PWM Case Fans

[DaHotFuzz]

Do I need to connect them to my motherboard to be able to control them or can they connected to a splitter? I think the answer is yes but it doesn't hurt to ask.

Are PWM fans worth the extra cost also?

[retro_Ed]

Escrito originalmente por DaHotFuzz:

Escrito originalmente por retro_Ed:

I am a fan of Scythe fans.

I have vaguely heard of the brand. Which ones are you using?

I have two 120x120+(12mm slim) 800rpm fans in my small htpc case. One 3pin header splitted with Y-fan cable.
Model SY1212SL12SL

Normal 25mm was too thick to my case. Fractal Design Node 202

[DaHotFuzz]

Escrito originalmente por dnklgrn:

Easiest way would be to control fanspeed with your BIOS.
If you want to run the fans from only one header, use a Y-cable which splits up into 3, Phobya has some good ones, I use those for my custom loop to control the fans from one radiator all at once.

You can also hook them up to your PSU, using only 5V or 7V, but then you can't control them in any way.

Most expensive, but offering the most options would be a fan controller, I for example use an aquaero 5 LT to control pump, fans and temperatures all at once.
But only for some casefans? No - way to expensive, just a gimmick for watercooling.

BTW: If you are looking for good casefans: be quiet Silent Wings are pretty good as are Noctua NF-A series.
Noiseblocker NB-eLoops have great airflow values and are extremly silent, but you can only use them in a blowing style, otherwise they produce very annoying noises due to the uniqueliy formed fanblade.

Good budget fans are be quiet shadow wings, Scythe Slipstream or EKL Wingboost.

I think controlling them through the BIOS is the way I want to go. So just to be sure, in order to control them through the BIOS the fans MUST be 3 pin correct?

I was looking at the Silent Wings, they have solid reviews and look great too. I can check out those Noctua ones but every noctua fan I see is crazy expensive. Ideally I would not mind spending $12- 15 per fan at most.

[DaHotFuzz]

Escrito originalmente por フル メタル アルケミス:

i went thorugh what you were thinking of with pwm or not. I found a set of 5 120mm pwm on newegg for $28. They work great

Sweet. Could you link them please?

[dnklgrn]

Good quality has it's price ;)
But you can get some good ones around $12, like I mentioned earlier.

[DaHotFuzz]

Escrito originalmente por フル メタル アルケミス:

I think these were it, just make sure when you order that you get the 4 pin pwm ones not the 3 pins

https://www.amazon.com/F12-PWM-PST-Value-pack/dp/B00NTUJTAK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1492716914&sr=8-1&keywords=5+pack+pwm+fan

That is quite the deal. I will consider these although they are white sadly which will conflict with the black fans my case will come pre-installed with :(

[DaHotFuzz]

Escrito originalmente por dnklgrn:

Good quality has it's price ;)
But you can get some good ones around $12, like I mentioned earlier.

I have been eye-balling these babies right here.

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?item=N82E16835352024

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?item=1YF-001D-00010

I'm going for all 140mm fans. I figure if I have less fans but ones that push more air, there will be a perfect balance between noise and air flow.

[pasa]

What mobo do you have?

Normally you get a fan control program from the mobo vendor and does all the magic. Also the has some amount of headers at certain places, you better design from there. I.e if you have 3-pin headers and plan to use those, no point to get PWM fans. Or you go for PWM/PST and drive all from the CPU fan header.

Also, lack of PWM does not mean lack of control, just less granularity. Again mobo-dependent: it can apply variable voltage in 3-pin mode.

[DaHotFuzz]

Escrito originalmente por pasa:

What mobo do you have?

Normally you get a fan control program from the mobo vendor and does all the magic. Also the has some amount of headers at certain places, you better design from there. I.e if you have 3-pin headers and plan to use those, no point to get PWM fans. Or you go for PWM/PST and drive all from the CPU fan header.

Also, lack of PWM does not mean lack of control, just less granularity. Again mobo-dependent: it can apply variable voltage in 3-pin mode.

I have the MSI Z170 Gaming pro carbon, all the system fan headers are 4 pin. What program would I need? Shouldn't everything I need be in the BIOS?

Thanks for the info. Good to know..

[dnklgrn]

Don't get the Fractal Design Venturi HP, Fractal has some decent fans, but that model is optimised für high static pressure (hence the "HP"), which is needed if you want to push air through a radiator.
What you want is an airflow (AF) fan, like the Pure Wings you have linked.

Rule of thumb: if you can look though the fan (resp. the fan blades) it's normally an airflow fan like the Pure Wings.
If you can't look through the blades, like the Venturi HP, the fan builds up more pressure and that is only needed when pushing against some resistance, like a radiator.
AF often have large gaps between the blades and pretty slim blades, where HP fans have fewer but bigger blades and nearly no gaps.

Oh and by the way: most PWM fans can be operated at lower voltages then regular 3 pin fans, resulting in even lower RPM.

[DaHotFuzz]

Escrito originalmente por dnklgrn:

Don't get the Fractal Design Venturi HP, Fractal has some decent fans, but that model is optimised für high static pressure (hence the "HP"), which is needed if you want to push air through a radiator.
What you want is an airflow (AF) fan, like the Pure Wings you have linked.

Rule of thumb: if you can look though the fan (resp. the fan blades) it's normally an airflow fan like the Pure Wings.
If you can't look through the blades, like the Venturi HP, the fan builds up more pressure and that is only needed when pushing against some resistance, like a radiator.
AF often have large gaps between the blades and pretty slim blades, where HP fans have fewer but bigger blades and nearly no gaps.

Oh and by the way: most PWM fans can be operated at lower voltages then regular 3 pin fans, resulting in even lower RPM.

You probably just saved me some money, jesus. Thank you lol. I did not even think about that. Guess that shows how much I know about fans. I'll keep looking at AF style fans and hopefully find something I am suitable with. I may even increas my budget a little if I find something extremely nice

[dnklgrn]

Good look finding some fans, there are hundreds of'em.
Keep an eye out for a decent bearing, like a fluid dynamic bearing.
Sleeve bearings are quite cheap and don't last nearly as long as a FDB.

[DaHotFuzz]

Escrito originalmente por dnklgrn:

Good look finding some fans, there are hundreds of'em.
Keep an eye out for a decent bearing, like a fluid dynamic bearing.
Sleeve bearings are quite cheap and don't last nearly as long as a FDB.

Thanks again! Appreciate the help! Learned quite a bit

[pasa]

https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/support/Z170A-GAMING-PRO-CARBON.html#down-manual indicates that only the cpu fan connectors have PWM, the sysfan headers are just voltage controlled with 4th pin not connected (pg 36).

And speed control described just after, beyond BIOS you can use the command center app.

[DaHotFuzz]

Escrito originalmente por pasa:

https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/support/Z170A-GAMING-PRO-CARBON.html#down-manual indicates that only the cpu fan connectors have PWM, the sysfan headers are just voltage controlled with 4th pin not connected (pg 36).

And speed control described just after, beyond BIOS you can use the command center app.

So I'm not understanding, my motherboard has 4 pin system fan headers but they do not support PWM? How does that make any sense?

Can I only get 3 pin fans knowing this?

[DaHotFuzz]

Escrito originalmente por dnklgrn:

Good look finding some fans, there are hundreds of'em.
Keep an eye out for a decent bearing, like a fluid dynamic bearing.
Sleeve bearings are quite cheap and don't last nearly as long as a FDB.

I think I'm going to go with these... assuming it is 3 for that price. If it's one fan then gg lol

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA3AR5KE4169&cm_re=be_quiet_140mm-_-1YF-001D-00012-_-Product