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Here is my plan: can folks with experience of Aquaero please check that I have got this correct, please?

SimonOcean

Junior Member

Here is my plan: can folks with experience of Aquaero please check that I have got this correct, please?

Sunday, June 28th 2015, 4:49pm

Hi everyone,

I've read a number of forum posts, product descriptions on the aquacomputer shop webpages and read the aquaero_5_6_en_2014_04_14.pdf to do most of the legwork myself. Having read all of this I am not 100% sure I have understood everything. Please would some more experienced Aquaero users check my plan and answer any of my ancillary questions?

I want to set up an Aquaero system to control:

1) 1 bank of 3 DC fans (each 0.17 Amps at 12V / 2.05 Watts maximum for 6.15 Watt maximum total, so within the single output channel limit of an Aquaero 5 LT).
2) 1 bank of 2 DC fans (each 0.17 Amps at 12V / 2.05 Watts maximum for 4.10 Watt maximum total, so again within limits)
3) 1 D5 pump: either the "Aqua Computer D5 pump motor with PWM input and speed signal" or the "Aqua Computer D5 pump motor with PWM input and speed signal". Question coming up about the choice between these two.

The plan that I would like help to check is as follows:

1) Install 1x Aquaero 5 LT somewhere in my case. (I don't want any of the Pro or XP models as I don't have space on the outside of my case for an LED screen, so my choice of the current model controllers is limited to the 5 LT model). Connect my PSU to the large four pin "power" socket on the Aquaero 5 LT. Connect the Aquaero 5 LT to 1 of my motherboard's remaining internal UBS 2 sockets. (I only have 2 internal ports available).

2) Install 1x "Flow sensor mps flow 400" more than 5cm beyond the output port of the radiator in a straight section of my loop. Install 1x "Temperature sensor internal / external threat G1/4" to the input port of the radiator in my loop and connect this sensor's cable output to the temperature sensor input on the mps flow 400. Question: How do I connect the mps flow 400 to my Aquaero? Is the use of UBS and Aquabus cables that you use either USB or Aquabus, or do you have to use both? Where does the USB cable go: from mps flow 400 to the motherboard, presumably? And where does the Aquabus cable go: to address 12-15 on the Aquaero 5 LT only? If so what is the three pin "Flow" socket on the Aquaero 5 LT for? Confused about this generally. This is not really covered sufficiently in the Aquaero user manual.

3) Install 1x D5 pump to my loop after the radiators. I wanted to control pump rpm rather than use a vario or fixed output D5. I also already understand that starting from a clean sheet (not having any hardware already) that it will be least problematic to buy one of Aquacomputers' D5s as some D5 PWM pumps from other manufacturers might not play nicely with the Aquaero 5 LT without modification. So my choice is between the two. Questions: Is there is any advantage to choosing the "Aqua Computer D5 pump motor with USB and aquabus interface" over the "Aqua Computer D5 pump motor with PWM input and speed signal"? Am I correct that the USB version would require access to the same socket address 12-15 that I've used on the Aquaero 5 LT that I have already planned for the mps flow 400 sensor? Does the USB also need connecting to my motherboard? If so I am potentially screwed as I have two internal USB sockets: the Aquaero 5 LT has used one and the mps flow 400 might have just used the other. Is there any way to avoid this conflict? Can the two devices attach to the same 12-15 address on the Aquaero using the "Aquabus Y-connector 4 pins" cable and they can share access to the Aquaero 5 LT? Am I making life much simpler for myself by getting the D5 PWM version, connecting the two power feeds to my PSU and remaining two feeds (rpm and PWM signal) to the Fan 4 PWM socket on the Aquaero 5 LT?

4) Besides that, use the temperature sensors included with the Aquaero 5 LT to measure air temperatures inside the case head of my push radiator fans and at the exit point outside the case beyond my radiator and another temperature measuring ambient temperatures in my room away from hot fan exhausts. All connected to the "sensor inputs" of the Aquaero 5 LT. No questions about that part.

I am sure many of these questions are incredibly obvious to some people. Unfortunately none of it is so clear to me yet. Thanks for any insights and help you can give this noob! Cheers. - Simon.

This post has been edited 6 times, last edit by "SimonOcean" (Jun 28th 2015, 4:53pm)

mandrix

Full Member

Monday, June 29th 2015, 12:24pm

You should be OK with the fans, but you will still need at minimum to install a heatsink to the Aquaero, and may even need a fan blowing at it, depending on how well ventilated your case is. Here is what I'm talking about:
http://shop.aquacomputer.de/product_info…roducts_id=2692

The 3 pin "flow" header on the Aquaero is for the "High Flow" model, which is what I use:
http://shop.aquacomputer.de/product_info…roducts_id=2294

Never used the USB interface D5 pump motor, I personally prefer the pwm motor which can be connected to the Fan header #4 and a power source from your psu.

SimonOcean

Junior Member

Monday, June 29th 2015, 2:15pm

Heatsink: Understood. Thank you.

Flow Sensor: I have a slight preference for the mps 400 as it has an internal temperature sensor already integrated, does not have moving parts and is slightly smaller. Does this mps 400 specifically need access to the Aquabus High Flow socket because it is transmitting flow and temperature data together and that is why you should not connect the mps 400 to the "Flow" socket?

Pump: Yup, the D5 PWM looks like a simpler install and does not load the Aquaero 5 LT's power outputs at all which is a good thing. Thanks for the heads up on how to connect it. Does anyone else know if the D5 USB version offers any advantages vs the D5 PWM?

Thank you again mandrix! Anyone else had experience of these other components that mandrix has not used?

Jakusonfire

Full Member

Monday, June 29th 2015, 2:49pm

The USB flow sensors and and USB pump are stand alone devices. They have their own USB interfaces so they can be used without an aquaero in the system. The USB interface is used for initial configuration and manual control plus talking to aquasuite. If you want an aquaero to interface with and control them then the Aquabus must be used. Aquabus allows the pumps and sensors to talk to aquasuite through the Aquaeros USB so their own usb connections aren't needed. The Aquabus is a single port on the Aquaero that can be split using wiring and each aquabus device shares it because it is given a unique address. You can connect as many aquabus devices as there are addresses available.

The USB d5 functions in the same way as the PWM D5 except it does not take up one of the four available fan headers. A PWM pump connected to fan header 4 will behave just like a fan while the aquabus pumps have their own separate section in Aquasuite and the aquaero. The USB pump has its own power connection, just like PWM version so does not load the Aquaero for power at all.

Each internal USB port on the motherboard is actually two connections and each of these usb devices uses one half of the connector so with two ports you could have 4 devices permanantly connected. However only the Aquaero needs to be connected full time, the other devices can use aquabus after the initial setup using USB.

The flow port on the Aquaero only works with the 3 pin mechanical flow sensor and is not capable of supporting any of the other devices.

This post has been edited 1 times, last edit by "Jakusonfire" (Jun 29th 2015, 2:52pm)

mandrix

Full Member

Monday, June 29th 2015, 3:27pm

Another thing is should you decide to go with a pwm pump, I would recommend getting the one Aquacomputer sells.
This is because the standard D5 pump pwm electronics are not made to the correct standard. I have 2xAquaero 5 Pro units that have no problems with either the Swiftech or XSPC branded D5 pwm motors, but the Aquaero 6 units seem especially sensitive and thus Aquacomputer came out with their own branded D5 pwm motor that supposedly have the proper electronics supporting the pwm standard.

With the Aquaero 5 units it may be hit or miss with the pwm motors other than Aquacomputer's; I don't know as I have no problems with mine. However if I ever need D5 replacements they will surely be Aquacomputer's.

This post has been edited 1 times, last edit by "mandrix" (Jun 29th 2015, 3:28pm)

SimonOcean

Junior Member

Monday, June 29th 2015, 7:36pm

Jakusonfire: thank you very much for a very comprehensive answer. This totally clears up all of my remaining confusion and uncertainty. I now know exactly what to buy. Thank you very much!!!

Mandrix: thanks again for this clarification. As I am starting out with no pump, I always intended to buy one of the Aqua Computer D5s. Based on what Jakusonfire just told me I think that I will go for the USB one and pay a few Euros extra for the Y connector so that I can connect both mps flow 400 and D5 USB to the same High Speed Aquabus socket on the Aquaero 5 LT.

Thanks again guys. I am all set.
:thumbup:

bcikota

Full Member

Tuesday, June 30th 2015, 12:21pm

Quoted from "SimonOcean"

Flow Sensor: I have a slight preference for the mps 400 as it has an internal temperature sensor already integrated, does not have moving parts and is slightly smaller. Does this mps 400 specifically need access to the Aquabus High Flow socket because it is transmitting flow and temperature data together and that is why you should not connect the mps 400 to the "Flow" socket?
The internal temperature sensor for the MPS devices is used for the sensor calibration and is not in contact with the water, so it is not representative of the loop water temperature.

This sensor can not be connected to the flow connector of the aquabus because it communicates in a different way, over a bus, either USB or aquabus. The High flow model basically just gives impulses which the aquaero counts and calculates into flow.

MPS version is somewhat quieter, as the High flow version can produce a slight clicking noise, depending on the flow.

Kind regards,
Boris.

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