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PWM or not ?

MickeyCoquin
By MickeyCoquin
in Custom Loop and Exotic Cooling
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Posted

Hi

 

question is simple, i'm building my first WC rig so i don't really know if it's even possible to control 5+ rad fans so that they will stay quiet and ru at low speed when idle ?

 

I know it's possible when MB have enough 4 pins connectors but in my case i will use an itx MB so only a couple of fans header...

 

Just saw this image on this topic:

 

https://linustechtips.com/main/uploads/monthly_2018_06/Capture.PNG.d3aca69762248841bb3b0eb4427bd925.PNG

 

So what is it supposed to mean ? A 6 fans rad can be powered by a simple MB 4 pins header just by powering it with a special cable that connect the header to the psu ?

Meaning the 6 fans speed will be controlled by the MB... ?

 

Can anybody enlight me ?

 

 

Thanks

 

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Posted

I have 6 fans running off a PWM splitter personally. 3 120mm and 3 140mm fans, 5 of which are on radiators. The way this works is usually the first fan on the splitter is what the board reads for RPM and uses that to control the PWM of all the fans. 

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I stumbled upon such splitters few days ago, they can be plugged to the psu right, so no need to even use the MB header, is that right ?

 

Is it controlled by the splitter automatically or is a software needed ?

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@MickeyCoquin

it means the PWM signal is getting sent from the motherboard so you can control the Fan speed, but the power is taken from the Power supply directly instead of the motherboard.

 

 

Image result for 4 pin fan pinout

 

1 and 2 would be taken from the Power Supply, 3 and 4 from the motherboard.

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Posted
3 minutes ago, MickeyCoquin said:

I stumbled upon such splitters few days ago, they can be plugged to the psu right, so no need to even use the MB header, is that right ?

 

Is it controlled by the splitter automatically or is a software needed ?

the way the splitter works is it has an external power source, usually a Sata plug, then it also has a 4 pin that you plug into the motherboard. The sole purpose of this 4 pin is to allow it to read the RPM and adjust accordingly. 

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i'm not even sure if it's possible for it to work to be honest :) because i thought the PWM signal is dependent on the +12 and Ground turning off and on.

 

but either way i think you should be fine using 3-4 Fans on each header.

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OK now i see so powered by psu and also controlled by MB. That make sense. Thought the splitter was independent...

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Have a look at your fans specs and in the manual of the mobo. Most fans use around 0.15-0.2 amps. The max output of the fan header on the mobo is around 2 amps this means you can connect up to 10!!! Fans to a single header))) you might use a simple 4pin splitter

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Posted

Yes you can! This is why I love PWM. Get the 12V directly from the PSU and connect any amount of fans.

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I've got this in my pc running 4 fans.

Main system:

Enthoo Primo, X99 Rampage V, 16GB Ripjaws, i7 5820K, 500GB 970 EVO, 1TB 850 EVO, GTX 1080Ti SLI, EKWB custom Water cooling, Acer X34.

Obutto R3volution racing sim, Logitech G27 w/Nardi wheel and custom button plate, Logitech Z906 surround sound.

 

Home Theater:

Fractal Node 605, Asus Prime Z390A, i5 9600K, 16GB 3200MHz, 2 X 500GB EVO, GTX 1080, 4TB WD, Corsair Lapdog - K63 keyboard, Logitech MX Master 2S,

Samsung Q8F 65", Dreamscreen Cineseat powered recliner sofa.

Denon AVR-X4500H, Dynavoice Challenger surround: M-105, C5 XL, M-65. Klipsch R41-SA Atmos speakers. XTZ 12.16 sub, Dynabel Phobos 12" sub.

 

2nd system:

Fractal R5, Asus Z-97 A, 16GB 2000MHz, i7 4790K, 240GB 840 EVO, GTX 980Ti SLI, EKWB and Swiftech custom water cooling, Asus Swift PG278Q.

 

Laptop:

Acer Predator G9-793, i7-7700HQ, 16GB, GTX 1070, 512GB SSD, 1TB HDD, 1080p display OC to 100Hz.

 

Headphones and DAC/AMP: 

Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO

Sound Blaster X3

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Posted

Some fan hubs can run seprerate. Though I don’t recommend it unless you never want your fans to change without manually being done. 

 

Think i use a swift tech fan hub. All my fans have to be the same though. So all 4pin. Bought some 3 pin fans by accident and they don’t work well together. 

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  • 2 months later...
Posted
  • Author

I have another question that is related, i was thinking, can i use the hub to plug my D5 pump too ?

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On 9/29/2018 at 4:38 AM, Mick Naughty said:

Think i use a swift tech fan hub. All my fans have to be the same though. So all 4pin. Bought some 3 pin fans by accident and they don’t work well together. 

some fans have different specs from 3-4pin variation in the same class.  Also i like how we stopped calling them controllers, even though that is essentially what it is,   and only cause some one make some other thing once and called it a 'hub' so the term was adopted even though i don't believe it to be similar enough to call it just a Hub,   when it is more like a Hub-controller, since it still need one basic mobo 'input'  to regulate

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