Benefits of a fan controller?

Fruitbooter

Fruitbooter

Fruitbooter

Associate
Joined
14 Jun 2011
Posts
371
Location
Wolverhampton
Just wondered why so many people opt for fan controllers?

Fair enough if you don't have enough headers on mobo but if you do is there any other benefit other than maybe cable management?

Im going to either run a h100i or custom loop so will have between 5-6 fans in total...

2 or 3 sp120s on the top depending on h100 or custom 360 rad.

1 af120 as exhaust

1 200mm bitfenix intake and 1 120mm bitfenix intake.

I was just planning on plugging them into headers on my z87 hero and running at full speed?

What would I gain from a fan controller? I also don't really want anything on the front of the case which is also why I'm thinking this.
 
Running a fan at full speed when idle is a waste of energy and just creates extra noise, which is generally undesireable. Ideally you'd have something that adjusts the speed of the fan in line with a change in a measured temperature.

There are internal fan controllers. I use one of my own design that uses the PWM of my CPU header and controls up to about 8 three pin fans without any need for manual control or being visible from outside.
 
Last edited:
They come with accurate temperature sensors.
I have an AMD processor, which is apparently renowned for being inaccurate. I'm showing a mere 3ºC at idle, on an ambient air-cooled system!!

That's why I want one.
 
Tealc said:
Running a fan at full speed when idle is a waste of energy and just creates extra noise, which is generally undesireable. Ideally you'd have something that adjusts the speed of the fan in line with a change in a measured temperature.

There are internal fan controllers. I use one of my own design that uses the PWM of my CPU header and controls up to about 8 three pin fans without any need for manual control or being visible from outside.
Click to expand...

That sounds good! Have you got any details?

So do all your fans rpm just correspond to whatever your CPU is doing? I.e full load would be full fan speed?
 
not really if you are strategic where you put them.

Personally I have one at the back of the motherboard where the CPU cut out is, above the back of the GPU, top of the case, just above front intake fan so I can see what temp is coming in and underneath CPU heatsink.

It can be a bit of a routing nightmare but you can tuck them under the motherboard etc to hide them no probs.

I just like the ability to control all my fans manually.

Downside is if you have any kids they fiddle with the knobs !!!!
 
Fruitbooter said:
Doesn't this look a mess having sensors all over the place?
Click to expand...

If the cable-routing of my first build is anything to go by - No, it damn well doesn't and I will rip the entire case apart if it means I can get those extra 2" of cable tidied away, dammit!! :D

But no, the sensors are pretty small and just tape in place somewhere discreet. Just be careful as they are can be delicate.
 
Fruitbooter said:
That sounds good! Have you got any details?

So do all your fans rpm just correspond to whatever your CPU is doing? I.e full load would be full fan speed?
Click to expand...

It depends on the fans. If you mix fan types some will be running faster than others, but that's ok.

Using multiple converters allow you to set zones where perhaps the fans are less aggressive than others.

High temperatures tend to kick up the PWM duty cycle, no so much full load, although they do sort of go hand in hand.

Bit of a long thread but I do go into a fair amount of detail and show all the boards I made for forum users.
http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18421145&highlight=startername_Tealc
 
Quite simply to keep the noise down. If my PC is idle, I can knock off 2 of the fans, and bring the rest of the fans right down to 600rpm and it's blissfully quiet. If I play a game or like now, F@H, then I can ramp them up.
 
For noise. I have an old case with 4 80mm fans wired to a controller fitted to a drive bay, if I'm not gaming I turn them all down, if I'm gaming I turn them all up!
 
My case has two knobs for control.

If I turn the knob up that increases the speed on the side intakes and the back exhaust, my GPU runs 2c cooler. The 2nd knob is just to keep one of my 120mm fans that's mounted under the DVD drive (Yeah) on a low rpm to be quiet.

It's a nice thing to make fans completely silent, but the temp difference is not that huge. I think I'll have to turn them up a bit during the great british "Summer" if temps starts to creep up.
 
I have three PWM fans controlled by the mobo- CPU cooler and two rear exhaust.
The other four fans I have installed are only needed occasionally, so generally I keep them off with a fan controller, rather than having to open the case and plug/unplug them each time...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom