New(ish) Noctua fan dies - takes out Swiftech fan splitter with it?

[t1337dude]

Hey guys, I was wondering how likely of a scenario this is, and if you think this is what happened. I'm running an Intel 930 on a Gigabyte X58A-UD3R Mobo, cooled by a Swiftech H-240X. This H-240X had a couple Noctua NF-A14 iPPC-3000 fans on the radiator, which were connected to an 8-way Swiftech PWM splitter. Also on this splitter I had 2 additional of the same Noctua fans (front case intake), the H-240X pump, and a Zalman fanmate (non-PWM, was connected to a rear exhaust Corsair AF120 with L.N.A and bottom-front intake Noctua NF-S12A). I've had this setup running successfully, with no issues, for about 6 months now.

 

I was using my computer the other night, just watching some Youtube, and I noticed that all the fans on my splitter turned off (but I could still hear my pump running). I started fiddling with speed fan, assuming the problem was software related. But as my temperatures quickly rose towards 80+, I turned my PC off. I also began to notice a bad smell (burning plastic, similar a burnt car fuse). I opened up my PC, took off both sides of the case, double-checked all the connections, and couldn't locate what the issue was (or the smell). I assumed the smell was just the fins in the radiator getting a lot hotter than they're used to, possibly heating up the dust, creating a weird smell. 

 

So I waited for my PC to cool off, turned it back on, set my mobo settings to default (undoing my OC from 2.8 to 4.3 GHz), and started using my computer for research despite the fans not working. With just the pump running, my temps would start at 35c and climb very slowly (hitting 65c after half an hour), so it seemed safe to do. After half an hour or so, all the fans randomly started working again. The bad smell eventually went away and started using my computer normally again, hoping that it was some weird one-time thing that I'll never be able to replicate.

 

Unfortunately, that wasn't the case. A few days later, the same thing happened. Same bad smell and everything. So I opened my PC up, and started experimenting with disconnecting fans to see if that would help the splitter work again. After disconnecting a few fans, I could get the splitter to work, but now, I can't get one of my Noctua NF-A14 attached to my radiator to turn on at all. Even plugging it directly into a mobo header doesn't work. So essentially that fan is completely dead. Not just that, but the splitter only works with 2 Noctua fans plugged in at once - if plug my 3rd one in, all fans on the splitter cease to function.

 

I contacted both Swiftech's support, as well as Noctua's RMA service. Noctua has yet to reply to my RMA for a new fan, but Swiftech says that the only possibility they can see is that the Noctua fan was bad, overdrawing amperage (thus damaging the splitter), and burnt itself out. Seems like one hell of an unlucky (and unlikely) scenario, but that's what they're telling me. I'm no expert on electricity. Is Noctua known for sending out bad fans? Would this Noctua fan have killed my mobo if it were plugged directly into it?

 

What are my options? I just spent a ton of money recently, some of it on a new monitor, and I'm pretty dang broke and don't really have money to be throwing around. If Noctua is at fault - is there any way I could get them to pay for the fan splitter? Or should I expect Noctua to reply, blaming Swiftech for the fan burning out? I already purchased the fan splitter because I need my setup altogether for when my new monitor arrives (would rather not be stuck with a malfunctioning PC at that point due to lack of foresight).

 

Thanks guys.

[MeDownYou]

pretty sure it was the splitters fault, you can get a replacement noctua if it is under warranty though 6 year warranty on those things is insane like always.

[t1337dude]

pretty sure it was the splitters fault, you can get a replacement noctua if it is under warranty though 6 year warranty on those things is insane like always.

Thanks, these fans are really dang new (only had them for 6 months) so it's under warranty. The main reason I bought these is because of their great warranty - though I was really hoping I wouldn't have to use it. The only potential foreseeable issue with that is if Noctua doesn't accept that their fan randomly fizzled out and died on its own, and blames the splitter (because I mentioned the malfunctioning splitter in my RMA message). Or maybe they'll blame the splitter but still ship me a new fan. In the latter case, I'm going to have to get into an argument with Swiftech which results in more of their revenue lost towards paying their customer service rather than just shipping me a new splitter.

[W-L]

-SNIP-

 

Sounds like the splitter may have fried from the looks of things.

 

I wouldn't call it a design fault but the swiftech fan doesn't handle giving very strong PWM signals it tends to not work with PWM after a certain number of fans connected to it, I persaonlly have Corsair QE fans which I wanted to hookup but found they just plain don't work where I need a PWM boost signal if you want to know how to make that circuit or more about it there's a good post about it:

http://forums.swiftech.org/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=2428

[t1337dude]

Sounds like the splitter may have fried from the looks of things.

 

I wouldn't call it a design fault but the swiftech fan doesn't handle giving very strong PWM signals it tends to not work with PWM after a certain number of fans connected to it, I persaonlly have Corsair QE fans which I wanted to hookup but found they just plain don't work where I need a PWM boost signal if you want to know how to make that circuit or more about it there's a good post about it:

http://forums.swiftech.org/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=2428

One thing I should have mentioned is that it isn't a PWM signal issue. A loss of PWM signal causes fans to run at 100%, instead of turning off entirely like I experienced.

 

It's also comforting to know that I'm not the only one who thinks the splitter is at fault, contrary to what Swiftech's support is trying to tell me (essentially denying responsibility for wanting to replace the splitter for me). The support person said they had an engineer examine the problem based on what I told them, and they came to that conclusion. It's just a little bothersome that it likely cost them more money to figure out how to refute my claim as opposed to just sending me their cheap fan splitter which only cost them a few dollars to make.

[W-L]

One thing I should have mentioned is that it isn't a PWM signal issue. A loss of PWM signal causes fans to run at 100%, instead of turning off entirely like I experienced.

 

It's also comforting to know that I'm not the only one who thinks the splitter is at fault, contrary to what Swiftech's support is trying to tell me (essentially denying responsibility for wanting to replace the splitter for me). The support person said they had an engineer examine the problem based on what I told them, and they came to that conclusion. It's just a little bothersome that it likely cost them more money to figure out how to refute my claim as opposed to just sending me their cheap fan splitter which only cost them a few dollars to make.

 

Well i would just open it up to see if he PCB has any burns or damaged traces on it at this point since there isn't much that can be done, if they're aren't any then I guess it may be an issue with the fans but hard to tell. 

[t1337dude]

Well i would just open it up to see if he PCB has any burns or damaged traces on it at this point since there isn't much that can be done, if they're aren't any then I guess it may be an issue with the fans but hard to tell. 

 

The new Swiftech 8-way splitter came and after further testing, I realize 2 of my Noctua fans are in fact completely dead, and not just one. Now I have to explain to Noctua I need a second replacement...this whole scenario sucks. I just wish there was an explanation. Swiftech's initial explanation isn't really holding up now...

[W-L]

The new Swiftech 8-way splitter came and after further testing, I realize 2 of my Noctua fans are in fact completely dead, and not just one. Now I have to explain to Noctua I need a second replacement...this whole scenario sucks. I just wish there was an explanation. Swiftech's initial explanation isn't really holding up now...

 

Hmm that sucks, I'm sure Noctua will take good care of things though, Good to know atleast the splitter does work on your other Noctua fans, I'm currently in the process of receiving parts to build that PWM signal booster, hopefully i'll be able to get that sorted.