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PowerAdjust 2 NOT PWM - Really? How to control fan speed?

marchitect

Junior Member

PowerAdjust 2 NOT PWM - Really? How to control fan speed?

Montag, 11. März 2013, 00:10

So after doing some research I'm assuming that all the talk about PWM this-n-that is basically saying that the PowerAdjust 2 will not let you control the speed of your fans.
Is this really true? :cursing:
Why doesn't Aquacomputer just say: The PowerAdjust powers your fans but you cannot control the speed.?
I hope I'm wrong with my understanding of PWM and the abilities of the PowerAdjust units.
I bought the Aquaero 5 and PowerAdjusts because I thought it was one of the best fan controllers on the market. I want to slow my fans way down when I'm not using the computer as noise levels are super important for me on my build.
I have 16 fans in my build - How can I control the speed with this hardware suite? Do I have to send all 16 fans - using massive splitters to the Aquaero 5's four (4) fan headers? Basically 4 fans on each header?
Do the Aquaero 5's fan headers allow you to adjust the speed? If so, do ALL 4 headers allow you to adjust speed?


I hope someone can help me out with these questions.
Thanks in advance.

Pilo

Senior Member

Montag, 11. März 2013, 11:35

You don't need pulse-width modulation (PWM) to control the fan speed. What you need is to control the potential (voltage). And that is just what the PowerAdjust 2 does, without any transition from 0 to 12 volts. You can regulate normal 3 pin fans and pwm fans with 4 pins as well. But a pwm fan will be treated like a 3 pin fan by adjusting the voltage and not via pulse-width modulation. If you would ask me, I prefere the control via voltage, it's much 'cleaner'. Because some fans generate a buzzing noise after dropping into resonance with some frequences from the pulse-width modulation. That can't happen when you regulate your fans by voltage.
The single channel Power Adjust 2 can handle a max. power of 25 Watts total.

The Aquaero 5 does also adjust the fan speed by adjusting the voltage. You have 4 channels for that with a max. power output of 19.8 W (1.65 A at 12 V) for each channel. With splitters you could regulate the fans in groups 4x4 as long as the max. power consumption is less then 19.8 Watts total of each channel.

Zitat

4.3. Connector “Fan 1/2/3/4”
Voltage regulated fan outputs with speed signal processing. Maximum power
output 19.8 W (1.65 A at 12 V) for each channel. Maximum power is
dynamically limited through temperature monitoring.

Special feature “Fan 1”: This connector can alternatively be connected to a
flow sensor. If connected to a flow sensor, select “Sensors” → “Flow sensors”
→ “Flow 2” from the menu and set “Mode” to “Fan 1 = Flow sensor”.
Special feature “Fan 4”: This connector can be used for conventional fans or
PWM controlled fans. For PWM fans, select “Outputs” → “Fans” → “Fan 4”
from the menu and set “Control mode” to “PWM-regulated”.
Pin assignment: Pin 1: GND
Pin 2: 0-12 V
Pin 3: Speed signal
Pin 4: PWM signal (Fan 4 only)

copied from the english aquaero 5 quick installation guide

Dieser Beitrag wurde bereits 1 mal editiert, zuletzt von »Pilo« (11. März 2013, 11:58)

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mandrix

Full Member

Montag, 11. März 2013, 11:48

Once you get everything setup and the Aquasuite software installed you can set up controls for the behavior of the fans. One of the 4 fan headers on the Aquaero is pwm, it's often used to control pwm pumps but you could use it for pwm fans if you like but all the fans will be controlled the same.

As far as using splitters, how else would you connect large quantities of fans? I make my own up from scratch, for example I have several harnesses for up to 8 fans. I'm running 27 fans on my rig but I have several power adjusts. All my fans are AP-15's and most are running in the 800-900 rpm range.

If you must run pwm fans, Swiftech has a pwm splitter you might be interested in.

Take your time and get to know the Aquaero and the Aquasuite software and you will find it's a very capable controller. Being able to chain PA2's to it makes quite an expandable system. Just make sure you don't overload any of the headers or wire something up wrong and you'll be fine.

Dieser Beitrag wurde bereits 2 mal editiert, zuletzt von »mandrix« (11. März 2013, 11:57)

marchitect

Junior Member

Very Helpful

Montag, 11. März 2013, 13:55

Zitat von »Pilo«

You don't need pulse-width modulation (PWM) to control the fan speed. What you need is to control the potential (voltage). And that is just what the PowerAdjust 2 does, without any transition from 0 to 12 volts. You can regulate normal 3 pin fans and pwm fans with 4 pins as well. But a pwm fan will be treated like a 3 pin fan by adjusting the voltage and not via pulse-width modulation. If you would ask me, I prefere the control via voltage, it's much 'cleaner'. Because some fans generate a buzzing noise after dropping into resonance with some frequences from the pulse-width modulation. That can't happen when you regulate your fans by voltage.
The single channel Power Adjust 2 can handle a max. power of 25 Watts total.

The Aquaero 5 does also adjust the fan speed by adjusting the voltage. You have 4 channels for that with a max. power output of 19.8 W (1.65 A at 12 V) for each channel. With splitters you could regulate the fans in groups 4x4 as long as the max. power consumption is less then 19.8 Watts total of each channel.

This information is very helpful :P . Thank you. I'm using Silenx fans listed at 2.04w so grouping 3 or 4 together should not be a problem. And as far as I can tell they are not PWM fans.

Zitat

4.3. Connector “Fan 1/2/3/4”
Voltage regulated fan outputs with speed signal processing. Maximum power
output 19.8 W (1.65 A at 12 V) for each channel. Maximum power is
dynamically limited through temperature monitoring.

Special feature “Fan 1”: This connector can alternatively be connected to a
flow sensor. If connected to a flow sensor, select “Sensors” → “Flow sensors”
→ “Flow 2” from the menu and set “Mode” to “Fan 1 = Flow sensor”.
Special feature “Fan 4”: This connector can be used for conventional fans or
PWM controlled fans. For PWM fans, select “Outputs” → “Fans” → “Fan 4”
from the menu and set “Control mode” to “PWM-regulated”.
Pin assignment: Pin 1: GND
Pin 2: 0-12 V
Pin 3: Speed signal
Pin 4: PWM signal (Fan 4 only)

copied from the english aquaero 5 quick installation guide

mandrix

Full Member

Dienstag, 12. März 2013, 11:36

You probably need to read up on pwm. If you have pwm fans you should know it immediately by looking at the connector.
For fan connectors, a pwm fan will have 4 wire positions, neg, pos, rpm, pwm.
It's possible for a pwm fan connection to also have only two wires, and be powered from a 4 pin molex, as the 3rd and 4th wires (rpm/pwm) are usually needed for pwm control.

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