P5Q-E + Zalman CNPS 9500A FAN question.

Hello there.

I have question about controlling FANs from Mobo.

I have P5Q-E and Zalman CNPS 9500A CPU Fan.

This fan has 3 pin. I connected it to Mobo directly.

However no matter how I set (BIOS, FanXpert soft), It runs only
at max RPM (2500RPM).

I changed CPU Q-Fan control Enabled, But it run at Max.
Same things happens on CASE fans.

My question is that is it possible to control Zalman and Case Fans on this mobo?
If so, how do I do it?

I am puzzled.

Thanks in advance
Matt

MattK wrote:
> Hello there.
>
> I have question about controlling FANs from Mobo.
>
> I have P5Q-E and Zalman CNPS 9500A CPU Fan.
>
> This fan has 3 pin. I connected it to Mobo directly.
>
> However no matter how I set (BIOS, FanXpert soft), It runs only
> at max RPM (2500RPM).
>
> I changed CPU Q-Fan control Enabled, But it run at Max.
> Same things happens on CASE fans.
>
> My question is that is it possible to control Zalman and Case Fans on
> this mobo?
> If so, how do I do it?
>
> I am puzzled.
>
> Thanks in advance
> Matt

There are two methods for fan speed control.

On a three pin fan, you vary the voltage on the 12V pin.
Drop it to 7V, for example, and the fan will spin slower.

On a four pin fan, the preferred method is to drive the
PWM signal. It runs at 25KHz, and new motherboards have
a provision to drive it. The 12V pin stays at a full 12V,
and you modulate the pulse with of the PWM square wave
signal to control the fan speed.

Some motherboards control 12V.

Some motherboards control 12V and PWM (with a BIOS option
to select one or the other method).

Some motherboards control PWM only.

I bet your motherboard controls PWM only, and you are using
a three pin fan, where the 12V method would be required. The
two parts aren't talking to one another :-)

There are some Zalman coolers that use four pin fans,
and a prospective customer has to check the model number
carefully, to get the right one. I'd check the site, but
for me the Zalman site is a PITA (I keep Adobe Flash disabled
in Firefox). I think the 9700NT has a four pin interface.
Even the Intel retail cooler has the four pin connector
on it.

A Zalman FanMateII could be placed in-line with your fan
connection, to adjust the speed of the 9500A. But that
adjustment, is not load sensitive, so the fan speed won't
change when the processor gets hotter. Still, it allows
a quieter system.

Paul

Thanks Paul.

Now I realized that there is 2 type of Zalman CNPS 9500A.
One is 9500A which I bought has separate speed controller box.
Other is 9500 which is PWM controlled model.

I didn't research on this matter, and I ended up buying 9500A model.
I should buy 9500 (PWM model).

Anyway, Thank you for your information.

"Paul" <> wrote in message news:gc3bol$tpn$...
> MattK wrote:
>> Hello there.
>>
>> I have question about controlling FANs from Mobo.
>>
>> I have P5Q-E and Zalman CNPS 9500A CPU Fan.
>>
>> This fan has 3 pin. I connected it to Mobo directly.
>>
>> However no matter how I set (BIOS, FanXpert soft), It runs only
>> at max RPM (2500RPM).
>>
>> I changed CPU Q-Fan control Enabled, But it run at Max.
>> Same things happens on CASE fans.
>>
>> My question is that is it possible to control Zalman and Case Fans on
>> this mobo?
>> If so, how do I do it?
>>
>> I am puzzled.
>>
>> Thanks in advance
>> Matt
>
> There are two methods for fan speed control.
>
> On a three pin fan, you vary the voltage on the 12V pin.
> Drop it to 7V, for example, and the fan will spin slower.
>
> On a four pin fan, the preferred method is to drive the
> PWM signal. It runs at 25KHz, and new motherboards have
> a provision to drive it. The 12V pin stays at a full 12V,
> and you modulate the pulse with of the PWM square wave
> signal to control the fan speed.
>
> Some motherboards control 12V.
>
> Some motherboards control 12V and PWM (with a BIOS option
> to select one or the other method).
>
> Some motherboards control PWM only.
>
> I bet your motherboard controls PWM only, and you are using
> a three pin fan, where the 12V method would be required. The
> two parts aren't talking to one another :-)
>
> There are some Zalman coolers that use four pin fans,
> and a prospective customer has to check the model number
> carefully, to get the right one. I'd check the site, but
> for me the Zalman site is a PITA (I keep Adobe Flash disabled
> in Firefox). I think the 9700NT has a four pin interface.
> Even the Intel retail cooler has the four pin connector
> on it.
>
> A Zalman FanMateII could be placed in-line with your fan
> connection, to adjust the speed of the 9500A. But that
> adjustment, is not load sensitive, so the fan speed won't
> change when the processor gets hotter. Still, it allows
> a quieter system.
>
> Paul