Corsair Air Series Fans Review SP120 AF120 Review

I might muddy the waters some what here.
I'm new to all this fan business. Before I just used to chuck anything in my rig.

However I'm currently running an Alpenfohn Matterhorn PURE with 2 SP120 Performance Editions and currently as I type this they are quiet. Happily sitting at ~891rpm @ 28°C (Room Temp 21.4°C)

Here's the thing though, I have them controlled via PWM. ;)

So I have the quiet of the QE when I'm just general using the PC but when and if I need it, I have the performance of the PE.
 
PWM function from 3-pin fan? HUH?

Resident said:
I might muddy the waters some what here.
Here's the thing though, I have them controlled via PWM.
Click to expand...

welcome to the OC3D forum,
dunna know how you got a 3-pin fan to get serviced by PWM?
did you add a PWM control wire to the fan? i couldn't find a way to do that?
got some pictures of the service end of the fan?

airdeano
 
airdeano said:
welcome to the OC3D forum,
dunna know how you got a 3-pin fan to get serviced by PWM?
did you add a PWM control wire to the fan? i couldn't find a way to do that?
got some pictures of the service end of the fan?

airdeano
Click to expand...

Someone from another forum made an adaptor using a few discreet components. The only wires plugged into the PWM socket are the PWM signal and the RPM feedback. The adaptor powered the fan via molex as the adaptor can carry multiple fans so it doesn't overload the header, mine runs upto 3 but I just have the two.

Please note it is a complete "home-brew" solution. It's still being developed, I just have one of the version 1 'prototypes' Version 2 is better.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
so the fan isnt PWM, the relay board is a cross-current relay.. ok.
a step-down fan controller, using a PWM wave to collect a signal and correct the data stream
in the fan output. got 'cha..

airdeano
 
airdeano said:
so the fan isnt PWM, the relay board is a cross-current relay.. ok.
a step-down fan controller, using a PWM wave to collect a signal and correct the data stream
in the fan output. got 'cha..

airdeano
Click to expand...

No the fan isn't PWM, that's it beauty. I love the aesthetics of the Air Series but when I asked Corsair if there were plans for PWM versions they said no.

This adaptor allows standard 3pin fans to be connected and controlled by PWM. It's great for those that want specific cooler fans but would have to trust a fan controller or run them at a constant speed without the adaptor.

Personally I wouldn't trust a fan controller for the CPU cooler because it's relying on a third-party sensor
 
drunkenvalley said:
How does PWM solve your issue...? *puzzled*
Click to expand...

PWM keeps my fans quiet when I don't need maximum performance but will respond automatically when I do so I don't need to faf about with a controller or limit it's performance in sacrifice of top end performance by using static in-line restrictors.

It's hardly brain-taxing stuff. :huh:
 
You can go be snide in your own spare time. My question is why you wouldn't just run a voltage regulator off the motherboard in the first place, which would achieve the same effect...?
 
drunkenvalley said:
You can go be snide in your own spare time. My question is why you wouldn't just run a voltage regulator off the motherboard in the first place, which would achieve the same effect...?
Click to expand...

A voltage regulator would cap the maximum speed? PWM allows maximum speed and also tones down the fan when temps arent a problem
 
james, I'm not entirely sure I follow your train of thought here; if you're not running third party sensors of any kind, you're running the fans off of the motherboard if you have any way of telling the temperatures, no...?

With motherboards nowadays coming with pretty packed fan regulation software, especially Asus ones, I am simply having trouble seeing how PWM is going to be any better or worse than voltage regulation.

Of course, I may just not understand some fundamental concept here, so don't be shy to enlighten me.
 
jamesriley94 said:
A voltage regulator would cap the maximum speed? PWM allows maximum speed and also tones down the fan when temps arent a problem
Click to expand...

As James quite rightly states, a VR would do nothing to actively vary the fan speed. PWM does hence it's a better choice for fan control.

Oh and I am in my own time ;)
 
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The idea is with PWM you can set the fans on auto on the motherboard so they vary with temps - and you are right in saying about the software which would help to control etc...

This would mean that on a PWM fan, they will run as quiet as they can at idle, but automatically ramp up to a user defined setting on the control software under load.

On a voltage regulator though - the fan would constantly run at say 1000rpm. It wouldnt tone itself down at idle, and it wouldnt ramp up when under load. Therefore PWM would be better...


However - motherboard fan headers are often awkward to be able to connect all your fans too. I have 9 case fans in total and so would be unable to run all of those from my motherboard, and it would be a cabling nightmare to do so with splitters. So I do run voltage regulators - and so I have all my fans at 5v, and the cpu fans at 7v. But, my system is silent all the time, so I dont need my fans to ramp down, and temps are no issue under load anyway so I dont need them to ramp up...

It just depends how you want to set your fans up tbh - I prefer voltage regulators myself. I'm against any method of fan controlling such as PWM or a bay fan controller, as it's a cabling nightmare, and IMO fans dont need to be turned up and down dependant on load if you set them up to optimise the best of both worlds in the first place.
 
I use PWM purely because of the control aspect. I wanted performance fans for when it's needed. As my room is south facing it can get quite warm during summer and it retains that heat but for the most part it's usually between 21-24°C. I mean even now it's 22.2°C in the room whilst it's 13.4 outside with the windows open at "vent" stage.

If I leave my PC doing something with a moderate to heavy CPU load I like the knowledge that if the room temp climbs the PWM raise the fan speed to compensate for the rise in CPU temps because I wouldn't be there to manually do so.

I'm only using PWM for the CPU, not the whole setup, however my case fans will be on a fan controller (NZXT LXE) when it arrives, although I'm getting that particular one mainly because it's a shiny gadget :lol:
 
You bought a fan controller? /facepalm :)

More so, you bought the NZXT one...
What fans do you have? The NZXT controllers work by rapidly turning the fans on and off, and some fans will make horrible motor clicks when put through this.
 
jamesriley94 said:
You bought a fan controller? /facepalm :)

More so, you bought the NZXT one...
What fans do you have? The NZXT controllers work by rapidly turning the fans on and off, and some fans will make horrible motor clicks when put through this.
Click to expand...

Yes. I did, the external LXE that TTL raved about in the review and it'll be running AF120s & a modified Zaward Golf3
 
Resident said:
I apologise, I didn't read the Author bit at the top. I just read the main body and it's in similar language to how you speak on the Youtube videos so I put 2 & 2 together, came out with 5 this time. :blush:
Click to expand...
You're telling me 2+2 isn't 5? :worship:
 
Coolermaster Cosmos2/H100/ SP120 performance fans.

so i recently put these together, on low and medium speeds u hear a buzz on them. theres no buzz on high. So I contacted coolermaster asking about them and they said that the SP120 fans are not compatible at low speeds. is this true or bs?
 
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