Fan control software

The best fan control software available today comes with the MotherBoard ... and it works. Which MoBo do you have ?

have you tried http://www.almico.com/speedfan.php

He mentioned speedfan in his original post. Speedfan is worth trying if your MoBo doesn't come with a solution.

Most fans will not start at less than 5v. 50% minimum is close to that number.
Why do you want to control speeds?
Are we talking case fans or cpu cooler fans?

Personally, I do not like to hear constantly changing fan speeds.
Parts are made to tolerate heat. If they get a bit hotter under load, so be it.
If your parts are sufficiently well cooled and your case has adequate intake air capability, I say set the fans at a speed you like and leave them there.

Well for Asus Motherboards theres Asus Fan Xpert. And Theres also speedfan which both you and The Paladin had mentioned earlier. I use both. I use Asus Fan Xpert to set my CPU Coolers fan curve and then i use speedfan for my other fans and thats usually good enough for me. Other than getting an actual fan controller, your options for fan speed control are pretty limited. You could also try checking the bios and setting your default fan speeds to silent/stealthy or whatever that option is in your bios so whenever you turn on or restart your pc the fans should start at a lower speed. There are lots of fan speed controllers available and as far as ive seen they start at 3 channels and go all the way up to 6 channels or possibly higher so you can control up to 6 fans separately from the controllers touchscreen interface or knobs (depends which one you get), you can also use splitter cables to control multiple fans to always run at the same speeds. Hope something I've said here helped

As implied by Geofelt it's the fans, not the software that sets the limits. My CPU fan, which is a Noctua NF-A15 idles at 260 RPM (=15 %) set via Fan Xpert 3 which is part of ASUS' AI Suite III. The two case fans, Fractal Design Dynamic GP14, idles at about 500 (=40%).

Nigel

Are you quoting the BIOS capabilities or are you quoting FanXpert software capabilities ? Have you installed FanXpert (part of AISuite) ? Some notes about fan control.

a) Asus' Fan control software functions differently than BIOS control. On my build, Asus' software reports a minimum fan speed of 21%

b) The issue with fan speed control is that when using DCV control on 3-pin fans, the fans (depending on which ones) are capable of running down to very low voltages ... the problem is that they need a bit more voltage to get started from a stopped condition. Some combinations of hardware / software overcome this by stating the fan(s) with more voltage and then slowing them down to needed speeds. This overcomes any "limits" that would otherwrise be experienced... so that in essence, these limits no longer exist.

c) PWM fans run at a constant 12volts but what they do is turn th signal on and off providing intermittent power to control speed. As the voltage is always 12v, starting power is not an issue. The downside is greater expense, PWM hum / clicking noises. And some PWM fans (i.e. Corsair) can not be "ganged" on a single channel w/o losing low speed control (up to 4 fans should be OK)

d) Phanteks has an interesting solution with their hub... it uses PWM to control 3 pin DCV fans ... so you get all the advantages of PWM and none of the disadvantages. This works with up to 1 amp worth of fans (typically 6) without using an auxilliary power cabe, use the cable if you exceed 1 amp on any header (up to 11 fans).

In short, you should have no issue with controlling your fans with the included FanXpert software ... I currently control 16 fans on three channels and down to below 25% speed at the low end. However, when the fan curves i set up drop below 30%, I simply set the option to just turn the fans of completely .... Since the system is water cooled, when temps start to drop... I ramp the speed down slowly so as to keep them running at a higher speed to cool down the thermal mass of water in the rads before shutting off. here's what's going on with the various channels:

CPU Header => Water Pump No. 1 (2000 - 4500 rpm)
CPU_OPT Header => Water Pump No. 2 (2000 - 4500 rpm)

CHA-1 ==> PCB # 1 ==> 6 x 140mm fans on 420mm radiator (Off / 350 - 1250 rpm)
CHA-2 ==> PCB # 2 ==> 4 x 140mm fans on 280mm radiator (Off / 350 - 1250 rpm)
CHA-1 ==> PCB # 3 ==> 6 x 140mm case fans (Off / 350 - 1250 rpm)

This allows me to control 3 sets of fans independently of one another

Again, all fans start up at boot ....soon after the software takes over and turns fans on or off and speeds them up / down in response the four (4) separate temp / speed curves I created in FanXpert software ... including the 60 seconds "cooldown mode" that delays the ramp down in speed on radiator fans after a long period of high load so that water in loop is cooled before fans shut off

I should note that with the 16 fans, the system is completely inaudible. At max stresses imposed by torture test utilities, fan speeds never exceed 850 rpm

As far as Fan Controllers or rheostats .. do you really want to to manually change rpm every time your PC load changes. That would drive me nutz.

Yeah thats pretty much it. The software can be used to refine the fan speeds but its limits are already predefined. Most likely so all of the fans made by a company will spin at relatively the same speeds. One solution is just to get quieter case fans if its the noise of the fan spinning itself that you dont want. If its just the ability to have your pc set the fan speeds automatically dependent on temperature, then you may actually just be better off controlling manually and setting the fans yourself for different things. For instance when I'm just doing simple stuff on my pc i set my fan speeds to about 50% cause some of my fans are quite loud at higher speeds and its annoying to listen to while using the internet or watching Netflix. And then when im gaming i set the fan speed to 100% to get max airflow for cooling and also i dont care how loud my fans are when gaming cause i either have my speaker louder than the noises my pc fans are making, or i use headphones so i dont hear outside noise at all

You can buy/make speed reducing cables(noctua supplies them with their fans).

Or, for finer control, use a rheostat fan controller like the zalman fanmate

So are actual PMW fans usually louder?? Would it be better to get 3 pin fans that use PMW for control if you wanted quieter fans??

Noise from fans is most directly related to the rpm the fan is running at.
If you have a choice, use 140mm fans which move more air at lower rpm.

A good source for quiet computing is www.silentpcreview.com

Im looking at these two fans specifically and am not too sure which would be a better choice

http://www.rosewill.com/it-products/computer-components/140mm-computer-case-fan/rosewill-rnbl-131409b-140mm-computer-case-cooling-fan-with-lp4-adapter-black-frame-smoke-blades-4-blue-led-lights-fluid-dynamic-bearing-silent.html#product_tabs_Specifications

http://www.rosewill.com/it-products/computer-components/120mm-computer-case-fan/rosewill-rwcb-1612-advanced-hydraulic-bearing-120mm-blue-led-silent-case-fan-with-pulse-width-modulation-pwm-function.html#product_tabs_Specifications

I will be buying like 8-10 fans. Whichever ones are better ill be getting. Ill be mounting 2 of them to a watercooling radiator

As per above post, this is easily overcome



In the image above from Asus FanXpert (lower half):

CPU Fan = Water Pump No. 1
CPU_OPT = Water Pump No. 2
XT45-420 Fans = the (6) fans on the top radiator ... I have this set to a higher cut off point with the intent being to move hot air that collects at the top of the case out.
XT60-280 Fans = the (4) fans on the bottom radiator ... the temp is below the set level so these fans shut off
Case Fans = the (6) case fans (5 intake / 1 exhaust) ... the temp is below the set level so these fans shut off

The top half of the image indicates the fan curve for the case fans. Tho they are capable of 25%, I have set them to stop at < 29%. When called to "ramp up", a higher than necessary voltage is sent from the hub to kick the fans up from a static position (this removes those "limits") and then it immediately ramps them down to the set speed.

The best fans on the market at the moment are the Phanteks

http://www.silentpcreview.com/article1345-page7.html

Top 10:

Phanteks PH-F140HP/TS
Noctua NF-A14 FLX
Noctua NF-A15 PWM
Noiseblocker B12-2
Noctua NF-P14 FLX
Scythe Gentle Typhoon 120-12
Noiseblocker M12-S1
Corsair AF120 Quiet
Corsair AF120 Performance
Thermalright TR-TY150

Click to expand...

Here you see what happens when you replace the Noctua fans on a Noctua Cooler with Phanteks fans
http://www.overclockersclub.com/reviews/phenteks_f140/3.htm

After replacing the Noctua fans with Phanteks, at same 1200 rpm, CPU temps drop by 6C on the Noctua cooler
After replacing the 1500 rpm Noctua fans with 1200 rpm Phanteks, CPU temps drop by 3C on the Noctua cooler



PWM fans often experience what is called "low speed hum" or clicking. DCV fans or DCV fans controlled by a PWM signal eliminates this. I use PCBs to control DCV fans to save costs and provide a "best of both worlds" scenario.

It's not really a matter of "choosing", you must get what is compatible with your MoBo or controller.

Some (most modern ones) MoBo Headers will supply both PWM and DCV control and even auto-select
Some provide only PWM
Some provide only DCV

When using a lot of fans, the best solution might be a PWM Hub that controls 3-pin fans ... will save you $5 - $15 per fan, gives you PWM control with no PWM clicking / humming at low speeds.

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA4RE5032993

Id use two... one for rad fans and one for case fans

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835709023
+ 20% off w/ promo code PHFEB2FAN, limited offer

I may just buy some of the Rosewill fans and then ill get some of the Phanteks led fans. And then maybe some other kinds too. Im kinda new to all of this, like not entirely new i know what im doing for the most part, but my computer addiction is kinda just starting to take off so i have alot to learn

So when looking for better fans would it generally be better to find lower RPM fans with higher CFM rating then??

CFM ratings are meaningless .. anything a manufacturer represents is meaningless.

A fan manufacturer may advertise:

Flow: 80 cfm
SP: 1.25

That **might** mean:

The fan can do 80 cfm at 0 backpressure / the fan can produce 1.25 pressure, but will be moving 0 cfm when doing so. The real situation may be ... it delivers 45 cfm @ 0.60 pressure

Read this:

https://martinsliquidlab.wordpress.com/2013/02/18/why-static-pressure-max-flow-specs-are-poor-measures-of-fan-performance/

Cougar Fan **Specs**
Max Airflow = 70.5CFM / Static Pressure = 2.2 mm H20

Typhhon Fan Specs
Max Airflow = 58CFM / Static Pressure = 2.03mm H20

Well 70 is bigger than 58 and 2.20 is bigger than 2.03 so the Cougar must be the better fab right ?

Nope.



When looking for better fans, the place to look is fan reviews like the silentpcreview site link above. It's not what advertisers say it's what they do on the test bench that counts.




It's not a good idea to mix fans .. like driving a car with different tires

I wasnt going to be mixing fans. More so getting whole sets to put in my pc and then whatever company has the better performance is what i'd stick with. And holy shit thats alot of math to consider just for buying a case fan. Definitely alot more to it than i had originally thought. But all these things are very good to know. All this learning puts me one step closing to maybe opening my own computer store

This is what I was responding to

I may just buy some of the Rosewill fans and then ill get some of the Phanteks led fans.

Click to expand...

You really don't need to do any testing or math. Just go to a reputable test site, look at the rankings and select accordingly. Look at the chart here:

http://www.silentpcreview.com/article1345-page7.html

I'm aware that this site outlines the best case fans available. However, fan choice could also be personal preference about how loud your ok with the fans being and stuff like do you want LEDs or not. Also, I'd have to think that the acoustics are different dependent on your case and what you all have in it. Also it can be a matter of price. The Rosewill fans i want to get are cheaper so that might be better to start and then if i find i dont like them i could always buy some better, more expensive fans. As is if i buy a right amount of Rosewill fans to completely fill up my case (so like 10 fans) im already spending almost $150 on case fans alone. The Phanteks fans are almost $30 per fan

You also have to keep in mind that your basing that off american prices. I live in canada and because the whole currency exchange thing is fucky things are actually more expensive for me