Antec Tricool Problem.

Fras

Fras

Fras

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Joined
25 May 2010
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171
Hi guys, So i have a slight problem with my antec tricool fans in my antec 300. Basically everytime i want to start a game up or play anything i need to turn the fans up to keep the case cool but the problem is i always need to open the case up and this turns into quite a hassle over time, so is there anyway i can get around this problem and still control fan speed without opening the case everytime?

Thanks in advance, Fras.
 
Can you not plug the fan headers into the motherboard and set up a profile to make things that more convenient fro you. Or as xRowen stated connect em up to a fan controller
 
If you cut off the 4 pin peripheral plug and wire it up to a standard 3 way fan header you can then control it with a fan controller. I find the medium setting works quite well as I can dial down for idle silence and dial up for additional airflow.
 
Tealc said:
If you cut off the 4 pin peripheral plug and wire it up to a standard 3 way fan header you can then control it with a fan controller. I find the medium setting works quite well as I can dial down for idle silence and dial up for additional airflow.
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How would i go about doing that and what would i need to purchase?
 
I have the exact same problem! Its quite a big flaw with the case/fan design. I only need to ramp up the cooling when I am rendering though so at the moment was just dealing with it.

On a similar note, how loud do you find the fans? on anything apart from low I find them really quite loud, so much so I will probably invest in some new fans when I have some cash.
 
mtnorris said:
I have the exact same problem! Its quite a big flaw with the case/fan design. I only need to ramp up the cooling when I am rendering though so at the moment was just dealing with it.

On a similar note, how loud do you find the fans? on anything apart from low I find them really quite loud, so much so I will probably invest in some new fans when I have some cash.
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Once my gpu is on 80% fans and my tricool system is on high it gets pretty loud.
 
Fras said:
Hi guys, So i have a slight problem with my antec tricool fans in my antec 300. Basically everytime i want to start a game up or play anything i need to turn the fans up to keep the case cool but the problem is i always need to open the case up and this turns into quite a hassle over time, so is there anyway i can get around this problem and still control fan speed without opening the case everytime?

Thanks in advance, Fras.
Click to expand...

Unfortuantly with the tri cools they are molex powered so you would need to invest in some fans with 3 pin headers and a fan controller to be able to lower/higher the speed of them.
 
NathWraith said:
Unfortuantly with the tri cools they are molex powered so you would need to invest in some fans with 3 pin headers and a fan controller to be able to lower/higher the speed of them.
Click to expand...

Any reccomendations as far as fan controllers and replacement fans for the tricool system?
 
Fras said:
Any reccomendations as far as fan controllers and replacement fans for the tricool system?
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Depending if you want LED fans or not really. If you want LED fans the Xigmatek Crystal fans are excellent as they push a good amount of air and look the part, they are the fans we use in our Titan Xenomorph, Predator and Decimator systems.

If you want something alittle more subtle have alook at the Sharkoon Silent Eagle 1000rpm fans, these are basically silent and have no LEDs either.

For fan controllers, it is mostly looks that will decide it for you as you have Zalman fan controllers which are stylish and sublte and the Scythe ones which have LED/LCD displays and are abit more "bling". I would recommend this one however as it isn't overwhelmingly garish and has nice LED readouts so you can view your temps/fan speed all infront of you.
 
Fras; said:
How would i go about doing that and what would i need to purchase?
Click to expand...

Depends what you have available. I had some old fans which didn't mind getting chopped up to use as donor wiring.

You will need:-

A fan controller. Cheap or otherwise.
A fan header connector with at least the red and black wire still fitted.
A pair of scissors.
A soldering iron (although using a screw type terminal block would be fine)

Cut off 4 pin peripheral connector (molex) leaving a few cm of wire at the end for future use.

Strip wire insulation back about 5mm on both red and black.

Do the same on the donor fan header connector.

Solder/join red to red and black to black. Insulate with tape.

Plug fan header into fan controller.


I find on my cheap fan controller ( off the bay ) that I get best useful range on medium tri-cool setting from maybe 600 rpm up to maybe 1500 rpm or so. On low tri-cool setting I found I could stall the fan if I dialed it down.

I currently have my front tri-cool set up with this mod.

Probably better to buy decent fans though. Tri-cools are cheap fans that make unnaceptable noise even at lowest settings, in my opinion.
 
NathWraith said:
Depending if you want LED fans or not really. If you want LED fans the Xigmatek Crystal fans are excellent as they push a good amount of air and look the part, they are the fans we use in our Titan Xenomorph, Predator and Decimator systems.

If you want something alittle more subtle have alook at the Sharkoon Silent Eagle 1000rpm fans, these are basically silent and have no LEDs either.

For fan controllers, it is mostly looks that will decide it for you as you have Zalman fan controllers which are stylish and sublte and the Scythe ones which have LED/LCD displays and are abit more "bling". I would recommend this one however as it isn't overwhelmingly garish and has nice LED readouts so you can view your temps/fan speed all infront of you.
Click to expand...

Thanks, ill take those into consideration.
 
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Tealc said:
If you cut off the 4 pin peripheral plug and wire it up to a standard 3 way fan header you can then control it with a fan controller. I find the medium setting works quite well as I can dial down for idle silence and dial up for additional airflow.
Click to expand...

I did this. You can just do it via the red and black wires before the molex adapter.

I modded my 900 and installed a fan controller in the top of the case, i then cut off the molex ends and soldered the wires to the wires of the three pin, and then connected these to a simple fan controller, now, I can switch these between low medium and high.

To do this you'd need a soldering iron and the relevant bits for it and a fan controller with some extra 3 pin wires.

The alternative is not using a fan controller and using the motherboard - but for the amount of fans in my case that are controlled I had to go for the fan controller.
 
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