Question on fan & pump control using Aquaero 5

[acutech]

Hi guys, I really would love to get the Aquaero 5 XT or Pro but I'm confused as to what I would need exactly. I have 2 MCP35X pumps, my RX360 rad is cooled by 6 Akasa Apache PWM fans. According to MartinM210 in this thread (http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=269669), it would be best using the PWM header for the pumps and voltage control the fans. I don't mind doing this at all but want to know if a single Aquaero XP/Pro would suffice. Here is how I see it:

http://www.techsystemes.com/files/aquaero5_headers.jpg


Think it can handle it?
3 fans per channel?
2 pumps on the PWM channel?
I might add the 2 other 140mm fans on my 800D to the mix but I can live without...

If not, what would I need to add to control these 6 (or even 8) fans, 2 pumps?

Thanks in advance!

[Church]

Imho you should be able to handle 2 pumps on only pwm channels just fine, except that RPMs will be reported from only one of them. If your fans will be able to run at full speed even without pwm signal, i see no problems attaching them to other, non pwm channels. Though i'd buy some plain 3-pin to multiple 3-pin Y fan wire splitters to save a bit. Imho no need to buy pwm splitters, if those aquaero channels are 3-pin ones.

[acutech]

Bah, I already have all the splitters... Think 3 fans per channel is ok?

[mm67]

Those Akasa PWM splitters only work with PWM fans and headers, if you use 3-pin fans or connect splitters to 3-pin headers fans will always run at full speed.

[acutech]

I've got 6 Akasa Apache Black fans, as indicated in my 1st post... They are PWM 4 pins fans.

I was just wondering if the aquaero 5 was powerfull enough to handle 3 fans per channel + 2 pumps on the PWM channel, probably an aqua computer flow meter as well as a few temp sensors.

[mm67]

I've got 6 Akasa Apache Black fans, as indicated in my 1st post... They are PWM 4 pins fans.

I was just wondering if the aquaero 5 was powerfull enough to handle 3 fans per channel + 2 pumps on the PWM channel, probably an aqua computer flow meter as well as a few temp sensors.

When you use those Akasa splitters power to fans comes from Molex connectors, only PWM signal is taken from fan header. I for example have 6 Akasa Vipers connected to cpu fan header using those splitters.

[Martinm210]

For the fans, you just need normal fan splitters like these. I don't think those PWM splitters will work since they are drawing current from the 4 pin molex.

Something like these would work though, or make your own:
It's basically just splicing the ground and power wires and passing along only one of the yellow RPM signals.
http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/3pinconverter.html
http://ep.yimg.com/ca/I/sidewindercomputers_2152_51418838

The pumps should be fine as long as that splittler cable is actually splitting the PWM signal to both pumps and only sending back one RPM signal. The pumps will still draw power from their own 4 pin molex connector.

As far as fans current, according to Akasa, the current is .33AMPs
http://www.akasa.com.tw/update.php?tpl=product/product.detail.tpl&no=181&type=Fans&type_sub=PWM%20Control&model=AK-FN058

That's 4 watts per fan which is a bit more than I would have thought. I would put two on per channel for 8 watts total of the three available channels (May as well spread the load if you have the spare channel). The controller should handle that just fine.

This way you would have independent control and monitoring of the pumps and fan channels. Trying to use PWM on the fans would be more limited. You might be able to do that as well using the other PWM channels, but I really don't understand the controller well enough to suggest that. I would go PWM on the pumps and use the fan channels for the fans and ditch the PWM idea on fans.

[acutech]

Well thanks for the info Martinm210, exactly the answer I was seeking! What is this Poweradjust 2 thing? Is it what you need if you want to add more fans eventually?

[Shoggy]

The poweradjust 2 is normally a stand alone device which provides up to 25W of power and can handle peaks of 48W - useful when a pump spins up because this requires much more power.

If you need additional fan channels on an aquaero 5 you can connect up to 6 poweradjust 2 controllers via aquabus. You will see no difference in the controlling and monitoring options. It is like a real X-th fan channel.

[Paradoxxx]

The poweradjust 2 is normally a stand alone device which provides up to 25W of power and can handle peaks of 48W - useful when a pump spins up because this requires much more power.

If you need additional fan channels on an aquaero 5 you can connect up to 6 poweradjust 2 controllers via aquabus. You will see no difference in the controlling and monitoring options. It is like a real X-th fan channel.

How many additional fan controllers does the Power Adjust 2 provide?

[Shoggy]

One :D

[Paradoxxx]

http://forum.aquacomputer.de/images-ac/poweradjust_2_2.jpg

In the picture above I see atleast 3 x 3pin headers.

[Shoggy]

It has 5 of them:

1 x fan/pump
1 x tacho generator output
1 x flow sensor
2 x aquabus

[Paradoxxx]

It has 5 of them:

1 x fan/pump
1 x tacho generator output
1 x flow sensor
2 x aquabus

Oh, thanks.

[acutech]

Ok I see, thanks for the info Shoggy