Fan controllers adding noise?!

[jamesriley94]

Right....

Randomly looking through forums regarding differences between PWM and 3 pin fans...

I never knew this but apparently the 3 pin fans reduce the speed by rapidly turning the motor of the fan on and off. Now, I've been using a fan controller for the last few years (NZXT sentry 2), and disregarded fans as i've always heard clicks or rattles from the motor, which then vibrate through the case and make immense amounts of noise. If people want a youtube video of a coolermaster fan i have, im happy to upload one. I kept the fan purely because i thought it was funny how people said the fans were silent, and in my case it made ridiculous amounts of noise.

Anyway...today, after reading that, I decided to experiment...

I plugged the loud coolermaster fan onto a molex, and despite running at full speed it was quiet with no motor clicks whatsoever.

So...

As I'm going to watercooling within the next few weeks, I'm gunna be making an order for a big set of fans, and I was going to buy a new fan controller. But now I'm totally confused. Can I get some kind of PWM fan controller? Or do I need those 5v and 7v cable adapter things?

Cheers for the help guys, after all this time being into computers and realising I've been doing something wrong all the time!

 

[Jason-CL]

The problem with fan controllers/fans is that fans typically need a certain speed to actually work well, otherwise you will get feedback and/or noise from the controller and fans. That's just the nature of the beast. It's like hearing a hum on dimmed lights. They're starving for energy but the dimmer is not allowing that electricity to go through.

There's usually an optimum output range to the fans, I think between 9-12v is really the best. Anything below 9 starts can start the noise, but usually around 7-8v is where that noise really happens.

That's my experience with multiple fan controllers over the years (not just NZXT's, but Scythe, Lamptron, etc.)

 

[jamesriley94]

Thanks for the reply.

What would you recommend buying then? How is everyone else managing to slow their fans down without getting the hum?

I take it that is also just the case for 3pin fans, not PWM?

Thank you

 

[Jason-CL]

Typically it is just for 3pin fans. And it's not always the case, some people just have luck, while some fans don't really mind the small amounts of electricity given off. I've heard Noctua's are pretty bad with speed control around the 8-9V area.

I know my Scythe, NZXT, and Corsair fans are all really good at handling the lower voltages as well. Though the Scythe's (at least my high RPM ones) REALLY need a good voltage to get them even started. I think 8.7v they need. I use an Aquaero controller in my system, so, mileage may vary.

So, in the end, it really comes down to fan controller and fans being able to love eachother.

 

[jamesriley94]

Alright, so do I need to make sure I get a fan controller that can provide 12v to the fans then? Or do they all do that? Also, what about wattage per channel? or does that only matter if I'm going to put more than 1 fan per channel on?

I am happy to experiment with the fans, I did order 1 Scythe AP-15 last night to see how that coped. I'm not massively keen on the corsair fans, going from what I've read about the fans that come with the Hydro coolers. What of NZXT though? Can they compete with Scythes and Noctuas?

 

[Jason-CL]

Most of NZXT's fans are lower CFM/lower dBA fans, so if you're going to compare them on CFM, they probably aren't as high as other fans out there, however, if you want quiet while still getting decent performance, NZXT fans are really good.

With a fan controller, you want to ensure that each channel can get 12v simultaneously. That way you know that at the highest speeds, all fans will work fine. Then it comes down to how the fans can regulate the voltage by themselves.

 

[Firat]

The problem is with the crappy nzxt fan controllers, I had one and it as you said made an annoying noise with my cooler master fans.

So I RMA'd the fan controller and got a refund, then bought the lamptron FC touch which has 6 channels each with up to 30w per channel.

Since I got it I've been very happy. No noise with my cooler master fans

At the moment I changed fans to scythe AP-15s and I have ~ 12 in my rig!

I even have 6 running off one channel

with no issues.

Goes to show how good it is !

 

[jamesriley94]

Do you really think it's the fan controller that's the issue? I assumed they all worked in exactly the same way?

 

[SieB]

No problems with my NZXT fan controller, I have Scythe GTs, NZXT and BitFenix Spectre fans on it an I don't get any buzzing or any added noise from the fan controller.

Must be something to do with the CM fans.