Bitfenix Recon Fan Controller Shorting

[BIG Phil]

I recently bought a BitFenix Recon fan controller from OCUK to add into my Silverstone FT02B case.

Due probably to Silverstone's incomprehensibly bizarre way of designing their cases, the controller will not fit flush into either of the two remaining spare 5.25" drives in the case (as the controller casing is blocked by two metal lips on the left side in the drive bays).

However, the real issue is that the casing on the fan controller appears to be shorting against the metal of the FT02B case. The casing on the fan controller is painted black but there are a few small chips in the paint and when I touch one of these against the case, the controller shorts. Even worse when I try to screw the controller into the drive bay, the controller shorts.

The rest of the computer appears to work as usual.

Has anyone encountered this before please?

Is this likely to be a specific issue with this particular fan controller unit and therefore is it a candidate for RMA or is there likely to be something wrong with my case?

 

[Andygully]

Rma it that controller is the worst iv ever had It doesn't sit flush in my 540 as well.
Mine ramped the fans up to 100% on its own whilst it was set to a static profile.
In the end i removed it and got a nzxt mesh instead.

 

[Tealc]

Mine does that shorting thing too. I thought it was just my unit, which was an early model given for review. I never bothered to investigate why it shorted.

Maybe the case of the Recon is at a non ground potential or something but it has never tripped my PSU and I know that it would trip as I've shorted <20mA@12v to ground and it tripped.

I wonder if the on/off switch circuit is held high and then when the case of the Recon comes into contact with the grounded case it trips. I don't recall whether a simple press of the on/off area resumes normal operation.

It must be a rare issue as surely thousands of reports would have been seen by now. My Recon mounts via a sled device that came with my case so does not get screwed in.

 

[BIG Phil]

Thank you for the advice and information.

It looks like I will be returning the fan controller then. I am surprised it has not affected more people.