Having more than 1 case fan connected to motherboard.. Best way?

DanJames93

DanJames93

DanJames93

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Location
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I've just got a CM Storm Scout 2 (came with a fan) and I also picked an extra Coolermaster Sickleflow from work (I work for an undisclosed consumer electronics retailer). Seem to be good fans overall.

Unfortunately.. my motherboard only has space for one case fan due to insufficient connectors and I don't really want to go through molex because it they can get a little on the noisy side, I'm upgrading my mobo soon but the number of connections for fans will still be insufficient so I need to figure out an alternative as I plan to use a total of 5 (maybe 6) case fans.

So.. best ways?

I've been reading about fan controllers... what are they like, and how do they work? Would I just connect my fan controller to a 3pin output on my motherboard and then connect my fans to 3pin outputs on the fan controller? If so... wouldn't some power be lost because of multiple fans going off the one connector?

Any help is much appreciated, if you could be as detailed and informative as possible that would be a great help.
 
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Fan controllers normally are powered off a Molex connector. Some are dial controlled, some touch screen, some automatically adjusted, some manual. I'm not aware of much in the way of a fan controller taking signal from the motherboard though and varying the speed in relation to an actual CPU temperature.
 
You managed to break forum rules in the first line of your first post. You can't mention competitors. :D

Simple splitter cables will allow you to run several fans from each motherboard header.
 
DanJames93 said:
so I've just been looking at this

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=BB-000-LP&campaign=pcm/googleshopping&pup_c=gs

I'm ideally looking for a manual mechanical fan controller, not a touch screen fan controller. This one doesn't have temperature or rpm sensors but that doesn't really bother me... Well, the rpm does slightly but not such an issue.
Click to expand...

RPM should not bother you as you should just adjust them to what you think is audibly good.

Also CPU Cooler should still be fun off the motherboard

Fan controllers are great. Run HWMonitor and monitor temps with fans on low with pc at Idle. Then game/stress test to see temps with Fans on low. Stop the test, let it cool, turn Fans up high and test again.

Learn how much you actually have to turn them up to keep temps under control. Mine are kept turned all the way down unless playing Borderlands 2 split screen (2 games running, one on each screen for me and my Girlfriend to play LAN) I have managed managed to adjust settings on each game to give 90%+ CPU Usage and 99% GPU Usage, meaning its getting really Hot. Turn the fans up before doing a task, as to get cool air flowing better, turning them up half way through will not get you the same temps as if you started with them up.

Fan controllers are also great as you can turn the fans down/off at night for downloads.

Combine these with my Corsair H80 that is always running 100% as the fans I have purchased are silent, my PC doesn't get any louder playing most games, unless I choose it to.
 
DanJames93 said:
I've just got a CM Storm Scout 2 (came with a fan) and I also picked an extra Coolermaster Sickleflow from work (I work for an undisclosed consumer electronics retailer). Seem to be good fans overall.

Unfortunately.. my motherboard only has space for one case fan due to insufficient connectors and I don't really want to go through molex because it they can get a little on the noisy side, I'm upgrading my mobo soon but the number of connections for fans will still be insufficient so I need to figure out an alternative as I plan to use a total of 5 (maybe 6) case fans.

So.. best ways?

I've been reading about fan controllers... what are they like, and how do they work? Would I just connect my fan controller to a 3pin output on my motherboard and then connect my fans to 3pin outputs on the fan controller? If so... wouldn't some power be lost because of multiple fans going off the one connector?

Any help is much appreciated, if you could be as detailed and informative as possible that would be a great help.
Click to expand...

I have cm strom scout 2 case too. I love this case.

My mobo has room for 3 fans, I have 7 case fans. so fan controller is a must.

Pic's of my rig as it is now.

I'm upgrading next week with the H80i cooler and corsair ax850 psu and a new fan controller aerocool strike x

S1800003.jpg

S1830001.jpg

S1830004.jpg

S1840001.jpg


Best case I've ever owned.
 
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