# Opinions Please - Fan Controller



## sethy666 (Feb 11, 2008)

Good afternoon,

I have a Cooler Master CM690 with a full compliment of case fans (6) and to be honest, she is a lil loud.

I have been looking at fan controllers and found this one. The reviews look good but was hoping that you good people may have some thoughts.



> http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=8365


I am restricted to 5.25" as the 3.5" bay is not accessable from the front of the case without modding.

Appreciate your time.


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## forcifer (Nov 20, 2005)

good brand, its huge, looks like it would work.

i dont know why not  most of them work roughly the same, just depends on what kind of features you want. i have heard good things about these ones:
http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=408&products_id=8744 - i have heard its the best, i have never used it though
http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=408&products_id=5442 - simple and cheaper

just a few suggestions  the one you have chosen will work perfectly as well


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## sethy666 (Feb 11, 2008)

Thanks forcifer,

To be honest, I just want to control the fans, everything else is a bonus. I did have a look at the Zalman but the reviews where not flash.

Im seriously thinking of getting a couple of Zalman fan-mates and doing a mod with them.


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## forcifer (Nov 20, 2005)

that also works  http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductReview.aspx?Item=N82E16811999171 are more reviews for the zalman. i have heard it is good, but again i ripped an old fan controller out of my old case and used it for a while


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## sethy666 (Feb 11, 2008)

You have been most helpful, thanks.

The more I think about it, the more I like to have a crack at this fanmate mod. Mod out one of the front panels, get a couple of flash knobs - bingo - ghetto fan controller... what do you think?


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## forcifer (Nov 20, 2005)

sounds like it would work great  here is a link to something i kinda did a while ago. 
http://www.techsupportforum.com/f76/project-silverstoned-221108.html#post1337406 there is that one when i drilled a hole in the top plastic panel and put the controller through it. worked very well, although it was a small pain to make sure it didnt move. 

http://www.techsupportforum.com/f76/lets-see-your-rig-80376.html#post1247881 is the other one. it probably worked better, but was harder to access. 

note: the silverstoned work log is pretty interesting if you ever want to paint your case  i have another painting worklog, i believe it is titled "First Fire". painting, in my opinion, is the best way to make a case truly your own


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## sethy666 (Feb 11, 2008)

Okay, now Im really inspired! Looks wicked!

Im outta here to go and drill some holes and heat up the glue gun!

Wish me luck!


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## forcifer (Nov 20, 2005)

lol good luck  pics please!

if you need any help, just ask. i have drilled way too many holes in computer cases....


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## sethy666 (Feb 11, 2008)

I puller the Zalman fan mate apart last night and found that the pot shaft will be way too short for what I need. So, this morning I went down to my local Jaycar Electronics store (Nice people there) and they helped me out with the appropriate pots, knobs and wires... plus a soldering iron. (do you think they saw me coming??). 

They sell dremels tooo!!! But thats for another day.

This will actually allow me do a better job because I wont be constricted to trying to physically place the fan mate case against front facing of the case.

Pics - definitely!

Im starting tonight with the prototype and make sure it works before I start drilling holes in face plates.

Ive never done anything like this before and Im quiet excited :grin:


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## forcifer (Nov 20, 2005)

lol the modding bug has bitten. get a dremel first, then soldering iron unless you need to combine wires, etc. you can do almost anything with a dremel


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## sethy666 (Feb 11, 2008)

I will need the soldering iron as I need to attach the new pot from the fan mate.

I think I will need to have a chat with my wife about using a dremel... she wont understand why I need to cut up a perfectly new case... lol.

Maybe I should point her to this forum


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## sethy666 (Feb 11, 2008)

Heres what I had in mind, just a rough sketch...


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## forcifer (Nov 20, 2005)

at least you didnt burn a case http://www.techsupportforum.com/f76/project-fiery-pc-212737.html  that case mod was the best. dont worry about convincing her...just say it will improve performance a bunch. it will....i promise


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## sethy666 (Feb 11, 2008)

yeah, I saw that project and sent the thread to a guy that wanted to make his own case... very cool!

My wife gives me a hard time when I buy a fan! I dread to think of the "discussion" we would have when I fire up a dremel (LOL).

I keep telling her at least Im not doing up a car... "wadda ya mean you want to use the dinning table for meals? Where am I suppose to put my V8 engine???"


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## forcifer (Nov 20, 2005)

ahahaha good luck  she better allow it... modding is so much fun. you get addicted and quickly


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## sethy666 (Feb 11, 2008)

I started off asking for opinions on an after market cooler and decided to mod my own using..

2 x Zalman fan-mate 2
2 x pots
2 x knobs
a bunch of wire


I removed the pots from fan mates and wired up the new pots. The shafts of the fan mates where way to short to do anything with.

Next I started on the case and face plates. In drilled a couple of holes where i wanted them and placed the pots and attached the knobs

Once the face plate was on, its just a matter of lining up the mesh plate and hoping the pot shafts where long enough... they where 

I hooked up the fans to the controller, placed the knobs and tested... all okay!

Clean up the cables and sit back and enjoy the quiet.

I suspect this is a very common mod but hey... its my first and I was excited to do it. Next Im getting a dremel - Look out!


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## forcifer (Nov 20, 2005)

very nicely done


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## sethy666 (Feb 11, 2008)

One down, three to go...

1) Stealthing the DVD drive
2) Cutting out the side fan grill and replacing with a shiney metal grill
3) Side panel window <whao!>

That, and Im hoping to effect a new build after my tax return comes in.

Intel 8400 or 8500?? Cant decide -whats you thoughts?
Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3R


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## forcifer (Nov 20, 2005)

for stealthing dvd drive: its fun, but kind of a pain, good luck 

new fan grill: very fun, easy, you got it.

side window: TAKE YOUR TIME. it isnt hard, just be careful and it will work great

for processor/motherboard, are you going to overclock or leave it at stock speeds? i would personally recommend AMD phenom II because of its price point vs performance, but its up to you


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## sethy666 (Feb 11, 2008)

Im probably going to leave it a stock speeds until Im totally familar with the processor and board. Once I get a feel for whats "normal" I start OCing.

My current setup is an OEM build with a crippled BIOS, so cant even play at OCing


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## forcifer (Nov 20, 2005)

hmm... how much are you willing to spend for the proc/motherboard combo? AMD has the budget segment (for the most part) while intel has the performance/high end segment (for the most part). of course there are exceptions in both cases, but that is the general rule for the time being


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## sethy666 (Feb 11, 2008)

Ive been hunting around the various stores here... my wish list follows [best prices]... 


GIGABYTE GA-EP45-UD3R $214.00

Intel Core2 Duo E8400 $230.00

or

Intel Core2 Duo E8500 $260.00

Corsair TWIN2X4096-6400C5 4GB $75.00

or

OCZ DDR2 PC2-6400 Vista Upgrade Edition 2x2GB $79.00


Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium/ SP1/ 32-bit/ OEM/ Single $145.00

Im keeping the rest of the components that appear in my sig. Ive been an Intel body since I got into PCs, I dont really have any reason to change that, at this point :smile:


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## forcifer (Nov 20, 2005)

its alot cheaper, but thats not by decision.

the motherboard: that one is very good, i have heard great things about the asus P5Q but thats your choice.

processor: the difference is 16 mhz. for $30, not worth it. get the E8400.

ram: OCZ has been poopy lately, get corsair.

os: there is that, there is also windows 7 up to you


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## sethy666 (Feb 11, 2008)

Thanks for the advice forcifer, appreciate your thoughts.

Ill have a look at the asus P5Q. Some of the stores here dont seem to like ASUS for some reason. Gigabyte seems to have a better rep here and they seem very plentiful... might be a Southern Hemisphere thing :smile: 
I definitely go the Corsair. Im using them now and Ive never had any problems.


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## forcifer (Nov 20, 2005)

for the most part, european overclockers and such really like asus more then gigabyte but thats mostly because of overclocking. still, either will work just fine 

glad i could help. i have been out of tech help for a while, and i enjoy case mods the most so why not start where i know what im doing lol


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