Can Kaze Server control fans with two wires only (without RPM sensing) ?

[Jón]

My Kaze Server does not start my Antec Big Boy 200 mm Tricool fan, which I want to control in manual mode.
The Antec Big Boy does not have a RPM sensing wire, only two wires on 4 pin Molex and a separate three speed switch. It is supposed to work with fan controlers in the high (full 12v) switch position.
The Kaze server works fine with a Scythe Slipstream and also displays the RPM from my power supply (yellow wire only). I have not connected any heat sensors yet.
The Kaze Server does not seem to detect the connected Antec fan. The LCD is empty and the control knob and pushbutton don't react, just like on a not connected controler position.
If the RPM signal is an absolute requirement, could I then use the RPM signal from my power supply fan to satisfy it ?

I would be grateful if somebody has the answers, before I find out the hard way

Jón

[Jón]

Scythe EU support told me the Kaze Server needs the RPM signal. I then cross-connected the RPM signal from another fan and it works. I am now able to run the Big Boy at lower and quiter speed. The potentiometer temperature only rises by about 5°C as the voltage span for regulating the Big Boy is quite narrow. This is big contrast to regulating the Scythe Slipstream (120mm 1200RPM). That potentiometer rises to 60°C at abou 600RPM and heats the neighbour potentiometers up to about 30°C @ ambient 20°C.
Next thing is to check if there is a practical setup to control the Big Boy in auto mode. Semi mode is out of the question as I don't have the real RPM.
I also bought 2 larger heatsinks (for 1,40 € at Conrad) which I will mount on top of the existing ones on the potentiometers, connecting them all together for ca. 5 fold increase of total cooling capacity.
I'll open a new thread on that issue.
Jón

[SaturnusDJ]

It's true that the Scythe Kaze Server cannot be used with fans that don't have the rpm signal. For me this is a problem because besides non-rpm-fans I also have some lighting that I want to connect to the Kaze Server.

How did you do this

I then cross-connected the RPM signal from another fan

stuff?
Do you have pictures?

[Okiwana Okimoto]

Hello,

nana it works with 2-pin problem are - Display will show nothing. You can control it with voltage but Kaze Server will not show any rpm.

3 pin is for rpm regulate and 4 pin for pwm function

[SaturnusDJ]

Thanks for replying, but no, it does not work.
I tried with another 2-pin fan. Did a reset at the Kaze Server, fan turned on, controller did not get RPM signal and turned it off. Controller also respond at nothing.
Normally the alarm would beep also, so I already removed that jumper.

[AiAiAi]

A suggestion.

This site is from a Swedish dealer but the same product would Y find at any corner of the world.Or Y could make it by twisting the wires together.
Fläkttillbehör - Inet.se
It's just a divider "Y" wires one with 3 and the other with 2 "parts".
Two are for power and the third is for "rpm signal"
As Y friend said use the same wire for signal.
(borrow this one by connecting in parralell="cross-connected the RPM signal" )
In other words by connecting more then One fan they will adjust (fed with volt up to 12V)
according to the fan that give 'rpm Signal".
You can connect fans up to the limit of the channel.The fan controller see:
Kaze Server 5.25 : Scythe EU GmbH
Accordin to the spec:
Number of Fan Control Channels:
4 (Max. 1 Ampere and max. 12 W per Channel)
I hope Y understand (no pictures) and Y have any fans with 3-pins to give a rpm signal

[SaturnusDJ]

Thanks for your suggestion. I have thought of this, the only problem is when using 2 fans from which one is 2-pin and one is 3-pin...the fans are not the same and you are unable to perfectly (silenced but with a nice flow) control them.

[Jón]

Sorry SaturnusDJ about responding late, but my new build has been unstable, keeping me busy.

I hope the picture explains my simple workaround. The right connector is not used but it has a RPM signal (+) on the yellow wire and (-) on the black one. The left connector powers the 2 wire fan and displays the "borrowed" RPM signal.

In your case, you could possibly share the RPM signal from the 3 wire fan with the 2 wire one by interconnecting the yellow wires.

On the other hand, Okinawa Okimoto tells us hat 2 wires should work, (contradicting his college) and I see no logical reason why it should not. Just the fact, that it did not work for me

Even some 3 wire fan's would not work right away, but that was quickly solved. Don't remember exactly how. I think Kaze Server reset was not enough but a power off did it. Maybe I didn't press the reset button for 3 s. as required.

So did I miss a trick for kick-starting on 2 wires

Anyway, the Kaze Server was a great help for optimising my cooling setup.

When they deliver, I still prefer more robust solutions for control of critical fan's in daily use. That is mainboard controllers (+ speedfan) for variable and fixed voltage hacks for manual. The Kaze Server does the rest and serves as a temperature and RPM display.

[arcenite]

any way to make the kaze server work for fans without rpm sensing ? I did not realise this at the start and non of my fans work =(

[Reiniell]

Well, the problem is that the Kaze Server needs a RPM rate. If you want to use fans without RPM readings, try a Kaze Master or Kaze Master Ace, they simply adjust the RPM with the voltage. They will still show 0 RPM and beep, but you can turn off the beep and the fans will still be adjustable. But they don't have a Auto or Semi-Auto mode, they are only manual adjustable.