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Cooling Fan Recognition

Discussion in 'Tech Support' started by rem337, 12 Feb 2012.

  1. rem337

    rem337 What's a Dremel?

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    Hey guys just completed a new build using the NZXT Tempest 410 Elite, with the "Touch Control" Fans.

    Just incase you don't know about these they work like this...

    [​IMG]

    You can attach any 120mm fan, and the 3 pin plugs straight the actual unit you attach the fan to, those metal plates then make contact with the connector on the case..

    [​IMG]

    Which in turn then spins the fans, making them completely "wireless". You can even swap them in and out while the system is on. There is 2 of these on the front of the case, and its wired so that just the one 3 pin comes from BOTH fans and plugs of course, into a fan header on the motherboard.

    In total I have these 2 fans using one header, an exhaust fan at the rear using another, and a H100 using the CPU fan header.

    Upon turning the system on I get this..

    [​IMG]

    Only the rear exhaust fan is being recognized, really want to be able to control the front 2 as at the moment they are running 100% and very loud.

    Cheers for any help!
     
  2. bulldogjeff

    bulldogjeff The modding head is firmly back on.

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    Have you got them running of the mobo headers? It maybe that only the CPU header is controlable. Check the options in the bios for mobo fan headers as some times they can be altered that way. The other option is to run them off a molex connection.
     
  3. rem337

    rem337 What's a Dremel?

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    Thanks for the reply, yeh the Fans are actually working, constantly running at 100%. They run off a molex already. Just cant see they are not being recognized by the mobo. (Its an Asus ROG Maximus IV Gene-Z)

    I'll check in the BIOS like you said though.
     
  4. LennyRhys

    LennyRhys Fan Fan

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    You need to have the fan's sensor connected to the motherboard otherwise it won't report speed, and you need to have all three pins connected if you want speed control, but this will work ONLY if the motherboard can adjust the voltage.

    My Asus Rampage III has several 4-pin fan headers but can control the speed on only three of these headers, and only with 4-pin fans at that.

    The options for motherboard fan control are few and far between these days.
     
  5. bulldogjeff

    bulldogjeff The modding head is firmly back on.

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    Looking at the top pic, does that have a lead coming off that goes to the mobo by any chance? or have you tried that already. if it's on a mobo header it should be able to give a reading and if your mobo allows for it, some sort of control. Also the header look like 4 pin PWM jobies.
     
  6. PhoenixTank

    PhoenixTank From The Ashes

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    Building on your post... If I remember right, you can't control the 4 pin PWM fans with 3pin connectors on motherboards (and vice versa).
    Could be the issue?
     
  7. rem337

    rem337 What's a Dremel?

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    Cheers for the replies,

    Yeh the 2 fans connected to the detachable units are 3 pin, which then connect to a 3 pin header on the detachable unit. This is then powered through the 2 metal plates connecting with the 2 metal plates on the case, then from the metal plates on the case there's a 3 pin connector which then goes into the motherboard fan header.

    All the headers on the Maximus IV are 4 pin, as I said though my exhaust fan is being registered fine. Maybe fan control/monitoring is simply not supported in connecting fans in the way this case does. As the actual fan itself IS physically connected to the mobo header, just not directly.
     
  8. Booti

    Booti Minimodder

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    Did you check your BIOS as suggested? On the GeneZ board you can tell it to ignore the fan speeds of each of the 5 fans individually.

    you also mention in your first post
    'In total I have these 2 fans using one header, an exhaust fan at the rear using another, and a H100 using the CPU fan header.'

    For the fans to be monitored, each one will need to be connected to a seperate motherboard header.

    May be a photo of the cable connection would be useful (the other side of the chassis contact pplate so we can see how you have it connected)
     
  9. rem337

    rem337 What's a Dremel?

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    Thanks for the reply, I've not been able to come on here in a few days. When I get home today I'll try post some more detailed images. I'll also be able to have a good check in the BIOS aswell.

    To try and explain it now, the 2 contact plates on the front are wired into one single 3 pin to go on a Motherboard header.

    I'll have a closer look tonight and post some images.
     
  10. Booti

    Booti Minimodder

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    To try and quote Mythbusters 'Theres your problem'
    I would suspect that if you removed 1 fan from the front (just to test) the other will start to report its speed correctly (and vice versa).
     
  11. rem337

    rem337 What's a Dremel?

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    *Shot down* :grr:

    Just read this while doing some research at work, on a Tech-Powerup Review of the case.

    "Sadly, NZXT still does not allow for RPM signals to be passed on to the fan PCB, as there are only two connecting pads."

    Thats that then. What I'll most likely be doing is getting 2 quieter 120mm fans to go on these units instead.
     
  12. rem337

    rem337 What's a Dremel?

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    Update:

    Fans are no longer wireless and no longer powered through the contact plates, but I do have my solution.

    Disconnected the fan header from the plates and wired simply into a Fan controller.

    [​IMG]

    If you have this case, this is basically the ONLY solution if you want to control your fans. Meaning you miss out on basically the main feature of this case. But I can live with that.

    [​IMG]

    You can still remove the front units and access your bays as normal.
     
  13. Unicorn

    Unicorn Uniform November India

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    FTR, the "main feature" of that case is a gimmick, and one that has been in place in HP servers since about 10 years ago. The fact that they didn't even bother to include the third pin RPM signal in their design tells me everything I need to know, even though I knew it before. I've never seen an NZXT case that I like.
     
    Last edited: 20 Feb 2012
  14. rem337

    rem337 What's a Dremel?

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    Tbh I actually quite like the NZXT cases, no complaints other than this. You say they they couldnt be bothered, but is sending RPM signals through only contact plates that are used for powering the fan even possbile?
     
  15. Unicorn

    Unicorn Uniform November India

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    It's an electronic signal, of course it can be sent through electrical contact plates...

    Being used to cases from Lian Li, Silverstone, Fractal and to a lesser extent, the 'non cheap & plasticky' ones from Antec, NZXT's offerings just aren't that appealing.
     
    Last edited: 20 Feb 2012

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