[Dougger]

CPU Fan: ZALMAN CNPS9500
Motherboard: GIGABYTE GA-8I945GZME-RH

So I went ahead and ordered the stuff I listed in this thread, and I went ahead and downloaded what manuals I could in order to plan ahead. In the MB manual, it looks like it can handle fan speed control based upon CPU temp. Likewise, the Zalman unit comes with an inline speed controller.

So, should I disable the MB control in bios and use the Zalman giblet; or omit said giblet, and use the Gigabyte smarts?

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I would either just leave it maxed out 24/7 as noise doesn't matter for me otherwise I would go with the MOBO controller

[pr0n]

I would either just leave it maxed out 24/7 as noise doesn't matter for me otherwise I would go with the MOBO controller

[Dan1887]

I have the zalman cooler let it set the fan speed unless the temp gets too high then set your own, i run an overclocked p-d 945 at 4.1 ghz and it keeps the temp steady at 36 idle and 46 load

[Dougger]

Ok, I did a little read the manual. It appears that the Zalman control is a manual setting. So I'm going to leave out the Fan Mate and let the MOBO use active variable voltage, and see how that works out.

Thanks!

[Dan1887]

Thats what I am using for mine it works great the Zalman is a great product it will work perfectly as long as you install it correctly and be careful of the thin copper fins on it after installing mine I ended up with tons of cuts on my hands that I hadn;t noticed, nothing like copper paper cuts for the sting!

[Dougger]

Maybe this should be a new topic; but since we're talking about the Zalman:

The manual has the unit oriented so that the fan blows toward the back of the case, where a system fan is shown. That area in my case has no system fan - just some knockouts for extra connections. So I guess I'm not sure where to point the discharge. Too bad I can't mount it on a 45 - I could at least get the flow in the general direction of where I have the sys case fans located, which is at the very top rear corner. About the best I can come up with is to mount it in reverse of how it is shown in the manual, and let it blow toward the front, perpendicularly into the general exhaust current. Since I'm and HVAC engineer, I'm tempted to put a ducted elbow with turning vanes!