fan controller idea

[Fitseries3]

maybe this exists already but im sure someone will inform me of that soon enough.

i want a fan controller that can monitor temps and auto-adjust the fan speeds to keep the system cool.

thats not all though.

i want this controller to either be able to run alone(without a PC) or on a second computer that runs all the time.

this will be for a benching rig.

does this exist or can it be made with a little hard work?

if you dont get what im thinking of here i can try and explain it more... just let me know.

;)

[Cutless009]

The ultimate controller? Seriously, its like this:

4 fan channels at 2.4amps per channel (thats enough for four Kaze 3K Ultra's for a 140x4 rad)

2 (or more) Channels for pumps, with integrated digital flow sensor.

2 (or more) Channels for Temperature Sensing (for temp sensor stop fitting use)

I wouldnt care if it took up 2x5.25" bays, or even 3x, it'd be nice to have an all-in-one solution where you could tell if your pumps were ok, check your loop temps, and control fans, all at a glance. Being able to feed more/less power to the pumps might also be a plus :up:

[Langer]

Look into aquacomputer stuff.

the multiswitch in conjunction with the Aquaero will do that. Add an aquastream pump and you have a fully automated loop.

HERE IS A DEMO VIDEO OF THE AquaComputer POWER (ehttp://www.aqua-computer-systeme.de/download/aquaero_multiswitch_tubemeter.wmv)

[Fitseries3]

i was thinking more on the lines of a self sufficient unit. i've seen controllers like people use in phase/cascade building that could possibly work for my idea.

my idea was similar to yours but slightly different...

use a simple probe on the cpu and another in the water itself(in the res perhaps?) to measure temps. if the 2 temps begin to rise above a certian defined threshold then the controller will adjust the fan speed to compensate.

i wasnt really thinging about the pump.... although that is a good idea.

my whole plan is to make a external cooling rig that can be hooked up in minutes and self-manage itself according to the temperatures it has measured.

[Overclocking101]

thats what its all about my friend

[Langer]

That's what I'm doing with prometheus.

I'm using a Pico-ITX system to automate the watercooling and lighting systems for the main rig.

The Pico will have complete control of the fans/lights/pumps/etc though the aquacomputer products and though a custom fabricated arduino control circuit.

The whole system can be controlled though a 7" touch screen on the front of the case.

Moreover the colour of the lights will reflect the coolant temperature.

[Fitseries3]

is there a less complex way to do it? i dont need fancy lights and LCD screeds. just a simple controller would suffice.

im actually leaning towards a self sufficient unit now. not one controlled by a computer.

[Snyxxx]

The mcubed bigNG will do all that. You set it up on a computer with its software and then save it locally within the unit. OS independent.

Most people have a water temperature sensor (Bitspower current favorite) / air temperature sensor and set predefined thresholds for which to power up or down the radiator fan RPMs. Some people even hook up one or two miniNGs to the bigNG and control the voltage to each pump as well.

[RedRaider]

Langer, your idea intrigues me...:hmm:

[Fitseries3]

can you link me to the mcubed stuff?

[Snyxxx]

can you link me to the mcubed stuff?

Here you go:

http://www.t-balancer.com/english/index.htm

[Big_Daddy]

With t-balancer's site, create an ID there. you'll save like 10 or 15%.. trust me. do it.

[Snyxxx]

BD is right. I actually bought all my stuff direct and it was shipped form Austria.

Worked out the same as if I bought in the US, but the online prices drop once you register.

[Fitseries3]

so can someone tell me more about how it works? the description isnt the best on their site.

[andersson.j]

I've tried just about all mCubed T-balancer products and while the hardware is pretty good the software isn't, and sadly they don't seem to improve the software any more (check the mCubed forums).

I haven't tried the aquaero products but my impression is that their software is better and still being improved, but the hardware could be better. Also it's so damn expensive!

I've been thinking about building my own controller, perhaps built around the arduino. A few amplifiers (something like mCubeds FanAmp (http://www.mcubed-store.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=1_35&products_id=112)), temperature sensors and some programming skill is all you'd need. If we could get an arduino to regulate a regular fan controller a lot of work would be saved. I.e by turning the knobs with a servo or even better by desoldering the pots and replacing them with something arduino controlled. I had high hopes for doing this with the Lamptron FC-2 but I don't like PWM so it's no longer an option.

Think of the possibilities! You could regulate a chiller unit so you wouldn't have to worry about condensation. You could reduce the effort needed to test and review blocks, radiators and pumps by automating the logging completly.

[Langer]

Well if you're all patient enough you'll see this exact thing come to live in Prometheus - andersson.j pretty much stated exactly what I want to achieve with my design.

I plan on using arduino and the multiswitch together. Using the aquasuite software to do most of the work, but have the arduino system pick of the slack where the hardware falls behind.