fan wire modding and other questions

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Daemas

Gawd
Joined
Apr 11, 2009
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Starting to put together some of the pieces of my new build and I had some concerns and questions regarding fans and fan controllers.

I'll probably be using the Aerocool Touch 2000 because it's the best touch controller out there right now. The only thing kind of shitty is it's 6w max per channel. I wanted to hook up 3x Yate Loon D14SM-12 and was trying to figure out a way to do it. Pretty much the only way I can think of it take some wire and make my own harnesses. Over at FrozenCpu I can get black/yellow/red wire by the foot but they sell both 18AWG and 22AWG and I wanted to know which I should use? I was thinking of using the 18AWG which would be the thickest and therefore most durable but wanted to know if it was electrically sound with the wattage limit for the fan controller (I don't know shit about electrical engineering). Do I need to solder them or can i just strip them and twist the pairs? If I need to solder, please point me to a kit that can do what I need of it.

If I were to do it and sleeve it all how would i do it? this work? http://img514.imageshack.us/img514/6315/57196614.jpg

Also, I was going to sleeve the stuff with MDCP-X and was wondering if the red/yellow would show through? I kind of wanted to use the red and yellow because that's the fucking color that shit is supposed to be (freaking OCD) but if it's going to show through, I can do it all black wiring.

Since there are 4 channels, and I was gonna use a Mountain Mods Pinnacle 24 CYO which will soon have 140mm rad support. I was gonna do:
1) Pump
2) PA140.3 with 3x Yate Loons for Processor/MB
3) PA140.2 with 2x Yate Loons for Video card (maybe not, depends on prices of waterblocks for 6800 series)
4) 1x Yate Loon for intake, 2x for exhuast (I would do 1, but since there are 2 exhaust ports, might as well put two in there


any thoughts?


TL;DR

1) Any better fan controllers than Aerocool Touch 2000 or ways to increase max wattage (bigger heatsinks?)?
2) RE custom wire harness: 18AWG or 22AWG
3) RE custom wire harness: Solder or twisting?
4) Can you see red or yellow through MDCP-X?
5) Any other nice 140mm fans coming out anytime soon?

thanks in advance guys

EDIT: Also, not really relating to cooling, but if I wanted to extend the case's power switch/front panel stuff for cable managment, 18AWG???
 
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1) sorry, I can't help there. I like inexpensive, low-tech solutions.

2) 22 awg should be sufficient, as it can safely transmit about 0.9 amps. however, that's giving yourself a very slim margin for safety, and fan startup current on 3 fans may exceed that. Also, some models of fans may have larger current requirements, so I'd go with the 18awg. You can find spools of 18awg wire at your local electronics store, or even a hardware store.

3) I recommend twisting the wires in a "western union joint", (apparently it has a name, I've done it for a while without knowing that) showcased here:
http://www.tpub.com/neets/book4/32NE0334.GIF
and then solder the wires together. Add some shrink tubing to make it look professional and prevent the wires from shorting.

Twisting the wires without soldering them will work, but will not be as mechanically secure a connection. You may also be able to use wire nuts, but it will look pretty terrible.


Also, many electronics stores sell 2-way fan splitters such as
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...455&cm_re=fan_splitter-_-12-200-455-_-Product

You could use two of these in series to get 3 connections. Definitely check your local electronics store for these things. I believe I've seen 3 way splitters like these also (at Fry's), but perhaps I'm imagining it.

addendum: I noticed the fans have 3 types of connectors on them. depending on what connector the fan controller uses to connect fans, you may be able to just daisy-chain the fans to each other using the 4-pin molex connectors, i.e. one fan plugs into the controller, the second fan plugs into the first fan, and the third plugs into the second.
I don't think this will let you monitor the rpms, though.
 
paul-e-wog said:
addendum: I noticed the fans have 3 types of connectors on them. depending on what connector the fan controller uses to connect fans, you may be able to just daisy-chain the fans to each other using the 4-pin molex connectors, i.e. one fan plugs into the controller, the second fan plugs into the first fan, and the third plugs into the second.
I don't think this will let you monitor the rpms, though.
Click to expand...

18AWG, check
will twist and solder

I'm going to remove the molex connectors and just use the 3pins either way because I'm trying to keep it clean, but wanted to see if I could do it my way.

thanks for the help, keep it coming

EDIT: Maybe I could make my own 3 way Y splitter with male 3 pins from frozencpu so I don't have to fuck up the fan cables?
 
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1. You'll need to get an other fancontroller, because the Aerocool is limited to 6W per channel, and 3 of your fans will draw more than 6W (they draw less than what is printed on them, but still more than your controller is capable of)
2. AWG22 is sufficient, and it can transmit a lot more current than just 0.9A ;)
3. Soldering...

Btw: You can't connect the rpm signals, i.e. the yellow cables together. You must use the rpm signal from only one fan.

Btw2: For rewiring your LEDs and the power/rest switches, AWG22 should also be sufficient. I use AWG 26 for that job
 
Dr.Joe said:
1. You'll need to get an other fancontroller, because the Aerocool is limited to 6W per channel, and 3 of your fans will draw more than 6W (they draw less than what is printed on them, but still more than your controller is capable of)
Click to expand...

are you sure about the wattage necessary to run the fans? Cause the link i have in my OP (and coolerguys.com and hardware canucks and crazypc) says 2W, while Petra's says max of .3A which is 3.6W and jabtech's picture of the hub has it at .7A which is 8.4w (also frozencpu). There are no Amperage/wattage specs on yate-loon's site. If I was going to use those fans I was probably going to turn them down from 1400 to like 1200 or 1000, but wanted to be able to crank them up all the way if I needed to in the summer.


If not the Aerocool, I was going to go with the Lamptron FC5. Any thoughts? It's 30w/channel which should cover me easily and allow some higher speed fans. Any ETA on an FC6?


also, are there any other controllers out there that would fit my bill? I'm looking for ***solid construction***, black with LEDs, NO SWITCHES (must be dial or button/touch) with 4 fan channels and 4 temp channels.


thanks in advance guys
 
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Dr.Joe said:
1. You'll need to get an other fancontroller, because the Aerocool is limited to 6W per channel, and 3 of your fans will draw more than 6W (they draw less than what is printed on them, but still more than your controller is capable of)
2. AWG22 is sufficient, and it can transmit a lot more current than just 0.9A ;)
3. Soldering...

Btw: You can't connect the rpm signals, i.e. the yellow cables together. You must use the rpm signal from only one fan.

Btw2: For rewiring your LEDs and the power/rest switches, AWG22 should also be sufficient. I use AWG 26 for that job
Click to expand...

Oh, okay. I wasn't totally sure about that (22 awg current limit) part anyway, I found it on some standards website, perhaps it was intended for some other purpose. I just like using thicker cables, as I don't cut myself as much stripping them.
 
paul-e-wog said:
Oh, okay. I wasn't totally sure about that (22 awg current limit) part anyway, I found it on some standards website, perhaps it was intended for some other purpose. I just like using thicker cables, as I don't cut myself as much stripping them.
Click to expand...

22 AWG will be more than enough, that .9amp limit is ultra conservative.

Solder and heatshrink (or e-tape at least) everything.
 
would really like to get this question answered if anybody knew the answer. Ideally I would like to have somebody who has the fan take a look at the hub and get the volts and amps.

are you sure about the wattage necessary to run the fans? Cause the link i have in my OP (and coolerguys.com and hardware canucks and crazypc) says 2W, while Petra's says max of .3A which is 3.6W and jabtech's picture of the hub has it at .7A which is 8.4w (also frozencpu). There are no Amperage/wattage specs on yate-loon's site. If I was going to use those fans I was probably going to turn them down from 1400 to like 1200 or 1000, but wanted to be able to crank them up all the way if I needed to in the summer.
Click to expand...
 
The 12V/0.7A rating from Frozen is correct, i have one of those laying around. However,the slower model, the D14SL-12 draws only ~0.2A, when the label says 0.5A ;)

I we assume, that each of your fans draws around 0.4A (with some safety for startup), 3 fans for the Radiator will draw 1.2A, which is 14.5W.

Thats definitely too much for your current controller, which is rated for 6W
 
Dr.Joe said:
The 12V/0.7A rating from Frozen is correct, i have one of those laying around. However,the slower model, the D14SL-12 draws only ~0.2A, when the label says 0.5A ;)

I we assume, that each of your fans draws around 0.4A (with some safety for startup), 3 fans for the Radiator will draw 1.2A, which is 14.5W.

Thats definitely too much for your current controller, which is rated for 6W
Click to expand...

I've already decided to change my fan controller selection to a Lamptron FC-5 which is 30w/channel which is more than enough. It also allows me to get some High speed 140mm yates or some 3000 rpm syches or panaflos or something and be able to run em full bore in the summer and turn them down in the winter.
 
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