Lamptron FC5 Fan Control & LCD Read-Out

[EnJoY]

TechREACTION blogger "The Duke" posted a review of the new Lamptron FC5 fan controller today. The controller is packed with enthusiast-quality features such as 30w per channel fan control, voltage and temperature read outs, and of course a fancy color-changing LCD display for all the case modders and watercooling guys.

http://www.techreaction.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/IMG_10171-1024x768.jpg

If you're interested in this product, you will definitely want to read The Duke's review as he gives the average users view on it to give you an idea of how most of us would see it.

Check it out @ TechREACTION.net (http://www.techreaction.net/2010/01/12/review-lamptron-fc5-fan-controller/)

Please bear with the pictures in the article, it seems they are loading for some and not others. If a picture will not load, just try to right click -> copy image url and paste into a new window to view the hi-res shot. Thanks.

[EnJoY]

No comments? It's a very nice unit and we appear to have the first review on it. I figured more people would have something to say about it?

[NaeKuh]

Its just a lot of us have had a bad experience with lamptron.

They made a squeeling noise.

And snipe gave a nice introduction on it also.

Your about 5 months late Enjoy. :P

[Icy]

35 post thread about the same unit a couple of days ago (http://www.xtremesystems.org/Forums/showthread.php?t=233816)

[NaeKuh]

35 post thread about the same unit a couple of days ago (http://www.xtremesystems.org/Forums/showthread.php?t=233816)

:rofl:

okey 4 months late.. thanks for the correction.

[ahmad]

35 post thread about the same unit a couple of days ago (http://www.xtremesystems.org/Forums/showthread.php?t=233816)

Couldn't see any useful info in that thread pertaining to this unit...

@EnJoY, nice review! I think I might pick this thing up..

[NaeKuh]

Couldn't see any useful info in that thread pertaining to this unit...

@EnJoY, nice review! I think I might pick this thing up..

id like the know if they fixed the squeeling noise like they said they did.

IF they did, i can see myself as a potential customer for this.

[ahmad]

Well thats why someone @ XS needs to get one! :)

[EnJoY]

id like the know if they fixed the squeeling noise like they said they did.

IF they did, i can see myself as a potential customer for this.

No squealing reported by The Duke. So I would say it's fixed.


Its just a lot of us have had a bad experience with lamptron.

They made a squeeling noise.

And snipe gave a nice introduction on it also.

Your about 5 months late Enjoy. :P

Yea, that was a preview, if you could even call it that. This is an actual review of the released product, and the first one at that. So...deemed worthy of a new thread.

[NaeKuh]

Well thats why someone @ XS needs to get one! :)

Meh... i was a guinea pig 2 yrs ago.

I dont want to do that anymore.

Im already the guinea pig when it comes to processors.


No squealing reported by The Duke. So I would say it's fixed.

Looks like i'll be getting one too then when i pick up my EK Dual d5 top to play with.

[Ketzer7]

i pick up my EK Dual d5 top to play with.

:shocked: Did I just read that right? After all the denouncing of the D5 (vs. DDC) you did in the dual D5 top thread? Why the change of heart? :)

[Sadasius]

^ It's not a change of heart. He likes to play with all the toys in watercooling. He has just about everything to do with pumps.

[NaeKuh]

:shocked: Did I just read that right? After all the denouncing of the D5 (vs. DDC) you did in the dual D5 top thread? Why the change of heart? :)

i like toys.

i have the d5's i just need the top.

But i probably wont be using it in my main system.
Its still too big for me to think its practical.

[triggs75]

Mine is due to be delivered tomorrow. :D

[WeeMaan]

Where can you get this in Europe?!?
I really want it! Now!

[Elpy]

If it had the possibility to control fan RPM depending of temperature... Yeah I could buy one.. But since it doesnt... I'll stick to my kaze server :rolleyes:. Pretty much the reason why I got a fan controller in the first place.

[NaeKuh]

I hate my kaze controller.

i killed 2 of them.

ABSOLUTE JUNK when connected to san aces.

They blow out like hot cakes.

[Main]

run inside specs :)

[NaeKuh]

run inside specs :)

:rofl:

a single san ace on each controller is outside specs?

[nkresho]

My fc2 only squealed when I had scythe s-flex fans on it. It works perfectly with my current gentle typhoons and it has worked well with panaflo mediums, pana highs, as well a yate loon meds and highs.

Even plugged in a mcp355 for a bit to see if she'd (fc-2) act funny. No problems whatsoever. Disconnected the pump eventually, since turning it down had little effect on volume (already pretty quiet).

[sirheck]

I hate my kaze controller.

i killed 2 of them.

ABSOLUTE JUNK when connected to san aces.

They blow out like hot cakes.

Not exactly, mine still works.
Just after about 2 months 2 of the temp readings quit working and
one of the fan RPM readings quit as well this is on the display.:rofl:

This is on the scythe fans. Dont think i will be buying anymore myself.

[JasonDTM]

:rofl:

a single san ace on each controller is outside specs?

Old sunbeam powers my san aces full bore just fine even after 3 years of use. :D

[Spawne32]

id like the know if they fixed the squeeling noise like they said they did.

IF they did, i can see myself as a potential customer for this.

Yes, the FC5 uses PWM and a different PCB then all of the previous designs, the FC2 and FC3 will be getting new revisions to correct the squealing issue.

[Munro]

Yes, the FC5 uses PWM and a different PCB then all of the previous designs, the FC2 and FC3 will be getting new revisions to correct the squealing issue.

Hi,
How do you know use PWM?

[Boulard83]

I own 2 FC5 and they work flawlessly !

I have Gentle typhoon, Yates, stcok CM fans and the lil Mosfet thing plugged to it and they all run silently.

[Gamb311]

I have 2 also and no noise for me. I'm using 2 low speed Yate Loons per channel. So far so good.

[clone38]

Had mine a few weeks from Kustompcs in the UK no problems at all.

[smanet]

Got it from YbrisCooling in Italy... powerfull!

[Vinas]

I hate my kaze controller.

i killed 2 of them.

ABSOLUTE JUNK when connected to san aces.

They blow out like hot cakes.

This is typical. You're not the first and probably not the last having problems with these...

On the bright side I've had good luck with sunbeam rheobus extreme. The name sounds a little cheezy and it's not as pretty as lamtron or scythe, but it pushes 25mm delta fans really well. The sunbeam also works well with my 38mm Sunon and 38mm Deltas even though they're pushing the 30watts per channel.

I do appreciate the look of the non-lcd lamptron. The metal work is pretty impressive in person.

[hokiealumnus]

In searching for another thread, I found this one. FYI, Lamptron has fixed the squealing on their FC-2 & FC-3 with a new PCB. Check out the review here (http://www.overclockers.com/lamptron-fc2-fc3-fan-controller-review/). I also have an FC-5 in my main system that I didn't review and it has never squealed controlling three UHS Panaflos and two Delta AFB1212SH (.8A) and various other case fans, FWIW. Vinas is also very correct, the metalwork on these things is gorgeous. Still like my old Rheobus Extreme, but now that the squealing issue is fixed, Lamptron gets the nod.

[H20Cooled]

I picked up 2 of these that should be arriving tomorrow for my new build, they look like great and much simpler then setting up the POS koolance TMS or the bigNG to deal with fans and pumps

[antiacid]

I got myself a FC-3 last week and it makes my Gentle Typhoon squeal at 1/3 power or less... My old noctua's that I wanted to replace aren't squealing though. Any advice? Should I switch to the v2 fc5 or just suck it up and never put it lower than 1/3 power?

[sRHunt3r]

I received my FC5 the other day and I like everything about it with the exception of the display.
I find it very hard to read it unless I look down at it or from an extreme side angle :( It seems to control and read my fans, temps and even my Koolance INS-FM17 very well.

[hokiealumnus]

I got myself a FC-3 last week and it makes my Gentle Typhoon squeal at 1/3 power or less... My old noctua's that I wanted to replace aren't squealing though. Any advice? Should I switch to the v2 fc5 or just suck it up and never put it lower than 1/3 power?
Contact Lamptron, they should take care of you. AFAIK they've handled these on an individual as-needed basis just fine. The ones I had were prototypes, but the new revisions are in production AFAIK. Just contact their support.

I don't think the FC-5 ever had a v.2. Its original was a design that didn't squeal. The FC-2 and FC-3 are the ones that have been redesigned.

[FrenchPcdiga]

I'm whaiting for rev2. One of the issues can be check where

http://img23.imageshack.us/img23/6707/r38l.jpg

for who does understand spanish:

http://www.pcsilencioso.com/es/foro/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=249&start=80

[Alexandr0s]

The problem is explained better on OCN (http://www.overclock.net/case-mods-general-discussion/720961-lamptron-fc5-problem.html).

[Johnmark]

After waiting for almost a year I finally received the FC5 second release, to replace my Sunbeam 6 channel controller.
First impression is not good, two of the four pots are VERY sticky near the end of their travel.
When hooked up to the three Gentle Typhoon 1850's via a "y" connector, which has a four prong plug on the end that hooks up to the controller I get no juice to the fans or if I move the connector over to the other side(the other 3 pins) she runs at full speed only and display's 0 rpm. Another single typhoon with a three pin connector run's at full speed only with no speed display, or control. And the three port is hooked up to a single Scythe fan which actually display's the speed and controls. I've moved the connector around with the same results :(
This morning I see that all speed display's show 8880 rpm ?

Any one able to help me get this thing working properly? Which four pins of the "Y" connector need to be used and on which pins on the FC5?

TIA

John

[hokiealumnus]

It's probably not the fan controller that's causing your fan issues. It sounds like you have a PWM fan and are trying to control it with a linear fan controller, which you can't do. (Well, technically the controller uses PWM circuitry to control fans in a linear fashion.) PWM fans are controlled by a pulse signal to the fourth wire. From this site (http://www.analog.com/library/analogDialogue/archives/38-02/fan_speed.html):

In addition to the power, ground, and tach signal, 4-wire fans have a PWM input, which is used to control the speed of the fan. Instead of switching the power to the entire fan on and off, only the power to the drive coils is switched, making the tach information available continuously. Switching the coils on and off generates some commutation noise. Driving the coils at rates greater than 20 kHz moves the noise outside of the audible range, so typical PWM fan-drive signals use a rather high frequency (>20 kHz). Another advantage of 4-wire fans is that the fan speed can be controlled at speeds as low as 10% of the fan’s full speed.
You won't be able to accurately control 4-wire PWM fans with a 3-pin controller.

Now, I've never tried this myself (always had 3-pin fans), but in theory that's the gist of it. I'll happily be corrected if someone knows how to get it to work though. :)

[Johnmark]

It's probably not the fan controller that's causing your fan issues. It sounds like you have a PWM fan and are trying to control it with a linear fan controller, which you can't do. (Well, technically the controller uses PWM circuitry to control fans in a linear fashion.) PWM fans are controlled by a pulse signal to the fourth wire. From this site (http://www.analog.com/library/analogDialogue/archives/38-02/fan_speed.html):

You won't be able to accurately control 4-wire PWM fans with a 3-pin controller.

Now, I've never tried this myself (always had 3-pin fans), but in theory that's the gist of it. I'll happily be corrected if someone knows how to get it to work though. :)

Thanks, for the reply. The GT's are three wire fans, but the Gelid "Y" connector is four pin, so I guess I'll have to rewire the "Y" connector's or try and find a couple of 3 pin "y" connectors. The Gelid's are nice as they come sleeved and the price was right :)

P.S. Has anyone did the display fix posted about where one, solders a wire across the two points shown? Hate to void the warranty if it doesn't work or causes other trouble.

John

[andressergio]

I have 3 Sanyo Denkis on one channel at 6.5V and other fans on other channels no compaints so far, only thing that i dont like is the contrast you have to be in a certain angle to read well the display...wish there was a contrast regulation or brightness dunno...

[hokiealumnus]

Thanks, for the reply. The GT's are three wire fans, but the Gelid "Y" connector is four pin, so I guess I'll have to rewire the "Y" connector's or try and find a couple of 3 pin "y" connectors. The Gelid's are nice as they come sleeved and the price was right :)

P.S. Has anyone did the display fix posted about where one, solders a wire across the two points shown? Hate to void the warranty if it doesn't work or causes other trouble.

John
You can get sleeved Y-connectors for a couple of bucks at Jab-Tech IIRC. I'd hook a fan directly to the controller and make sure that's the problem before ordering anything though.

[Johnmark]

I have 3 Sanyo Denkis on one channel at 6.5V and other fans on other channels no compaints so far, only thing that i dont like is the contrast you have to be in a certain angle to read well the display...wish there was a contrast regulation or brightness dunno...

Did you use Y connectors to join the fans, or splice them in parallel ?

Yea the viewing angle is very poor, and two sticky pots/dials out of four isn't performance.

Mail order can be such a pain !

John

[Aedubber]

Mine should arriving tomorrow .. Using it for my new build
but I could test it on my current rig

[TomH999]

newb question:

Where exactly do you attach the temp sensors?

[ascl]

There is a row of connectors near the power plug.... and the other end goes wherever you want to measure the temp.

[Johnmark]

Mine should arriving tomorrow .. Using it for my new build
but I could test it on my current rig

If your running three or more fans in series I certainly would appreciate you giving yours a test run.
One Typhon runs fine and all channels work with a single fan. Looked at my 'Y' connectors that I used to join the three fans together and everything is wired in parallel with no crossed wires etc. So I'm not sure why the controller will not control the 3fan pack, and it stays at max. speed.
My error on the previously mentioned fan that didn't have speed ind. is working, had a 2 wire extender on it.:shrug:

Found a utube video that shows the display problem I'm having with all values going to 8's and a few 0's. It's a review of sorts and the guy just ignores the fact the display is whacked LOL
//www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOg1TPMDFEA (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOg1TPMDFEA)

John

[andressergio]

Did you use Y connectors to join the fans, or splice them in parallel ?

Yea the viewing angle is very poor, and two sticky pots/dials out of four isn't performance.

Mail order can be such a pain !

John

No i made myslef the connector is this one so i plug the 3 sanyos there and read its speed also :up:

http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/1189/p10103811a.jpg (http://img210.imageshack.us/i/p10103811a.jpg/)

[Waterlogged]

Johnmark, if the splice is sending the tach signal from all 3 fans, it's going to drive any device that reads RPM's nuts. You only need the RPM from 1 fan.

[Johnmark]

Thanks for all the help peeps! Got it working properly now.

andressergio, in this day of fast food and fast everything, I forgot all about making a nice little board like yours. Nice work I'm going to build one !

Still have not been able to find anyone that soldered across jumper #38 to see if it indeed fixes the problem of the display showing all 8's and a couple of zeros, don't want to void the warranty before I find someone that can verify it worked for them.

Final Thoughts:
Face plate does not fit flush with case and as mentioned two of the four pots where soldered in crooked so those two knobs bind. The colors are neat but some of them are difficult to read. Also if you set the jumpers to display the temps. the fan alarm no longer works :(

Lamptron still has some work to do before the device could be considered a strong solution. For starters dump the jumpers and put a couple small push switchs on the face plate... Kinda silly to have to take the controller apart just to change volts/rpm or color for that matter.

John

[Vinas]

The FC5 is a really nice controller. John, it sounds like maybe your controller just barely passed QC or something? The build quality on my FC5 is top notch and really compliments the sunbeam rheobus extreme very nicely. Maybe a return/RMA is in order to make it as nice as it should be.

[ascl]

There have been a number of people complaining about the same problem. I got mine set up today, and thankfully I am not seeing it. If you do the soldering over R38 "fix", please report back how it goes.

[Church]

No i made myslef the connector is this one
Nice compact one. What did you need for it? That mini plate and then solder on those four connectors?
P.S.
You should choose connectors in black color + presleave before any soldering wires to.

[Johnmark]

The FC5 is a really nice controller. John, it sounds like maybe your controller just barely passed QC or something? The build quality on my FC5 is top notch and really compliments the sunbeam rheobus extreme very nicely. Maybe a return/RMA is in order to make it as nice as it should be.

I'd say you are right on the money regarding passing QC, had to pull a sticker off the speaker that said "remove after washing" :shrug:
But then again what good is the speaker when the alarm doesn't work when monitoring temps.

John

[Gamb311]

After 1 replacement and same problem I had to do the soldering "fix". Well it does fix the readings going out problem. Only problem now is when I'm looking down from above I see bright 888's and 188s. But for the most part it worked out...

[andressergio]

Thanks for all the help peeps! Got it working properly now.

andressergio, in this day of fast food and fast everything, I forgot all about making a nice little board like yours. Nice work I'm going to build one !

John

thanks mate :up: on that lit circuit board im taking RPM from one fan

Cheers :toast:
Sergio

[Johnmark]

After 1 replacement and same problem I had to do the soldering "fix". Well it does fix the readings going out problem. Only problem now is when I'm looking down from above I see bright 888's and 188s. But for the most part it worked out...

So if I understand you the fix really doesn't work, sounds like it creates another problem. If you look at the display head on does it look normal?

What a bummer, waited almost a year for the FC5 and its a dud.

Guess the Sunbeam and OLD Thermaltake are going back in :(

Those of you that have said they are having no problem with the FC5 is there some kind of rev. # or marking's on the unit you are using?

John

[Gamb311]

Head on, sides I see it just fine. It's just on mine after soldering if I look at it from above or below I can't see readings now. It's better than not seeing anything from any angle. Still Lamptron needs to fix this themselves.

[andressergio]

i got mine less than a month ago and today i found it in another color and all 8888 displaying...i guess i have the same problem as all...

[Alexandr0s]

I really like my FC5, but the first channel is unable to control the fans, it just keeps it at maximum or off. So basically I got 3 fan channels, and 1 on/off switch. Still no biggy though, because the other channels still do 30W each, which should be sufficient for me.

[NaeKuh]

No i made myslef the connector is this one so i plug the 3 sanyos there and read its speed also :up:

http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/1189/p10103811a.jpg (http://img210.imageshack.us/i/p10103811a.jpg/)

omg that is just awesome.

its what ive been asking for in our hobby.

all you need to do now is somehow make it take a voltage Pot.. and have a power lead going out, and then it would be the perfect rad mate.

[Alexandr0s]

Naekuh, any idea what kind of voltage pot would be necessary to handle 3 fans?

[Church]

Alexandr0s: i believe most vendors publish what current fan needs when working, and what current is needed startup current for them (usually higher). From those numbers you can simply calculate needed wattage. Eg. multiply startup current in amps x voltage (12V) x fan count, and compare to whatever you gonna use to power them (motherboard fan molex/some rheostat/some smart controller/..).

[H20Cooled]

One of my 2 FC5's has the LCD issue as well. One I sent back to the vendor that I purchased it from and and had a replacment as one of the channels was bad and would drop down to 7-8v even when turned all the way up.

Mt second unit is doing the screen issue and lamptron wanted me to send it overseas for the rma and I am not sure I am wanting to do that. I think I might try fixing it myself at this point since others have said the fix did not really solve all the problems

[Johnny87au]

I hate my kaze controller.

i killed 2 of them.

ABSOLUTE JUNK when connected to san aces.

They blow out like hot cakes.

+1, happened to me running panaflo's

[andressergio]

Guys the lamptron FC5 fix works ? i've seen users reporting that reading angles are affected by doing this but in my case came like that only way of seeing is direct in front...

So the fix stops the 8888 display crap ?

Thanks in advance for the help
Sergio

[CryptiK]

I also have the FC5. The display is pretty bad, all the other lines for the numbers can be seen just slightly less bright than the actual number its displaying, so if its supposed to be displaying "7" it's like a brighter "7" superimposed over a slightly less bright "8", so kind of annoying. Viewing angle is also poor. Other issues also similar to the guys in here.

[Johnmark]

I also have the FC5. The display is pretty bad, all the other lines for the numbers can be seen just slightly less bright than the actual number its displaying, so if its supposed to be displaying "7" it's like a brighter "7" superimposed over a slightly less bright "8", so kind of annoying. Viewing angle is also poor. Other issues also similar to the guys in here.

Yea the FC5 is a piece of JUNK, period. No response from tech support, nothing.

No more Lamptron products for this Cowboy!

[andressergio]

Yea the FC5 is a piece of JUNK, period. No response from tech support, nothing.

No more Lamptron products for this Cowboy!

i must say that i posted a thread saying what you are saying and spawne32 replied me very fast...PM him he will get the solution for ya, they sent me the V2 direct from factory

check this thread guys

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=255199&highlight=dissapointed+lamptron

cheers
Sergio

[andressergio]

I also have the FC5. The display is pretty bad, all the other lines for the numbers can be seen just slightly less bright than the actual number its displaying, so if its supposed to be displaying "7" it's like a brighter "7" superimposed over a slightly less bright "8", so kind of annoying. Viewing angle is also poor. Other issues also similar to the guys in here.

check here Cryp

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=255199&highlight=dissapointed+lamptron

[andressergio]

+1, happened to me running panaflo's

well you have to do the maths mate...kazes are 1A per channel, 2 san aces at 12V are more than 1A, not to mention if you regulate them to lower volts...for san aces you need Sunbeam Rehobus Xtreme or the Lamptron FC5 V2

[Johnmark]

i must say that i posted a thread saying what you are saying and spawne32 replied me very fast...PM him he will get the solution for ya, they sent me the V2 direct from factory

check this thread guys

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=255199&highlight=dissapointed+lamptron

cheers
Sergio

Thanks, I sure hope they respond and I get a working unit as I never got anything back from U.S. support?

[CryptiK]

check here Cryp

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=255199&highlight=dissapointed+lamptron

Thanks man. I've sent him an email.

[andressergio]

Thanks, I sure hope they respond and I get a working unit as I never got anything back from U.S. support?

they will mate just PM spawne32

cheers
Sergio

[PatRaceTin]

i use FC2 no lcd but high current

[Johnmark]

Thanks, I sure hope they respond and I get a working unit as I never got anything back from U.S. support?

Now that is service, received an email already and am on the RMA list! Delivery is back ordered, but hey I waited almost a year to get the FC5 so a few more weeks isn't going to hurt :)

Thanks again for the tip.

[Johnmark]

Now that is service, received an email already and am on the RMA list! Delivery is back ordered, but hey I waited almost a year to get the FC5 so a few more weeks isn't going to hurt :)

Thanks again for the tip.

Well Lamptron is true to their word, received a new FC5 v2 in the mail today!
Have not installed it, but I'm hoping the v2 on the box will make all the difference.

Thanks guys

[Aedubber]

Thats really NICE , im in NJ and i dont even have my controller from them yet LOL shiity service..been waiting about 2 months now.. Lame

[Johnmark]

It took mine about 2 months to arrive, it was shipped from China.

[Vinas]

I must have a r2... Because I've never had an issue with this product, driving 4 deltas...

[Aedubber]

It's not per say an issue , but a poorly setup unit that when displaying the read out on the screen that you just see a bunch of 8888 .. When a customer spends a decent price on a fan controller we want what we pay for , not some rubbish ..