Enermax UC-A8FATR4 4-Channel Ultimate Fan Controller

[JE78]

Hey guys. I just got this fan controller and i'm not quite sure where to put the temperature sensors. I read the review on http://www.extremeoverclocking.com/reviews/cases/Enermax_Fan_Controller_1.html and it gives a few examples of where to put them. So right now here is how I have them set up. The first one is on the heatsink of the CPU, the 2nd one is on the top drive bay to get the case temp. The 3rd one is on the back of the GPU like in the pic of www.extremeoverclocking.com as well as the 4th one, its on one of my memory sticks. Right now my here's how it shows my temp readings.

CPU - 25.9c
Case - 29.7c
GPU - 42.5c
memory - 32.5

As of right now I don't have the fans on the heatsinks of the CPU or GPU hooked up to the fan controlers, should I hook them up?? I mainly want to know if putting the one sensor on the heatsink will give me an accurte reading or not.

 

[The Boston Dangler]

I'll tell ya where to put them!! haha

 

[JE78]

haha, thanks for the serious reply :roll:

 

[The Boston Dangler]

Graphics and HDD temps might be available thru the mobo, like CPU and NB. If so, a probe would be redundant. Try monitoring the PS, intake temp, things that don't already spit out temp readings. You can hook up the CPU fan and read temps with the board. I wouldn't try this with a hot vid card unless it gave out temps on its own. Probes on a heatsink aren't 100% accurate, for that matter, neither are sensor chips.

 

[JE78]

I've trired Mother Board Monitor and a few other software temp monitors and my case and CPU temps are all over the place, one second they'll be at 30c, the next they'll be at 70c, then drop to 50c then back to 30c. So far temps are pretty stable on this, i'm just not sure i'm getting the right reading for the CPU. Right now the CPU is at 28c and the case is at 31.7c and the video card is at 41c. There is no way that the case should be hotter than the CPU right? Like I said, I hav the CPU sensor on the side of the heat sink.

 

[The Boston Dangler]

Unless I'm mistaken, the "case" temp MBM 5 displays is actually the NB. And it will never be warmer than the CPU.

If the readings you got are doing that, there's only 2 possibilities:There was a setup problem with the software, or your Winbond chip is no good.

To use the probe effectively, you have to get it right in the middle of the heatsink, or close to it as you can.

 

[JE78]

so it has to be right inbetween the spaces of the heatsink? Guess that makes more sence than on the side and probably explains why the case temp is warmer than the CPU

 

[The Boston Dangler]

I'm curious as to why the sotware was so out of control. Does the BIOS say the same things?

 

[JE78]

My BIOS dosen't give any temp readings. I'm not sure why the software is so out of control. I've tried MBM and Speed Fan and both bounce all over the place, they both set the alarm off then drop 20c and everything is fine, then spike again.

 

[The Boston Dangler]

I'm pretty sure the BIOS is supposed to give current cpu and nb temps. "health status" or similar.

 

[H20Cool]

 

[H20Cool]

Unless I'm mistaken, the "case" temp MBM 5 displays is actually the NB.

I always thought that as well, but I don't think it is. Here's why; The ASUS P5GD1 motherboard I have only had a fanless heatsink on the NB. According to MBM5, the Temp readings were 33*C for the "CASE". Since then, I've switched to water cooling and I now have a water block on the NB and the "case" temperature didn't change one bit, still 33*C at idle, whereas with water blocks on my GPU and CPU, temps dropped dramatically at idle and at full load.

I'm not sure, but I am assuming the "case" temp that MBM5 is refering to is just a sensor placed on the mobo somewhere to give you an idea what the temps are in and around the motherboard. I don't think it's for any particular chip on the board.

I had a 108 CFM 120mm YS-tech fan laying around that I don't use cause it's way too damn loud. So as an experiment, I opened my case with the PC running and pointed it directly at the area surrounding the CPU socket (Mosfets, etc.). My "case" temp dropped like a hot potato. Went from 33*C to 24*C in about 10 seconds. Again, reinforcing my assumption that the "case" temp MBM5 is reporting is actually just a sensor placed somewhere around the socket area of the mobo.

If someone actually knows exactly where the sensor is located, please reply.

 

[JE78]

The only thing close to system health that my BISO gives was the fan RPM's but since I switched to this fan controller I don't even get that.

 

[H20Cool]

This is what intel has to say about their motherboard sensors:

# Processor Zone: monitors the processor; the thermal diode is on the processor itself.
# System Zone: monitors the area around the hardware monitoring ASIC (near the processor socket).

From MBM5 Faq:

The A7N8X has two on-board temp sensors, one for the CPU Socket, the other measuring the air temp near the mobo.


So, this pretty much confirms that the "Case" sensor MBM5 is refering to is located somewhere around the CPU socket.

 

[JE78]

I moved the CPU probe from on the side of the heatsink to inbetween the fins as close as I could get it to the bottom, right now its showing my temp to be 30.1c. I tired MBM5 and my temps are jumping all over the place so I'm guesing its something to do with my MB.

 

[The Boston Dangler]

So, with this setup and 4 sensors, I would go with CPU, NB, PS, and video card. These are the vulnerabilities. For fan control, I'd do the CPU and case fans. Leave the video fan on its own.

Good luck

 

[JE78]

sorry to sound like a noob, but whats NB?

 

[The Boston Dangler]

np. NB = North Bridge. It's the thingy that connects the cpu to almost everything else. It's the other mobo HSF. Try it on the fan control, if you have any plugs left on it.

 

[JE78]

Ahh ok. I don't have any plugs left on it but i'll switch a few things around and see how it works. One last question, if a fan isn't hooked up to the controller does it run at max speed?

 

[The Boston Dangler]

generally, yes. you're hitting a fan with 12volts dc.
there's a hack to get 7VDC by shorting the +5VDC and the +12VDC leads into a fan. you won't catch me doing this.

it's not really crucial to hook up the chipset cooler to the fan controller, more like the finishing touch.

 

[JE78]

I would go with CPU, NB, PS, and video card.

Why would montoring the NB be important and also why were would I put a sensor on the Power Supply and why??

 

[The Boston Dangler]

the power supply is more critical than the north bridge (although the pc needs both to work). power supply overheating brings failure, which can totally zap a puter. if you don't want to open the ps to put the probe in (i don't blame you) tape it to the supply, away from a fan. the bottom would be best.

the idea is: once you figure what your normal temps are, if there should be an unusual rise in temperature, you can catch it early and avoid disaster.

 

[JE78]

I see. Well mu PSU has a fan at the bottom so i'll look for another place to put it. Thanks for all your help.

 

[The Boston Dangler]

i'm going to try mine on the side

 

[JE78]

I was thinking of trying mine on the top. I'm getting some wire sleeving tomorrow so from what i've been told to get it right it will take up the majority of my weekend. My case is a mess with wires.

BTW, what temp monitor do you have??