Phanteks PWM Fan Hub issue

PapaLazaru

PapaLazaru

PapaLazaru

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I've got the cable plugged into the CPU OPT header and it works fine with all the 3 pin case fans (5), but my front CPU fan which is 4 pin and plugged into the hub, onto works intermittently. It is almost like it is not getting enough juice. It is like this even when gaming and all the other fans spin up to keep everything cool. Sometimes it works, sometimes when it doesn't.

Any ideas?
 
Thought it might be something like that.

Do you reckon it is safe to use 3 PINS fans on the cooler if using the hub, ie do you trust it to manage the speeds enough for the cooler?
 
I thought that might be the case. Problem is one PWN CPU fan is in the CPU header and the hub is in the OPT header with all the other fans plugged into it including the other 4 pin CPU fan. I can't be sure they would even spin at the same speed?

Would you dare use 3 pin fans all round?

These are the connectors on the mobo -

1 x CPU Fan connector(s) (4 -pin)
4 x Chassis Fan connector(s) (3 x 4 -pin, 1 x 3 -pin)
1 x Optional Fan connector(s) (4 -pin)

Would the hub do it's thing if plugged into a 4 pin chassis fan connector instead?
 
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Thanks for both of your inputs, it really has been a help. I am going to buy a few bits to get my case finalised so this can include fans if needed.

I am sure the OPT header is sending out a PWM signal, I would expect it to as I have always run 2 CPU cooling fans and one has always been plugged into the CPU fan header and the other into the CPU OPT header and they speed up and down in unison.

I might just bite the bullet and plug both CPU cooling fans back into their old headers and plug all the case fans through the hub and into a 4 pin chassis fan header. As long as it is quiet when idle and I can hide all my cables it is all I want really and was the main purpose of the hub, though it does without doubt lower the ambient noise in the case when idle which is an added bonus. It is silent at idle which was not the case before.

Alternately I can just swop out my 2x 4 pin CPU fans for 3 pin fans and then have all the fans running through the hub into the main CPU fan connector, though this will cost more money and I am really not sure if that is to be trusted as 3 pin fans are not really meant to be variable are they not?

*edit* I have a couple of brand new Corsair 3 pin 120mm fans at home somewhere though think they might be more aimed at case cooling than CPU cooling.
 
Had not thought about that and it makes perfect sense.

I'll run both 4pin CPU fans off a splitter into the CPU fan header and run all the case fans through the hub into the CPU OPT header.

Fixed! And thanks.
 
This is weird, so until I get the splitter I have just been running it as before, sometimes the 4 pin fan in the hub spins up, sometimes it does not. When it does not spin up, neither does the other CPU fan, which is not even plugged into the hub!

Plugged the hub into a chassis fan connector for the time being and plugged the CPU fan back where it belongs.

It is so noisy again though.
 
Meh, CPU fans on a spitter in CPU connector. Hub in the CPU OPT connector.

All fans spinning at full whack. Seems the hub needs to 'read' the RPM off whatever fan is in slot 1 on the hub and as it is a three pin fan, they all spin at the same speed as they are all the same fan. Bought a new fan so they would all match but now need to test a different PWM fan to see if it works.

Silence is becoming expensive...........
 
Fair enough, but explain how when a 4 pin fan was plugged into header one on the hub, and the hub was plugged into the CPU OPT header it worked for all fans, apart from the issue of the 4 pin not always spinning up.

So it worked most of the time with a 4 pin fan plugged into the hub but not with a 3 pin plugged into the hub.
 
Yes, from what I can work out the hub will use the speed of the fan in slot 1 and use that to determine the speed of the other fans. PWN fan in slot 1, all fans sped up and slowed down when needed. 3 pin in slot 1, all other fans run at same speed (they are all the same fans).

We will see as I have bought a cheap PWM fan to test and if it works, will just use it as one of the chassis fans.

Trust me, it was silent when I had the original setup and now it is noisy as before when they were all plugged into the mobo. It must have been picking up the PWM signal from the mobo then reading the speed of the PWM fan.
 
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