What Features Do You Want in a Pump/Fan/Whatever Controller?

[alpenwasser]

Title pretty much says it.

 

Basically, I'm looking into making my own device. As capable as the Aquaero is (as one example), the Aquasuite is not of much use to me on Linux or *BSD, nor can I control it from the command line (which would be very handy for a server, for example).

 

So instead of trying to reverse-engineer Aquacomputer's USB protocol (and needing to adapt every time they change something), I'd like to build my own cooling controller (not necessarily just for water cooling, which is why this thread is in the GD section). Besides, it should make a nice project to get some practice in electronics development.

 

Ideas which have been thrown around so far:

• Accessible from terminal, suitable for headless machines
• Open comm protocol, so other interfaces (e.g. web interface) can be easily added (it's not going to be Linux-only)
• 4-pin PWM output
• temp sensors, obviously
• voltage, current and power monitoring, possibly
• programmable fan curves via mathematical expressions for coupling temp sensors to fan/pump speeds (thanks to @Ryan_Vickers for that idea)
• connection to computer (probably) via USB
• should provide enough power for multiple pumps and lots of fans (haven't really decided on a number yet)
• possibly expandable in a later revision (adding more pumps/fans/whatever else)
• lighting control, emergency shutdown, ...?
• can spoof temp and tach signals (courtesy of @manikyath)
• Windows taskbar thingy ( @AluminiumTech)
• IPMI-like features
• temperature readouts via OS and internal component sensors instead of temperature probes ( @LoGiCalDrm)

 

Since it's easy to get tunnel vision when looking at a problem for a while, I thought I'd ask for some input on what others think.

 

I'm not really looking into manufacturing and selling it at this point, although I will make the entire thing open, so anyone could have it made or make it themselves if they felt so inclined. Aside from that, it's a rather long-term thing, not going to be done in the next few months.

 

Oh, also: If anyone has any bright ideas regarding names, feel free to throw them out there.

[manikyath]

you know.. this may sound silly, but i kinda really need a device that can spoof tacho signals

 

beyond that silly thing, maybe some sensors you can attach to key places to control the fan speeds?

[Brennan Price]

I am confused at what you really mean. When you mean 'cooling controller' do you mean a controller that keeps your hands cool with a fan in the back like this...

Or do you mean something like a fan controller for your pump/PC cooling system?

[AlTech]

15 minutes ago, alpenwasser said:

Title pretty much says it.

 

Basically, I'm looking into making my own device. As capable as the Aquaero is (as one example), the Aquasuite is not of much use to me on Linux or *BSD, nor can I control it from the command line (which would be very handy for a server, for example).

 

So instead of trying to reverse-engineer Aquacomputer's USB protocol (and needing to adapt every time they change something), I'd like to build my own cooling controller (not necessarily just for water cooling, which is why this thread is in the GD section). Besides, it should make a nice project to get some practice in electronics development.

 

Ideas which have been thrown around so far:

• Accessible from terminal, suitable for headless machines
• Open comm protocol, so other interfaces (e.g. web interface) can be easily added (it's not going to be Linux-only)
• 4-pin PWM output
• programmable fan curves via mathematical expressions for coupling temp sensors to fan/pump speeds (thanks to @Ryan_Vickers for that idea)
• connection to computer (probably) via USB
• should provide enough power for multiple pumps and lots of fans (haven't really decided on a number yet)
• possibly expandable in a later revision (adding more pumps/fans/whatever else)
• lighting control, emergency shutdown, ...?

 

Since it's easy to get tunnel vision when looking at a problem for a while, I thought I'd ask for some input on what others think.

 

I'm not really looking into manufacturing and selling it at this point, although I will make the entire thing open, so anyone could have it made or make it themselves if they felt so inclined. Aside from that, it's a rather long-term thing, not going to be done in the next few months.

 

Oh, also: If anyone has any bright ideas regarding names, feel free to throw them out there.

Could you be a bit more specific as to what you want to make?

 

Sorry but it's just that i'm not sure I understand what you wanna make.

[ThinkWithPortals]

11 minutes ago, Brennan_Price said:

 

Lol, a piece of hardware/software that monitors system temps and allows control of fan/pump speeds

[AlTech]

7 minutes ago, ThinkWithPortals said:

Lol, a piece of hardware/software that monitors system temps and allows control of fan/pump speeds

OHHH!!!! Thank you for explaining that well!

 

@alpenwasser Some kind of software with fan control for all the case fans in my PC would be nice. And it would be nice if it worked in the taskbar and as a full program. And also nice if it was platform agnostic and runs java (although that may not work).

 

Manual fan curves that the user can create (kinda like how MSI afterburner does it for GPU fans).

 

Could you please make it support Windows?

[alpenwasser]

23 minutes ago, manikyath said:

you know.. this may sound silly, but i kinda really need a device that can spoof tacho signals

 

beyond that silly thing, maybe some sensors you can attach to key places to control the fan speeds?

Hm, that actually might not be the stupidest of ideas. Adding to OP.

21 minutes ago, Brennan_Price said:

I am confused at what you really mean. When you mean 'cooling controller' do you mean a controller that keeps your hands cool with a fan in the back like this...

 

Or do you mean something like a fan controller for your pump/PC cooling system?

 

18 minutes ago, AluminiumTech said:

Could you be a bit more specific as to what you want to make?

 

Sorry but it's just that i'm not sure I understand what you wanna make.

 

11 minutes ago, ThinkWithPortals said:

Lol, a piece of hardware/software that monitors system temps and allows control of fan/pump speeds

Edited title because apparently it was too ambiguous. Who'd have thunk?

 

But yeah, think Aquaero:

But probably without the display, at least for starters, so it would look more like the headless version:

 

[manikyath]

1 minute ago, alpenwasser said:

Hm, that actually might not be the stupidest of ideas. Adding to OP.

spoofing the tacho or temp sensors?

[alpenwasser]

7 minutes ago, AluminiumTech said:

OHHH!!!! Thank you for explaining that well!

 

@alpenwasser Some kind of software with fan control for all the case fans in my PC would be nice. And it would be nice if it worked in the taskbar and as a full program. And also nice if it was platform agnostic and runs java (although that may not work).

 

Manual fan curves that the user can create (kinda like how MSI afterburner does it for GPU fans).

 

Could you please make it support Windows?

I will probably not be writing any major windows software for it myself because I just don't use Windows enough to make something decent on that front. If I do make something which goes beyond the command line, it will likely be a web interface, because that runs on pretty much any platform as long as you have a browser.

 

However, it will have an open API, so anyone could make additional software for it.

 

4 minutes ago, manikyath said:

spoofing the tacho or temp sensors?

Why not both?

[AlTech]

1 minute ago, alpenwasser said:

I will probably not be writing any major windows software for it myself because I just don't use Windows enough to make something decent on that front. If I do make something which goes beyond the command line, it will likely be a web interface, because that runs on pretty much any platform as long as you have a browser.

 

However, it will have an open API, so anyone could make additional software for it.

Oh ok.

[alpenwasser]

7 minutes ago, AluminiumTech said:

Oh ok.

If I can find somebody to do that for me, or if you can find somebody, it can definitely be done though. The whole point (well, a huge part of the point) of this thing is that it's open and well-documented so that anyone can add more stuff to it. That's the main thing which makes the Aquaero not an option for me. I will add the feature to the list so that it's not forgotten.

[manikyath]

2 minutes ago, alpenwasser said:

Why not both?

i should maybe add why spoofing the tacho would make sense:

i have a mobo that refuses to boot into the OS if the cpu fan isnt spinning above 1000RPM, and i cant find any fans that go that fast without going jet engine.

 

may also prove useful if people want all their fans and pumps on the controller, and their mobo complains about the cpu fan not being there.

[AlTech]

1 minute ago, alpenwasser said:

If I can find somebody to do that for me, or if you can find somebody, it can definitely be done though. The whole point (well, a huge part of the point) of this thing is that it's open and well-documented so that anyone can add more stuff to it. That's the main thing which makes the Aquaero not an option for me.

I could try since you can probably get that information about fans. I'm just not sure about controlling the fans.

 

If I did do it, it would be C# since I'm most familiar with that.

[manikyath]

12 minutes ago, alpenwasser said:

If I can find somebody to do that for me, or if you can find somebody, it can definitely be done though. The whole point (well, a huge part of the point) of this thing is that it's open and well-documented so that anyone can add more stuff to it. That's the main thing which makes the Aquaero not an option for me. I will add the feature to the list so that it's not forgotten.

how about having an embedded-type system (like an arduino or a pi) that can be accessed trough usb, serial, or the network. and once configured it communicates with the system trough fan headers. (cpu fan header will change pwm based on cpu heat, controller relays a tacho signal back into vareous headers based on what you programmed it to send back)

[alpenwasser]

3 hours ago, manikyath said:

i should maybe add why spoofing the tacho would make sense:

i have a mobo that refuses to boot into the OS if the cpu fan isnt spinning above 1000RPM, and i cant find any fans that go that fast without going jet engine.

 

may also prove useful if people want all their fans and pumps on the controller, and their mobo complains about the cpu fan not being there.

Yeah, I figured something like that. Sounds very hackerish, I like it.

3 hours ago, AluminiumTech said:

I could try since you can probably get that information about fans. I'm just not sure about controlling the fans.

 

If I did do it, it would be C# since I'm most familiar with that.

You wouldn't really need to know anything about fans specifically. You'd just need to be able to connect to my device somehow and then send the correct commands to it to do what you want (which would be documented in the API docs). So the language you use wouldn't matter much as long as it offers the features which are needed to connect to the device (which aren't defined yet).

3 hours ago, huilun02 said:

Buzzer on critical temp/fan or motor failure

Boot on IR

 

Maybe if PC is wireless, ghetto a mini router to run off USB port, hooked up to ethernet, and connected to internet router in bridge mode.

That way it has WOL over internet despite being wireless. Upon boot, autorun Teamviewer for complete remote access.

It would also be a passive wifi adapter ofc.

 

I've always longed for such a device. It would give WOL and remote access for any computer not on a wired network.

 

3 hours ago, manikyath said:

how about having an embedded-type system (like an arduino or a pi) that can be accessed trough usb, serial, or the network. and once configured it communicates with the system trough fan headers. (cpu fan header will change pwm based on cpu heat, controller relays a tacho signal back into vareous headers based on what you programmed it to send back)

Lumping these two together because they go kinda in the same direction. I have considered doing basically something similar to IPMI (obviously with fewer features, but at least remote power-up, power-down, and hard reset), and using a RasPi or an Arduino for that. However, I would most likely need to design an add-on board for the Arduino or the Pi anyway, and at that point I'm not yet sure if it's not easier to just make my own solution from scratch.

 

But yeah, doing remote power control would be pretty cool, because I've longed for that as well on systems were wake-on-LAN just doesn't work for one reason or another. Power-up/down and hard reset would probably not be that difficult. It would probably require using ethernet instead of internal USB, which is a bit more of a hassle from what I've been told by people who have experience with both. Doesn't mean it's impossible of course.

 

Alternatively, I could put a GSM module on it and you could send a text message to it to have it power up/down/reset, maybe. Downside of that is that you'd need to get a (prepaid) SIM card specifically for that. WiFi would be another possibility, although I've heard she's a significantly more fickle mistress, so I'm not sure I want to go there.

 

But hey, at this point it's all about finding ideas, thanks!

[LogicalDrm]

I'm interested. And since you are EU based, this would be easier to get than most of the better controllers. I assume.

 

I was thinking about temp sensors. From my experience using probes is inaccurate and only mobo temps are good to use for fans. So could it take GPU temps too and use those as base of controlling?

 

Also maybe hardware switch for few basic profiles (manual, (auto), low, med, high)? I have tendency to go for basic stuff at first and then custom it as I learn and need to.

[alpenwasser]

@LoGiCalDrm Yeah, getting direct temperature readings from the CPU/GPU/Motherboard sensors would be a nice way to do things instead of/in addition to using temperature probes. I suppose if I could read out the temperature sensors from the operating system and then send the results to my device, that might work. The OS would need to support the temp readouts, and somehow offer me a way to tap into that, but if that's feasible, then sending those results to my device shouldn't be too much of an issue.

 

Thanks!

 

[LogicalDrm]

26 minutes ago, alpenwasser said:

@LoGiCalDrm Yeah, getting direct temperature readings from the CPU/GPU/Motherboard sensors would be a nice way to do things instead of/in addition to using temperature probes. I suppose if I could read out the temperature sensors from the operating system and then send the results to my device, that might work. The OS would need to support the temp readouts, and somehow offer me a way to tap into that, but if that's feasible, then sending those results to my device shouldn't be too much of an issue.

 

Thanks!

 

Well, Speedfan and multiple other software can do it in Windows. And I know Linux distros have software for CPU temps too. Don't remember if it covered GPU. So its possible.

[alpenwasser]

9 minutes ago, LoGiCalDrm said:

Well, Speedfan and multiple other software can do it in Windows. And I know Linux distros have software for CPU temps too. Don't remember if it covered GPU. So its possible.

Yeah, I can access my CPU and GPU temps from the console in Linux (Intel CPU, Nvidia GPU):

 

 

I'd probably just need somebody to code the Windows side for me since I haven't worked with Windows in many years. But yeah, should be feasible I think.

 

However, as you can see, the chipset temperature is not displayed, for example (despite my motherboard having one). So you're limited to which sensors your OS supports. I'm also not sure how the AMD side of things is looking on Linux. But I reckon I can always make it a feature which works if the temp sensors are supported, and if not, you can fall back to temp probes.

[OliTheBear]

On 6/19/2016 at 2:14 PM, alpenwasser said:

Basically, I'm looking into making my own device.

Hello @alpenwasser - sorry for resurrecting an old thread but I couldn't find any follow up elsewhere... did you get anywhere with this one? Considering playing around with building a fan controller and curious to know what you found out.