Aftermerket VGA coolers question

[sollord]

Not sure if this is the right section to ask this but has anyone tried using a Sunbeam rheosmart pci fan controller with an aftermarket cooler to re-enable pwm control? The rheosmart emulates and converts a pwm control signal so that 3pin fans will respond to pwm control from the mohterboard but in this case it would be the video card sending the signals.

[SebRad]

Hi, sorry I've not heard of that device specifically but have heard of converters to take a 4 pin PWM signal and drive a 3 pin (voltage) fan, believe they work ok. Don't see any reason why wouldn't work on a video card. I just use PWM fans on my video card, 2x Arctic cooling F9 PWM on Akasa Freedom Force on GTX260 216. Both fans powered off the cards header and the BIOS has been modified to reduce the idle PWM from 40% to 25% and to start ramping ~72°C, works wonderfully!
Can read whole long thread in the user reviews forum.

I don't know why it's not far more common to see people using the PWM out of the card's fan header to power their aftermarket coolers, just seems to make so much sense to me I guess it's the fitment of the plug and then getting the right fan speed. Can introduce a resistance in to a PWM fan (in the power wires only) to shift it's speed though. I've done this on the Zalman 9500AT that's in my Mum's PC, shifting the 1300 ~ 2800rpm fan in to a 900 ~ 2400rpm fan. Used a zalman fanmate and the level it's to be turned to is quite sensitive to get the desired fan speed range.

Regards, Seb