120mm QUIET, pwm fan recommendations, pls.

DigDog

Lifer
Jun 3, 2011
13,782
2,284
126
Hi guys.

I've recently been very disappointed by my case/cooler, to the point of disbelief.

I have a CM Nepton and a Cm HAF XB. Besides the ridiculous fact that the front mounts for 280 work, but don't let me put the front panel back on the case, this AIO is so loud i can't hear the game sounds anymore.o_O

I'm running a 4670k @ 1.22V, with low temps 30-31c, but as soon as anything launches, it skyrockets (no, its not adaptive mode) and the fans become ridiculously loud. Eventually they come back down, but they are just too loud.

So, i'm going to try a 2x120mm mount on the same rad (using 140mm now), and i need some decently quiet .. no, some superbly quiet pwm fans.

I'm willing to lower the voltages if needed, the chip only does 4.3 anyway, and will do 4.1 at stock 1.05v, so whatever. But this noise has go to go.

tnx
 

Freddy1765

Senior member
May 3, 2011
389
1
81
I was very impressed with the Noctua I bought for my heatsink about a month ago. NF-A12 pwm or something along those lines. No pwm clicking, at idle it's inaudible. Even at 800 rpm it keeps my cpu in sig in low 60s while making hardly any noise.
Noctuas are expensive, but I've wasted enough money on sub-par products to skimp anymore, and I've no qualms spending $25 on a fan that cools well while remaining quiet.
 

Tweakin

Platinum Member
Feb 7, 2000
2,532
0
71
I would suggest the GT ap14's but they are not pwm. Probably the best 120mm fan for your rad (if it's a low fpi)

I might also recommend the TR x silent 140's...but again, these are not pwm either.

I changed out my yate loons (really quiet) for both of these. The GT's are amazing, and the TR's are not far behind...but I'm really thinking about using 120 to 140 adapters to add more GT's...simply amazing!

I know these are not pwm's, but I wanted to throw these out there...HTH.
 

DigDog

Lifer
Jun 3, 2011
13,782
2,284
126
the gentle typhoon might do, but the other is a 140mm, and as such it won't let my case fully close (srsly coolermaster, wtf). even though the bloody mounts are there.

re: noctuas .. $25 EACH fan? oh boy.
 

dma0991

Platinum Member
Mar 17, 2011
2,723
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The stock fans are loud because they can ramp up to 2kRPM and CM fans aren't known to be silent performers. Get any fans that max out at 1.3kRPM. It won't be dead silent but my Noctua NF-P12 maxed out at 1.3kRPM and it doesn't sound too loud.

The Thermaltake fan that Tweakin mentioned is good choice, if you're willing to sacrifice some performance. My recommendations for a better balance of performance, quietness and price (cheap to reasonably expensive), Swiftech Helix 140mm, Noiseblocker XK2 or Silverstone AP141.
 

coffeejunkee

Golden Member
Jul 31, 2010
1,153
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the gentle typhoon might do, but the other is a 140mm, and as such it won't let my case fully close (srsly coolermaster, wtf). even though the bloody mounts are there.

re: noctuas .. $25 EACH fan? oh boy.

Well, they only mention support for 240mm rads...

But what mobo you got? Maybe you don't need pwm fans, which would broaden your options considerably.

Also, what do you mean when you say 'it skyrockets'? As we all know Haswell runs a little hot but do you really need 2x 2000rpm 140mm fans to cool it?
 

BonzaiDuck

Lifer
Jun 30, 2004
15,891
1,553
126
Well, they only mention support for 240mm rads...

But what mobo you got? Maybe you don't need pwm fans, which would broaden your options considerably.

Also, what do you mean when you say 'it skyrockets'? As we all know Haswell runs a little hot but do you really need 2x 2000rpm 140mm fans to cool it?

Yesterday, in another thread, I said I wouldn't pursue my quest for a certain type of fan to resolve a minor imperfection that is so minor, I could just leave well enough alone. Today, I'm again on the verge of "action," even if it costs me another $25 or $50.

I was looking seriously at the CM Nepton 280 for my next project, but I've decided the project won't happen with the Nepton in the mix. Even so, it looked like a great CLC or AiO cooler.

There are other threads here with similar questions about radiators and fans.

So . . .

Did the OP try "modding" his Nepton by using rubber rivet fan mounts? Or were those provided with the Nepton?

Coffeejunkee asked "What type of mobo?" On the one hand, "no need for PWM" gives wider options for fan selection. On the other, PWM widens the possibilities for thermal fan control -- making noise less of a prevailing nuisance.

For airflow (103 CFM), relative noiselessness, and PWM for easy thermal control -- I lucked into finding Akasa Viber 140R fans. They also have a 140x25mm conventional square variety, rated at 110 CFM.

If you want thermal fan control but don't want to complicate things with the extra expense of a fan-controller, the mobo is the key factor. More expensive mobos sport more 3-pin and PWM fan ports. A single CPU PWM port can be used to control a string of PWMs while powering the fans from the PSU.
 

DigDog

Lifer
Jun 3, 2011
13,782
2,284
126
well, im still in the process of tweaking it, but right now i'm on 1.230V core. @4.3Ghz

while idle, temps are around 30c, but when i launch an app, they jump immediately to 77~80c, then rapidly drop to between 55 and 65c.

note: this is a 4670k, delidded, with coollab pro (perfect application if i say so myself) on a CM nepton 280L (2x 140mm and thick rad).

honestly given the delid, 1.050 base vcore, and the AIO, i was expecting a near silent system at load... im part disappointed, part puzzled. i'm thinking if i was using my 212+, the cpu would have insta-died with the first load.

mobo is a MSI Z87-G43 Gaming. 2x cpu fan headers, 4 or more sysfan.
the case itself comes with 2x 120mm intake fans(CM), but these have gone out immediately since they are ridiculously loud.

i'd consider buying a fan controller as well if needs be.

(ill get around taking some photos tomorrow, hopefully)
 

BonzaiDuck

Lifer
Jun 30, 2004
15,891
1,553
126
well, im still in the process of tweaking it, but right now i'm on 1.230V core. @4.3Ghz

while idle, temps are around 30c, but when i launch an app, they jump immediately to 77~80c, then rapidly drop to between 55 and 65c.

note: this is a 4670k, delidded, with coollab pro (perfect application if i say so myself) on a CM nepton 280L (2x 140mm and thick rad).

honestly given the delid, 1.050 base vcore, and the AIO, i was expecting a near silent system at load... im part disappointed, part puzzled. i'm thinking if i was using my 212+, the cpu would have insta-died with the first load.

mobo is a MSI Z87-G43 Gaming. 2x cpu fan headers, 4 or more sysfan.
the case itself comes with 2x 120mm intake fans(CM), but these have gone out immediately since they are ridiculously loud.

i'd consider buying a fan controller as well if needs be.

(ill get around taking some photos tomorrow, hopefully)

"Silent at load . . ." would imply you need quiet fans at their top-end.

I don't expect "silent at load," though. As long as the noise is white-noise from air-turbulence and no motor noise, and as long as I can thermally control the fans that make a difference, I consider my own solutions approaching perfection. But a lot of folks here care much for silence under any conditions.
 

DigDog

Lifer
Jun 3, 2011
13,782
2,284
126
no im ok with a little swoosh. im not ok with turbo jets taking off.

i mean - how can the temps jump 50c in 2 seconds with that much copper in the base and that much water running through it; if this had been a air cooler, then the cpu would have melted immediately?
(also, playing a game, not running prime95)

fyi the pump is connected to a case fan header, for max voltage all the time, not to the cpu header.
or at least so i assume, for when i plugged in the case fans in the case fan header, they started running at full blast.
(case fans are 120mm CM fans, and they are WAY too loud)

right now my 2x 140mm that come with the nepton are almost as loud as my hoover. its just not tolerable, im seriously considering returning/selling it.

1 more example.

i was running the cpu stock on the stock cooler, at 1.05V; when it ran up in temps, it would make a whirring noise, but barely noticeable when playing.
when i ran the system at 4.0Ghz with 1.050V auto voltage (the OC Genie), the Nepton would ALSO have this immediate ramp up to crazy loud and then slowly lower to a whirr.
there is more heat absorbing material in the copper head of the nepton than in the whole fan/fins/base apparatus of a stock intel cooler; it should give me far more heat absorption than a stock even w/o considering the pump and rad.

honestly i think im doing something wrong.
 
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BonzaiDuck

Lifer
Jun 30, 2004
15,891
1,553
126
no im ok with a little swoosh. im not ok with turbo jets taking off.

i mean - how can the temps jump 50c in 2 seconds with that much copper in the base and that much water running through it; if this had been a air cooler, then the cpu would have melted immediately?
(also, playing a game, not running prime95)

fyi the pump is connected to a case fan header, for max voltage all the time, not to the cpu header.
or at least so i assume, for when i plugged in the case fans in the case fan header, they started running at full blast.
(case fans are 120mm CM fans, and they are WAY too loud)

right now my 2x 140mm that come with the nepton are almost as loud as my hoover. its just not tolerable, im seriously considering returning/selling it.

1 more example.

i was running the cpu stock on the stock cooler, at 1.05V; when it ran up in temps, it would make a whirring noise, but barely noticeable when playing.
when i ran the system at 4.0Ghz with 1.050V auto voltage (the OC Genie), the Nepton would ALSO have this immediate ramp up to crazy loud and then slowly lower to a whirr.
there is more heat absorbing material in the copper head of the nepton than in the whole fan/fins/base apparatus of a stock intel cooler; it should give me far more heat absorption than a stock even w/o considering the pump and rad.

honestly i think im doing something wrong.

Can't tell you what to do about this. The Nepton 280L performs in comparison to the Noctua NH-U14S heatpipe cooler as shown in this Frosty Tech review:

http://www.frostytech.com/articleview.cfm?articleid=2752&page=6

That's about 7C better. But they're testing the NH-U14S (as well as the Nepton) with the fans shipped with the coolers. I'd wager $10 the load temperature on the U14S will drop at least 3C if that fan is replaced with something like an Akasa Viper. I could be wrong, but it was a 5C improvement on my D14.

You can re-sell the Nepton, or you can try modding it. And the only easy way to mod it is to swap out the fans, use rubber rivets to secure the fans and do what else might be possible to isolate even the radiator itself from direct contact with case metal.

I tried an experiment the other day. I have an Akasa Viper 140 "R" fan installed between the towers of my NH-D14. I have 0.40A, 2,500 RPM 3-pin Panaflo 120x38mm exhaust fan. Former running at CPU idle tachs 800 RPM; the Panaflo is at 900 RPM. All very quiet. So I adjusted the "fan curve" with ASUS "Fan Expert" to make the Viper run at 1,600 RPM at idle temperatures. I can't hear any difference or change in what noise my ears detect.

there's a square 140x25mm Viper with 110 CFM tops, and the 140 "R" which is 140mm with 120mm mounting holes and 103 CFM tops. I think you can get them for about $15 each.
 

coffeejunkee

Golden Member
Jul 31, 2010
1,153
0
0
well, im still in the process of tweaking it, but right now i'm on 1.230V core. @4.3Ghz

while idle, temps are around 30c, but when i launch an app, they jump immediately to 77~80c, then rapidly drop to between 55 and 65c.

note: this is a 4670k, delidded, with coollab pro (perfect application if i say so myself) on a CM nepton 280L (2x 140mm and thick rad).

honestly given the delid, 1.050 base vcore, and the AIO, i was expecting a near silent system at load... im part disappointed, part puzzled. i'm thinking if i was using my 212+, the cpu would have insta-died with the first load.

mobo is a MSI Z87-G43 Gaming. 2x cpu fan headers, 4 or more sysfan.
the case itself comes with 2x 120mm intake fans(CM), but these have gone out immediately since they are ridiculously loud.

i'd consider buying a fan controller as well if needs be.

(ill get around taking some photos tomorrow, hopefully)

Ok, the 2 cpu fan headers are pwm only, the 3 casefanheaders are voltage only. If you have a spare casefanheader you could connect 2x 3-pin fans using a splitter but I think you prefer using the cpu fan headers. So you will indeed need 2x 120mm pwm fans, if only so you can close your case.

But then there's the temp issue because if 2x 2K 140mm fans can't handle it then 2x 1K 120mm fans won't be able for sure. Can you be a bit more specific about 'app'? I take it you don't mean notepad...and are you sure about that perfect application? Correctly mounted the block? Also, that spike is weird, normally temp should rise rapidly then rise a few more c before it stables out.

And about those casefans, yes if you just run them at 100% they will be loud as hell, pretty much like any standard casefan. You need to set a bios profile or use Speedfan. Maybe there are control options in the bundled software too.

Coffeejunkee asked "What type of mobo?" On the one hand, "no need for PWM" gives wider options for fan selection. On the other, PWM widens the possibilities for thermal fan control -- making noise less of a prevailing nuisance.

Actually, many pwm fans are more limited in their range than normal fans. Fex. I use this: http://www.thermalright.com/html/products/fan/ty-140.html. The specs say its range is 900-1300 but that is actually incorrect because it goes down to 600rpm on pwm signal. I connected the fan to a voltage controlled header and now it can go down all the way to 300rpm.

The Noctua pwm fans do go down to very low rpm so that's good. But they're expensive...I hear good things about BeQuiet pwm fans too. Normally I'd also recommend Noiseblocker but SPCR wasn't too happy with the pwm models.
 

BonzaiDuck

Lifer
Jun 30, 2004
15,891
1,553
126
Ok, the 2 cpu fan headers are pwm only, the 3 casefanheaders are voltage only. If you have a spare casefanheader you could connect 2x 3-pin fans using a splitter but I think you prefer using the cpu fan headers. So you will indeed need 2x 120mm pwm fans, if only so you can close your case.

But then there's the temp issue because if 2x 2K 140mm fans can't handle it then 2x 1K 120mm fans won't be able for sure. Can you be a bit more specific about 'app'? I take it you don't mean notepad...and are you sure about that perfect application? Correctly mounted the block? Also, that spike is weird, normally temp should rise rapidly then rise a few more c before it stables out.

And about those casefans, yes if you just run them at 100% they will be loud as hell, pretty much like any standard casefan. You need to set a bios profile or use Speedfan. Maybe there are control options in the bundled software too.



Actually, many pwm fans are more limited in their range than normal fans. Fex. I use this: http://www.thermalright.com/html/products/fan/ty-140.html. The specs say its range is 900-1300 but that is actually incorrect because it goes down to 600rpm on pwm signal. I connected the fan to a voltage controlled header and now it can go down all the way to 300rpm.

The Noctua pwm fans do go down to very low rpm so that's good. But they're expensive...I hear good things about BeQuiet pwm fans too. Normally I'd also recommend Noiseblocker but SPCR wasn't too happy with the pwm models.

I wouldn't know firsthand beyond Z68. But my P8Z68-V Pro CPU headers -- both PWM -- may only be controllable in one of two ways. Either the "OPT" header spins up and down with the CPU_FAN, or it runs full-bore. I don't think there's a BIOS feature allowing for settings of the "OPT."

That's why the Swiftech 8W-PWM-SPL-ST $10 splitter would be so useful. All PWM fans, controlled by the CPU_FAN PWM signal, powered directly from the PSU. While you can only monitor the speed of a single connected fan, I'd be rather sure you could run the tach wires for the others to unoccupied 3-pin or even PWM ports for the monitoring. If all the fans were the same, you might feel satisfied to only monitor one -- checking the case interior from time to time with computer running to see that your fans were all kosher. If the fans are not the same, doesn't matter -- they all respond to the same PWM signal, and if monitoring matters, then run the tach wires to vacant ports.

Now the main thing -- per your post -- about "bottom-end" speeds. You may want the fans to spin down to 300 RPM. It may seem important to you that you have wider range of control with the 3-pin fans. Just my view and preference, but I don't see what difference 300 RPM is going to make at the low end. Far as I know -- I get the spec top-end for my fans under PWM control. My "fan-curve" settings are really above 600 -- more like 800 RPM.

My fetish is cooling. I suppose if I want complete silence, I could turn off the TV, but if that's not enough -- spend 7 days hiking in the North Cascades. That'll do it. LA TIMES did a spot in recent months on a guy who did violin-repair and lived with his wife in a self-built log house for 30 years somewhere in a CA National Forest. They had to HIKE in and out!! Must've been quiet, though!
 

DigDog

Lifer
Jun 3, 2011
13,782
2,284
126
first off, sorry for AFK.

well, i kinda solved the problem the other way around. i downclocked my 4670k to 4.1Ghz, at 1.1V.

the weird issue here is that when i set my voltage to be fixed at 1.220, and the cpu is idle, the temps are still low 30s. Idk if this is a intel feature, because i've disabled every c-state feature there is. But then as soon as i launch a game (blacklight, its a unreal engine 2 game, same as bioshock infinite) and the cpu goes on load, the temps skyrocket, hitting 80c max, then settle down to about 65.
Obviously part of the load is due to the game actually loading, but i am gobsmacked that with 1.2v and all the cooling power this thing has, the temperature rise isn't more gradual.

If it spikes so much with this huge copper block, and a 280 rad .. what would happen on a measly 212+ ?

the cpu is delidded, with coollab pro. the block also has coollab pro.
i did a coollab pro mount on a stock intel - which handled 1.050V load without issues and hardly any noise, @3.8Ghz - and after removing the heatsink to fit the nepton, the print was perfect.
i did the same exact application on the nepton, so i'm quite confident i did it right.
**the cpu never left the socket - there is no chance the internal tim got disturbed**

.. im not sure if i'm making myself clear.
there's no adaptive voltages in any of my settings. this cpu should be getting (for 4,3Ghz) 1.220V
and given the sheer mass of cooling that the nepton has, the temp rise on load should be much, much slower.
my 212+ (not evo) could dissipate 1.4V off my C2D; it has about a third of the bulk of the nepton, which uses water to boot.

or maybe i got the reasoning totally wrong, but something is fishy here.
i expected the temps, and accordingly the fanspeed, to raise slower, not to jump in a matter of 1-2 seconds.

maybe i should redo the TIM application. unfortunately im out of CLP, it's freakin 3 applications max for ten bux. i do have some CM paste, though.

(oh and fyi, living in nature is anything but quiet. lovely noises though.)
 
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BonzaiDuck

Lifer
Jun 30, 2004
15,891
1,553
126
first off, sorry for AFK.

well, i kinda solved the problem the other way around. i downclocked my 4670k to 4.1Ghz, at 1.1V.

the weird issue here is that when i set my voltage to be fixed at 1.220, and the cpu is idle, the temps are still low 30s. Idk if this is a intel feature, because i've disabled every c-state feature there is. But then as soon as i launch a game (blacklight, its a unreal engine 2 game, same as bioshock infinite) and the cpu goes on load, the temps skyrocket, hitting 80c max, then settle down to about 65.
Obviously part of the load is due to the game actually loading, but i am gobsmacked that with 1.2v and all the cooling power this thing has, the temperature rise isn't more gradual.

If it spikes so much with this huge copper block, and a 280 rad .. what would happen on a measly 212+ ?

the cpu is delidded, with coollab pro. the block also has coollab pro.
i did a coollab pro mount on a stock intel - which handled 1.050V load without issues and hardly any noise, @3.8Ghz - and after removing the heatsink to fit the nepton, the print was perfect.
i did the same exact application on the nepton, so i'm quite confident i did it right.
**the cpu never left the socket - there is no chance the internal tim got disturbed**

.. im not sure if i'm making myself clear.
there's no adaptive voltages in any of my settings. this cpu should be getting (for 4,3Ghz) 1.220V
and given the sheer mass of cooling that the nepton has, the temp rise on load should be much, much slower.
my 212+ (not evo) could dissipate 1.4V off my C2D; it has about a third of the bulk of the nepton, which uses water to boot.

or maybe i got the reasoning totally wrong, but something is fishy here.
i expected the temps, and accordingly the fanspeed, to raise slower, not to jump in a matter of 1-2 seconds.

maybe i should redo the TIM application. unfortunately im out of CLP, it's freakin 3 applications max for ten bux. i do have some CM paste, though.

(oh and fyi, living in nature is anything but quiet. lovely noises though.)

That's something I've never seen. Of course I'm running an SB-K and not Haswell. Maybe you want to look at settings you thought would help, but were never chosen to remedy load instability -- "current capability?" "phase control?" I couldn't say. Or maybe its just a matter of response time for the sensors, or the rate at which they're sampled. I'm inclined to think as you seem to, that it's a matter of your cooling solution. I'd think it's more important that the temperatures settle at 65C through your stress-test run. I'd just wonder how voltage and power changes make some "overshoot" that causes the initial temperatures. There is a frequency setting for sampling sensor data in most of the available software. What is yours?
 

DigDog

Lifer
Jun 3, 2011
13,782
2,284
126
:oops: missed this reply .. again.

i haven't set a sampling frequency; tbh i didnt even know there was one.
my temp monitor is realtemp, though i have briefly used coretemp just to check that they both reported the correct temperatures. T-max is set at 100c.

anyway, the nepton doesnt have any monitoring software (i'm an idiot, i should have gone with a H100i) - it gets the PWM signal from the CPU header.

using this heatsink feels like i have the tiniest heatsink in the world, and that any temp change makes the fans go crazy.
i haven't looked into this anymore because, since it's the middle of the month, i'm basically broke if not for basic expenses, so i banished for now the thought of getting some noctua fans .. which however, i will have to get, as the coolermaster case (which lists the coolermaster nepton as compatible) fits the rad, but doesnt allow me to refit the front panel with the 140mm fans the coolermaster rad came with.

insert facepalm here

so i put the voltages back to stock and just forced a 4.1Ghz, everything else (ring freq for example) is stock.
again, i have NO adaptive voltages. even the VCore is 1.050 Override.
with this, the nepton is near-silent.

to be honest, this 700mhz overclock (or 300mhz overclock, depends how you want to see it) with stock volts is quite impressive, i'm just really buggered that i couldn't even get 4.4 stable at nearly 1.3v, when most people get 4.5 at 1.25v ... and this is after a delid.

Anyway. i was reading just now a roundup of AIOs, (newly published)
http://www.anandtech.com/show/7738/closed-loop-aio-liquid-coolers
and it turns out the nepton is again the loudest.
Seems like CM set the fans to spin at max as soon as *any* heat is detected. I'm wondering now what would have happened if i had not delidded.

Hopefully, the 60CFPM noctuas daddy paycheck will bring next month will fix my problems, together with a remount of both die/IHS and block, and a new OC .. i'll try to be a lil more accurate with the settings, this time; *maybe* i screwed up something in the BIOS the first time around, all i really know for sure is, it's not meant to be this way. There is no way you'd sell a AIO that makes this much noise under anything but the most insane OC.
 
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BonzaiDuck

Lifer
Jun 30, 2004
15,891
1,553
126
:oops: missed this reply .. again.

i haven't set a sampling frequency; tbh i didnt even know there was one.
my temp monitor is realtemp, though i have briefly used coretemp just to check that they both reported the correct temperatures. T-max is set at 100c.

anyway, the nepton doesnt have any monitoring software (i'm an idiot, i should have gone with a H100i) - it gets the PWM signal from the CPU header.

using this heatsink feels like i have the tiniest heatsink in the world, and that any temp change makes the fans go crazy.
i haven't looked into this anymore because, since it's the middle of the month, i'm basically broke if not for basic expenses, so i banished for now the thought of getting some noctua fans .. which however, i will have to get, as the coolermaster case (which lists the coolermaster nepton as compatible) fits the rad, but doesnt allow me to refit the front panel with the 140mm fans the coolermaster rad came with.

insert facepalm here

so i put the voltages back to stock and just forced a 4.1Ghz, everything else (ring freq for example) is stock.
again, i have NO adaptive voltages. even the VCore is 1.050 Override.
with this, the nepton is near-silent.

to be honest, this 700mhz overclock (or 300mhz overclock, depends how you want to see it) with stock volts is quite impressive, i'm just really buggered that i couldn't even get 4.4 stable at nearly 1.3v, when most people get 4.5 at 1.25v ... and this is after a delid.

Anyway. i was reading just now a roundup of AIOs, (newly published)
http://www.anandtech.com/show/7738/closed-loop-aio-liquid-coolers
and it turns out the nepton is again the loudest.
Seems like CM set the fans to spin at max as soon as *any* heat is detected. I'm wondering now what would have happened if i had not delidded.

Hopefully, the 60CFPM noctuas daddy paycheck will bring next month will fix my problems, together with a remount of both die/IHS and block, and a new OC .. i'll try to be a lil more accurate with the settings, this time; *maybe* i screwed up something in the BIOS the first time around, all i really know for sure is, it's not meant to be this way. There is no way you'd sell a AIO that makes this much noise under anything but the most insane OC.

Just to my recollection, AIDA64, HWMonitor, certain "suite" software for particular lines of motherboards (ASUS Suite II, for instance) allow you to choose whether to sample sensor data every 1, 2, 3, .. . etc. seconds. Not having a Haswell, I'm just wondering how quickly the Haswell sensors respond to the thermal stress and how quickly your software may pick it up.

The worst part of your pump-situation is that monitoring SW wouldn't warn you if it began to malfunction, but you can set it to be thermally responsive to CPU temperature through motherboard software (again, like ASUS Suite II etc.)

Not wanting to go back and read through our exchanges here, and with the memory of an "older person," I thought I was pondering your fans and case noise. Here, you say "CM set the CM fans to spin at max as soon as *any" heat is detected." I'm now guessing that the Nepton fans are plugged into ports on the Nepton itself? And I would hope that the Nepton's pump runs from a single PWM CPU_FAN port?

See, you should be able to do the same thing for an assembly that is PWM powered from a single source, and move water through the radiator at a slower or faster pace and fans spinning slower or faster given the CPU temperature and PWM signal from the CPU_FAN header. You would either do this in BIOS or through software provided with the motherboard or its mfgr.

So I'd have several questions. SOME device must be plugged to the CPU_FAN header so that your computer will boot -- that's a given. I wouldn't know how the components of the Nepton are powered. Certainly the pump has some sort of PWM wire and plug for power. The fans could either run off that same or some rudimentary PCB built into the Nepton, or they could run off the PSU or motherboard fan ports.

I assume the Nepton would function properly whether you power the fans off the motherboard, the Nepton or direct from PSU. And I assume that there is at least one plug of the Nepton fitting the mobo's CPU_FAN port, so your computer will start up properly or give you an alarm at boot time if your PWM pump is not working.

Look into the Swiftech 8W-PWM-SPL-ST PWM splitter for about $10. You'd plug the splitter into the CPU_FAN PWM port, run the Nepton pump PWM plug to #1 PWM pinout on the Swiftech, and run a string of PWM fans to all the other ports. If you wanted to monitor at least one of those fans, you'd get a second Swiftech splitter.

But the single PWM signal connection to the motherboard, plus the Swiftech's ability to draw power directly from the PSU, allows you to control a combination of up to 8 pumps and fans with the splitter. If you need to run 16 pumps and fans, you'd get a second Swiftech device and hook up to another motherboard PWM port (if available).

At that point, you should be able control the duty cycle of all devices connected to the splitter according to CPU temperature through BIOS and motherboard software. Then you won't have to buy any Noctuas; you could tame the CM fans as well as the pump.
 

DigDog

Lifer
Jun 3, 2011
13,782
2,284
126
i've been working like a (dig)dog so i havent had the chance to set up speedfan, ill try that tomorrow and report back.
 

BonzaiDuck

Lifer
Jun 30, 2004
15,891
1,553
126
i've been working like a (dig)dog so i havent had the chance to set up speedfan, ill try that tomorrow and report back.

Too bad you haven't seen fit to control your fans and pump through the motherboard and its software -- if indeed your mobo has that feature. If it doesn't, then . . . SpeedFan it is . . .