First WC Loop - PWM Fans / Splitter PCBs and more!

..Brian..

Hey Guys,

I'm posting this everywhere, can anyone shed any light?

I'm going to put this here;

----tl;dr----Best fans for quiet watercooling set up and how to controll them without 5.25" fan controller?!


Anyhoo. Planning my first loop at the moment. Have it pretty much speced out but need help with the fans.

Vital statistics:

• 3570k and R9 290 crossfire.
  
• XSPC Raystorm and two EK FC gpu waterblocks.
  
• EK-D5 Vario X-RES 140 pump/res combo.
  
• Tubing will be acrylic, unsure about diameter and fittings, something like 1012mm ID/OD and Bitspower Black Sparkle.
  
• Aplhacool XT45 360mm rad push/pull and ST30 240mm rad push config.
  
• 8 SP120 quiet edition*
  

Now, how to control the fans? Before we get too into it, I will have no 5.25" bays so no option for 3rd party fan controllers.

Can I connect all fans to something like a Swiftech 8 way PWM fan controller PCB and have all fans PWM controlled by the CPU? The Swiftech PCB takes power from a molex connector so that should take the load off of the CPU fan header and eliminate the risk of the header burning a hole in the motherboard, correct?

But is it ok to have the fans PWM controlled my the CPU temps when there will be two GPUs in the loop as well? Will the GPUs suffer as a result as their load may be a lot higher than the CPUs.

Or is the fact the GPUs will be connected to a 45mm thick 360 rad and a 30mm thick 240 rad mean they are going to be substantially cooler regardless as long as the CPU is being cooled?

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OR

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I have an NZXT Phantom 410 with inbuilt fan controller. If I use something like a Molex powered Mod My Toys fan splitter PCB, can I regulate the voltage with the inbuilt fan controller in the case? This PCB is also power by molex so how could I use that in conjunction with the inbuilt fan controller? Realistically I would only need two steps, low and high.

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FINALLY

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About the fans. I've heard of problems with PWM SP120s when several are used, see quote:

The reason not to use the Corsairs, is that they do not conform to the Intel PWM standard, and once you have more than a few of them on a mobo CPU header, they loose lower speed control, and with enough of them, they just ran at max no matter what the pulse width percentage is.

If not SP120s, what fan to use? I was also looking at eloquently named Noiseblocker Eloop B12-PS or the Alpenföhn Wing Boost Plus PWM.

Noctua NF-F12 PWM 120mm Focused Flow PWM and the Sythe Gentle Typhoon AP15 (PWN version?) are regularly recommended but that will require painting them as I'm going for a black and white theme. So I'll do it if I have but would like to cut down the work load a bit as I'll be making all custom cables, an acrylic PSU cover, not to mention the acrylic loop and modding the bejeebus out of the Phantom 410 to get everything to fit in!

Thanks for your help in advance!

game4it70

Fair play to you using rigid tubing on your first loop.
There are lots of guides to read and make sure you get a good bit extra as its easy to mess up.

That Swiftech controller PCB will work as it draws power from the molex so your mobo header is safe.I have used 2 of these daisy-chained to do the same thing.
The mod my toys controller should work with with your case controllor also as i cant see any reason why it wouldn't.

I presume its one loop so i wouldn't worry about the gpus because of the pwn fans as generally the cpu will be hotter anyway if oc'ed.You should be able to use the mobo software or speedfan to set them manually if you wanted to.

As for fans i have akasa apaches and gentle typhoons on different rads.I think the pwn apaches are decent rad fans.They do apache blacks too so that would save you painting fans.
I would check what fpi your rads are though as it will dictate what type of fan you need static pressure wise.

Are you going for the Raystorm for looks?
If not I'd go with a ek supremacy as its very good and comes different finishes.

Blitz17

Going the same route as yourself, have delivery from OCUK due tomorrow with some bits. Going with a 360+240 rad setup with SP120s. All acrylic tubing and hopefully Primochill acrylic fittings IF stock comes in. Get some pics up when you start

..Brian..

game4it70 wrote: »

Fair play to you using rigid tubing on your first loop.
There are lots of guides to read and make sure you get a good bit extra as its easy to mess up.

That Swiftech controller PCB will work as it draws power from the molex so your mobo header is safe.I have used 2 of these daisy-chained to do the same thing.
The mod my toys controller should work with with your case controllor also as i cant see any reason why it wouldn't.

I presume its one loop so i wouldn't worry about the gpus because of the pwn fans as generally the cpu will be hotter anyway if oc'ed.You should be able to use the mobo software or speedfan to set them manually if you wanted to.

As for fans i have akasa apaches and gentle typhoons on different rads.I think the pwn apaches are decent rad fans.They do apache blacks too so that would save you painting fans.
I would check what fpi your rads are though as it will dictate what type of fan you need static pressure wise.

Are you going for the Raystorm for looks?
If not I'd go with a ek supremacy as its very good and comes different finishes.

Yup, single loop with 3 waterblocks on it. I'm gonna have to take apart the fan controller to get a better look at it, it's takes molex power and then splits into 7. I'd need to somehow rewire it so it powers the PCB instead of powering 7 fans if you get me.

There seems to be a good bit of negativity towards the PWN approach but I think you're right, the GPUs will be cooler than the CPU under load when under water and being honest, I'm not looking to break temp records, I'm ok with anything under 60°C and quiet on the GPUs which should be easily attainable ... I hope!

The rads are about 11fpi so hopefully suited for low RPM fans and the Raystorm os an aesthetic choice, it just looks the business!

..Brian..

Blitz17 wrote: »

Going the same route as yourself, have delivery from OCUK due tomorrow with some bits. Going with a 360+240 rad setup with SP120s. All acrylic tubing and hopefully Primochill acrylic fittings IF stock comes in. Get some pics up when you start

Excellent man, will do, will be a month or two yet, in the early planning stage at present and have a wedding to pay for in May so I may not be invited to the wedding if the Mrs. finds out how much I'm gonna spend on this before the wedding is paid for!

Serephucus

There's also the PH-F120S from Phanteks. They come pretty highly recommended from SPCR, if I recall correctly. From noise tests I've seen from same, as well as Youtube, the SPs really aren't great.

Tea_Bag

i have the AF120's, which are meant to be quieter than the SP's, and they're audibly louder than my GT's.

im not sure how painting them will affect noise/perf though..