Gigabyte DQ6 Mboard SysFan2 header question

[bilbat]

Can someone with a DQ6 tell me whether the SysFan2 4-pin header can be configured to support PWM fans? Want to set up a complex cooling system w/Artic 'daisy-chain' PWM fans, but GB tech support can't seem to get back to me. Can't figure it out from the manual, but also can't figure out what else a 4-pin header would be for...

Thanks,
Bill

 

[buzznut]

Don't have experience w that mobo but 4 pin header should be able to do pwm function.

 

[bilbat]

Here's what's confusing me - manual lists:

CPU_FAN
Pin 1 - GND
Pin 2 - +12V/Speed Control
Pin 3 - Sense
Pin 4 - Speed Control

SYS_FAN2
Pin 1 - GND
Pin 2 - Speed Control
Pin 3 - Sense
Pin 4 - +5V

PWM specs put PWM signal itself on pin 4, but can't make heads or tails of Gigabyte's +5V on pin 4...

 

[bilbat]

In case anyone else needs to know:

CPU_FAN connector needs a CPU cooler with four wires where the PWM modulator is included in the cooler. The mobo senses the CPU temperature and managing the pin 4 signal, the cooler's fan will automatically be increased or decreased, following the CPU temp. Fan's rotation feedback returns via pin 3 for BIOS alarm feature.

SYS_FAN2 connector needs any fan, with three or four wires (don't care) since the speed is controlled via on-board PWM controller that supply pulse-width-modulated 12v for the fan via pin 2.
So, if using a four wire fan, its internal PWM is locked to full speed (this explain that fixed 5v on pin 4).
This time, the mobo senses the North Bridge (in my case the P35) temperature and will increase or decrease the speed of the fan connected in this socket. Feedback is sent to pin 3 for BIOS alarm purposes.

SYS_FAN1 and PWR_FAN are three pin socket with fixed full speed fan. No controlled rotation at all from the mobo. Rotation feedback also monitored via pin 3 only for BIOS alarm purpose. NB header has power only. No sensor or control

 

[alnazli]

In case anyone else needs to know:

CPU_FAN connector needs a CPU cooler with four wires where the PWM modulator is included in the cooler. The mobo senses the CPU temperature and managing the pin 4 signal, the cooler's fan will automatically be increased or decreased, following the CPU temp. Fan's rotation feedback returns via pin 3 for BIOS alarm feature.

SYS_FAN2 connector needs any fan, with three or four wires (don't care) since the speed is controlled via on-board PWM controller that supply pulse-width-modulated 12v for the fan via pin 2.
So, if using a four wire fan, its internal PWM is locked to full speed (this explain that fixed 5v on pin 4).
This time, the mobo senses the North Bridge (in my case the P35) temperature and will increase or decrease the speed of the fan connected in this socket. Feedback is sent to pin 3 for BIOS alarm purposes.

SYS_FAN1 and PWR_FAN are three pin socket with fixed full speed fan. No controlled rotation at all from the mobo. Rotation feedback also monitored via pin 3 only for BIOS alarm purpose. NB header has power only. No sensor or control

bilbat one question; SYS_FAN2 (PWM controled, accessible by SpeedFan?) but what if i place a 3 Pin 12V fan (Zalman) can i still auto control it (depending on VGA core temperature for example) through SpeedFan??

to your knowledge what is the maximum rated amperage of these sys fan headers?

my motherboard is GA-EX58-UD5

thank you

 

[bilbat]

I'm using an X48, and I've never had much luck w/SpeedFan (but I haven't dl'd a new one recently either, to see if they've got it sorted out); I have a RAM fan and an Arctic7 daisy chained off the CPU_FAN, and an MCH and SB fan daisy chained off the SYS_FAN2, and just let the BIOS run 'em - seems to do a good job: MOBO will coast over 4GHz, if I can stand the heat in the room! Going to water soon - didn't plan on having this thing in an 800 cu ft room - heat load is intolerable - going to dump it into a radiator down a floor...

 

[alnazli]

I'm using an X48, and I've never had much luck w/SpeedFan (but I haven't dl'd a new one recently either, to see if they've got it sorted out); I have a RAM fan and an Arctic7 daisy chained off the CPU_FAN, and an MCH and SB fan daisy chained off the SYS_FAN2, and just let the BIOS run 'em - seems to do a good job: MOBO will coast over 4GHz, if I can stand the heat in the room! Going to water soon - didn't plan on having this thing in an 800 cu ft room - heat load is intolerable - going to dump it into a radiator down a floor...

maybe u can brief me a little about the bios controlling that fan; if for example i want to link sys_fan2 to GPU core temperature, can i?

do u have a snapshot or something?

thank you bilbat

 

[bilbat]

Nope, and that's a feature I'd LOVE to have - I've passed on to GB the following: what I want is, say, six PWM controlled channels of fan output headers, each one linkable to either one of several MOBO sensors, OR a couple of channels of thermistor sensors, OR a flat-out .NET accessible set of registers that will allow me easy access from a tray app! I've talked to a few people who do fan controls about the possibility of me building them a proportional/integral/derivative multi-sensor control loop to run complex fan ops, but it looks like it's too limited an audience to pursue...

So, for now, we're stuck with CPU_FAN slaved to the MOBO CPU temp sensor (not the direct CoreTemps), and the SYS_FAN2 slaved to the MCH!