H440 Case question

[Bech1993]

Hi guys, i just brought the H440 from NZXT, i want to know if the fan hub can be controlled by the motherboard WITH the 4pin molex cable in or will it just run 100% speeds when the molex is plugged in even if it is also connected to a sys fan header on the motherboard and will i fry my fan header? im pretty concerned about this hope you can help :-)

[Zyndo]

11 minutes ago, Bech1993 said:

Hi guys, i just brought the H440 from NZXT, i want to know if the fan hub can be controlled by the motherboard WITH the 4pin molex cable in or will it just run 100% speeds when the molex is plugged in even if it is also connected to a sys fan header on the motherboard and will i fry my fan header? im pretty concerned about this hope you can help :-)

if its plugged into both a molex AND a motherboard header, the molex provides the power, header provides fan speed controls (although it may be DC control only). Unless its something very specific to this situation, that is how it should work.

[Bech1993]

4 minutes ago, Zyndo said:

if its plugged into both a molex AND a motherboard header, the molex provides the power, header provides fan speed controls (although it may be DC control only). Unless its something very specific to this situation, that is how it should work.

Thank you dude i was really worried about this, now if it is DC only how much can i be controlling the fans? PWM has more fan control right? but DC i am still able to somewhat control the fans (to some extend) ? i really dont want my pc fans to spin so fast that i can hear them like i can in my S340 case (this case is really loud) the S340 is like having no side panel on, i took side panel off and the sound was just the same as if it was on so im gonna RMA it and get the H440

[Zyndo]

Just now, Bech1993 said:

Thank you dude i was really worried about this, now if it is DC only how much can i be controlling the fans? PWM has more fan control right? but DC i am still able to somewhat control the fans (to some extend) ? i really dont want my pc fans to spin so fast that i can hear them like i can in my S340 case (this case is really loud) the S340 is like having no side panel on, i took side panel off and the sound was just the same as if it was on so im gonna RMA it and get the H440

DC usually allows between 60%-100% fan speeds (7V-12V). PWM can often be a much lower range than that (some fans go all the way down to 20%)

[Bech1993]

Just now, Zyndo said:

DC usually allows between 60%-100% fan speeds (7V-12V). PWM can often be a much lower range than that (some fans go all the way down to 20%)

Alright nice, since the Fan Hub is PWM does IT control my fans or does the Mobo treat the Fan Hub as DC even tho its surposed to be PWM?

[Zyndo]

4 minutes ago, Bech1993 said:

Alright nice, since the Fan Hub is PWM does IT control my fans or does the Mobo treat the Fan Hub as DC even tho its surposed to be PWM?

if its a 4 pin PWM fanhub, and you have 4 pin headers on your motherboard, its entirely possible that you may be able to run PWM mode on the fans, but its not always guaranteed. I was just forwarning that you MIGHT be stuck with DC mode. I'm no expert on these hubs though, so you may want to check google if you need more specific information.

[Bech1993]

Just now, Zyndo said:

if its a 4 pin PWM fanhub, and you have 4 pin headers on your motherboard, its entirely possible that you may be able to run PWM mode on the fans, but its not always guaranteed. I was just forwarning that you MIGHT be stuck with DC mode. I'm no expert on these hubs though, so you may want to check google if you need more specific information.

Alright dude thanks for your time and help its much appriciated sorry for my grammar english is not my native language, there is only 3 pins on the Fan Hub but it is stated by NZXT that its a PWM fan hub i dont know why guess i'd have to search abit more about it but again, thanks for taking your time to reply to me!

[Zyndo]

4 minutes ago, Bech1993 said:

Alright dude thanks for your time and help its much appriciated sorry for my grammar english is not my native language, there is only 3 pins on the Fan Hub but it is stated by NZXT that its a PWM fan hub i dont know why guess i'd have to search abit more about it but again, thanks for taking your time to reply to me!

it can depend on exactly how they design it. It could be that since they already have Molex power, they no longer need the power cables that are used in a normal 3 pin, allowing them to be used for PWM functionality instead, even though its only 3 pins. If they advertise PWM functionality, its likely it will work as PWM hub, regardless of the 3 or 4 pin counts.

[WoodenMarker]

On 11/4/2016 at 1:18 AM, Bech1993 said:

Thank you dude i was really worried about this, now if it is DC only how much can i be controlling the fans? PWM has more fan control right? but DC i am still able to somewhat control the fans (to some extend) ? i really dont want my pc fans to spin so fast that i can hear them like i can in my S340 case (this case is really loud) the S340 is like having no side panel on, i took side panel off and the sound was just the same as if it was on so im gonna RMA it and get the H440

How much a fan can be controlled depends on the fan. 

Cases are inherently silent. The S340 isn't loud. Both the S340 and H440 come with the same FN V2's that can reliable go down to 5v which is effectively ~40%. They aren't that loud and you're probably running them at 100% if you think they are.

On 11/4/2016 at 1:28 AM, Bech1993 said:

Alright dude thanks for your time and help its much appriciated sorry for my grammar english is not my native language, there is only 3 pins on the Fan Hub but it is stated by NZXT that its a PWM fan hub i dont know why guess i'd have to search abit more about it but again, thanks for taking your time to reply to me!

You should be connecting the hub to a pwm header-- the most reliable of which is usually the cpu_fan header.

On 11/4/2016 at 1:30 AM, Zyndo said:

it can depend on exactly how they design it. It could be that since they already have Molex power, they no longer need the power cables that are used in a normal 3 pin, allowing them to be used for PWM functionality instead, even though its only 3 pins. If they advertise PWM functionality, its likely it will work as PWM hub, regardless of the 3 or 4 pin counts.

3pin can utilize a pwm signal but it's not the same as that from a 4pin fan. With 4pin pwm, the IC on the fan will interpret the signal whereas 3pin pwm relies on the power source (the hub in this case) to pulse the 12v and isn't as good.

[Zyndo]

Just now, WoodenMarker said:

3pin can utilize a pwm signal but it's not the same as that from a 4pin fan. With 4pin pwm, the IC on the fan will interpret the signal whereas 3pin pwm relies on the power source (the hub in this case) to pulse the 12v and isn't as good.

so what you're saying is "it depends on how they design it"?

but since you're here, how isn't it as good? less granular control? having to mirror all fans to a singular command/speed? what makes it not as good?

[WoodenMarker]

Just now, Zyndo said:

so what you're saying is "it depends on how they design it"?
but since you're here, how isn't it as good? less granular control? having to mirror all fans to a singular command/speed? what makes it not as good?

The built-in pwm IC in 4pin pwm fans are usually better and these can vary. PWM hubs like that in the H440 don't use it and instead just pulse 12v which is why it can control 3pin fans with pwm which don't have this built-in pwm IC.

[Zyndo]

1 minute ago, WoodenMarker said:

The built-in pwm IC in 4pin pwm fans are usually better and these can vary. PWM hubs like that in the H440 don't use it and instead just pulse 12v which is why it can control 3pin fans with pwm which don't have this built-in pwm IC.

yes. but in what way is that worse than a normal 4pin? pulsing 12v is what PWM is anyway, so how is that different? how is it worse?

[WoodenMarker]

3 minutes ago, Zyndo said:

yes. but in what way is that worse than a normal 4pin? pulsing 12v is what PWM is anyway, so how is that different? how is it worse?

With 4pin pwm fans, a 12v signal is sent and the IC on the fan can decide when or how to block the signal for the pulse. Here's an example of Noctua's NE-FD1 which gradually applies the pulse for smoother acoustics: http://noctua.at/en/ne_fd1_pwm_ic

[Zyndo]

Just now, WoodenMarker said:

With 4pin pwm fans, a 12v signal is sent and the IC on the fan can decide when or how to block the signal for the pulse. Here's an example of Noctua's NE-FD1 which gradually applies the pulse for smoother acoustics: http://noctua.at/en/ne_fd1_pwm_ic

so you're saying the hub is worse because it will result in slightly louder motor noise compared to that specific noctua fan? All I'm trying to figure out is why you're saying one is better than the other when they're basically the same.

[WoodenMarker]

5 minutes ago, Zyndo said:

so you're saying the hub is worse because it will result in slightly louder motor noise compared to that specific noctua fan? All I'm trying to figure out is why you're saying one is better than the other when they're basically the same.

If just pulsing pwm the way the hub does was just as good, there would be no need for a 4pin pwm fan. 

The way the hub controls rpm is with an approximation by running the connected fans at the same duty cycle. It's nothing new and is less accurate. 

 

Noctua's NE-FD1 is one way of doing things and is just one example. Like I said, the designs vary.