'm gathering these AIO liquid cooler kits are different in their overall operation than a full-blown liquid cooling setup... I might be missing something but it seems for optimal efficiency the pump and fans need to be controlled together. Whereas a traditional water cooled system has more flexibility to control the pump and rad fans separately?

CPU i5 3570k, MOBO ASRock z77 Extreme4, GPU XFX R9 270x, COOLER Swiftech h220, SSD Samsung 840 Pro, HDD WD Black 1TB, RAM Corsair Vengeance LP 16gb, PSU Corsair AX750, CASE Fractal Design Arc Midi R2, OS Windows 7 Professional

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I can not speak about the AIO fan /pump control..I have a custom loop were I use a 5.25 bay fan controller and a D5 Vario pump, which has a control dial on the back. I set my pump at a high flow rate and leave it alone. I do control my fans with presets via the fan controller. I regulate the fans , not the pump .The flow rate of my loop is always constant. I do not want the flow to slow down..the faster the better..slowing it down by de-volting the pump will only make the the unit quiet..and in my experience the efficiency of the cooling performance. 

Your best effort is the easiest thing to give to someone else..

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But... is it optimal to have the pump and fan synced on the PWM header? Or do a lot of people run their rad fans on a separate control - like fixed voltage from PSU (7v)?

**I'm gathering these AIO liquid cooler kits are different in their overall operation than a full-blown liquid cooling setup... I might be missing something but it seems for optimal efficiency the pump and fans need to be controlled together. Whereas a traditional water cooled system has more flexibility to control the pump and rad fans separately?

You cannot usually control pumps except for the variable resistor at the back if that have one. Pumps that are controlled via USB are rare. The pump is connected to the motherboard via the RPM/tacho wire if it has one so the motherboard can detect that it is working.

 

And it is not true that for optimal efficiency fans and pumps need to be controlled together. Changing the speed fo the pump has very little impact on a loop temperature.

Feel free to PM for any water-cooling questions. Check out my profile for more ways to contact me.

 

Add me to your circles on Google+ here or you can follow me on twitter @deadfire19.

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I can not speak about the AIO fan /pump control..I have a custom loop were I use a 5.25 bay fan controller and a D5 Vario pump, which has a control dial on the back. I set my pump at a high flow rate and leave it alone. I do control my fans with presets via the fan controller. I regulate the fans , not the pump .The flow rate of my loop is always constant. I do not want the flow to slow down..the faster the better..slowing it down by de-volting the pump will only make the the unit quiet..and in my experience the efficiency of the cooling performance. 

 

 

You cannot usually control pumps except for the variable resistor at the back if that have one. Pumps that are controlled via USB are rare. The pump is connected to the motherboard via the RPM/tacho wire if it has one so the motherboard can detect that it is working.

 

And it is not true that for optimal efficiency fans and pumps need to be controlled together. Changing the speed fo the pump has very little impact on a loop temperature.

 

 

You cannot usually control pumps except for the variable resistor at the back if that have one. Pumps that are controlled via USB are rare. The pump is connected to the motherboard via the RPM/tacho wire if it has one so the motherboard can detect that it is working.

 

And it is not true that for optimal efficiency fans and pumps need to be controlled together. Changing the speed fo the pump has very little impact on a loop temperature.

 

 

Very interesting guys.  So why would the AIO cooler manufacturers recommend setting up the system the way I have it wired?  Just ease of installation and use?  

 

 

From what I gather now -  I could potentially separate the pump and fans, run the pump (manual) at a fixed speed (BIOS setting) and then vary the fan speed depending on what I'm doing, is this correct?  Is there an advantage to this setup vs just letting the mobo control both pump and fans?  I can say, after running the h220 a while, the fans pushing through the rad is definitely louder than the pump.  

 

Sorry if I keep asking the same question... still trying to wrap my head around this one.  :huh:

CPU i5 3570k, MOBO ASRock z77 Extreme4, GPU XFX R9 270x, COOLER Swiftech h220, SSD Samsung 840 Pro, HDD WD Black 1TB, RAM Corsair Vengeance LP 16gb, PSU Corsair AX750, CASE Fractal Design Arc Midi R2, OS Windows 7 Professional

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Posted

 

 

 

 

Very interesting guys.  So why would the AIO cooler manufacturers recommend setting up the system the way I have it wired?  Just ease of installation and use?  

 

 

From what I gather now -  I could potentially separate the pump and fans, run the pump (manual) at a fixed speed (BIOS setting) and then vary the fan speed depending on what I'm doing, is this correct?  Is there an advantage to this setup vs just letting the mobo control both pump and fans?

 

Sorry if I keep asking the same question... still trying to wrap my head around this one.  :huh:

 

You cannot control the speed of most (I know only one that can) pumps automatically. So most water-cooling pumps run at a fixed speed.

 

Then you can set a fan vs. temperature curve on your PC so your fans will spin faster if the CPU/GPU get hotter.

Feel free to PM for any water-cooling questions. Check out my profile for more ways to contact me.

 

Add me to your circles on Google+ here or you can follow me on twitter @deadfire19.

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I suggest you keep with the manufacturer recommended and if you have a choice..switch to a quieter fan..

A swiftech ddc hybrid pump can be controlled via a MB header http://www.frozencpu.com/products/11740/ex-pmp-109/Swiftech_MCP35X_12v_PWM_Controlled_Water_Pump_-_Black.html?tl=g30c107s153

I use a fan vs. temp curve from a fan controller..because I do not have the specs on how much load I can place on any of my MB fan headers.. I want to have that hands on control over my system and know that the parts I have used are capable of delivering .

Your best effort is the easiest thing to give to someone else..

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You cannot control the speed of most (I know only one that can) pumps automatically. So most water-cooling pumps run at a fixed speed.

 

Then you can set a fan vs. temperature curve on your PC so your fans will spin faster if the CPU/GPU get hotter.

 

Ahhhh, gotcha!  I was under the impression pump speed was variable - my mistake.   :D  Now that I've re-read Swiftech's specifications, it makes sense since the 12v signal is static.  Thank you for the clarification! 

 

 

I suggest you keep with the manufacturer recommended and if you have a choice..switch to a quieter fan..

A swiftech ddc hybrid pump can be controlled via a MB header http://www.frozencpu.com/products/11740/ex-pmp-109/Swiftech_MCP35X_12v_PWM_Controlled_Water_Pump_-_Black.html?tl=g30c107s153

I use a fan vs. temp curve from a fan controller..because I do not have the specs on how much load I can place on any of my MB fan headers.. I want to have that hands on control over my system and know that the parts I have used are capable of delivering .

 

Makes total sense, thank you.  I currently have the temp "curve" setting in the BIOS set at 50c.  I'm assuming this means the fans will ramp to compensate when the CPU temp rises above 50c.  Is this a good starting point or should I set it to something different?

CPU i5 3570k, MOBO ASRock z77 Extreme4, GPU XFX R9 270x, COOLER Swiftech h220, SSD Samsung 840 Pro, HDD WD Black 1TB, RAM Corsair Vengeance LP 16gb, PSU Corsair AX750, CASE Fractal Design Arc Midi R2, OS Windows 7 Professional

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Personally i just add a fan controller :o

 

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What's your preferred method of controlling CPU cooler radiator fans?  

 

I currently have an ASRock z77 Extreme4 mobo and a Swiftech h220 cooler.  I'm controlling the fans and pump via the PWM CPU fan header on the board.  There is also a second CPU header on the mobo that is only 3-pins - so I'm assuming is voltage regulated.  The reason I'm asking is I have a slight "whine" which I'm guessing is from the Swiftech Helix fans on the h220.  So...

 

Is there a better way to control the rad fans?  Should I use the 3-pin header and control them with voltage instead?  Would a pair of Noctua NF-F12's yield better (quieter) results with less PWM noise?  

 

 

i use the 8way splitter that came with the h220. so i have the pump and fans connected to it. the pwm control on Asrock mb's suck. (i use a P67 Extreme 4) i use SpeedFan to control my pump and the fans and works very well. Btw you dont wanna use voltage control with the h220 and the stock fans as it will cause some issues since everything is pwm.

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Personally i just add a fan controller :o

 

Lamptron Touch or Lamptron Watercooling 5.25 Bay is the next best thign to a Aqua.

 

Ha!  You'd even choose to use a fan controller with all-in-one coolers?

 

i use the 8way splitter that came with the h220. so i have the pump and fans connected to it. the pwm control on Asrock mb's suck. (i use a P67 Extreme 4) i use SpeedFan to control my pump and the fans and works very well. Btw you dont wanna use voltage control with the h220 and the stock fans as it will cause some issues since everything is pwm.

 

Very interesting, thanks for the heads up!  Any setup tips using SpeedFan?  I tried to use it once but was a little lost...  didn't want to screw something up so I reverted back to controlling the fans through the BIOS.  

 

CPU i5 3570k, MOBO ASRock z77 Extreme4, GPU XFX R9 270x, COOLER Swiftech h220, SSD Samsung 840 Pro, HDD WD Black 1TB, RAM Corsair Vengeance LP 16gb, PSU Corsair AX750, CASE Fractal Design Arc Midi R2, OS Windows 7 Professional

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fan controller, don't daisy chain fans btw to motherboard can damage it.

 

OK, thanks for the help Arokhantos.  :)

CPU i5 3570k, MOBO ASRock z77 Extreme4, GPU XFX R9 270x, COOLER Swiftech h220, SSD Samsung 840 Pro, HDD WD Black 1TB, RAM Corsair Vengeance LP 16gb, PSU Corsair AX750, CASE Fractal Design Arc Midi R2, OS Windows 7 Professional

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Ha!  You'd even choose to use a fan controller with all-in-one coolers?

 

 

Very interesting, thanks for the heads up!  Any setup tips using SpeedFan?  I tried to use it once but was a little lost...  didn't want to screw something up so I reverted back to controlling the fans through the BIOS. 

 

 

 

 

Hope this video helps you. this guy uses a H220 also.

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i prefer to just have my fans connected to 5v power from my psu but you could use something like a t balancer that will change the speed base on temp.

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