Link 3 pin case fans to MB 4 pins or a PWM hub?
Link 3 pin case fans to MB 4 pins or a PWM hub?
Hi.
I own the Enthoo Phanteks Proo with 2 x 3 pin fans (1x200 front, 1x140 rear) and a PWM Hub. I also have an Asus Z170-A with specific connectors for CPU and CPU OPT fans, chassis fans, and an EXT_FAN connector.
I'm asking which method is best to connect the fans—either via BIOS or Asus Fan Expert 3. Should each fan have its own 4-pin connection on the motherboard or through the PWM Hub? If using the hub, what should be done with the connections? Are there issues when controlling fans of different sizes and RPMs through the hub?
Thank you very much.
To achieve optimal automatic fan speed regulation, it's essential to utilize all PWM fans. 3-pin fans operate based on voltage changes, and if a controller (whether built-in or external) manages this process, the choice becomes irrelevant.
So you're confirming the same idea, right? Fans on MB 4 pins or on the Case PWM Hub, correct? Just checking if I'm understanding correctly. I think Bios can't detect the minimum and maximum RPM of non-PWM fans, but it might work for PWM ones. So it only adjusts the voltage, which changes the fan's speed by a percentage of its range. If a fan has a max of 1000 RPM and the voltage is cut to half, it should drop to about 500 RPM. But without knowing the actual current RPM, it's hard to say exactly. Connecting both different-sized fans on the PWM Hub would mean they all get the same voltage reduction, but each would run at a different speed based on their own min-max range. So in the end, as long as I connect multiple fans, they'll all experience the same percentage change in voltage and their respective speeds will vary accordingly. Do you have that right?
The PWM fab controller is located inside the case. If that's the case, it should have its own separate controls distinct from the MB. I'm not sure if you're aware of how PWM fans work. PWM, which uses four pins, regulates fan speed by sending pulses of varying duration at 12v. Three-pin fans are managed solely through voltage applied to them. In both scenarios, a wire (typically green) transmits current information about fan speed to the controller.
Yes, the PWM Hub is working properly. I linked both 3-pin fans to it and then connected the Hub's 4-pin cable to the 4-pin Chase_Fan on MB. Bios treats them as one fan, and the speed shown reflects the fan connected to the Fan1 slot of the PWM Hub. Should I maintain the Bios settings for DC operation or switch to PWM due to the Hub?