Controlling Radiator Fans By GPU Temp

prjwebb

prjwebb

prjwebb

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Is there any software out there that can control 3 pin fans on my radiator plugged into the mobo using the gpu temp as a sensor.
I know smartfan would be a candidate but it's too out of date to work with AM4.

Preferably free software, but if there's a reasonably priced bit of software that would be ok too.

I tried the VGA fan header adapter route, but it looks like my fans need to be PWM to get that working properly so it would require ditching the 2 fans I just bought and buying another 2. Not preferred.

Thanks
 
I used to make graphics card PWM connector to 3 pin fan converters a while ago, mainly for the Gelid Icy Vision. What this little circuit does is take a 12v feed and the 5v PWM and make a DC voltage suitable for any 3 pin fans. As the PWM duty cycle goes up the fans speed up and can be controlled using whatever software allows your graphics card fan speed to change egspeedfan, msi afterburner.

Looked a bit like this, but generally with more fan headers on the PCB, and no flying lead to fans. Also image in my signature is the same circuit.
juwcwx.jpg


Phanteks came out with a little black box that does much the same, just not as controllable, but that doesn't come with the small fan connector.

As for the motherboartd route I'm fairly sure Speedfan can do that. You need to link the GPU temperature to a fan and providing the motherboard header supports speed control, and your fans are the right type for the motherboard, you should be able to control them. Mind you a lot of motherboards lack fan control systems for non CPU headers.
 
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Tealc said:
I used to make graphics card PWM connector to 3 pin fan converters a while ago, mainly for the Gelid Icy Vision. What this little circuit does is take a 12v feed and the 5v PWM and make a DC voltage suitable for any 3 pin fans. As the PWM duty cycle goes up the fans speed up and can be controlled using whatever software allows your graphics card fan speed to change egspeedfan, msi afterburner.

Looked a bit like this, but generally with more fan headers on the PCB, and no flying lead to fans. Also image in my signature is the same circuit.
juwcwx.jpg


Phanteks came out with a little black box that does much the same, just not as controllable, but that doesn't come with the small fan connector.

As for the motherboartd route I'm fairly sure Speedfan can do that. You need to link the GPU temperature to a fan and providing the motherboard header supports speed control, and your fans are the right type for the motherboard, you should be able to control them. Mind you a lot of motherboards lack fan control systems for non CPU headers.
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That's a cool little mod!
Speedfan was my first thought, but it's so out of date it hasn't been updated to support any of the Ryzen boards.
 
Well I suspect that Speedfan can do it, although I never tried. Certainly the Corsair Commander Pro can, but that's expensive.
 
james_2k said:
you want fans to run based on coolant temp not components. much nicer and no spikey pointless fan noise.
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Not possible with this AIO. Also the GPU temp is pretty stable in game, I just want the fans to settle right down for desktop and then come up to where there are now once the card warms up in game.
 
prjwebb said:
Not possible with this AIO. Also the GPU temp is pretty stable in game, I just want the fans to settle right down for desktop and then come up to where there are now once the card warms up in game.
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I have a PC that does this. It's AIO temperatures are pretty constant and it doesn't really ramp up the fans much when gaming ~ when the graphics card kicks in an starts heating up the case, so I ran the case fans from the GPU temperature rather than the CPU. I used Corsair Commander Pro, but that ( as I said before ) is expensive.
 
Cant you set a PWM fan curve in the bios? Thats what I have. (Though I do have a small hub that my fans are connected to via the motherboard)

CPU fan header to pwm hub, all fans connected to this, bios curve set.
 
The AIO is on the gpu btw.
I can set a curve in the bios but not controlled by gpu temp.
A fan controller or replacing my rad fans for PWM so my adapter running off the gpu fan header will work through msi seems to be the only option.
 
A small cable converter and a phanteks PWM chub converter will do the job if msi will work.

Been a while but you used to be able to buy graphics card fab connector to standard fan connector adaptor leads for next to no money.
 
I use Argus Monitor on my X370 Prime, not free but there's a trial so you can try it. It was the only way I could link my case fans to my GPU temp, but there are options for CPU and some kind of mixed averages of CPU/GPU that I've not yet tried.

Works well and doesn't seem to be too resource hungry. My fans are all PWM :)
 
Tealc said:
A small cable converter and a phanteks PWM chub converter will do the job if msi will work.

Been a while but you used to be able to buy graphics card fab connector to standard fan connector adaptor leads for next to no money.
Click to expand...

Yeah I have one of those adapters but it only runs my fans at full tilt :(
 
Atari said:
I use Argus Monitor on my X370 Prime, not free but there's a trial so you can try it. It was the only way I could link my case fans to my GPU temp, but there are options for CPU and some kind of mixed averages of CPU/GPU that I've not yet tried.

Works well and doesn't seem to be too resource hungry. My fans are all PWM :)
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Oh awesome, going to try the 30 day trial. Thanks
 
prjwebb said:
Oh awesome, going to try the 30 day trial. Thanks
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No probs, I hope it works for you :) It was the only solution I could find since Speedfan didn't work with my board, plus it's not that badly priced for the 3 year license.
 
Atari said:
No probs, I hope it works for you :) It was the only solution I could find since Speedfan didn't work with my board, plus it's not that badly priced for the 3 year license.
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It works perfect! Also 1 years license gives you it for life, you just can't update to newer versions.
 
prjwebb said:
It works perfect! Also 1 years license gives you it for life, you just can't update to newer versions.
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Good stuff :) I've been using it for a few months now and it's been working perfectly - a true set and forget piece of software :) I was able to link individual PWM headers to the software and link the lot to my GPU temps so I can keep my 980Ti at a breezy 60 deg under load.

I got a good discount buying it on Black Friday iirc too so maybe something to keep an eye out for - I don't think I've noticed any prompts to update the software since I installed it so I guess there aren't that many updates to the program.
 
prjwebb said:
Yeah I have one of those adapters but it only runs my fans at full tilt :(
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That's because the adaptor only converts the connector interface and not the type of power your fans use to regulate their speed.

If you have a PWM converter on the end of the adaptor you will then be able to use 3 pin fans on a 4 pin PWM controlled output.

I used to use this exact method to control a rear case 3 pin fan off my graphics card PWM. I didn't but a converter box but made my own, the principle is the same though. I
 
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