The Official Unofficial Frau Kaleun Destroys The World* Thread

[frau kaleun]

Originally Posted by Arclight

To the best of my knowledge, most if not all boards only feature a 4-pin PWM connecter where the CPU fan is supposed to go. Aren't you normally forced to use a fan controller for normal 3-pin fans?

My board has a second 4-pin header for a chassis fan, that works off the same whatever-it-is that regulates the CPU fan. The mobo fan connectors are these:

CPU_FAN (4pin)
CHA_FAN1 (4pin)
CHA_FAN2 (3pin)
PWR_FAN (3pin)

Anything plugged into the first two can be set up using the optional Q-Fan2 feature, which has to be enabled in the BIOS and then has an interface that you can access in Windows to set up profiles for those fans - one for minimal noise, one for maximum performance, one to vary fan speed with temperature.

I admit I'm a little confused as I'm not sure whether the two 3pin headers provide no variation in fan speed at all, or provide it but without the user being able to set up profiles for them the way you can with the 4pin Q-Fan2 headers.

At any rate, I'd go with the side-fan. It probably takes its cue from CPU temp; seems the side-fan is in the best position to help aleviate that. Also ensures that you have sufficient cooling over the HDs at all times, which don't have any other form of cooling otherwise, unlike a CPU or GFX card.

That's about what I was thinking, it seemed like variable air flow would be more valuable over the GPUs. Unfortunately it also means I won't be able to have two glowing LED fans on the side. Oh well, the other one can always go in the front.

I found a splitter at Newegg designed specifically to allow one 4pin header to control two case fans... only one "reports" anything to the mobo, but both get the same regulation based of what the primary one reports. Since they make the cable for it, I kinda assumed it was doable. Hadn't even seen fans designed to daisy-chain like that but I guess that means it's definitely an accepted option.

Actually now that I look at it again, the manual just recommends plugging the rear exhaust fan into either the CHA_FAN1 or CHA_FAN2 header, it doesn't specifically say to use the one that works with Q-Fan2. Originally when I thought the rear fan was supposed to be used with Q-Fan2, I was thinking about what someone (maybe you) said about not having exhaust fans pulling more air out than could be pulled in so I thought maybe I'd better have one intake fan that was getting the same regulation as the main exhaust fan.

But maybe I'd be okay with one 4pin fan on the side over the GPUs that can rev up and rev down as needed along with the CPU fan and just plug the rear exhaust fan into the other CHA_FAN header and let it do whatever it does from there.

Oh in case it matters, the overall fan setup is:

120mm front intake
120mm side intake x 2
120mm rear exhaust
140mm top exhaust

I'm assuming that's what I want, air in through the front and sides, and out through the back and top.

That's not counting the PSU fan but it's only really pulling air into the PSU through its own dedicated vent.

Do you recommend using the mobo fan connectors in general whenever possible, as opposed to running power through 4pin molex connectors from the PSU? I mean if it's not an LED fan, I read somewhere that those shouldn't be connected to the motherboard.

[Arclight]

Got everything on the board; 200mm front intake, 200mm side intake, 200mm top exhaust and 120mm rear exhaust. The PSU is in it's normal orientation, intake at the bottom. Draws air outside the case and exhausts directly. 2 of the big ones have a LED as well (I know Jan, didn't get them for that, that's just how it came ). Plus a 120mm and 92mm on the CPU.

I doubt they would make case fans that exceed the power requirement a board connector can supply, to be honest it's the first time I've heard of such a possibility, but if you feel more comfortable using molex you might as well use that. (in other words, haven't got a clue if it matters )

It creates some overpressure inside the case, which arguably helps keep out dust, but only the front intake is filtered so that's not really applicable in my case (pardon the pun).

[danasan]

Frau Kaleun,

if you have fans with 3 pins and you want / need their speed controlled (maybe too noisy) this little guy does the trick:



On Amazon.com I hope this is available in the US I used them myself and put them into some friend's rigs. I'd give it 9.5/10

[frau kaleun]

Originally Posted by Arclight

It creates some overpressure inside the case, which arguably helps keep out dust, but only the front intake is filtered so that's not really applicable in my case (pardon the pun).

Heh, my next question was probably gonna be about filters. There's already a mesh filter built into the front panel that will cover the front intake, and a removable one for the PSU vent on the bottom. But nothing for the side/top/back. I will probably go to Microcenter and actually eyeball some stuff before I make any decisions there.

I am perfectly happy to plug everything I can into the board if possible. Not sure where I saw the thing about LEDs not running off the board, it might have only applied to a specific board being discussed in something I was only looking at for fan info. I don't think it was in the manual for my mobo.

Originally Posted by danasan

Frau Kaleun,

if you have fans with 3 pins and you want / need their speed controlled (maybe too noisy) this little guy does the trick:

On Amazon.com I hope this is available in the US I used them myself and put them into some friend's rigs. I'd give it 9.5/10

Thanks, I will keep that in mind. No idea how noisy any of the fans will be until I get them in but most of the ones I'm looking at seem to get high marks for being relatively quiet. One can only hope!

[AVGWarhawk]

I believe my LED light bars are run right off a power supply plug. I can take a look if you want.

[frau kaleun]

Originally Posted by AVGWarhawk

I believe my LED light bars are run right off a power supply plug. I can take a look if you want.

I will probably run all the fans off the mobo, I've certainly got enough headers for it. Right now I'm leaning towards only having one LED fan which will be in the front of the case since it's all mesh there and I think it will look nice.

I have two LED fans I was going to use but the second one would end up in the back as an exhaust fine and I'm not sure I want it there since I've already decided against LED fans on the side. I may just send the second one back and use something else. I'll have to see how it looks this weekend when I get in there and start hooking more stuff up.

[FIREWALL]

Couldn't wait till Labor Day huh ? Don't blame ya.

My BP would climb thru the roof and would slowly grow hard to be around. ...

Just take your time and always use wrist strap.


And Most Important. Stand back every once in a while. And ENJOY build.

[frau kaleun]

Originally Posted by FIREWALL

Couldn't wait till Labor Day huh ? Don't blame ya.

My BP would climb thru the roof and would slowly grow hard to be around. ...

Just take your time and always use wrist strap.


And Most Important. Stand back every once in a while. And ENJOY build.

Well, the bit about making the big switch when I'm off work that week really has to do with the time involved in physically getting the current rig off the desk and the new one set up and running properly in its place, which involves moving almost everything on and above the desk out of the way (we're talking at least 2-3 boxes of stuff here) and then pulling the desk out a bit. And then getting the new stuff in place and putting back everything I moved out of the way, and then having a lot of software to install and backup files to restore. None of that ever goes as smoothly as planned and I don't want to get myself in a spot where I have NO working computer and no time to deal adequately with that problem because OMG it's two in the morning and I have to go to work the next day.

The actual putting together of the computer itself is not the part where I need the big blocks of uninterrupted time, almost all of it can be done ahead of time in small increments (and needs to be done or at least considered thoroughly as I still have a couple decisions to make about what I need and/or want and will have to order online). The only thing I really can't do until I'm ready to complete the switch is pull the HDDs out of the current rig, because I need this rig to work until I'm ready to start up the new one in its place and get the OS installed and critical backed up files restored. Everything else that's coming out of it can come out of it at this point if I want to take it that far, I've either got something to replace it with or don't need it in there any more.

[FIREWALL]

Understood.

[AVGWarhawk]

Originally Posted by frau kaleun

I will probably run all the fans off the mobo, I've certainly got enough headers for it. Right now I'm leaning towards only having one LED fan which will be in the front of the case since it's all mesh there and I think it will look nice.

I have two LED fans I was going to use but the second one would end up in the back as an exhaust fine and I'm not sure I want it there since I've already decided against LED fans on the side. I may just send the second one back and use something else. I'll have to see how it looks this weekend when I get in there and start hooking more stuff up.

Truth be told the blue light bars are nice and make the machine look great but the light is just to much sometimes. I have a clear sided case. The lights are bright and many. You might find one or two LED working is sufficient for the wow factor and not dominating or providing a bothersome light when enjoying the new computer.

[frau kaleun]

Originally Posted by AVGWarhawk

Truth be told the blue light bars are nice and make the machine look great but the light is just to much sometimes. I have a clear sided case. The lights are bright and many. You might find one or two LED working is sufficient for the wow factor and not dominating or providing a bothersome light when enjoying the new computer.

That's my thinking exactly. I like the idea of the LED visible through the front of the case, which is black mesh. I've already got that fan in place and held the front panel over it, and it looks pretty cool without being overpowering. There are a couple of things inside the case that also have blue LED but they are fairly small and aren't right up against a panel vent like another LED fan would be, so they mostly just light up the inside of the case which is also nice.

Since I have no clear panels or windows and the case sits back in an alcove I can't see the point of having a lot of LEDs shining out the vents where the fans are, I think that would get old really fast.

Anyway I've got almost everything in there except the stuff that won't come until next week and that's stuff that would go in last anyway. I do have both optical drives and two HDDs in with all the cables hooked up plus the power/SATA cables for the last HDD are in there in position just waiting for the drive, and my front panel USB hub is in place just waiting to be hooked up to the adapter I ordered.

I'm really glad I got a case with a horizontal bay for the HDDs, it's so much easier getting the drives in and it leaves extra room for cables to run up and down inside the case without them curling up in front of the mobo and blocking air flow. Where I can't run them outside the drive bays and back in I've got plenty of space to run them up and down without blocking the big vents in the HDD bay, and since every other spot in there will be empty there's some good airflow from that front fan. I was concerned about it but when I fired it up I could feel cool air blowing over and under the drives and on through to the rest of the interior. Combined with the two side fans blowing air straight onto the GPUs and mobo I think it will stay plenty cool in there. Having the PSU on the bottom helps a lot too, any extra cable just coils up in the extra space in the bottom of the case without blocking anything that needs air. And I'm not fighting gravity with the big ATX/PCI-e power cables.

[AVGWarhawk]

My computer sits on a shelf underneath the desk. I have a pull out keyboard shelf and this blocks the bright blue lights that shines up towards my eyes. Although the lights look cool, a darkened room the lights can be a distractions. I did have one burn out and did not replace it. If the other goes I will not replace it either.

[frau kaleun]

The Day of Days is fast approaching!

The only thing I have left to do (I think) on the new rig is to put the last HDD in, which is currently the boot disk on this computer... so I will be starting to back up the few things I need to back up from it (most stuff is already on or backed up to an external drive, yay). I will probably shut this thing down for good tomorrow and put the drive in the new machine and then... we'll see what happens.

[Arclight]

Well then the world will explode... thought we already established that?

Best of luck, few things are as rewarding as putting the thing together and firing it up.

For some people anyway, and assuming it doesn't explode.

[frau kaleun]

Originally Posted by Arclight

Well then the world will explode... thought we already established that?

Best of luck, few things are as rewarding as putting the thing together and firing it up.

For some people anyway, and assuming it doesn't explode.

Eek I just remembered I gotta decide what I want to do for paging files, I made a separate partition on one of my current disks for that but left the boot disk 'as is' (except for tinkering with the size of the paging file) because I didn't want to fool with trying to repartition it. If I'm gonna create separate partitions on each disk this time I want to do it in the initial setup.