Phanteks tc14pe PWM Adapter fitting

pilsburypie · 18 Jul 2012 at 13:30

Ok, my CPU cooling fans run at full pelt all the time so I'm looking at being able to set them to automatically change speed depending on temp. I have been sent a PWM adapter which is basically a 4 pin to 3 pin adapter. I'm after info on what exactly to do with this, where to plug everything in to enable me to control the fans in fan expert 2.

I have the Asus p8z77 v MB

Help appreciated

Helios1234 · 18 Jul 2012 at 13:45

Connect the fans to a Y-splitter and then the latter to the 3 pin header on the adapter. Then connect the 4 pin connector to a 4 pin header on the motherboard that supports PWM.

Tealc · 18 Jul 2012 at 14:19

As above. Put it in the middle of the PWM socket and your fans basically.

However multiple fans on the adaptor can cause them all to slow down a bit. 1 or 2 fans per adaptor is fine, while 3 or 4 is too much.

I'm currently working on a similar adaptor that can drive 5 fans or more from near 100% speed, down to approx. 20% speed.

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18421145

doyll · 18 Jul 2012 at 14:24

What they said

pilsburypie · 18 Jul 2012 at 18:57

Thanks. Done this and connected to CPU fan slot leaving the CPU opt slot free. Now a strange thing has happened, the fans are running much slower and quieter without me doing anything. But my fan xpert 2 won't open now. I get the same error messages when I try and load it as I did previously before 8 pack suggested I download the MEI engine. This worked a treat and I had no probs with fan xpert until this cable switchover. Any suggestions? I've reinstalled both MEI and AI Suite but so far no joy.

doyll · 18 Jul 2012 at 19:01

not sure how Asus motherboard bios/software works. Gigabyte has 3 settings in bios. PWM, Auto, vreg.. something like that. Needs to be set for PWM or auto to work..

Hopefully someone with Asus experience will be along soon.

pilsburypie · 18 Jul 2012 at 20:02

Thanks doyll - I just reinstalled fan xpert yet again and it worked....go figure?

Anyway, CPU fans now show up in Fan Xpert 2 and can be sensibly controlled. Thank the baby Jesus! My hovercraft of a PC is now so much better. Ran Prime 95 to try and get some heat, and although the cores were at high 70's Fan Xpert showed them as 60's, but that was no bother, the fans were on 60% and it never really rose much more. Can't believe I had to sit and listen to them at 100% even when doing nothing on the PC!

Thanks to Phanteks for sending me the PWM Adapter. Big difference. And thanks to all for your help. Now a much happier bunny.

doyll · 18 Jul 2012 at 21:23

No idea how Fan Xpert works. Can you set the 60c Fan Expert to 50c? So fans ramp up sooner.

ET6 on mine is 10c off at peak rpm. 20% rpm @ 30c is 700rpm @ 35-41c. 100% rpm @ 50c is 1200rpm @ 55-60c

Uncle Petey · 29 Jul 2012 at 12:21

You can set up to 3 'points of action' for any fan using a line graph to plot fan % at any given cpu temp.
Really easy and quite addictive for the first few days or whenever you get new fans.

I don't bother with it much as I prefer to save fixed rpm profiles to suit the given task. It is undeniably useful though.

doyll · 29 Jul 2012 at 12:32

sounds better than ET6. Yeah, I played with idle temp/rpm to load temp/rpm for several days getting the best of both worlds. Unless I run prime my fans never exceed 1050rpm.. and only reach 1050rpm when encoding video with Handbrake

Uncle Petey · 29 Jul 2012 at 12:42

It would be VERY useful if AI suite (or any equivalent) was capable of reporting accurate CPU temps at anything over idle range. That's the only reason I don't use it much.

doyll · 29 Jul 2012 at 12:52

I use Open Hardware Monitor for temps. Gives me a line graph of temps and current, low & high reading. Not totally accurate but shows thing close enough for my kind of girls.