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Dear all,
There is some things I've been browsing various etailers in the UK over looking for solutions; racking my brains over and which are now doing my head in. So then I turn to you guys for help!
Perhaps this problem may also apply to a few others out there as some of the issues seem to be experienced by a number of people using this NZXT Sentry fan controller and pairing it with Thermaltake or Cooler Master case.
Here's what I've got and what I am looking to do.
I have a Thermaltake Spedo Advanced Package case with an additional NZXT Sentry LX fan controller fitted:
http://www.fileden.com/files/2008/6/...9/DSCF7621.JPG
What I basically want to do is to be able to control ALL the fans in my case. So when I watch a DVD or doing some work on this pc I can turn down the fans a large amount. Now the main obstacle I have come across is this fan controller MUST have 3pin male connectors coming from the various case fans and ALSO they have to be fans which send their rpm signal to the controller AND allow their rpm to be throttled up and down depending upon what my cooling needs demand.
Right then to begin this is what the Spedo comes with as standard:
- Front (intake) :
140 x 140 x 25mm red LED fan, 1000rpm, 16dBA
- Rear (exhaust) :
TWO 120 x 120 x 25mm TurboFan, 1300rpm, 17dBA
- Top (exhaust) :
230 x 230 x 20mm fan, 800rpm, 15dBA
- Bottom (intake) :
120 x 120 x 25mm fan (optional)
- CPU (exhaust) :
120 x 120 x 25mm fan (optional)
- Fanbar (intake) :
120 x 120 x 25mm TurnoFan, 1300rpm, 17dBA
- Side (intake) :
230 x 230 x 20mm fan, 800rpm, 15dBA
http://www.thermaltakeusa.com/Produc...0&ID=1829#Tab0
Now I have already taken out the 2 rear 120mm Thermaltake exhaust fans and replaced with Xilence red LED 120mm fans. See photo:
http://www.fileden.com/files/2008/6/...9/DSCF7616.JPG
These are LED, quieter, move more air than the Thermaltakes and also have the right 3pin connectors and with the use of a Y splitter cable I am able to run both of these rear 120mm fans off of 1 of the Sentry's channels. (It can run 5 fans or 'channels' in total as long as the same 2 fans are used on the same channel). It also allows these to be controlled fine and shows their rpm correctly on the display.
Now onto the problem fans. All of the fans supplied in a Thermaltake's Spedo come shipped with only the 4pin molex PSU type fan cable. Therefore they cannot be plugged into the Sentry directly or powered off of the motherboard. Obviously in this instance I didnt buy a fan controller to run them off the motherboard or from the PSU as some are presently being powered which I wish to change. Also this seems, from what I have read, applies to all Thermaltake cases and some of the Cooler Master ones which have a lot of fans e.g. HAF 932. i.e. if they supply you with cases fans with the case they always give you it with the PSU type fan connector AND NOT with 3 pin or 4pin motherboard type of connectors, EVEN if they sell the same fan separately with those 3pin or 4pin connectors! How stupid is that!
I checked on the NZXT forums and it seems if one uses a 4pin molex PSU to male 3pin adapter lead (can be bought in the UK easily for like £1-£2 from most pc shops) the sentry WILL NOT pick up the rpm and will not allow control over the fan. Basically because in the 4pin molex connector there is only 2 wires coming from the fan and not the 3 which are needed as the 3rd wire carries the rpm signal etc.
So then if I was to buy a few of these cheaper fan adapter leads it would allow connection to the sentry, however, it won't give me true control of being able to turn up or down the fans and show their rpm which is what I want. So this option is a non-starter!
Lets start at the front of my case. The Spedo has a red LED 140mm fan with the 4pin (2 wire) PSU cable only. It is presently plugged into the PSU. The fan itself has no Thermaltake label on it, no part number etc. Thermaltake also do not sell a 140mm red LED fan on according to their website.
1) Can anyone point out to me a red LED 140mm fan I can buy to replace this front case fan. Preferably it needs to be either as quiet or better than my existing one (I'm not going to put a noiser fan in as this fan is closest to me at my desk). Also as already stated it MUST be usuable with the Sentry.
The only fan I could find which was a red led 140mm was this Yate Loon:
http://www.overclock.co.uk/product/Y...-LED_4201.html
Will that do the job?
Now moving onto the other major obstacle. The 2 x 230mm fans I have! What choice is there out there? These fans only run about 800 rpm, but I'd still like to be able to control them as particualy the side one is noisy. There seems very few/next to non at all to choose from looking at many sites. The part number on Thermaltakes one in the case is a TT-2020 and its diameter is actually 20cm (the actual fan diameter), but it measures 23cm diagonally from screw mounting point to screw mounting point. Therefore is it a 20cm or 23cm fan?
Note: Thermaltake call it a 230 x 230 x 20mm fan, 800rpm, 15dBA. Is this cobblers?
The only ones I could find which are close are from Cooler Master, Antec or Koolance:
http://www.performance-pcs.com/catal...2ea5470823c9fa
None of those seem to be exactly the right dimensions though and also where can I buy 20-23cm case fans in the UK, they are as rare as a dodo's!
The other problem with these fans is the Spedo uses this new fangled wireless contact point on the side panel window fan. Therefore if I was lucky enough to get a 20cm-23cm fan which can replace this fan and give me a 3pin power plug I'd have to either loose that contact point feature or find a way to modify it somehow. Here is a photo of what it looks like, see top photo on this page:
http://www.overclockersonline.net/?p...um=2391&pnum=4
2) Anyone have a solution to those problems then with the 2 x 230mm fans? Namely What aftermarket replacements are there which will be direct replacements AND give me a 3pin fan plug to go into the sentry which will show rpm and allow throttling. Also how does one get around that wireless contact connector, as the original Thermaltake one uses only a 2 wire PSU molex cable to connect to the side panel and along on the base of the case to the 4pin PSU molex connector. My replacement needs to be a 3 wire type so how does one connect that to the wireless contact point?
3) The third problem is does anyone know where I can buy a Thermalright 120 fan holder in the UK other than from Scan?
http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Therm...ck-True-Copper)
I ask this as I want to add another 120mm fan onto my Thermalright Ultra-120-1366RT eXtreme so I have a push/pull setup for my core i7 920. (See 3rd photo in this thread for what it presently looks like). If I order this small £4.36 item from Scan they want to charge me £6.99 postage as Scan only use couriers and won't post small items via Royal Mail (unlike alot of their competitors who will use RM, but dont list this Thermalright fan holder).
4) Now moving onto the 4th problem. Continuing the need to replace Thermaltake's case fans in order to get the 3pin connectors to use with the NZXT Sentry I need to also replace the 2 x 120mm fans inside the case. I have 1 in the adjustable fan bar aimed at the GPU and another on the back of the motherboard tray cooling the CPU from underneath. Now these 2 fans don't need t be LED as they cannot be seen. I would also prefer particularly the one on the fan bar to push out alot of air (although be quiet as possible) as my GPU is the only thing which gets hot in this case.
Therefore what 2 120mm non LED fans should I got for? I was thinking 2 of these:
http://www.thecoolingshop.com/produc...oducts_id/3129
(Sorry could not post a Scan link as they don't stock Xilence case fans)
It says "Connectors: big 4pin (HDD), 3pin Molex" - Would these work? On Xilence's website it says: "Connector: Small 3pin & 4pin male"
Also Xilence do the same fan which has the PWM feature, but seems to have a 4pin motherboard type connector? Basically meh!What will work with the Sentry?
I know I already have those 2 rear exhaust Xilence red LED 120mm fans working fine with the sentry, so that is what immediately made me look for some non LED Xilence 120mm fans, but those Xilence Red Wings doesnt look like just a non LED version of the Xilence Fan 120mm TR I already have. i.e. will they work?
5) Final thing (still awake?) What is the best 120mm fans to use with my Thermalright Ultra 120. I see alot of people raving about the Noctrua 120mm NF-P12 as it pushes so much air for quite low noise, but they are £16 each and if I buy 2 of those for a push-pull setup will they definately work with the NZXT Sentry? I ask this question as there seems to be some debate whether Noctua fans work with the Sentry on NZCT's forum.
Also I won't post all of the above issues onto NZXT's forum as their technical support seems rubbish. i.e. they cannot even bother to compile a list of which aftermarket fans work with their fan controller fully and which don't! Therefore its over to you guys!
Thanks ever so much in advance for any advice you can give me.
Cheers
Loz
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