Software controlled PWM+voltage fan controller

[Valantar]

So I've finally ordered my Ryzen 1600X and motherboard. Now it's time for the not-so-fun part: making it all work. The motherboard is the Biostar X370GTN, which is ITX and thus has all of two fan headers. That's not going to do it for me. The CPU header will be taken up by my water cooling pump, leaving me just one header for the rest. What I need to control:

3x Nidec Gentle Typhoon 1850mm PWM (1x 120mm rad + 1x 240mm)
2x Noctua NF-A14 FLX (non-PWM)

I haven't looked much, but the NZXT Grid+ v2 looks nice. Enough fan ports, both voltage and PWM control, plenty of power per port, and it's made by a big enough company that I expect the software to both have enough features and be supported for a while. The price is nice too. Many other alternatives seem either janky, overbuilt, or just plain expensive.

What I want to set up:

Three "groups" of fans:
Noctuas controlled together (preferably by M/B temp or similar)
2x GTs (240mm rad) controlled by GPU temp
1x GT (120mm rad) controlled by CPU temp

Can the Grid+ do this? Are there better alternatives? Cheaper ones with similar/better capabilities?

Oh, and I'd really like software that uses a background service for fan control, having it start alongside Windows, and keeping profiles running as they should even if the software should somehow crash or whatever. If that's at all possible.

In my final setup, when I get around to/can afford buying a new case (looking at the Phanteks Enthoo Evolv ITX), the Noctuas will be front intakes, while the rads will be in the top and rear as exhausts. In my current case (Fractal Define R4), placement depends on whether I can fit the rad in the top above the motherboard. If I can, the setup will be the same. If not, the rad will be a front intake and I'll most likely leave the Noctuas out for now (depending on temps).

 

[Valantar]

I guess I should add that I did at one point consider hooking the two GPU fans up to the GPU's fan port, but getting the weird connector (relatively easily sourced, but 3-4 weeks shipping) and making some sort of splitter-adaptor without knowing the pinout or whether it's PWM or voltage control, if it's capable of running two fans at all, and so on and so on just made it too much of a hassle. Especially when I'd need to set up a custom fan curve anyway due to the GTs running far slower than the stock fan (also a GT, but 3000rpm) of my Fury X.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

What are the specs for the two fan ports on the motherboard?

I would assume the board's CPU header at least offers PWM, even if it cannot be configured to voltage-control as well. The ASUS boards may all have ports that can be configured to either PWM or voltage, but I can only vouch for my Sabertooth and higher models. But it doesn't matter.

You can -- if you think it's feasible -- configure both the pump and some fans on an 8-port Swiftech PWM splitter or a similar device. At its simplest, the thermal control would follow CPU temperature. My motherboard allows me to choose among some ten or so thermal sensors. Earlier years of boards gave you only CPU and "motherboard" choices.

So, on such a splitter, if the pump RPM/degrees-C curve was set at 60% and 55C, then all the fans connected to that splitter would run at 60%. You can only monitor one device on the 8-port splitter.

But if it is feasible for you -- if it makes sense in some way -- that device would allow all PWM devices controlled from the CPU fan port. You will have removed up to an Amp's-worth of draw from the motherboard, because the Swiftech (probably others) are powered directly from the PSU, while the devices respond to the mobo PWM wire's signal.

For the 3-pin voltage-controlled fans, you should be able to wire them in parallel while passing through the single tach-wire from one and only one of those devices.

I have looked at the NZXT Grid2, and it might offer what you want. What you want should be the ability to define three-point fan-curves. But I would first explore the motherboard capabilities within the BIOS, and I don't know how much you are limited in that regard.

So -- if you wish -- tell me . . .

Anything after that -- beyond less expensive devices than the GRID2 -- involves an internal connection to a USB port, an on-board processor for the fan-control device, and software. If I wanted to go that route, I'd take another look at a model called the Aquaero 5. At that point, you could be spending something in the $60 to $100 range -- without the frills of the other models.

I looked for the GRID product -- first link I found was for Grid+ V2. Some time ago, I was looking at that or a similar model, and I thought you could control fans by PWM or by voltage. It is simply a fact that you can control a PWM-enabled fan by voltage, but not vice versa.

But if BIOS allows fan-curve customization for both ports on the motherboard, you don't need to buy any of those items if you can be satisfied with monitoring only a single device on either port. You could still run up to 8 PWM devices on one port with a Swiftech splitter, and 2 or 3 devices in parallel on the other (if voltage-controlled). You would only need to assure that the amperage draw sum total of the devices did not exceed the motherboard spec per port or total. Usually, those ports are good for up to 1 A each, and good fans these days might run at 0.30 A each.

 

[Valantar]

Well, I'm about halfway into assembling my PC (discovered that I'm missing some fittings, so assembly of the water loop is taking longer than anticipated. Also, did I mention that I dreamt (nightmare?) about my loop leaking last night?), so I can give some more details.

Biostar doesn't list any specs for the fan ports beyond them supporting both voltage and PWM.

As for your suggestions: yeah, I could get this done with a simple PWM hub or even enough splitter cables. My pump isn't very high current, and for now (in my Define R4) I'm trying out going with just three fans (two intakes, one exhaust) as I couldn't fit the rad in the top. The issue is that due to having both CPU and GPU in the same loop, I want to control fan speeds relative to the temperatures of both. With a very power hungry GPU (Fury X) and relatively efficient CPU (1600X), I'd say anything else is rather irresponsible. I've never seen a motherboard capable of reading GPU temps, nor any software capable of controlling a single fan speed relative to two different temp readings ("if temp X and/or temp Y exceeds x degrees, set fan speed to Z rpm), so the only sensible solution I can see is linking one fan to CPU temps, and two to GPU temps. Which means two separate ports just for that, another for the pump (and another for the case fans when I switch cases). This is why I can't see any other solution than a software controlled fan hub. Oh, and I've looked at those Aquaeros, and frankly, they scare me. That much exposed circuitry stuffed behind a cramped right side panel alongside high-current PCIe cables and whatnot? Not to mention having to drill holes to mount it? No thanks.

For now, I've resorted to connecting the intake rad fans to the built-in (voltage) fan controller of the R4. It's a sub-optimal solution at best. This leaves me with the two motherboard ports for the pump and 120mm rad exhaust fan that's directly after the CPU in the loop. So it works, as long as I remember to adjust the intake fan speeds manually. Oh well.


Also, apparently the Grid+ V2 only does voltage control, but I guess that doesn't matter in the long run. After all, as you say, the fans will respond to either.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

I'm not going out of my way to promote the more expensive Aquaero, but I wouldn't be deterred by the open circuit board, buying some nylon standoffs or drilling a couple holes. It just needs to be placed out of the way, or even in a drive bay. The R4 may seem a bit cramped, but I'd have to convince myself first that it simply has "no home" for such a device.

Frankly, though, if you can do it with the NZXT product, it's the cheaper option.

I thought the Fury X came with its own closed loop cooler. So you are doing "custom-water" and integrating the video card's waterblock into the mix?

 

[Valantar]

I'm not going out of my way to promote the more expensive Aquaero, but I wouldn't be deterred by the open circuit board, buying some nylon standoffs or drilling a couple holes. It just needs to be placed out of the way, or even in a drive bay. The R4 may seem a bit cramped, but I'd have to convince myself first that it simply has "no home" for such a device.

Frankly, though, if you can do it with the NZXT product, it's the cheaper option.

I thought the Fury X came with its own closed loop cooler. So you are doing "custom-water" and integrating the video card's waterblock into the mix?

Nah, the main reasons for going custom loop (outside of wanting to try it again after 9 or so years) are that the pump on the Fury X is too whiny for my tastes (but not whiny enough for an RMA - I tried!), that I stumbled across an EK full cover waterblock for it for around $50 (that's including the 25% VAT here in Norway, so around ¼ of the normal price), and that i want to move to an ITX case, and I neither wanted a second AIO (even more noise!) or a huge tower cooler for the CPU in a tiny case. And replacing a GPU I bought to last 3-4 years after less than two wasn't an option. Thus, the stars slowly aligned for a full custom loop. That I found a Norwegian store selling Gentle Typhoon 1850rpm PWM fans for roughly Noctua prices (as in: expensive, but worth it) didn't exactly put a damper on this either.

The only thing I could see pushing me to the Aquaero would be if the software was noticeably better, allowed for more fine-grained fan curves and the like. And of course, I could probably mount it with some insulating double sided tape, if need be. It just looks big and impractical, and difficult to hide (the fan headers being perpendicular to the board is a big drawback IMO). But it's not off the table, definitely not. I'll have to keep looking at this until I get a new case.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

Nah, the main reasons for going custom loop (outside of wanting to try it again after 9 or so years) are that the pump on the Fury X is too whiny for my tastes (but not whiny enough for an RMA - I tried!), that I stumbled across an EK full cover waterblock for it for around $50 (that's including the 25% VAT here in Norway, so around ¼ of the normal price), and that i want to move to an ITX case, and I neither wanted a second AIO (even more noise!) or a huge tower cooler for the CPU in a tiny case. And replacing a GPU I bought to last 3-4 years after less than two wasn't an option. Thus, the stars slowly aligned for a full custom loop. That I found a Norwegian store selling Gentle Typhoon 1850rpm PWM fans for roughly Noctua prices (as in: expensive, but worth it) didn't exactly put a damper on this either.

The only thing I could see pushing me to the Aquaero would be if the software was noticeably better, allowed for more fine-grained fan curves and the like. And of course, I could probably mount it with some insulating double sided tape, if need be. It just looks big and impractical, and difficult to hide (the fan headers being perpendicular to the board is a big drawback IMO). But it's not off the table, definitely not. I'll have to keep looking at this until I get a new case.

Well, the NZXT device is not a prohibitive expense. That's about three Del-Taco Mexican dinners here in So-Cal.

I looked closely at the Aquaero 5, still trying to see if I could do it all from the motherboard, and I'm glad I didn't spend the money on it. If I had to, as you say -- it's not "off the table."

You are like many of us for something I also notice of myself. One minor irritant (a noisy pump, for instance) and we are off on a long detour of a side-project. But it doesn't add complexity to what you already have there, and only changes out some parts, so . . . it's feasible! You know what you're doing, and who am I to say?!

 

[Valantar]

Haha it might be a stretch to say I know what I'm doing, but at least I like to think that I'm careful and thorough enough to avoid outright disasters And yep, this was definitely a nag-cum-massive, overblown project type of thing. But hot damn, is it night and day from before. I can barely tell if the PC even turns on. The contrast might be exacerbated due to my old X48 chipset running so hot I had a 140mm Fractal fan running at full speed in the side panel fan mount (which has a fun, turbulence-creating honeycomb pattern!) to keep it from overheating. That was not fun. Oh well. It's all over now, at least.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

It's come to the point where I've admitted to myself -- about "knowing what I'm doing" -- that I'm "humming a few bars to fake it." I'd like to think I've consistently followed the simplest hardware path for me -- it is subjective. But if I'm within 5C or so of a watercooled solution (limited to what would practically fit in my case with "other things") -- I've deferred doing it. Same for the graphics card. If I can OC a single GTX 1070 to a reasonable level (2,025/4,392) and the temperature never exceeds 65C, I don't see the point. But that, too, is a subjective matter.

On the software end for HTPC function (upon which I insist), I've gone to great lengths where any TV junkie who just wants to "watch" would never dare nor take the time. I've spent LOTS of time and trouble with it more recently, to manage a changeover from W7 to W10 on the HTPC-functioning systems and my HDHR'-s.