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Any plain/simple fan controllers out there?

J

JServ

Senior member
I have a black Lian Li V1000 and I'm looking to add a fan controller in one of the 5.25" bays. What I'm looking for is the simplest black fan controller I can find that will match the black brushed aluminum finish of my case.

So far, all of the controllers I have found so far either have excessive lights or markings all over the face of the unit. What I am hoping to find is a completely plain black face with 4 nobs (preferably with no lights).

The only controller I've found so far is this. It looks like it will do the trick, but I was just hoping that there were a few others to chose from. It runs $39, and I would rather get one for less, however if it's the only option I guess that's alright. Thanks guys!
 
for $40 it's not worth it. Mnpctech.com sells the mitron 3.5" bay fan controller for $19 and it probably looks better. Vantec also sells some simple utilitarian controllers.
 
You could modify one very easily if you use one of your bay covers. Just buy a simple fan controller and take out the face. Put the faceplate on one of the 5.25 bay covers and use it as a template.
 
Get a Sunbeam Rheobus from jab-tech.com - the LED leads are in machine pin sockets so the leads can be unplugged if you want (and the LEDs even removed). Take a small bottle of Testors flat black (or whichever black is the closest match) model paint and cover the markings if necessary. Viola!

Or you could get the vantec Nexus 301 from Newegg, kill the LEDs and spray-paint the bracket black.

Both of them are cheap, disassemble fairly easily for modding, and are linear controllers that can handle a wider range of fans than most with less chance for adverse side-effects.

.bh.
 
If you want to go modding...which you may or may not want to do (I plan to in the near future...)

Get a metal faceplate for your case, a PCB and some information on how to build your own controller using some LM317T variable voltage regulators...its very easy to do, all you need is a potentiometer on the adjust pin to allow for you to adjust the output voltage. This is how the best fan speed controllers are build...the worst ones burn off the extra power via a rheostat...
 
hmm, i like the idea of using my existing faceplates. That means I just need to find a fan controller with really nice nob controls.
 
You'd have a hard time building one for the price of the Sunbeam or Vantec considering the PCB, pots, chips, connectors and all - just pull the guts from one of those and mount it to the back of one of your bay filler plates.

.bh.
 
Originally posted by: JServ
hmm, i like the idea of using my existing faceplates. That means I just need to find a fan controller with really nice nob controls.
Click to expand...

Careful with the holes, Lian-Li plates are a good 15 dollars each if I remember correctly.

Then again, PSU mounting brackets are 15 dollars... (or so GY tells me.)

Case tops are 15 dollars...(Perf.-PCs)

I think I'm seeing a pattern with Lian-Li supplies. 😉

Still, it's a novel idea. I might imitate it after seeing the final product... 40 dollars is a bit stee p for a fan controller IMO.

--Trevor
 
As intriguing as the idea was of using an existing bay cover, after seeing the original fan controller I asked about installed on a Lian Li v1000b, I just decided to go for it. The image can be seen here.

I expect to unplug the lights too. Should work pretty well.
 
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