3.5" fan controller?

[flibberdipper]

So for my on-the-cheap rendering rig, it looks like I am going to need a 3.5" fan controller, that just like the video card, can not break the bank. So basic rules for this:

 

Black

Can take the fans down to at least 5 volts (3 would be absolutely fantastic)

Can control at least 4 fans (all I actually need for now)

Maybe 40 bucks or less?

 

It doesn't have to be flashy (I would actually prefer that it isn't), and I would like for it to not have LEDs up the ass either since this thing will probably have to run overnight quite a few times.

 

I'm honestly not sure if such a thing exists for this price with the things that I need, but if not I can just bite the bullet and buy a regular fan controller with the same requirement list and then find something to cram into the 3.5" hole that isn't completely useless.

[2FA]

I found many with a simple google search, many do exist surprisingly.

[2FA]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/360373521569?ul_noapp=true&chn=ps&lpid=82

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811990009&nm_mc=KNC-GoogleAdwords-PC&cm_mmc=KNC-GoogleAdwords-PC-_-pla-_-Controller+Panels-_-N82E16811990009&gclid=CjwKEAjwzdGxBRC3rPWZq83FzyUSJAB9IC5iOcZ1dyzxCqDHuPEA1NxCFwMfFl8ne8D8DDgrLaHU_hoCRV_w_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

[Enderman]

fans will not work at 3v, that would be 25%

most can only go down to 40% speed

[flibberdipper]

fans will not work at 3v, that would be 25%

most can only go down to 40% speed

Wellllllllll As low as humanly possible. I want this thing to be quiet AF.

[iamdarkyoshi]

You good with a soldering iron? I have a super simple fan controller that can adjust fan speed based on temp, and it only costs a couple bucks in parts. You can adjust min/max speed, as well as temp offset. I have mine set to bring the fans down to the point of turning off if the temp is under 40 degrees, so mine can actually go from 0-12v. I have measured it.

[Enderman]

Wellllllllll As low as humanly possible. I want this thing to be quiet AF.

so basically off?

you want a fan controller that can turn the fans off

anything below 5v will just make the fans stop spinning

[iamdarkyoshi]

so basically off?

you want a fan controller that can turn the fans off

anything below 5v will just make the fans stop spinning

I have fans that can start at 2.5v in my bin downstairs of fans

[Enderman]

I have fans that can start at 2.5v in my bin downstairs of fans

not 12v PC fans, no

 

unless you're talking about some 10 year old fan from a beige box PC, some of those did work at really low voltages

[iamdarkyoshi]

not 12v PC fans, no

 

unless you're talking about some 10 year old fan from a beige box PC, some of those did work at really low voltages

That is exactly where they came from :3

[flibberdipper]

You good with a soldering iron? I have a super simple fan controller that can adjust fan speed based on temp, and it only costs a couple bucks in parts. You can adjust min/max speed, as well as temp offset. I have mine set to bring the fans down to the point of turning off if the temp is under 40 degrees, so mine can actually go from 0-12v. I have measured it.

Not really...

 

not 12v PC fans, no

 

unless you're talking about some 10 year old fan from a beige box PC, some of those did work at really low voltages

Yeah he does have a point. I have some fans that will run all day at around 1.5v (after they're started). Good 'ol 80mm Antec TriCools.

[iamdarkyoshi]

Not really...

 

Yeah he does have a point. I have some fans that will run all day at around 1.5v (after they're started). Good 'ol 80mm Antec TriCools.

I had some antec twocool fans in my PC connected to my fan controller, and those things started at stupidly low voltages. Here are my enermax magmas on their lowest speed (with my fan controller)

 

Maybe I should mass produce my fan controllers and sell them on the forums for like 10 bucks a piece.

[Enderman]

Not really...

 

Yeah he does have a point. I have some fans that will run all day at around 1.5v (after they're started). Good 'ol 80mm Antec TriCools.

typical cheap and old fans

That is exactly where they came from :3

Yeah, I knew it

Moderns PC fans wont run that low

 

and just fyi PWM fans need 12V constant power

their speed (when used with PWM) isnt meant to be changed by lowering the voltage

[GammaProX]

so basically off?

you want a fan controller that can turn the fans off

anything below 5v will just make the fans stop spinning

i've got fans to spin at 3-4v before 

[Enderman]

i've got fans to spin at 3-4v before 

if you read the posts above you will see im talking about modern fans, not 10 year old pieces of crap

also I said some cheap fans do

not any high quality fans

[GammaProX]

if you read the posts above you will see im talking about modern fans, not 10 year old pieces of crap

also I said some cheap fans do

not any high quality fans

they where some stock rosewill fans

[Enderman]

they where some stock rosewill fans

exactly, cheap fans, just as good as those 10 year old pieces of crap from beige box PCs

[GammaProX]

exactly, cheap fans, just as good as those 10 year old pieces of crap from beige box PCs

nah that's just your opinion  

[Enderman]

nah that's just your opinion  

no, the point that they are cheap crappy fans is a fact, not opinion

pretty much anything from rosewill is just cheap chinese crap rebraned by newegg

if you seriously think rosewill is high quality then I highly doubt you even know what volts are so your claim about them running at "3 to 4v" is probably BS aswell

 

take any noctua, noiseblocker, bequiet, etc.. and none of them will start with a voltage that low

[GammaProX]

no, the point that they are cheap crappy fans is a fact, not opinion

 

take any noctua, noiseblocker, bequiet, etc.. and none of them will start with a voltage that low

maybe then their crappy if they don't start at a low voltage because you want ones that will. all about perspective buddy.

[Enderman]

maybe then their crappy if they don't start at a low voltage because you want ones that will. all about perspective buddy.

no

having fans that start at low voltage does not make a fan "high quality"

I don't think you understand how fans work

 

high quality is a noise reducing construction using high quality matterials , not the cheapest plastic available in china

high quality is millions of dollars spent on engineering research and design to get a piece of hardware which has good performance at low noise

 

if you have a fan which runs at 15db at 12v why the hell would you want a fan that runs at 20db at 3v

voltage literally doesnt matter because it says nothing about performance or noise

 

THIS is a crap rosewill fan

 

Its a fact that its made in china

its a fact that its perfomance to noise is horrible

and its a fact that its made by rosewill

 

also, just fyi, rosewill is a newegg rebrand that takes cheap components from china and sells them under the name "rosewill"

that's also the reason why those pieces of crap cost $4

 

If you enjoy being delusional about how crappy your PC fans actually are then that's not my problem

[GammaProX]

-SNIP-

keep thinking that man. ill just leave you be. no need for that salt.

[Enderman]

keep thinking that man. ill just leave you be. no need for that salt.

what I think is that you need to realize the difference between a piece of crap and a piece of engineering

 

or maybe you enjoy having a PC made from chinese POS, so enjoy your rosewill fans.

[iamdarkyoshi]

no

having fans that start at low voltage does not make a fan "high quality"

I don't think you understand how fans work

 

high quality is a noise reducing construction using high quality matterials , not the cheapest plastic available in china

high quality is millions of dollars spent on engineering research and design to get a piece of hardware which has good performance at low noise

 

if you have a fan which runs at 15db at 12v why the hell would you want a fan that runs at 20db at 3v

voltage literally doesnt matter because it says nothing about performance or noise

 

THIS is a crap rosewill fan

snippitydoda

 

Its a fact that its made in china

its a fact that its perfomance to noise is horrible

and its a fact that its made by rosewill

 

also, just fyi, rosewill is a newegg rebrand that takes cheap components from china and sells them under the name "rosewill"

that's also the reason why those pieces of crap cost $4

 

If you enjoy being delusional about how crappy your PC fans actually are then that's not my problem

I have had some very good price/performance fans though. The antec twocool 120mm fans I got for less than 4 bucks per fan did quite good. But I do agree, min. voltage =/= good quality.

[GammaProX]

what I think is that you need to realize the difference between a piece of crap and a piece of engineering

 

or maybe you enjoy having a PC made from chinese POS, so enjoy your rosewill fans.

i have corsair fans if you really want to know. so have fun being that kid none likes.