Manual Fan Speed

I'd like to get my 635 set up so that I can control my system's 3 fans (located at fan1, fan2, and fan4) with the keypad. How would I go about doing this?

I can get you a screen do to this. Unfortunately, I am little cramped for time right now, but should be able to get you something in a day or so.

Jim

That's cool, its not a really pressing issue since the CC2 SCAB controls work fine, but being able to adjust it without having to restart CC would make life much easier.

Is there a way to possibly select each fan individually within the screen?

Yes

CornPopz said:

Is there a way to possibly select each fan individually within the screen?

Click to expand...

Actually, it would be more feasible to do this with keyboard commands. You can even set this up so that you can control fan speed no matter what screen you are in.

If you use the keypad, it will pretty much not allow you to use the keypad for anything else. Also, you would have to set up the keys to control an individual fan. I am not aware of any command to "pick" a fan and then set the speed. 3 fans = 6 keypads.

Let me know what you want to do. I have one screen done except for the actual commands. If you decide to use the keyboard (my recommendation), let me know what keystrokes you want to use. You will need 6 commands for 3 fans.

Jim

Does CC2 differentiate between the keypad and the rest of the keyboard? Because something like Ctrl + Alt + (Keypad 4-9) would work nicely, with the controls being like 4 and 7 for fan 1, 5 and 8 for 2, etc. If not the keypad then the F7-F12 keys in conjunction with Control and Alt would work.

How is the screen you already have made set up?

Edit- Can CC2 make use of the fan "smoothing" like 635 WinTest can do? I noticed that when I used WinTest to control my fan speeds, they didn't pulse like they do when I have CC2 control them.

CornPopz said:

Does CC2 differentiate between the keypad and the rest of the keyboard? Because something like Ctrl + Alt + (Keypad 4-9) would work nicely, with the controls being like 4 and 7 for fan 1, 5 and 8 for 2, etc. If not the keypad then the F7-F12 keys in conjunction with Control and Alt would work.

Click to expand...

Nope, keypad or keyboard, no mixing allowed, but this would be a great suggestion to add to CCadmin's wish list!

I'll be out of town this weekend, so I might not be able to get you something til early next week. Using the Ctrl + Alt + F7-F12 keys.

When I get them done, try em and let me know how they work and look. I will get them modified from there.

CornPopz said:

Can CC2 make use of the fan "smoothing" like 635 WinTest can do? I noticed that when I used WinTest to control my fan speeds, they didn't pulse like they do when I have CC2 control them.

Click to expand...

CCAdmin and CFTech can better explain this than me, so I will mostly defer to them.

Regarding CC2, fan control is accomplished by PWM. If you do not have tach monitoring (open loop system), I *believe* that pulsing is quite minimal. With tach monitoring (closed loop system), pulsing (I assume you mean fan LED's) can be noticable.

I have some of my LED fans hooked up with tach monitoring, but I really don't notice the pulsing much. Perhaps I am just not that sensitive to it.

Jim

jc634 said:

pulsing (I assume you mean fan LED's) can be noticable.

Click to expand...

Actually its audible pulsing, as in you can hear the fan getting slightly softer and louder. If I keep them above 50-60% its fine, but if I crank them down to 30% (my rear exhaust is a big 120+ cfm screamer, so I like to keep it down) you can hear them pulsing. Its just something odd I noticed because when I use WinTest and adjust the sliders with the "Smooth" box checked, I dont have the problem. And only one of my fans has RPM monitoring.

Please take a look at the CFA-633 data sheet in "Fan Connections" (starting on page 15). There is an explanation about how the fans are controlled.

Pulsing issue is refered to in the documentation of CrystalControl if I recall correctly.

Not something unique to Crystalfont really, it's also an issue encountered by other vendors offering digital fan RMP control.

All this to suggest that there is a way to greatly reduce the pulsing effect and the negative impact that it may have on the fan. Google for an electronic attenuation device, not my place frankly to point to someone elses product or web site but here is an example of the claims:

- audible reduction of fan noise like humming, piping or rumbling

- compatible with all fans

- improves operating characteristics of every fan and increases its life-time

- effective analogue attenuation and filtering

Well... I was more just wondering why I can only hear it happening using CC2, and not as much when I use WinTest.

This:



looks like a big cap across the fan's power.

Might work.

That, is the item I was referring to..LOL.

Does what it claims, I know someone who utiltizes their entire product line, and bought that after his initial purchase, he did confirm the improvement at the noise level, now as for fan lifespan ..that we shall see.

Attached is a zipped file containing several files you will need.

Make a directory C:\gifs. Put the file fan-ani.gif in it.

JC_SCAB-fans-rpm-ani.cfa635 is a screen file which shows fans 1 thru 4 rpm.

JC_SCAB-fans-ani.cfa635 is a screen file which shows fans 1 thru 4 %'s.

Just add 1 or both screens. In your case, you don not want fan 3, so edit the files acordingly:

[r02]
options=0

[r02-i00]
id=@25

[r02-i01]
length=7
id=@03

[r02-i02]
id=@07

[r02-i03]
string="RPM"

Delete the lines in red. The file for % looks quite similar.

Put the file cc2_keyboard.ini in your cc2-service directory. 2 potential problems here. #1: I generated serveral random id #'s. There is a possiblity that one or more might already be use. I doubt it, but let me know if there is a conflict. Easily fixed. #2: I put keyboard scan codes in the left <Ctrl> and left <Alt>, along with codes for the keyboard 4 thru 9 keypad (I misread your earlier post, I saw keypad and thought you meant the LCD keypad). There is a possiblity that your keyboard may return different scan codes. If there is a problem, let me know again.

Now comes the hard part. I have a file attached cc2_service-mods.txt. You will need to stop CC2 (right-click on the tray icon; Stop CrystalControl2). Open the the file cc2_service.ini located in the cc2-service directory. You will see some lines of text similar to:

[m00]
id=3088604686
module_name="Crystalfontz 635"
options=0
screen_sel=23
alt_enabled=1
brightness=70
contrast=40
dkc_disable=0

[m00-s00]

Copy & paste the contents of the cc2_service-mods.txt between the dkc_disable=0 line and the [m00-s00] line.

Save the file and restart CC2. You will now have 2 screens displays fan RPM and %. You will be able to control the fans at any time from the keyboard per the following:

<Ctrl><Alt>4 ; fan 1 up 10%
<Ctrl><Alt>5 ; fan 1 down 10%
<Ctrl><Alt>6 ; fan 2 up 10%
<Ctrl><Alt>7 ; fan 2 down 10%
<Ctrl><Alt>8 ; fan 4 up 10%
<Ctrl><Alt>9 ; fan 4 down 10%

If something doesn't work, want to change something, have questions, let me know.

Jim

Sounds great! But...I dont see anything attached to your message...

CornPopz said:

Sounds great! But...I dont see anything attached to your message...

Click to expand...

Gee, I don't either...

The key commands don't seem to be working. I put the lines you wrote into my cc2_service.ini file, and placed cc2_keyboard.ini in the cc2-service folder (I had CC2 shut down while modifying cc2_service.ini as well). I push the keys and nothing happens, with either numlock on or off.

Also, how would I change what the keystrokes do? I was originally thinking of having 4 and 7 control fan 1, 5 and 8 for fan 2, and 6 and 9 for fan 4 (having the keys vertically matched just helps visually).

After looking at the code, it seems I had a little bit of tunnel vision when writing the keyboard cc2_service.ini code.

My kid has a football game tomorow afternoon. I will try to get it fixed after that.

Do the screens work OK?

Jim

Just did a little work. Got 'em working except...

The 4 & 7 work OK. (fan 1 down/up).

The 5 & 8 work OK. (fan 2 down/up).

The 6 & 9 do not work. (fan 4 down/up).

For some reason, the 5 & 8 is also controlling fan 4. Turn fan 2 down and fan 4 also goes down.

I will have to upload some files tomorrow to ccadmin and see if he can find my error (or maybe CC2?).

We'll get you there, yet...

Jim

Ok, here are some new files.

Per my last post,

The 4 & 7 (fan 1 down/up).

The 5 & 8 (fan 2 down/up).

The 6 & 9 (fan 4 down/up).

I changed id #'s, looked over the data, and for some reason, I still can not get the 6 & 9 working (5 & 8 still control fan 2 & 4). Oh, well...

Anyway, copy the keyboard.ini over your original keyboard.ini.

Open your lcd_635.ini file and look for the following lines:

fan01_id_manual_power=2711962201

fan02_id_manual_power=711662879

fan04_id_manual_power=1397521461

Your id #'s will be different than mine. Be ready to do some copy/paste.

Stop CC2 (use the <ctrl><alt><delete> and stop the cc2_service).

Open the cc2_service.ini and copy the info from my cc2_service-mods.ini over the existing info in your file.

Copy/paste your id #'s from the your lcd_635.ini over the corresponding id #'s in your modified cc2_service.ini file.

Save and restart CC2. It should work now, with the exception of the aformentioned.

CCadmin, if you read this thread, can you give me a clue why the <ctrl><alt><5> and <6> would be controlling both fans? Let us know, if you find and error. Thanks!

Jim