Would a GPU disable itself if it does not detect a fan connected to it?

A

audioqueso

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There are very few Geforce 16-series cards that are available locally here in Japan.
However, all the cards that I find are know to be loud (Asus RUG, Zotac, MSI WIndforce)

I use Speedfan to control all the fans on my system. I want to control the GPU fans myself.

I looked up the cards (the ones that are are available here) on review sites and inspected the pictures of the card's circuit board. They all show that these cards have their own 3 or 4-pin connecter on the board itself for their fans.

So if I wanted to control the fans myself, could I disconnect that 3/4-pin connector from the GPU, splice it and make an adapter to plug into my motherboard, and then be able to control the GPU fans myself?
(I would control the fan speed based on the GPU sensor)

Or is there something in the GPU card itself that would disable the card if it doesn't detect a fan connected to the GPU's board itself?

That's all I'm trying to find out. A definite answer to the question of whether or not GPU's have some fail-safe that disables the card if no fan is detected on the GPU fan connector.

Does anyone know?
Thank you.
 
Just use MSI afterburner like any sensible person would, instead of disconnecting stuff from your board. You can do exactly what you're asking for (fanspeed curve based on temp, including an option for hysteresis).
 
doubletake said:
Just use MSI afterburner like any sensible person would, instead of disconnecting stuff from your board. You can do exactly what you're asking for (fanspeed curve based on temp, including an option for hysteresis).
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Thanks for the quick reply.

But for example, with the MSI Ventus cards, you can't lower the fan speed lower than 1500rpm regardless of the temperature. I don't know this from first hand experience, just from research. And from what I have found, MSI's fans at 1500rpm is still not quiet.
If there was some update that now allows the MSI Ventus cards to lower the fan speed slower than 1500rpm, please let me know.
 
You'll have to look for a card that allows that. For example, the Strix 1660 and 1660Ti allow 0% fanspeed under a predetermined threshold (55C by default) using the Asus GPU Tweak II software, and they even include 4-pin fan headers (1 on the 1660, 2 on the 1660Ti) that lets you connect fan(s) directly to the card so that you can have extremely fine-grain control of your GPU cooling by controlling other case fans that may be pointed directly at it. You can even control the individual fans on the GPU.

As for the MSI card, the Ventus models are specifically budget models, and they have a very lackluster featureset when it comes to cooling. Only their higher-end models allow for 0 fanspeed.
 
doubletake said:
You'll have to look for a card that allows that. For example, the Strix 1660 and 1660Ti allow 0% fanspeed under a predetermined threshold (55C by default) using the Asus GPU Tweak II software, and they even include 4-pin fan headers (1 on the 1660, 2 on the 1660Ti) that lets you connect fan(s) directly to the card so that you can have extremely fine-grain control of your GPU cooling by controlling other case fans that may be pointed directly at it. You can even control the individual fans on the GPU.

As for the MSI card, the Ventus models are specifically budget models, and they have a very lackluster featureset when it comes to cooling. Only their higher-end models allow for 0 fanspeed.
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Yes, I'm aware of the STRIX card allowing it. Those cards have been on back-order for months now.
The cards I have found are Gigabyte's Gaming and Windforce line, MSI Ventus line, Zotax AMP and Twin (though the AMP line disappeared already).
The only card from that group that allows 0% fan-speed is Gigabyte's Gaming line. The others don't. So I guess I can use Afterburner to at least slow it down.
Thanks for the help.
 
As far as I know there isn't any kind of cutoff that would make the card shutdown if the fans aren't connected, otherwise you wouldn't be able to pull the fans and put a waterblock on a card for a custom loop setup and still have it run as there isn't a provision for plugging something into the fan connection on the card. As long as the temps stay low, the card should continue working. Because of this, unless you can somehow set a fan curve for the card alone when you try to connect the card fans to the motherboard fan header, I'd say keep a very careful eye on your card temps to keep it running.
 
Haven't had any card I've owned do that. And I've disconnected the fans on lots of them.
 
I have a Asus 1070ti with out the shroud and fans, because I hate the idea of zero fan, no air over the card in idle (power components get hot as hell even at idle). So I put a PCI slot bracket for two 120mm fans below it, and connected them to the motherboard header. I use two Fractal Venturi HFs and they are super quiet even at max RPM. Takes up a lot of space though, not for micro builds.
https://www.newegg.com/p/17Z-00EK-0...re=pci_fan bracket-_-9SIAFJV8CE2609-_-Product
 
Many high end cards have 'zero fan stop' which is actually pretty cool. Given the massive heatsinks on modern GPUs, there is no need for active cooling with sub 50w loads. I know the Zotac 3xxx cards have it.
 
I see no point in doing this. Most modern cards have a zero fan when at idle or very low speed which should be silent. Just use afterburner to adjust the fan curve to your liking.
 
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