Fan controller

Lufferov

Lufferov

Lufferov

Associate
Joined
4 Jan 2015
Posts
27
Hi,
I'm a little confused, I've got two fans on my radiator for the NZXT Kraken water cooler. They are really noisy though with the bearings rattling, I've had two replacment fans sent from NZXT already and they both lasted a couple of months and now they are rattling too. So, I decided to buy some new fans and I got two Corsair ML120 fans.

I just discovered (though it's not mentioned anywhere on the product page) that these fans require 4 pin PWM control. But the fan power leads on my Kraken only have 3-pin... Soooo, what do I do?

Presumably I need the CAM software to be able to control the fans to keep the liquid in my loop temps under control? So should I cancel my order or is there a way around this?
 
I have the Kraken x61, which I've now discovered uses 140mm fans. But the good news is it does have 4-pin PWM connections. So, I can use the Corsair ML series, just not the 120s I ordered. I'll need to get the ML140s instead!

Really should have done my research first! .. I could replace my two case fans with the ML120s, but they really are only 3-pin. So what options do I have if I want to use the ML fans in my case? What's the best/easiest way to get 4-pin connections and control them via software?
 
Okay, time for an update....

The Kraken X61 does does do PWM, but only 1 of the connectors is 4-pin, the others are 3-pin. They say to connect one of the fans to the 4-pin and the other to the 3-pin. So I did that, and it does seem to be working. CAM is controlling both the fan speeds with PWM and everything in that regard is great.

BUT, there had to be a problem didn't there, nothing is ever simple!

In terms of my case, I checked it out and sys_fan 1, sys_fan 2 and sys_fan 3 all have 4-pin fan headers. There is a sys_fan 4 that's 3-pin too as well as the CPU_fan which I'm not using because the Kraken doesn't need it.

So I thought I was sorted, I have two intake fans on the front of the case and one fan on the back. So I figured I'd just use the sys_fan 1, sys_fan 2 & sys_fan 3 headers. Sounded logical and should work. The two 140mm radiator fans are on the top and controlled by the Kraken.

Having installed them, even though they are 4-pin, it seems they are being controlled by voltage because the LEDs get brighter and darker with the fan speed. I don't know how to control them with PWM? I'm using the Gigabyte System Information Viewer for fan control but it doesn't say anything about PWM or voltage. I've looked in the BIOS I can't see any settings in there relating to PWM either.

I'm using a Gigabyte Z97X Gaming 7 motherboard.

The fan controller does speed up and slow down the fans, but I'm guessing it's not good to run these ML fans at lower voltages?
 
Still doesn't make any sense to put a 4-pin header on the motherboard if it's not PWM though. If a 4-pin fan can plug into a 3-pin header why would you make the connection 4-pin if it's just voltage control?
 
It's a fairly shi**y industry standard then... I checked my motherboard manual, frankly it couldn't be more deliberately misleading if it tried. It seems like they want you to /think/ that it's PWM even though it's not. Even the BIOS makes reference to the fans being PWM when you set them to "Manual" control.

The motherboard manual states:
  • 1st System Fan Speed Control (SYS_FAN1 Connector)
Allows you to control the fan speed. This item is configurable only when 1st System Fan Speed Control
is set to Manual. Options are: 0.75 PWM value /oC ~ 2.50 PWM value /oC.
​

  • 2nd System Fan Speed Control (SYS_FAN2 Connector)
Allows you to control the fan speed. This item is configurable only when 2nd System Fan Speed Control
is set to Manual. Options are: 0.75 PWM value /oC ~ 2.50 PWM value /oC.
​

  • 3rd System Fan Speed Control (SYS_FAN3 Connector)
Allows you to control the fan speed. This item is configurable only when 3rd System Fan Speed Control
is set to Manual. Options are: 0.75 PWM value /oC ~ 2.50 PWM value /oC.
​

Seems like a blatant lie to me, there is no PWM! Far from me wanting to "blame others for not knowing what is standard in the industry"... I would just like to have honesty.
 
Last edited:
Smffy said:
So yea, if you literally want to control the speed of your fans then stop having a **** fit about PWM when it is not the only means of doing it.
Click to expand...

That would be fine if I hadn't just spend over £80 on fans that DO require PWM control! The new Corsair ML fans use Magnetic Levitation and don't work properly at lower voltage.

EDIT: Of course if you'd read the thread before jumping in, you'd have known all that.
 
Last edited:
doyll said:
I was trying to be helpful, but you seem to think it is not your responsibility to research and understand the product before buying it, but the manufacturers' fault. I call this kind of thought process 'professional victim'. Everything is someones' fault. Get drunk and caught driving and blame it on car maker, brewery and publican.

No mention of CPU fan header specs. .. in fact no mention of what motherboard or what the fan header pinout is.

2nd and 3rd posts suggest returing the fans.

Buy fans without even knowing what size fits radiator.


How about you read your manual and study up on what you are doing before you feel so sorry for yourself and blame all your screw-ups on everyone else?

You manual shows all headers and what their pinout is on page 26 & 27.

It's time to grow up and take responsibility for your own actions.
Click to expand...

Oh really? Because I just looked at pages 26 & 27 of the manual. Where does it show me that they aren't PWM headers? It still shows them as 4-pin with all 4-pins connected. I think it's fair to assume from the image that CPU_FAN and SYS_FAN1,2&3 are 4-pin PWM and SYS_FAN4 is a constant 12v.

I suppose you suggest everyone who wants to build a PC should have a degree in electronic engineering. To complicate matters further the manual CLEARLY mentions the fan speed control can be set to PWM.

Also, who genuinely inspects the manual in quite that much detail before they buy the product? I've never read a manual for ANYTHING before I've bought it. I look at the technical specifications sheet sure, but the manual?!

I would suggest you climb down from your high horse and realise that in the real world people don't have the time for the sort of stuff you're saying.

Yes I made a mistake buying the wrong size fans initially. That's on me, I'll take that one. But as for the rest of it... come on, really?
 
doyll said:
I WILL NOT REPLY AGAIN UNLESS YOU RESPOND LIKE NORMAL PEOPLE DO WHEN THEY NEED HELP.
Click to expand...

Thanks, that's good to know, I don't need help from people like you. I would like to genuinely thank Disco_P, Frank Jeagar and haszek who have all offered helpful and useful advise. Sadly Doyll just appears to be a jerk.
 
D1craig said:
by a cable that allows all fans to be plugged into the same header. thats what i have done.

fan splitter cable or something.
Click to expand...

Don't think that will help will it? None of my system fan headers are PWM. I guess I could hook them up to the Kraken and just let all fans run at the same speed based on the CPU temp. That's probably not a bad idea actually... or is it?
 
Tealc said:
Using CPU to control all fans is a good idea as typically if that gets warm then you need extra cooling everywhere. The only exception would be your GPU which ideally needs its own cooling profile.

Gigabyte are pretty bad when it comes to fan control. I even have a 5v fan header on my motherboard for some reason. I suppose it's cheaper to have one type of connector on your bill of materials.
Click to expand...

Thanks for this, I think I'll give that a try. The Kraken X61 has 4 fan headers that will do PWM so I can connect my two intake fans at the front and let CAM control them with with PWM. It should also balance the airflow a bit better as they will be working together.

The one on the back can just stay connected to a voltage controlled header because that's the only one that I've not changed for a new ML fan. I'll set that to a slow speed and just leave it on tick-over.
 
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