Aerocool Powerwatch

[Baer]

I am building a new rig using a Tt Armor case. The fans in the Armor use standard 4 pin molex. The Aerocool uses 3 pin with black red and yellow wires. The yellow is the signal cable.
http://www.aerocool.com.tw/peripheral/powerwatch/powerwatch.html

The three pin to molex fan adapters that I have been able to find have only two wires on the three pin connector (5V, red and black) The only solution I can think of is to hard wire the yellow signal wire from the case fans to the yellow wire on the aero cool three pin fan connector. If I do not connect the yellow wire then the Aerocool flashes a warning as it can not see the rpm signal Etc from the fan(s). If I have to do this I just may as well solder and shrink tube connect all the fans to the controller to keep the wires and connectors neat.
Have any of you used this fan controller and do you have any suggestions on the connections or on other tips when using this unit?
I like it as the color screen is attractive and it includes a card reader as well as powered USB outputs.

[DRece]

Why not just put in fan that have the yellow wire so there is no hot wiring as well as a reading from the fan that it is powering. Would not using the signal wire from a different fan throw off the control that this device is suppose to give?

[Baer]

Why not just put in fan that have the yellow wire so there is no hot wiring as well as a reading from the fan that it is powering. Would not using the signal wire from a different fan throw off the control that this device is suppose to give?

I would have to replace all the fans in this case including the 250mm to get a 3 wire plug. Some of the fans already have the yellow signal wirre so as long as I have a fan that has that signal wire in each branch the unit seems to work fine.

I know that Tt is also anouncing a new controller that matches their case, I was shown it at CES.

Anyone out there using this Aerocool controller however? It really looks great and the readout is large enough to read unlike some of the others out there.

[slytherock]

You dont have to replace the fans, just change the connectors.

You probably have something like that
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v68/slytherock/102_1016.jpg

Get some 3pins molex pins
Cut the wire on the disired lenght
Replace the pins (no soldering needed)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v68/slytherock/102_1021.jpg

And finally install the 3 pin molex connector
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v68/slytherock/102_1018.jpg

Take about 3min on each fan (exept if you take pics, now you have to count about 10min.. lol)

[slytherock]

Sorry, I forgot to say: you can get 3 pins molex and pin at your local electronic supply store
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v68/slytherock/102_1015-1.jpg

[Baer]

Thanks, this is helpful. In fact I have a number of 3 to 4 pin molex adapters but the issue is that the yellow lead on the Powerwatch is the signal lead and the yellow signal lead comming out of the fans is a seperate connector which is intended to go to the motherboard. What I am going to do is make up custom 3 pin molex connectors with the Blk being ground (obviously), the red being +5V and the yellow being the signal from the fan rather than the usual +12V.
Thanks for the pictures, they are helpful.

One additional bit of information on this controller, the software they supply is just a USB driver which need not be installed unless you are running an old OS.

The manual speed control adjustment does not effect the fan until you exit the spped adjustment mode on the front pannel. In other words, as you adjust the fan manually, the rpm reading on the pannel changes but the actual fan speed does not change until you exit that mode.
I hope that helps someone. I will post more after I get it all set up including pictures.

[slytherock]

What I am going to do is make up custom 3 pin molex connectors with the Blk being ground (obviously), the red being +5V and the yellow being the signal from the fan rather than the usual +12V.
Thanks for the pictures, they are helpful.

In fact, the yellow is the RPM of the fan, as you said, the black is the ground, but the red is the 12V. If you check the adaptor you have, it supposed to be attach to the yellow on the 4pins molex

[tybrenis]

In fact, the yellow is the RPM of the fan, as you said, the black is the ground, but the red is the 12V. If you check the adaptor you have, it supposed to be attach to the yellow on the 4pins molex

If that's true, its true only to these connectors.

Standard molex is, from left to right:

RED: +5v
BLACK: -5v ground
BLACK:-12v ground
YELLOW: +12v

[slytherock]

Not only it's true, but I can prove it ;)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v68/slytherock/102_1092.jpg