Need PWM splitter ideas

[Dane_tush]

So im getting 6 Corsair fans for my NZXT H440 becuase the fans that came wity it are already loud and run at max speed. I have 3x120mm in the front pulling air in and 1×140 in the back for exhaust and 2 stock sp120s on my h100i rad on the top of the case. Im buying 1 corsair AF140 pwm for the rear exhaust, and 5 corsair sp120 performance edition PWMs for the the replacement of the stock fans in front and to replace the 2 on the rad(may end up doing push pull since i have the stock corsair sp120s too). The h440 has a fan splitter on the back but its not for PWM fans since its connected via PSU. My mobo only has three 4 pin fan connectors so could i get three 2 to 1 pwm fan splitters for the mobo to connect all 6 fans? Suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Just trying to reduce my pc noise because it sounds like a jet-_-
THANKS!

 

[i7Baby]

Run your fans off the mobo so you can change speed and get rid of the noise.

 

[JackNaylorPE]

1. Do not get Corsair PWM fans. There is a known issue ....PWM doesn't work when ganged....not only on the splitter but in the box, no matter how many headers you use.

http://www.overclock.net/t/1506812/the-best-pwm-rad-fans-going-to-be-very-exact-spec-needs/30

2. 4 pin doesn't tell you anything. 4 pin MoBo headers can be either PWM or DC

In general....

Z87 will have 1 or 2 4-pin PWM CPU fan headers and several 4 pin DC voltage CHA headers
Z97 will have1 or 2 4-pin PWM CPU fan headers and several 4 pin PWM CHA headers

Id recommend:

Phanteks Fan Hub .... It takes a single PWM signal and uses PWM signal to control up to 11 pin-PWM fans giving you the best of both worlds.... less expensive fans, no PWM hum, PWM speed control
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811984004

140 mm fans -Best fans on the market and half the cost
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=100007998%20600035673%20600035592&IsNodeId=1&Description=Phanteks&name=Case%20Fans&Order=BESTMATCH&isdeptsrh=1

120mm as above
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=100007998%20600035590%20600035673&IsNodeId=1&Description=Phanteks&name=Case%20Fans&Order=BESTMATCH&isdeptsrh=1

I have 3 of these hubs controlling 15 fans .... you can't tell if the system is on or off with your eyes closed.

The Phanteks fans have the highest Performance / Noise ratio on the market today.
http://www.overclockersclub.com/reviews/phenteks_f140/3.htm
http://www.silentpcreview.com/article1345-page7.html

 

[wildfire707]

The simplest solution is probably to use one or two PWM fan splitters that get power from a SATA power plug. One of my favorite ones is made by Swiftech and controls up to 8 fans (but watch out with high powered fans, only run up to 4 high power fans on the splitter).

Take a look over at FrozenCPU - it is only $10 without the shipping cost:

http://www.frozencpu.com/products/20988/ele-1196/Swiftech_8-Way_PWM_Cable_Splitter_-_SATA_Power_8W-PWM-SPL-ST.html?tl=g34c17s240&id=k2dpBR9v

If you want something with a display and manual controls, you could get one that takes up an optical drive bay instead - but they are more expensive.

 

[JackNaylorPE]

Again, Corsair fans do not work on the Swiftech or any other splitter .... been there, done that ... it's known as "Corsair Syndrome" ..... from above link

The issue with daisy chaining a lot of PWM fans onto a single PWM header varies from one fan model to another, and one mobo to another.

What happens is that as more and more fans are added, the portion of the PWM pulse that's supposed to be low, theoretically 0V, it starts rising above the 0V level by anywhere from a few millivolts to several tenths of a volt.

The more it rises above 0v, once it gets to a few tenths, then the fan doesn't effectively see that as being off time, and so if you had a pulse that was fully on for 20% of the time, but didn't go close enough to 0V for the other 80% of the time, then the fan would see it as a pulse much wider than 20% and not be able to slow down to where it should be at 20%.

The Corsair PWM fans are the very worst in this respect . . . .

Once you have more than about 5 or 6, depending on the mobo, you progressively loose the ability to run them at lower speeds.

Once you add a few more, and they all run at max, regardless of where you set the PWM percentage.

Running 6 or eight PWM fans, any PWM fan but Corsair that is, for a rad setup, from a single header should never cause a problem . . . .

Keep in mind also that while the CPU and CPU Opt headers are both PWM, they are not likely separately driven, so that splitting the number of fans across both of them, is not electrically different than having them all on either one. . . . . Though that too may well vary by mobo

Those Swiftech splitters work fine. I've not seen any issues inherent in them.

 

[hwc1954]

Notwithstanding the Corsair problem, the idea behind these good splitter is simple. A 4 pin plug goes into a PWM fan header, but only takes the PWM control signal and only sends back the tach speed signal from ONE fan. The power and ground comes from a molex or SATA power connector to a power supply lead.

All of fans get the same PWM signal. The MB gets speed data from a single fan. And, power comes safely directly from the power supply without concerns of overloading a fan header.

I just ordered a 4-way splitter of this type for under $7 inc shipping:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DYQRFY6

If you need to run more than 4 fans and have multiple PWM headers, then put one splitter and four fans on each header.

 

[JackNaylorPE]

I used to use PWM splitters all the time..... I don't think there's any question as to how they work.... the hub type work great, the cable splitters are often problematic. I have 3 or 4 of them in my toolbox I'd give away for free, I just found them ti be unsatisfactory both from a performance and clutter standpoint . ModMyToys and Swiftech hub type ones work w/o issue.

But while that's the route I took in days gone by, today there's a better option

PWM's advantage is it's accurate control and low speed capability....downside is the cost (as much as double) and the PWM hum at low speeds. But Phanteks knocked the industry on its ear with their fan hub which provides the best of both worlds:

1. PWM control
2. No PWM Hum
3. Use cheaper 3 pin fans

5 x Corsair SP120 - $100 (add $40 for push / pull)
1 x AF140 - $17 (not PWM)
Swiftech Splitter $10

$127 ($167 in push / pull)

Phanteks Hub $20
5 x Phanteks 120mm = $45
1 x Phanteks 140mm = $10

$75 ($93 in push / pull)

Thatz a $52 - $74 savings, same performance and lower noise at low speeds.

One think I forgot to mention, if those 2350 rpm fans are ever gonna run at anywhere near full speed, they are going to be loud. Fans are audible at above 850 rpm..... at > 1500 or so they get annoying .... at 1800+, I'd wanna leave the room.

 

[hwc1954]

The Phanteks hub looks like $19 very well spent if you've got PWM speed control and a bunch of non-PWM fans. Good recommendation!

 

[i7Baby]

What mobo have you got?