Fan Controller for a Screwless Case?

[whovous]

My case is a Thermaltake Tsunami Dream. The 5.25" bay is screwless. Posts on side rails stick into the places on 5/25" drives where screws normally go, and then the whole contraption slides into a bay and snaps in place.

This poses a problem for most fan controllers, as they are not very deep. They usually are not deep enough for the second post on the guide rail. The result is that the fan controller does not slide into place very well.

Before I knew about this problem, I bought a Sunbeam 20-in-1 that included USB and all sorts of other controls along with two fan controls. Don't get me started on how many problems it had.

Then I ordered the Zalman. It almost snaps in place acceptably. The problem is the buttons stick out just a little too much. If I close the door all the way, one side of of the controllers gets shoved out of the track and into the case.

How have others handled fan controllers in screwless cases? IS there one that works well and stays put in a screwless case?

TIA,
Phil

 

[Tiamat]

I had this same problem. I have found absolutely no solution and have resorted to just lightly installing the sunbeam without any screws. I might just tape it to the inside of the 5.25" bay part of the case or something. Really annoying. This is why i hate tooless designs. I rather screw the drives in myself.

 

[JEDIYoda]

Or what you could do is to use pieces of plastic or card board and sort of wedge your fan controller into the slot...

 

[whovous]

Well, the rails wedge the Zalman into place a little bit. If it wasn't for the closing door knocking it out of place, I could probably live with it. For now, I just leave the door open all the time.

I saw a picture of something called a Sunbeam Windmill which might be full depth...

 

[WobbleWobble]

I also stick my Sunbeam fan controller on the bottom-most bay then wedge a piece of cardboard to prevent it from wiggling.

 

[whovous]

The Sunbeam Windmill is not full depth, either. It may be a little more substantial, but it still does not have a second screw mounting point. Reviews show other flaws, too. LEDs on fans flicker at less than full power. Wires are hard to attach. Front dial is hard to use.

I really don't want to resort to a kludge. I've spent a lot of time trying to get this box right.

 

[GalvanizedYankee]

I have delayed posting in this thread because i have no knowledge of this case. I did go to
Newegg and look at pics.

On my Lian Li I have modded the 5.25" bay covers to fit fan controllers. This may not be an
option for you.

You might glue the controller in place. Tape it exactly where it needs to be. Then use several
dots of GOOP plumbing silicone adhesive on each side. Make sure the surface is oil free
before you start. Let it set-up for 24hours, remove the tape.
If you decide to go down this path, do not use too much of this GOOP. Three small dots on
each side is more than enough. The GOOP will have to be cut with a razor for removal, so
keep this is mind as you apply it.


...Galvanized

 

[Zepper]

Many of the screwless drive mounting schemes also offer a screw-mounting method - often it just involves removing the locking mechanism for one bay. Others have more obvious methods.

.bh.

 

[whovous]

Yep, some of my past screwless cases let me use screws instead. I cannot find a way to do that with the Tsunami Dream, however.

 

[whovous]

Glue is a last dtch option for me, as I expect to open this box up periodically. Fixing a bad wire connection could be a nightmare.

 

[Zepper]

Well, fire off a message to Tt re. your problem. Call them a bunch of D-As for rigging a case like that. Silverstone's ports panel (3.5") won't fit many of it's own cases w/o a bay extender that costs nearly as much as the ports panel itself...

.bh.

 

[whovous]

Hmm, it turns out that the Thermaltake fan controllers (the Hardcano series) look like they should fit just fine in a screwless case. Then again, they start around $60 and don't do very much...

 

[whovous]

Got a Hardcano 12,and it seems to work pretty well. Now, of course, I've decided I want it to control more than four fans...

 

[GalvanizedYankee]

Well, check the wattage rating for the fan ports then just double-up on the fan pig tails.


...Galvanized

 

[Fullmetal Chocobo]

Okay. This is what I did. The Hardcano 13 and the Zalmans didn't fit quite right, so I took them out, pulled out the rails, and drilled new mounting holes in the drive rails so that the fan controllers would sit a little bit further in. Doing this should solve your problem. Use Rapid Tap (or atleast some kind of oil for drilling), as it makes all the difference in the world ( For you GY ).

I have a Hardcano 13, and if you don't need them, don't drop the money on them. There is better stuff out there. I happened to need this for controlling four fans, and monitoring four temps, so it worked perfect for me. If you are just looking for a fan controller, mod one to fit what you need.

Are you worried about the power issue as well? I've modded my power system in my machine like crazy, so I can help you out a lot there if you are willing to do some soldering. Let me know if you are trying to figure out how to get something done.

 

[whovous]

The Hardcano 12 is installed. I have three case fans (front, back and window) and three mobo fans (CPU, GPU and chipset). I guess I need to decide what I need to control, and what I am willing to double up, and whether wattage is a potential problem or not.

I kinda guess that if I am doubling things up, I will still have a speed control (aka, a voltage control) but I will not know the RPM any more. I can live with that. I am also thinking that the front and rear fans are identical and logical choices for one double up.

I suppose I could also either turn the CPU over to the "cool and quiet" software in the BIOS, but then I would be giving up volume control. The window fan could alternatively be controlled by a simple Zalman fan mate, but then I would either have to remove the window to change the fan, or have the drn thing sitting out in some less than pretty location. The side fan strikes me as the least important fan in any case.

Just thinking out loud at this point. I will probably just live with it as it is for a little while, until I get my molex power cables issue sorted out.

 

[MadScientist]

Velcro?

 

[whovous]

No, I've done a whole 'nother string on 'rolling my own' power cables for a modular PSU. I do not think the modular concept works nearly as well as it should. Cables are too long, too think, and have too few terminations in the right place. I am going to make, or have made, some attractive cables to do exactly what I need, where I need it, for use with my OCZ Modstream 520 and Thermaltake Tsunami Dream case.

 

[Cheesetogo]

Does anyone make an internal fan controller or pci slot one?

 

[Fullmetal Chocobo]

Originally posted by: Cheesetogo
Does anyone make an internal fan controller or pci slot one?

Yep, here you go.

 

[GalvanizedYankee]

From your sleeving thread, I know your over the top with controllers Welcome to the club.

Google, PCI fan controller, some can handle up to eight fans with monitoring, cost < $30.


...Galvanized

 

[whovous]

Here is a review of one:
http://www.overclockers.com/articles1162/

It goes in a PCI slot but does not use one, which does not make a lot of sense to me, since it is software based. It seems like it would leave a lot of wires loose.

Yank, I am pretty sure I can get what I want out of the Hardcano, especially if I decide to let Cool n Quiet take over a fan or two. I do not want the job of arranging that many wires in plain view in my window.

Solving the cable problem is my #1 priority right now. I've asked jab-tech if they are interested in fabbing a few for me.

 

[Pathogen03]

What about a Vantec Nexus? It has the same footprint as a shorter CD drive, but plenty to fit in both mounting holes for the rails... One fits in my Antec 1080b fine right now.

 

[whovous]

The term "Vantec Nexus" seems to cover a lot of different devices. Most of em have knobs, and after the Zalman, I am not sure I wanna try and close doors on another one.

The "multi-function device" only seems to control one fan.

 

[Zepper]

I've used 3.5 to 5" (or 2.5" to 3.5") HD adapter brackets to extend these short bay devices. Also visit TTs user forums and FAQs to check for solutions that others came up with. And as others wrote, you can mod the rails and/or the sides of the device to make them do what you need. Drilling spring steel isn't easy, but those new Ti coated drills should be able to cut it.

.bh.