Fractal R4 DC fan control with PWM fans?

[1kca]

I'm considering two Noctua NF-P14s Redux 1500RPM to use as front intakes in my Fractal R4 but they're PWM. I'm just wondering, first of all, if I can attach them to the case's DC fan control without any ill effects?

I know I could connect the fans to the motherboard and let it control the fans but the board only has 3 fan headers and two are being used by the exhaust fans. I'm fine to change how they're controlled if it means better airflow but I'd prefer not to change where they're placed

So as things stand, I have:

2x Corsair AF140 Quiet Editions (non-PWM) connected to the mobo - exhaust
1x Corsair AF140 Quiet Edition (non-PWM) connected to the DC fan controller - intake
1x Fractal Silent Series R2 (non-PWM) connected to the DC fan controller - intake


If I get the Noctuas and replace the two intakes I have now, would it be better to connect them to the board or the controller?



Thanks for looking

 

[Karsten75]

Interesting question. Having thought about it, I'd perhaps put two intakes and one outlet on the board PWM to have some automatic control over fan speed. Then you can manually connect the rest to the fan controller.

 

[1kca]

Thanks for your reply. Because of the length of the PSU and the windowed panel, I can only connect a max of 5 fans, and due because I'm trying to avoid negative pressure, I can only connect 4; 2x intake and 2x exhaust.

So you suggest I connect the Noctuas (intakes) to the mobo, and one of the exhausts to the mobo as well, and then the second exhaust the the controller?

 

[cin19]

The Noctua NF-P14s Redux has airflow 140,2 m³/h = 82.5CFM ( 1 cubic meter / hour = 0.588577779 cubic feet / minute ). And the AF140 has 67.8 CFM so the NF-P14 will have better airflow, the Fractal R4 fan should have smaller airflow because they want to quiet.
So if you buy the NF-P14, you will have better airflow for intake at least. You can just connect the fans to the case fan controller w/o any problem, because you want other AF140 used the MB fan header.
If you have the asus brand MB then either way will be same, because you can use asus fan xpert to control the fan speed too. if you don't have the asus, then the fans will run in the full speed.

 

[1kca]

Thanks, mobo is an MSI though so I'm. It's not that I want the Corsairs plugged into the mobo or into the controller, just don't what to change the position of the fans themselves.

Thank you both for your help.
I'm going set them up as Karsten75 suggested. Before I order the Noctuas though, are there any other 140mm fans that perform as well or better than the Noctuas, with the same or lower noise levels, that you would suggest I look into first?

 

[cin19]

Sorry the NF-P14s Redux only has the 133,7 m³/h or 78.7CFM. http://www.noctua.at/main.php?show=productview&products_id=86&lng=en&set=1

And yes other like Phanteks PH-F140HP_BK http://www.phanteks.com/PH-F140HP.html

 

[1kca]

So the Phanteks have a max cfm of 88 vs the Noctuas 78 and they're also quieter. Thanks for pointing those out. I'm going to go with those. Hopefully I can find them cheaper than the Noctuas.

Thanks again for your help


Edit: Also, does the fact that the Noctuas spin at 1500rpm compared the the Phanteks' 1300 mean anything considering the Phanteks have a higher cfm?

 

[Karsten75]

the dB (decibel) rating gives you an indication of noise.

I was looking for a table of dB levels and what is noisy and what is quiet when I found this.

http://www.anandtech.com/bench/CPUCooling/774

 

[1kca]

Thanks, I came across that too when I was researching. I'd decided to base the decision off how much noise the corsairs make at 100%. Because that's about the loudest I'd accept. The Noctuas were I think 1dB louder but the Phanteks ones are 5dB quieter at max (19dBA vs 24dBA)

 

[cin19]

Edit: Also, does the fact that the Noctuas spin at 1500rpm compared the the Phanteks' 1300 mean anything considering the Phanteks have a higher cfm?

Good point. And I look it again, then I found you may be get the Noctua NF-P14s, because the Phanteks has the speed in 600 - 1300 ± 250 rpm, the 250rpm is the question mark. So it may be louder.

 

[1kca]

Edit: Also, does the fact that the Noctuas spin at 1500rpm compared the the Phanteks' 1300 mean anything considering the Phanteks have a higher cfm?

Good point. And I look it again, then I found you may be get the Noctua NF-P14s, because the Phanteks has the speed in 600 - 1300 ± 250 rpm, the 250rpm is the question mark. So it may be louder.

So you recommend the Noctuas? Is that based on noise output or airflow because I don't necessarily mind the fans being louder as long as they are providing a good amount of air into the case