If one or some could offer their thoughts on the best direction to go here, I'd be most appreciative!
It seems my MB has the following:
1x CPU fan-header (PWM)
1x chasis fan-header_1 (PWM)
1x chasis fan-header_2 (3-pin)
1x Power fan-header (3-pin)
I was hoping there'd be more fan headers in-total, but at least there's my requisite minimum of 2 PWM headers.
I'm planning on 2->4 AP-15's for my Rad, & 4->6 AP-14's for the chassis.
Plus I'm ordering 1x >3000RPM Nidec PWM 120mm to experiment with (exact model YTBD, prolly 5400).
If testing goes well, I may order a second Nidec....
[proposed layout]
2x Nidec's, each sitting on their own PWM header, with their +/- going direct to the PSU?
Then I could put the up-to-4x AP-15's on one of the 3-pin headers, & the up-to-6x AP-14's on the remaining 3-pin header?
[/proposed layout]
Are 3-pin headers essentially linear voltage controllers (i.e. rheostat/bus) that can run 3-pin fans at 12v or less?
Or can they only run non-PWM fans at their rated top (12v) speed?
Would the 3-pin headers take the load, or would some of the GT's on them have to be rigged direct to the PSU?
Finally, is my MB's PWM likely to be high-frequency PWM?
How do I determine whether decent quality PWM has been implemented?
For instance this user's MB isn't able to regulate his fan down to 1000RPM via it's PWM header.
The lowest it can go is 2400, despite the fan being capable of 1000RPM.
Does this all sound too clumsy, is a dedicated controller looking to be imperative IYO?
I'd rather not have something that uses a bay, but would still like RPM/voltage feedback & at least auto-control if possible.
There does seem to be a few multi-channel controllers which do 3-pin, but also have at-least one channel for PWM fans.
Nothing I've seen that avoids using a bay, YTD if any offer 2x quality high-freq PWM channels*, w/high enough wattages for 2x 5400RPM PWM fans.
So hopefully no need for the self-build route, but I do get that some guys like doing that sort of thing for fun!
For the 2x 5400RPM 120x25mm fans I'm considering**, the options -as I see them- are:
(1)
Buy 2x D1225C12BBAP-31 & pair them with a controller that has at-least 2x LVC channels.
Granted I'd be using linear voltage control instead of PWM, but I'd still retain all the functionality of option (2) right?
e.g. RPM/voltage feedback, and speed control, just not the same power efficiency...
(2)
Buy 2x D1225C12BBZP-00 & feed +/- wires of 2x directly to the PSU (not sure how best to manage that), & then connect their PWM/RPM wires to the 2x PWM fan-headers on my mobo?
I haven't done the math but I suspect option (2) will be pricier than option (1), despite the latter not needing a discrete controller.
This is because the Nidec 5400RPM 25mm PWM fans, have to be imported at much greater expense than their Scythe equivalents.
This makes option (1) more attractive, because not only will it be cheaper, but I'd also own a muilti-channel PWM/Non-PWM fan controller!
Admittedly though I haven't done the maths, so I may be totally wrong...
I would prefer to start off with MB initially if do-able, hopefully saving $ + giving myself plenty of time to research the best controller.
*YTD how to ascertain if a quality PWM channel/circuit is being used.
**assuming that's the highest RPM 25mm fan from Nidec now?
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