Fan controller without LEDs?

middlehead

Diamond Member
Jul 11, 2004
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I've been looking at fan controllers for my next build, but so far every unit I've found has had lights that range from mildly annoying to ridiculous.

The main two I'm looking at right now are a couple of 6-channel units from Lamptron and Zalman. I'd prefer to stick with 6-channel, but I could probably make a 4-channel work.

Anybody come across a unit that's not set up to be a substitute Christmas tree?
 

aigomorla

CPU, Cases&Cooling Mod PC Gaming Mod Elite Member
Super Moderator
Sep 28, 2005
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i heard those make a high squealing noise.

About how many amps per channel were u looking at?
 

middlehead

Diamond Member
Jul 11, 2004
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Originally posted by: aigomorla
About how many amps per channel were u looking at?
Probably one fan per channel for max control, the 120mm units I was looking at say 0.15 +/- 10%

If I can find a lightless 4 channel controller, I could double-up a couple of them.
 

zagood

Diamond Member
Mar 28, 2005
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option:
http://www.silentpcreview.com/article84-page3.html

"You could also do what I did in the photo above: Pull the LED head out of the front panel hole and position it so that its lens is pointing at the inside of the front panel. That's how the second photo at the beginning of this review showing the more subdued lights was taken. To me, it is much more livable than leaving the LEDs in stock form."

Could probably do this with a lot of fan controllers.
 

middlehead

Diamond Member
Jul 11, 2004
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Pulling or cutting the LEDs is the next step if I can't find a controller without it. I'm in no great rush to buy one so I'd rather take a little more time to find a unit I don't have to mod, just in case I ever need to warranty the thing.
 

zagood

Diamond Member
Mar 28, 2005
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That's the great thing about the rheobus...they're pretty cheap, if you screw up a mod it's not THAT big of a deal.
 

Gillbot

Lifer
Jan 11, 2001
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I think the Sunbeam Rheobus has socketed LED's so you can just unplug them. At least mine did.
 

Rubycon

Madame President
Aug 10, 2005
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Originally posted by: Gillbot
I think the Sunbeam Rheobus has socketed LED's so you can just unplug them. At least mine did.

Like the LED fans nothing a pair of dikes cannot rectify instantly. ;)
 

Gillbot

Lifer
Jan 11, 2001
28,830
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Originally posted by: Rubycon
Originally posted by: Gillbot
I think the Sunbeam Rheobus has socketed LED's so you can just unplug them. At least mine did.

Like the LED fans nothing a pair of dikes cannot rectify instantly. ;)

Some prefer a more "reversible" approach. ;)
 

Rubycon

Madame President
Aug 10, 2005
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Originally posted by: Gillbot
Originally posted by: Rubycon
Originally posted by: Gillbot
I think the Sunbeam Rheobus has socketed LED's so you can just unplug them. At least mine did.

Like the LED fans nothing a pair of dikes cannot rectify instantly. ;)

Some prefer a more "reversible" approach. ;)

Make the cut in a place where you could drag solder to re-bridge it. ;)
 

Gillbot

Lifer
Jan 11, 2001
28,830
17
81
Originally posted by: Rubycon
Originally posted by: Gillbot
Originally posted by: Rubycon
Originally posted by: Gillbot
I think the Sunbeam Rheobus has socketed LED's so you can just unplug them. At least mine did.

Like the LED fans nothing a pair of dikes cannot rectify instantly. ;)

Some prefer a more "reversible" approach. ;)

Make the cut in a place where you could drag solder to re-bridge it. ;)

Some are not as tool handy as one "Highly Technical Moderator". ;)
 

Visaoni

Senior member
May 15, 2008
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I bought a rheobus a few months back. I'd read the LEDs were bright, but I had no clue. But a quick trip to Radioshack and a little bit of solder later, the problem was solved. It is incredibly easy to pull the LEDs. If you have an issue with pulling em and leaving either dead LEDs in your rig, or holes in your fan controller, just throw on a 22k resistor. The lower power red might be near impossible to detect at that point.
 

middlehead

Diamond Member
Jul 11, 2004
4,573
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The more I think about it, I may just get that 4 channel Sunbeam Rheobus and pull the LEDs. The way I'm going to lay out my case (NZXT Beta Evo), there's obvious natural pairings I can use to free up the other channels - two top exhausts and two on the side panel makes for a pretty easy guess.