# What fan controller?



## farlex85 (Feb 26, 2009)

The fan controller market seems somewhat similar to the tv tuner market in that most all of them suck. I don't need anything fancy, but I want it to perform it's intended function for less than $50. I need 6 channels, and it just needs to be able to crank up the cfm a good enough amount to be worth it. I also am opposed to extremely shiny led's which for some reason most seem to have. This is currently the leading candidate, but it has some things in the reviews that are making me think about abandoning the idea of a fan controller all together. So, whadya think?


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## MKmods (Feb 26, 2009)

depends on the fans. Which ones are they?
(the Zalman looks cool, I wish the buttons were a little more flush with the face though)


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## farlex85 (Feb 26, 2009)

MKmods said:


> depends on the fans. Which ones are they?
> (the Zalman looks cool, I wish the buttons were a little more flush with the face though)



They're currently the ones that came w/ the tempest case. I have this apevia and this one, I might replace the side and rear with these, but I'm not sure yet. And yeah, I'm not sure how much I like the look of the zalman, but it's not too bad. From reviews though it seems it's a bit unreliable, the knobs aren't particularly great, it possibly doesn't do very much, and the Led's are extremely bright.  Looks better than others though.


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## becandl (Feb 26, 2009)

I personally like my http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811995016.  It has really bright LEDs, but it's fairly cheap and you can soldier the LEDs off if you really want to.  It works very well, and can handle 30 watts per channel. 

When I got it, it had really good reviews.  Don't really know what happened because it is a very good controller, at least I think.  Just be careful with it though because I forced it into a tight bay and it stopped working (with a burning smell  ), but it was efficiently replaced by Newegg.


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## farlex85 (Feb 26, 2009)

becandl said:


> I personally like my http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811995016.  It has really bright LEDs, but it's fairly cheap and you can soldier the LEDs off if you really want to.  It works very well, and can handle 30 watts per channel.
> 
> When I got it, it had really good reviews.  Don't really know what happened because it is a very good controller, at least I think.  Just be careful with it though because I forced it into a tight bay and it stopped working (with a burning smell  ), but it was efficiently replaced by Newegg.



I was thinking about that too, but the universally mentioned brightness steered me away. I keep my pc on my desk, and I don't really want a glare right next to me. I'm not to steady of hand either and would prefer to never encounter a soldering iron. I'll keep that one in mind though, thanks for the input.


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## farlex85 (Feb 27, 2009)

Any other ideas?


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## MKmods (Feb 27, 2009)

do you really need 6 separate controllers?


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## Namslas90 (Feb 27, 2009)

I doubled up the GPU fans on one channel.  Also the CPU and blow hole.  If you think about it you can get away with 4 channels i'm sure.  Just be careful not to draw more current (pull from fans) then the controller can handle, and that applies to whatever controller you use.


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## exodusprime1337 (Feb 27, 2009)

if yo ucan find one, and can use only 4 fan ports, i have an l.i.s.2 fan/media controller that is awsome, easy to use, and clean looking on you're case, displays temps, fan speeds, cpu info, and even a winamp equalizer bar or media player bar... i'll take some pics and put it up so you can see some time.


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## farlex85 (Feb 27, 2009)

MKmods said:


> do you really need 6 separate controllers?



Well, I don't _need_ 6 channels I would like it though. I have 6 fans and the cpu fan. I could double up the front and top fans to a single channel each if that's possible, and perhaps double up the side and the back, so I suppose perhaps 4 would be ok. If you have some good recommendations for 4 channel ones I'll take those too.




exodusprime1337 said:


> if yo ucan find one, and can use only 4 fan ports, i have an l.i.s.2 fan/media controller that is awsome, easy to use, and clean looking on you're case, displays temps, fan speeds, cpu info, and even a winamp equalizer bar or media player bar... i'll take some pics and put it up so you can see some time.



Sounds interesting. How much? And a linky to a page w/ one perhaps?


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## Namslas90 (Feb 27, 2009)

Scyth Kaze Master Ace.  Nice blue display and shows both fan speed and temp.


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## SpeedEuphoria (Feb 27, 2009)

For cheap and works as advertised, the Sunbeam Rhebous is a deal. You can put 2 hi power fans per channel

Black or silver available:
http://www.jab-tech.com/Sunbeam-5-1-4-Rheobus-Kit-BLACK-pr-2530.html

I picked one up recently and not sure how I went years without?


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## MKmods (Feb 27, 2009)

farlex85 said:


> Well, I don't _need_ 6 channels I would like it though. I have 6 fans and the cpu fan. I could double up the front and top fans to a single channel each if that's possible, and perhaps double up the side and the back, so I suppose perhaps 4 would be ok. If you have some good recommendations for 4 channel ones I'll take those too.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



this is the controller I like
http://www.silverstonetek.com/products/p_contents.php?pno=fp33

with the fans you have it can easily double them up on 1 control. Or if you want get 2 controllers.

Each control will handle .4A.. Take a look at the back of your fans if they are .12 or so it could control 3 of them. If you use a very high speed fan (some can be about .4A (amps) each) than 1 fan per knob. They are small (easy to mount/hide) and are well made.

here is a closer look at it
http://www.dragonsteelmods.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=267&Itemid=38


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## SK-1 (Feb 27, 2009)

I like this one. Switches are handy plus Pulse Width Modulation.
http://www.frozencpu.com/products/9..._6x_Fan_Controller_525_Bay.html?tl=g34c17s286

A little bling factor.
http://www.frozencpu.com/products/7...ntroller_-_Black_RHK-EX-BK.html?tl=g34c17s286


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## kiriakost (Feb 27, 2009)

Namslas90 said:


> Scyth Kaze Master Ace.  Nice blue display and shows both fan speed and temp.



My vote goes on that too , and Zalman has a similar design , 
but both ask an arm and a leg for it.


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## Thrackan (Feb 27, 2009)

I've got that Zalman, mainly because it is black and matches my case, but also because I can fit 6 fans on there... Decent controller as far as I can tell.


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## coodiggy (Feb 27, 2009)

Try to find one that has PWM/transistors etc, rather than one that uses potentiometers and balast/power resistors, that way it's not drawing full load on the resistors/pots when your fans are at lower settings, saves some power.


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## farlex85 (Feb 28, 2009)

Thanks for the suggestions guys, these are some good ones. I've got a couple to mull over now. Keep em coming if anyone's got any others.


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## BrentNewland (Mar 3, 2009)

I've been looking for fan controllers for hours now and can't seem to find a decent one. (I also didn't want to start a new thread when this one is brand new and the same subject)

I'm buying the Antec P182 case and the Arctic Cooling Freezer 7 from NewEgg. I hate bright lights (I have all the LEDs in my system disconnected, not even a power indicator). My current system is pretty loud. And it runs damn hot. I've got everything stock (6GB RAM with a Q6700 processor at stock speed in a Gateway modo) but I'm running 45-50c at idle on the processor, over 70c on the processor at full load, and 57 at idle on the GPU (GTX 260 216).

What I'd really like is a fan controller that can take six fans, has temperature probes, is all digital (I want it to control everything automagically, but have the option to manually set speeds), and looks really cool.

The ones I'm looking at right now:






http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811999194
-Almost no feedback, one satisfied customer and someone that couldn't figure it out
+Has lots of extra stuff (card readers, USB, audio, eSATA)
-Only 3 fans






http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811999188
HardwareZone Post
+Way cool interface!
-Only 4 fans
-Only 1200RPM? (find that hard to believe)
+4 temp probes
+Turn off display





http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811992004
test
+5 Fans!
-Batteries die often?
+5 Temp Probe


Any thoughts?


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## oli_ramsay (Mar 3, 2009)

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/136404

This is what I'm currently using.  It's a knock-off of the Sunbeam Rheobus Extreme and very cheap.  The only thing I don't like is the ridiculously bright LEDs, good thing my case has a door or I'd be blind by now.


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## farlex85 (Mar 3, 2009)

I'm thinking perhaps in my case I'm expecting something that simply won't happen. My fans are too slow at stock. They are nice and quiet, but they don't move enough air for my liking during long gaming sessions or benching. I am finding though that perhaps the only way to remedy this would be to get different fans, and then add a fan controller and turn them down, I can't go anywhere over what they seem to do at stock. Is this correct? I picked up a sunbeam rhombus (non-extreme) at Microcenter for $20 to give it a whirl and avoid shipping and such. It seemed to do nothing though, I turned up all the fans all the way and that brought them to about the airflow they have normally. I didn't really notice anything significant by turning them down. Is this probably just a crappy controller, or is this just how it goes, and I'm expecting the wrong thing from a controller?


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## EnglishLion (Mar 3, 2009)

I was thinking you'd got the wrong end of the stick when I read the first post - unfortunately it seems that I'm too late.

No fan controllers will increase the speed of your fan.  All fans are supplied 12V from the motherboard with no BIOS fan control active.  The fan speed at this voltage varies from fan to fan depending on the motor used.  A fan controller will allow this to be reduced down from 12v.  You will actually find that with a fan controller you'll not even manage the full 12v, probably only 11.5V ish.

Sounds like you need to look for faster fans - you can get some mad ones.


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## King Wookie (Mar 3, 2009)

farlex85 said:


> I'm thinking perhaps in my case I'm expecting something that simply won't happen. My fans are too slow at stock. They are nice and quiet, but they don't move enough air for my liking during long gaming sessions or benching. I am finding though that perhaps the only way to remedy this would be to get different fans, and then add a fan controller and turn them down, I can't go anywhere over what they seem to do at stock. Is this correct? I picked up a sunbeam rhombus (non-extreme) at Microcenter for $20 to give it a whirl and avoid shipping and such. It seemed to do nothing though, I turned up all the fans all the way and that brought them to about the airflow they have normally. I didn't really notice anything significant by turning them down. Is this probably just a crappy controller, or is this just how it goes, and I'm expecting the wrong thing from a controller?



Yup. You'll need new fans then. To overvolt a fan you would need a different power supply, and then not all fans can be overvolted. Safer to go for better fans. What are you using right now?


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## farlex85 (Mar 3, 2009)

EnglishLion said:


> I was thinking you'd got the wrong end of the stick when I read the first post - unfortunately it seems that I'm too late.
> 
> No fan controllers will increase the speed of your fan.  All fans are supplied 12V from the motherboard with no BIOS fan control active.  The fan speed at this voltage varies from fan to fan depending on the motor used.  A fan controller will allow this to be reduced down from 12v.  You will actually find that with a fan controller you'll not even manage the full 12v, probably only 11.5V ish.
> 
> Sounds like you need to look for faster fans - you can get some mad ones.





King Wookie said:


> Yup. You'll need new fans then. To overvolt a fan you would need a different power supply, and then not all fans can be overvolted. Safer to go for better fans. What are you using right now?



That makes sense, I suppose I didn't reason things out thoroughly enough. I'm currently just using the stock NXZT fans that come w/ this case. I have this fan and this one sitting around, I'll probably pop em in and give em a whirl, I don't know if I really care to buy 4 more right now, but I'll take suggestions. I'm definitely taking back the rhombus though, way too bright of LEDs for me to look at.


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## King Wookie (Mar 3, 2009)

Try the Zalmans. They're cheap, move a fair bit of air, and come with resistor cables to undervolt if needed. Check out this review: http://www.xtremesystems.org/Forums/showthread.php?t=170224


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## Thrackan (Mar 3, 2009)

King Wookie said:


> Try the Zalmans. They're cheap, move a fair bit of air, and come with resistor cables to undervolt if needed. Check out this review: http://www.xtremesystems.org/Forums/showthread.php?t=170224



Just a personal thing, cause I might have gotten rotten apples out of the pile, but both my Zalmans make a crapload of noise.
I'm pretty happy with my new NoiseBlockers, and the Coolermaster fans that came with my case.


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## King Wookie (Mar 3, 2009)

Thrackan said:


> Just a personal thing, cause I might have gotten rotten apples out of the pile, but both my Zalmans make a crapload of noise.
> I'm pretty happy with my new NoiseBlockers, and the Coolermaster fans that came with my case.



Sorry to hear that. I've used plenty as they are about the only decent thing available locally. But bad apples happen. Those Noiseblockers look interesting. Wonder how they compare to my Noctuas? The new P-12's.


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## Thrackan (Mar 3, 2009)

King Wookie said:


> Sorry to hear that. I've used plenty as they are about the only decent thing available locally. But bad apples happen. Those Noiseblockers look interesting. Wonder how they compare to my Noctuas? The new P-12's.



I get just a whoosh at 100%, which is about 58CFM.


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## King Wookie (Mar 3, 2009)

Can you link me which model? I may order some to compare next month.


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## Thrackan (Mar 3, 2009)

Click

German though


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## BrentNewland (Mar 4, 2009)

I just decided to get this one:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811992004

I decided I didn't want to mess with a battery dying, I wanted as many fan controls as possible, and I wanted to see what all the fans were doing at once.
*edit* Wait, this one DOES have the stupid battery. However, I remembered that the cr2032 (a 220mah 3v battery) can be replaced with 2 AA batteries http://www.zbattery.com/seriesparallel-pf.html (2800mah 3v). Which means the battery will last almost thirteen times longer, so no battery problems. I've heard about issues controlling certain fans, but I'm going to have to replace most the fans anyways (not controllable).

Now I just have to buy it


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