Removing Ahanix dBox fan controller(Help me Bluefront..)

akaidiot · Post by **akaidiot** » Sun Sep 05, 2004 1:18 pm

I don't know if this is the right forum. If not, move it..

I've already got a Zalman MFC1 fan controller which I guess does it's job but it lacks a couple of features.

1. No 12V startupvoltage to start fan and then go down to chosen voltage..
2. 4.5V lowest possible volt

But the fancontroller which is impleamented in the Ahanix dBox case does the 12V startup and then goes down to the setup voltage and 2.8V is the lowest possible!

That case is pretty cheap, so I thought that I could buy the case and ripp out the controller and set it up and just leave it inside my 3700BQE case..

People who own this beautiful case. Does the fancontroller look removable?(Bluefront I'm looking to your direction

)

I believe this the the Ahanix dBox case, just another name

akaidiot · Post by **akaidiot** » Sun Sep 05, 2004 2:48 pm

I just thought of something.. Is anybody interested in selling their fancontroller/case to me? If so pm or mail me!

Bluefront · Post by **Bluefront** » Sun Sep 05, 2004 4:01 pm

Well the fan controller board is easily removable from the case, but the chrome buttons remain attached to that front blue panel. You could use the controller board by itself, but you'd just have bare micro-switches on a board to control your fans. The LED display is soldered to this board under the switches.

It would be tough to transplant this thing into another setup....and make it look good.

Pictures 23 and 43 in this album, show the board and the switch buttons.

I'd recommend just finding a dbox case and using it.....it mods easily.

akaidiot · Post by **akaidiot** » Sun Sep 05, 2004 4:05 pm

Bluefront wrote:

Well the fan controller board is easily removable from the case, but the chrome buttons remain attached to that front blue panel. You could use the controller board by itself, but you'd just have bare micro-switches on a board to control your fans. The LED display is soldered to this board under the switches.

It would be tough to transplant this thing into another setup....and make it look good.

Yup, that was kind of what I was hoping for.. My plan is to just set it up to always run the fan(porhaps 2, CPU&GPU reseratorcooled..) at 2.8V, is that possible to fix the voltage or do I have to strategicly(spelling..) place the tempsensor? Then just leave the fan controller inside the case, porhaps glued in some way to a side panel..

Also, Bluefront; do you porhaps have a fan controller or case to sell to me?

Bluefront · Post by **Bluefront** » Sun Sep 05, 2004 4:23 pm

Look...there are three temp sensors but these have no control over the fan speed. They just give you temp readouts.

It's a pwm fan controller.....and always starts up at the 4.5v setting. You then manually adjust the speeds up/down through a ten speed range. It has two fan connections, but both run at the same speed.

I do have one more of these cases, but it's going into my next project. I like these cases alot. I paid $50 for two including shipping. (About a year ago).

akaidiot · Post by **akaidiot** » Sun Sep 05, 2004 5:02 pm

Can you press the buttons quite easily directly on the card? Or do you need something narrower, like a pen?

I recall you saying that it always gives the fan a 12V startup and then goes down? Porhaps not? Porhaps only to 4.5V and then manually down to 2.8V?

Well it only resets to 4.5V when you power down and not at restart, right?

Bluefront · Post by **Bluefront** » Sun Sep 05, 2004 5:27 pm

When I metered out the voltages, I used a digital VOM. It's not fast enough to give me an inital reading, but the fans speed up when the computer is started, and immediately drop back to 4.5v.

This dbox controller is slightly different than the Black Knight controller (same company Ahanix). The Black Knight controller has an automatic mode in which the fan speed is controlled by the #1 sensor. It can also be used manually like the dbox, but only has six speeds. It can be programmed to start up at any voltage. The dbox always starts at 4.5v.

The switches on the dbox could be easily used without the chrome button panel...they're plenty big enough for that.

akaidiot · Post by **akaidiot** » Sun Sep 05, 2004 5:52 pm

The case is ordered from listan.de for â‚¬34.41! I must say that I am more then satisfied with the price, with shipping included from Germany to Sweden!

rperezlo · Post by **rperezlo** » Mon Sep 06, 2004 12:08 am

The controllers in those Ahanix boxes really don't have a lot of features. As Bluefront mentions the dBox controller is manual, and the Black Knight has only 6 steps. And both set all the fans to the same voltage. My father has the Black Knight and the controller does the job but it is really basic.

I'd rather go with this:

http://www.mcubed-tech.com/eng/index.htm

It does start at 12 VDC and then goes down and it's minimum speed is 0. It has 4 temperature sensors, 4 fan outputs and an user definable rpm vs. temp curve independent for each fan channel. And if PWM disturbs you, they offer an electronic attenuator.

The price is about 60 â‚¬, but that's what you have to pay for the features...

ONEshot · Post by **ONEshot** » Mon Sep 06, 2004 12:44 am

Why cant an EE student just DESIGN a quick, crude little fanbus that puffs up the fans at 12v and then drops to whatever you set it at?? Dayam. Doesnt even seem that hard.

Bluefront · Post by **Bluefront** » Mon Sep 06, 2004 2:31 am

akaidiot.....hope your dbox project works ok. Check that photo album I linked to for some of the mods I did to the case. I'll soon write-up the whole project in the gallery section (when I'm completely finished..it's close).

FWIW...This dbox case is virtually the same as the Black Knight case. The front bezels are different, and the dbox has a rear 80mm fan(which can be enlarged to 120mm like the Black Knight). Everything else is the same....even the side panels interchange.

With my dbox I'm controlling the fans with the Enermax controller in the top bay in the photo. I wanted to read rpms and individually control speeds. The dbox controller is hooked up, but just displays temps, and shows hd activity, and has the power button. It can turn off the computer if the #1 sensor gets too hot.

Good luck with it.

akaidiot · Post by **akaidiot** » Mon Sep 06, 2004 10:05 am

Oki, but I'm not going to use the case, just the controller in my new BQE3700. I know it might seam as a waste, but it was just soo cheap! The temp-meter can be useful.. But I will probably just leave the fan at 2.8v and never touch it.. The only time I shutdown the computer is usually when I am IN the computer so then I can readjust it down to 2.8v.

Looking forward for the write up on your dBox!

OT(but it's my thread!:P): Also, my birdhouse HD box is soon to be put together. I've bought this 2" thick foam, what do you think?:

Bluefront · Post by **Bluefront** » Fri Sep 10, 2004 2:36 am

That "bird-house" setup you mentioned uses 1/2" foam to support the drives. I'm sure that 2" foam you have will dampen the setup ok, but will certainly restrict airflow over the drives (if you construct the HD setup like I did....)