Temperature controlled fan controllers: any comments/suggestions?

[Cheetah8799]

EDIT 2: I'm running out of models to look at. I've read reviews on probably 8 or 10 devices already. Nothing fits my needs exactly...

EDIT: After doing more reading, I think the SilverStone model won't work out for me. I'm now looking at the DigiDoc 5.

So far the closest model I can find that fits my needs is the Silverstone Eudemon. I've also read about the Hardcano 12 and the Cooler Master AeroGate 2.

The reason I like the SilverStone model is because it doesn't require that the fans have RPM controls, so I can use my cheap fans that I modded to have 3-pin connectors with the two wires coming off of them. The only problem is that I would like to have 4 fans connected, and it only supports 3.

The Hardcano and Aerogate both have 4 sensors and 4 fan plugs, but they require RPM input from the fans, otherwise you get an dead fan beeping error... bad news for me.

As for what temps to check with the thermal probes, I'd like to stick one on the bottom of my CPU heatsink, one on my VGA Silencer, one on the nForce2 main chipset heatsink, and one in the case somewhere for ambient temps.

For me looks aren't all that important. I'm more interested in price and if it simply gets the job done.


So has anyone here used a different model that they can suggest? Or comment on the three I've checked out so far?



BTW: I'm currently using a Vantec Nexus manual speed controller.

 

[0roo0roo]

i'd stick with the manual speed controller. i might be wrong but all the auto fan controls i've seen don't change their rpm continuously. they have wide ranges where nothing changes, then whena threshhold is reached, it bumps up or down a large jump. not all that useful in my opinion. for a truely useful controller u need to be able to set all conditions.

 

[Cheetah8799]

Originally posted by: 0roo0roo
i'd stick with the manual speed controller. i might be wrong but all the auto fan controls i've seen don't change their rpm continuously. they have wide ranges where nothing changes, then whena threshhold is reached, it bumps up or down a large jump. not all that useful in my opinion. for a truely useful controller u need to be able to set all conditions.

ya, I've just read about a few more now, and that's what I'm seeing as well...

Although this looks promising.

 

[xbassman]

I use a manual controller.

I had a DigiDoc 5 and wound up chucking it in the trash. It never seemed to respond the way I wanted it to and every time I restarted my computer it lose all it's settings.

 

[Cheetah8799]

Originally posted by: xbassman
I use a manual controller.

I had a DigiDoc 5 and wound up chucking it in the trash. It never seemed to respond the way I wanted it to and every time I restarted my computer it lose all it's settings.

Pretty much everything I read about did NOT have a battery, and would have the same problem you did, settings wouldn't be saved at all. Seems pretty dumb to me to leave out a feature like that...

 

[0roo0roo]

eh yea, for good thermal control u gotta have the whole system engineered together it seems. like those kewl apple g5's, with their many thermal zones, and o/s control predictive fan control etc... nice stuff.

 

[rperezlo]

Check this one:

mCubed T-Balancer

It doesn't have a front panel but apart from that it is an amazing piece of hardware. In automatic mode you can program the rpm curve of the fan as a function of the remperature, and it also has a manual mode. In both modes you can even stop the fans (my computer now has 90% of the time two fans off, and occasionally for a few minutes all 4 fans off, including the CPU fan!). You only use the software to program it and after that you just let it run by itself.

I previously had a Hardcano 12 that was returned to the shop because it emitted a high frequency noise that made me mad. It was related to the inverter that powers the blue backlight. I got the mCubed when I returned my Hardcano 12 to the shop and I'm extremely happy with the exchange. The mCubed solution is a far better solution if you don't need the front panel.

BTW, the Hardcano 12 has continous fan speed regulation, but the minimum speed is only 50%.

 

[Cheetah8799]

Now that mCubed is really cool! How big is it? Looks like it could be about the size of a hard drive.

Pretty cool how it is controlled via USB.

Do you know if it requires that all the fans have the RPM wire? Most of mine are cheaper models with only 2 wires.

Also, where did you buy yours? It looks like mostly German sites have been reviewing it.

 

[rperezlo]

It's about half the size of a HDD. I have placed it in the 3.5" space above the FD unit and there is enough room for the cables to go out (note that the fan and monitor cables run from both sides of the unit).

It doesn't require the fans to have the rpm wire. The software has a checkbox to disable the function if the fan doesn't have it. BTW, you can download the software from that page if you want to try it.

I live in Spain, so that I ordered it through the web to a German web shop. You can buy from Europe or from the US from the same web page linked above. There is a tab named 'Buy' and then in the left hand column there is a link to the web shop.

 

[Tiamat]

I know you are looking for a fan controller, but what about Thermal controlled fans? Like teh Globe 120mm or Acoustifan 120mm? Also, is there software that does that? Then again, if its software, you would be restricted to using the mobo fan headers... Also antec true power powersupplies have fan-only connectors that ramp up the voltage to the connected fans as the power supply temp increases (probably not goot for very high powered fans like Tornado).

 

[Cheetah8799]

Cool. Thanks for all the info rperezlo!

 

[Cheetah8799]

Tiamat, I had thought about temp controlled fans, but figured it would be a lot easier, and maybe cheaper, to just get a controller. Looks like the good controllers are pretty expensive though, so maybe the fans would be the cheaper route. I think I'd have to find out at what temps the various fan models start to adjust their speeds though, and that may get a little tricky.

 

[rperezlo]

Tiamat,

I've actually tried most of your suggestions:

- Thermal controlled fans don't have enough variation range. I use two Globe 120 mm and the range goes from 1400 rpm to 1800 rpm. They do something but not really enough for me. With the T-Balancer one of them is stopped 90% of the time and the other one is around 600 rpm.

- There is a very good software that does the job, called Speedfan. The problem is what you mention, it has to be supported by your MB and you can only use MB fan headers. In my MB (Asus P4S533) I only could control one of the fan headers.

- The fan only connectors in the PS vary speed fan based usually on PS temperature. The problem is that PS temperature is not directly related to computer usage or CPU/GPU temperature, so that at the end you end up with the fans running continuously at high speeds. BTW, I have a BeQuiet PS and the problem is the opposite: they run continuously too slow, so that in any case they are useless.

Resume: after 6 months trying different solutions to reduce the speed (and the noise) of the fans, the T-Balancer is not only the best solution, it's perfect for my needs. It's a shame I didn't find it the first day because I became tired of opening and closing my PC to change fans and connections, but better late than never.