Fan controller recommendations please

[Scarlet Infidel]

Its gotten to the point where id like a fan controller. I want the following specifications:

1. No lights, not even leds above the dials. The controller must either have none, be able to turn them off or they must be easy to manually remove.

2. I want the greatest range of voltage possible, ill decide whats too little voltage. So 5v (or lower) up to 12v and everything inbetween (ie not just 5v, 7v and 12v switching). So really i want analogue dials rather than up down buttons. This leads me onto...

3. No alarms for low fan speed etc. In fact, no noise whatsoever.

4. A controller that starts things at full then clocks down to make sure that fans start is fine but not necessary.

5. It only needs about 3 channels but obviously the more the better.

6. I dont want it to take up more than a 5.25" bay unless its really really nice and takes up two.

7. Id like decent construction and good looks, nothing too cheap and tacky.

8. Not costing the earth is important. Im thinking £10-15, £20 for something really special.

9. Most of the fans i want to run use 4 pin molex connectors, a controller with these on it or adaptors would be great, I expect ill have to buy or make adaptors myself though.

10. Finally i may want to run my water cooling pump off one channel so this will require a fair amount of power available.

Im open to all suggestions though, any extra features might actually interest me.

I cant believe i wrote all that on fan controllers, i could even carry on if i wasnt so hungry..

[Noni]

Zalman fanmate 2.

[Scarlet Infidel]

Id need to buy a few then which is ugly and impractical (though not that expensive) and i wouldnt be able to run them off my psu straight out of the box.

[herulach]

build your own. THeres hundreds of articles around, and since you'll probably only want quiet or fast, a simple switched baybus would do the trick nicely.

[Noni]

only around 2? Just get 2 and y splitters.

[amjedm]

1. No lights, not even leds above the dials. The controller must either have none, be able to turn them off or they must be easy to manually remove.

Have you looked at the Sunbeam Rheobus? You can push the leds in and then fill the holes with blutack?

2. I want the greatest range of voltage possible, ill decide whats too little voltage. So 5v (or lower) up to 12v and everything inbetween (ie not just 5v, 7v and 12v switching). So really i want analogue dials rather than up down buttons. This leads me onto...

It does 0-11.5 I think.

3. No alarms for low fan speed etc. In fact, no noise whatsoever.

No noise whatsoever.

4. A controller that starts things at full then clocks down to make sure that fans start is fine but not necessary.

Manually adjustable - doesn't automatically adjust.

5. It only needs about 3 channels but obviously the more the better.

4 channels

6. I dont want it to take up more than a 5.25" bay unless its really really nice and takes up two.

Only one 5.25" bay used.

7. Id like decent construction and good looks, nothing too cheap and tacky.

Mmmm, this point is debatable.

8. Not costing the earth is important. Im thinking £10-15, £20 for something really special.

About 15-20, I think.

9. Most of the fans i want to run use 4 pin molex connectors, a controller with these on it or adaptors would be great, I expect ill have to buy or make adaptors myself though.

You would need a couple of adaptors as I think it comes with 2.

10. Finally i may want to run my water cooling pump off one channel so this will require a fair amount of power available.

20 watt per channel.

Link to review: http://www.silentpcreview.com/article84-page1.html

Available at: http://www.kustompcs.co.uk/acatalog/...ers.html#a2848

[Scarlet Infidel]

Thanks, i was actually considering the sunbeam as a good option. I think the black one looks horrible and the silver looks reasonable. I didnt realise it came with any sort of 3-4pin adaptors which makes it even better.

[[DW]Cougho]

Sunbeam is superb. Just push the LED's back as said and blank them with whatever.

[BUFF]

Vantec NXP305?
3 1/2" bay
3 fan (0-12V), 1 light control
18W per channel
3-pin connectors but come with adapters
backlights on the knobs should be a doddle to disable

[amjedm]

Vantec NXP305?
3 1/2" bay
3 fan (0-12V), 1 light control
18W per channel
3-pin connectors but come with adapters
backlights on the knobs should be a doddle to disable

Have heard some reports of the Nexus buzzing?

[Scarlet Infidel]

First review i came across said the Vantec only goes down to about 7v, but as you said i also read it can go down to zero. Shall i ignore this review? Ill have a look for another mention.

Edit: Scrap that, i was looking at the wrong model. As long as they dont buzz they also look good. Whats the difference between the NXP-301 and NXP-305? Purely cosmetic?

[BenW]

Sunbeam 'kit' here for cheap: http://www.eclipsecomputers.com/prod...ode=HFS-BAY-BK

[BUFF]

Edit: Scrap that, i was looking at the wrong model. As long as they dont buzz they also look good. Whats the difference between the NXP-301 and NXP-305? Purely cosmetic?

cosmetic & bay size

[latrosicarius]

3.5 floppy bay... looks nice... I have one. It comes with a fan that's VERY quiet when you turn it all the way down.... but can still go loud when u turn it way up... analog nob... not buttons... no display or lights at all.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811999344

[Scarlet Infidel]

That silverstone ones no good, doesnt control enough fans and probably couldnt handle a pump. Also i live in the uk so would have to look elswhere for it. Thanks for the suggestions though.

I had seen that sunbeam one on eclipse but im not sure how reliable they would be, i suppose on a small order i might take a risk with them.

[BenW]

From what i've heard they're fine