Water Pump Speed control

archerz · 1 Dec 2015 at 18:53

Hi All !

I currently have an EK Water Blocks EK-D5 Vario X-RES 140 (incl. pump) which has a manual setting rotary dip switch to allow speed control. Is there a way i can automate this? setting it to max and use some form of voltage control to the power of the pump?

Would something like the below be suitable to do this?
https://www.overclockers.co.uk/aqua-computer-aquaero-5-lt-usb-fan-controller-wc-011-aq.html

Thanks in advance!

ErikN · 2 Dec 2015 at 14:35

I don't think they are intended to be voltage controlled, but googling it seem to give rather mixed opinions if you should or not.

May I ask why you want to control it? Flow rate have very little effect on cooling and heat dissipation unless the water is almost standing still.
The general recommendation is usually to just set the speed on a D5 pump to 2-4 (on the 5 speed scale), which should make it inaudible.

For reference, I had a d5 on speed 3 for a loop with CPU+2 GPU's, 1x480, 1x360 and 2x240 radiators, and it had no trouble keeping the water flowing.

Rustyone · 2 Dec 2015 at 15:40

As above, setting 2 0r 3 is plenty.

archerz · 3 Dec 2015 at 10:41

thanks, was just curious as I'm fairly new to it all. Mines currently set to 3-4 so might drop it down slightly as i can hear the vibration on the case.

I've got 2 x 240s with CPU and GPU.

Thanks

BattFink · 9 Dec 2015 at 15:45

archerz said:
thanks, was just curious as I'm fairly new to it all. Mines currently set to 3-4 so might drop it down slightly as i can hear the vibration on the case.

A thin layer of foam will cure that (just need to isolate the pump from the case)

There are PWM versions of the D5 pump available (however that seems a little over the top)

Disco_P · 10 Dec 2015 at 10:44

I have a 240, 360, cpu and gpu in my loop and have set my d5 to minimum. It's fine and it only affects the temp delta in my loop.