This may be my only choice as the aftermarket cooler doesn't bode well with my GPU for what ever reason and I really want to keep it, I have a Noctua fan controller which I can power via a molex, the only issue is that I can only guess the speed of the fans.
Anyone here use a physical fan speed control for theit GPU?
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Seems like a really bad idea to use a manual fan controller for a GPU. I would be tempted to spend that extra to get something like a Commander Pro that allows you to control the fan according to the GPU temperature. Failing that a free copy of speedfan may do the trick but I can't be completely certain about that, I never tried it.
I have managed to find a modded mini gpu extension lead I was thinking to cut the voltage wire on it and attach each end to a simple switch and use that to switch the fans off when I want.
My stock fans would turn off when not playing computer games and stay off and the card never went over 38oC.
My stock fans would turn off when not playing computer games and stay off and the card never went over 38oC.
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I had to modify my graphics card aftermarket cooler so it would take PWM instruction from the card itself. It involved a bit of wiring and soldering, was easy enough to do. The fan doesn't stop like it did on the stock cooler but idling is at 400rpm so is fairly quiet.
Damn, good job
I would if I had the patience or even tools, what cooler is it? Accelero or Gelid? 400 is very low indeed.Neither. It's a Thermalright shaman. The original fan has a 4 pin standard PWM connector. I made a little lead that plugs into the graphics card connector to get the pwm signal, which controls the fan. I take the tach signal and route it to the motherboard and power the actual fan off a motherboard header.
For some reason Thermalright thought it a good idea that the fan was not card controlled or powered.
For some reason Thermalright thought it a good idea that the fan was not card controlled or powered.
Here's the cable I made.
On the left is the graphics card hookup. The next connector feeds back tach and provides 12v powert. The next two connect to the graphics card fan plus one other, and finally another fan header connection.
I only use one fan output these days as the other was originally for my rear case fan but that's controlled elsewhere now.
I made this about 6-7 years ago.
On the left is the graphics card hookup. The next connector feeds back tach and provides 12v powert. The next two connect to the graphics card fan plus one other, and finally another fan header connection.
I only use one fan output these days as the other was originally for my rear case fan but that's controlled elsewhere now.
I made this about 6-7 years ago.
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Haven't made one in ages, however I still have the bits to do so and rather enjoy it. So I suppose yes I do still make them, just not so many these days. Still use them in my PC, same one that has been in there for years.
Back in the day I made all sorts of bespoke stuff for people.
Back in the day I made all sorts of bespoke stuff for people.
Ah yes I had a spate of Gelid Icy Vision buyers who were bemused at the lack of control their cooler afforded them. My little circuit fixed that. No complaints on any I made for Gelids.
The problem with the Gelids was that they came with standard fans I think and were supposed to be motherboard powered, or maybe they were 100% speed fans, I don't remember.
I also did some tiny solutions and dual boards for 8+ fans.
Later I even made a combined PWM hub along with a DC converted section that could theoretically control dozens of fans, mixing PWM and 3 pinners.
One of the guys I made a circuit for even had the circuit drawn up onto a little PCB and bought some in from China. I have a few of them in my drawer. Much easier to build. If I was doing these regular again I'd do that. You can buy little PCBs these days for like £1 each.
The problem with the Gelids was that they came with standard fans I think and were supposed to be motherboard powered, or maybe they were 100% speed fans, I don't remember.
I also did some tiny solutions and dual boards for 8+ fans.
Later I even made a combined PWM hub along with a DC converted section that could theoretically control dozens of fans, mixing PWM and 3 pinners.
One of the guys I made a circuit for even had the circuit drawn up onto a little PCB and bought some in from China. I have a few of them in my drawer. Much easier to build. If I was doing these regular again I'd do that. You can buy little PCBs these days for like £1 each.
Well the little rocker switch turned up although I haven't bothered to fit it yet, reason being that I just replaced the fans with another set of Turbo 3 fans ordered from the online store rather than waiting for a replacement from Accelero and now I have no wobbly fan plus the fans are not speeding up and slowing down all the time now when idle like they were before. I am not sure if it is because I attached a gpu mine to pwm and then attached it back to gpu mini (3 separate cables now between the fans and the card) or because the last fans were just faulty. Either way it seems to have fixed the issue I was having with revving fans and now they just stay at the same speed when idle
I am still thinking of using the switch to turn them off when idle but it's nice to know I have fixed the issue I was having.
I am still thinking of using the switch to turn them off when idle but it's nice to know I have fixed the issue I was having.
I don't have a physical fan controller for my GPU but use PWM to spin the fans down when idle; You could control the fans with pwm tied to the reported GPU temp - that's one level removed from using a separate controller with a thermistor.
You can use a separate controller BUT your margin of safety is likely to require the fans to be run faster & louder than they need to be.
I wonder if you could use the power draw to spin the fans up and down with a separate controller & skip the thermistor?
You can use a separate controller BUT your margin of safety is likely to require the fans to be run faster & louder than they need to be.
I wonder if you could use the power draw to spin the fans up and down with a separate controller & skip the thermistor?
I always think this is a bad idea as you'll almost certainly forget to switch them back on at some point and end up with a toasty card.
If it were me and I wanted the fans to stop spinning below a certain temperature I'd rig up an Arduino to the PWM signal. With a few basic compmonents you can switch the fans on and off automatically via the PWM duty cycle value. I'm not advising you to try this, just thinking out loud.
I get what you are saying, that's why I have installed some software and tested it, it turns off the computer when the gpu hits 70oC or what ever temperature I want it to turn off at. I might not do it anyway as the fans don't seem to be speeding up and slowing down anymore, it was more to stop the fans from being used when they don't need to be on.