PWM Fan control, GPU and CPU

[Zarathustra[H]]

Hey all,

In my cooling setups, I am a huge fan of using PWM control to let the system be as quiet as possible, unless needed.

How do you handle this when you add a GPU to your loop.

I have seen mini GPU fan to full size 4 pin fan converters, so it IS possible to read the PWM signal off the GPU, but what does one do with it.

Now we have two (or more, if multi-GPU) PWM signals to control fans for one loop.

Is there any type of device that can take multiple PWM inputs and only pass along the highest one to the fans (I know this could probably be programmed on an Arduino, but I am not a programmer, and I have no Arduino experience.)

What do you guys do with your systems?

 

[Erasmus354]

I really haven't found a good solution for my PWM fan control. My problem is that I have 10+ PWM fans I want to control. I originally purchased the Corsair Link kit with 2 cooling nodes. In theory it could control all the fans separately based upon CPU, GPU, and case temperature readings. In practice the thing is complete shit that barely works at all and that Corsair has completely dropped all support for. Stay far far away from Corsair Link.

So now I am left with using a simple PWM splitter and controlling everything from the CPU PWM signal because I don't know of another solution that supports 10+ fans.

 

[Zarathustra[H]]

I really haven't found a good solution for my PWM fan control. My problem is that I have 10+ PWM fans I want to control. I originally purchased the Corsair Link kit with 2 cooling nodes. In theory it could control all the fans separately based upon CPU, GPU, and case temperature readings. In practice the thing is complete shit that barely works at all and that Corsair has completely dropped all support for. Stay far far away from Corsair Link.

So now I am left with using a simple PWM splitter and controlling everything from the CPU PWM signal because I don't know of another solution that supports 10+ fans.

The Link system looked appealing to me, but I never went that way as it sees dependent on Windows software to work.

I have found that for the CPU the best thing does appear to be motherboard PWM header. Most motherboards do a good job of auto adjusting fan speeds based on temperatures.

Just didn't know what to do with both signals.

A little device that has a few PWM inputs, monitors them all, and passes along the highest PWM speed to an output, which can later be iused with PWM splitters would be brilliant. That way you could plug in the MB CPU header, and use mini converters to plug in GPUs, and the one that's the most hot and bothered always spins up the fans...

I really ought to learn how to program an arduino...

 

[Erasmus354]

The Link system looked appealing to me, but I never went that way as it sees dependent on Windows software to work.

I have found that for the CPU the best thing does appear to be motherboard PWM header. Most motherboards do a good job of auto adjusting fan speeds based on temperatures.

Just didn't know what to do with both signals.

A little device that has a few PWM inputs, monitors them all, and passes along the highest PWM speed to an output, which can later be iused with PWM splitters would be brilliant. That way you could plug in the MB CPU header, and use mini converters to plug in GPUs, and the one that's the most hot and bothered always spins up the fans...

I really ought to learn how to program an arduino...

That really is unnecessary hardware. Most motherboards the PWM control can be software controlled. Therefore you just need software that can take CPU and GPU temps and control the PWM output of the motherboard. Then simply split that PWM signal to all of your fans. No need to have custom hardware to monitor and decide which PWM signal to pass on.


Oh, and Corsair link relies upon voodoo magic and snow dance routines to work. I'll be damned if that buggy piece of shit can be called software. It is a small miracle when the thing actually manages to see any connected devices at all.

 

[Tsumi]

I use fan controllers that control by voltage. Many fan controllers have temperature sensors that allow you to ramp up speed based on the temperature of those sensors.

 

[Jorona]

I'd probably use a swiftech pwm splitter and just run it off the GPU header. The likelihood is your GPU will almost always have the higher PWM setting.