MP 1,1-5,1 Mac Pro (4.1/5.1) aftermarket fans WITH automatic SMC control

[arw]

each to their own

Oh, no, sorry, I wasn't criticizing your work!
But you mentioned:

fans i have running on auto...

and I wanted to give a hint, why Macs Fan Control or the SMC are probably unable to change the speeds in any way and the fans are stuck on these maximum speeds no matter the settings.

 

[Bootso]

swapped out all my fans except the pci fan, made custom cables for the heatsinks and i'm surprised by the outcome of what this machine has done.

fans i have running on auto...
intake and exhaust fans = 2x Corsair CO-9050080
cpu A & B fans = 2x Noctua NF-A6x25 FLX
psu fan = Noctua NF-S12A FLX

once the pci fan comes in, it will be a Zalman ZM-F2 LED and will swap out the blue led's for red ones
View attachment 2155657

you can easily replace the pci fan too.
watch this:
Mac Pro pci fan replace

 

[reddrag0n]

Oh, no, sorry, I wasn't criticizing your work!
But you mentioned:

and I wanted to give a hint, why Macs Fan Control or the SMC are probably unable to change the speeds in any way and the fans are stuck on these maximum speeds no matter the settings.

automatic meaning plug it in and forget it. like pc fans are auto to me. smc controlled is manual, or at least mechanical due to the machine running them. the way i have them set up is a set and forget situation

 

[reddrag0n]

you can easily replace the pci fan too.
watch this:
Mac Pro pci fan replace

i pretty much have the same idea they did but they didnt do the mire mod that i have in mind

 

[arw]

automatic meaning plug it in and forget it. like pc fans are auto to me. smc controlled is manual, or at least mechanical due to the machine running them. the way i have them set up is a set and forget situation

Again, this is no criticism and please correct me if I got it wrong. But you say you want auto and yet probably wired it as full speed / 12V constantly (at least that‘s what the fan speeds indicate).

- IF you connected the Macs 12 V to your fans VCC instead of Control Voltage, they always run at full speed.
- This is the exact opposite of automatic on a PC as well as the exact opposite of automatic SMC fan control
- The button “Auto“ in Macs Fan Control is irrelevant, because the fans can‘t be controlled. They run at 100% all the time.

Of course you are free to wire them like that, but the key point and achievement of this thread is dynamic/automatic fan speed. You don‘t have to do anything, the Mac/SMC adjusts everything automatically.
I really don‘t want to sound condescending, I simply fear you‘re missing out on the full potential your fan swap offers and you already put so much effort in.
If you are aware and want it exactly that way, please ignore the above.

 

[hwojtek]

automatic meaning plug it in and forget it. like pc fans are auto to me. smc controlled is manual

What? PC fans are not controlled?

or at least mechanical due to the machine running them. the way i have them set up is a set and forget situation

So what is automatically controlling the speed of your fans exactly?

 

[reddrag0n]

What? PC fans are not controlled?

3 pin fans? no they are not, you plug them in and it's automatic, they run, that's it, no stepping up or down the voltage. 12v, ground and an rpm sensor. that's it, that's all

- The button “Auto“ in Macs Fan Control is irrelevant, because the fans can‘t be controlled. They run at 100% all the time.

that's what i wanted


if anyone reads post #1, i will quote the area i'm talking about in red

So you can see the issue plainly, if you plug in a PC PWM fan to a Mac Pro header the PWM signal will not work, and the fan will run at full speed due to 12V on VCC pin. It will however report RPM back to the SMC so at least you can see the fan speed in your software of choice.

Most people I've read about seem to adopt one of four approaches:

1. Use PC fans plugged into the Mac Pro headers and let them run at full speed
2. Use PC fans plugged into the Mac Pro headers and use inline fixed resistors to run < full speed
3. Use PC fans plugged into the Mac Pro headers and use inline variable resistors to run at manual controlled speed
4. Use PC fans and conversion/adaptor boards to convert Apple control signal to PC PWM signal

Options 1 & 2 are simple and if you choose your fans or resistors carefully can result in lower noise, but there's no variable RPM so no way to adapt to changing thermals so you have to plan for either never running the machine at full load for extended periods, or making sure your cooling is sufficient for 'worst case scenario' and just put up with whatever the noise level is.

that's all i wanted. my dell XPS before i swapped everything to my mac pro was running all my fans the exact same way and the sound was quiet and everything ran cool. just like my MDD where all the fans are all specifically picked out for max airflow and even more maximum silence.

 

[arw]

3 pin fans? no they are not, you plug them in and it's automatic, they run, that's it, no stepping up or down the voltage. 12v, ground and an rpm sensor. that's it, that's all

For 3-pin fans, constant 12 V is not automatic (not here and not for PCs). Perhaps you mean 4-pin PWM fans?
This whole thread is about letting the SMC control the 3-pin fans by indeed varying the voltage (between ~5-7 and 12 V).
PC/motherboard manufacturers do it as well and call it (Automatic) Voltage Control or DC Mode.

It is ok if you want your fans to run at 100% all the time (and wired them that way). But as this thread is about actual automatic control, I think it is important to get the terminology right for future readers not to get confused.
At least in the context of this thread, a screenshot of Macs Fan Control on "Auto" but with very high speeds at cool temperatures normally indicate a SMC malfunction or erroneous wiring.

Just explaining my nit-picking. Posting here, to me it looked/sounded like you originally did want automatic fan control for your new fans.

 

[crackajacka77]

Just discovered this forum thread, glad if there is a user who could write a summary how to replace which pins to connect noctua fans to the normal fan power pins.

i would like to make my mac pro quieter, but here was so much small things discussed in this thread that I do not even know where to start. thanks a bunch.

 

[arw]

@crackajacka77 The most difficult thing is finding appropriate 3-pin fans with the proper fan speeds. They:

• must be able to spin slowly enough for the SMC to properly control them (see minimal speeds below). Otherwise they stop rotating completely.
• must be able to spin fast enough to sufficiently cool the Mac (depends on the fan model and ambient temperature, workload, hardware).

PSU, Intake and Exhaust​

• PSU: 120x25mm, Intake & Exhaust: 120x35mm but can be replaced with 120x25mm
  • PSU: minimal SMC speed: 600 rpm (500 rpm possible via iStat)
  • Intake: minimal SMC speed: 600 rpm
  • Exhaust: minimal SMC speed: 600 rpm (500 rpm possible via iStat)
• Confirmed working models:
  • Noctua NF-S12B redux-1200 (500-1200 rpm) [case / airflow optimized fan]
  • Noctua NF-P12 redux-1300 (550-1300 rpm) [pressure optimized fan]
  • Noctua NF-A12x25 ULN (xxx-1200 rpm) [newest technology, most quiet, great allrounder]

PCI/Expansion​

• 92x35mm but can be replaced with 92x25mm
  • minimal SMC speed: 800 rpm
• Confirmed working models:
  • Noctua NF-B9 redux-1600 (800-1700 rpm)
  • Noctua NF-A9 FLX (800-1600 rpm)

CPU/Booster(s)​

• Single tray: 1x 80x25mm
  • minimal SMC speed: 856 rpm (714 rpm possible via 3rd party like iStat)
  • Working but might be too slow for high load: Noctua NF-R8 redux-1800 (856-1800 rpm)
• Dual tray: 2x 60x25mm
  • minimal SMC speed: 1112 rpm (928 rpm possible via iStat, 800 rpm via Macs Fan Control)
  • Hard to find a replacement, as the original ones have a huge range of speed (up to 5200 rpm)
    • not working (stalling): Noctua NF-A6x25 FLX (xxx-3000 rpm)
    • Noiseblocker NB-BlackSilentFan 60mm XR-2 (~1100-2200 rpm) [Post #443]
    • unconfirmed possible candidates: Noiseblocker NB-BlackSilent Pro 60mm PR-2 (xxx-2500 rpm) or PR-1 (xxx-1800 rpm)

I additionally recommend removing the fan guards (Intake, Exhaust & PCI) for even quieter and better cooling thanks to the reduced air resistance.

GPU fan pinout for connecting 4-pin PWM fans is illustrated in [Post #358] by @Minimum91

Edit: Updated image. Credit to all who posted the original images/pinout infos!
Tag me with other confirmed fans I should add above.

 

[crackajacka77]

Thank you for the summary!
I've been working myself through the thread and noted down some recommended candidates.
NF-A9 FLX for PCI, Intake & Outtake
NF-A12x25 ULN for the PSU Fan
I have a dual CPU 5,1 - recommendations which fans to use and which pins to switch are highly appreciated.

Thank you again arw!

 

[arw]

NF-A9 FLX for PCI, Intake & Outtake

The last two need 120 mm fans. NF-A9 is 92 mm.

 

[monstamac]

swapped out all my fans except the pci fan, made custom cables for the heatsinks and i'm surprised by the outcome of what this machine has done.

fans i have running on auto...
intake and exhaust fans = 2x Corsair CO-9050080
cpu A & B fans = 2x Noctua NF-A6x25 FLX
psu fan = Noctua NF-S12A FLX

once the pci fan comes in, it will be a Zalman ZM-F2 LED and will swap out the blue led's for red ones
View attachment 2155657

to be completely clear Is your cpu(A/B) fan replacement speed controlled?

 

[reddrag0n]

to be completely clear Is your cpu(A/B) fan replacement speed controlled?

no, it runs at full speed, i tried the controlled way and my fans kept dipping on the 0 rpm range.

 

[monstamac]

no, it runs at full speed, i tried the controlled way and my fans kept dipping on the 0 rpm range.

ok thanks. ive now read the whole thread. It had rather confused me. Thanks for clarifying. Its a shame that the proper solution cant be pinned to the top of the thread somehow.

 

[arw]

ok thanks. ive now read the whole thread. It rather confused me. Thanks for clarifying.

I‘ve updated my post #385 which attempts to summarize the essentials of the thread.

The NF-A6x25 FLX (probably/apparently) doesn‘t work because it can‘t spin actively as low as the required 1112 rpm. Unfortunately the exact minimal stable speed is not listed but with Ultra-Low-Noise adapter it is rated for 1600 rpm. At 12 V it is rated for 3000 rpm.

That is why there were discussions about the Noiseblocker Blacksilent Pro PR-2. It is rated for 2500 rpm @12 V, so chances are higher that it also has a lower stable minimal speed. But I don‘t recall anyone reporting back on their tests.

 

[monstamac]

no, it runs at full speed, i tried the controlled way and my fans kept dipping on the 0 rpm range.

Did that include the 2 6x25 fans? I note from the thread that noone has found a solution to the dual cpu boost replacements. Even knowing they work fine at full blast is progress I would imagine.

 

[iAssimilated]

@crackajacka77 first, get some 3-pin fans with the proper fan speed. They:

• must be able to spin slow enough for the SMC to properly control them (see minimal speeds below). Otherwise they stop rotating completely.
• must be able to spin fast enough to sufficiently cool the Mac (depends on the fan model and ambient temperature, workload, hardware).

PSU, Intake and Exhaust​

• PSU: 120x25mm, Intake & Exhaust: 120x35mm but can be replaced with 120x25mm
  • PSU: minimal SMC speed: 600 rpm (500 rpm possible via 3rd party like iStat)
  • Intake: minimal SMC speed: 600 rpm
  • Exhaust: minimal SMC speed: 600 rpm (500 rpm possible via 3rd party like iStat)
• Confirmed working models: Noctua NF-S12B redux-1200, Noctua NF-A12x25 ULN

PCI/Expansion​

• 92x35mm but can be replaced with 92x25mm
  • PCI/Expansion: minimal SMC speed: 800 rpm
• Confirmed working models: Noctua NF-B9 redux-1600, Noctua NF-A9 FLX

CPU/Booster(s)​

• Single tray: 1x 80x25mm or Dual tray: 2x 60x25mm
  • Single tray: minimal SMC speed: 856 rpm (714 rpm possible via 3rd party like iStat)
  • Dual tray: minimal SMC speed: 1112 rpm (928 rpm possible via 3rd party like iStat)
• Hard to find a replacement, as the original ones have a huge range of speed (up to 5200 rpm for the Dual trays 60mm).

I additionally recommend removing the fan guards (Intake, Exhaust & PCI) for even quieter and better cooling thanks to the reduced air resistance.

Edit: Updated image. Credit to all who posted the original images/pinout infos!
Tag me with other confirmed fans I should add above.
View attachment 2160866

Is there a major difference between the listed Noctua fans in your post? The descriptions are High Performance Cooling vs. Ultra Quiet and Premium Quiet. Are the NF-A series fans way more silent vs. the redux fans?

EDIT: Nevermind. I remember it all now... its been a while since I purchased case fans.

Also, I am running Linux on my 2012 Pro, I assume that shouldn't make a difference (other than not being able to control the fan speeds via the mentioned Mac software).

EDIT: I still wouldn't mind an answer to this question.

 

[arw]

@iAssimilated My 2 cents nevertheless: for the CPU/RAM and PCI bay I preferred case fans with high volume flow over static pressure or mixed scenario fans. Not only is the redux variant of great value but it also comes in my preferred color for the Mac Pro.
I thought about a pressure-optimized fan for the PSU but the NF-S12B redux (or a NF-S12A) has no problem pushing the air out.
I cannot compare the noise to other Noctua fans but my MP5,1 is only insignificantly more "whooshy" than my MP6,1, so barely audible.

Also, I am running Linux on my 2012 Pro, I assume that shouldn't make a difference (other than not being able to control the fan speeds via the mentioned Mac software).

I haven't tried it but I hardly suspect there is no difference. The charm/goal of this thread is to retain full compatibility with the Macs own Thermal Management (SMC) so that everything is OS independent and self-monitored/controlled.

 

[reddrag0n]

Did that include the 2 6x25 fans? I note from the thread that noone has found a solution to the dual cpu boost replacements. Even knowing they work fine at full blast is progress I would imagine.

yeah, the mac pro had some funky 60mm fans in there but i figured i would swap them out for high powered low noise fans that would push alot of air past the heatsinks and the northbridge thats right there too

 

[reddrag0n]

That is why there were discussions about the Noiseblocker Blacksilent Pro PR-2. It is rated for 2500 rpm @12 V, so chances are higher that it also has a lower stable minimal speed. But I don‘t recall anyone reporting back on their tests.

i'm surprised apple hasn't used those fans on the mdd psu and the g5 psu.

just did the conversions, the blacknoise fans run similar cfm as the noctuas, 17cfm or 29 m3/h. but they definitely have a lower vcc rating at 5v

 

[hwojtek]

i'm surprised apple hasn't used those fans on the mdd psu and the g5 psu.

Perhaps it's because these fans were introduced in 2009 after a collaboration with Hardwareluxx, and MDD and G5 were long gone (discontinued 6 and 7 years earlier, respectively) by this time.

 

[iAssimilated]

@iAssimilated My 2 cents nevertheless: for the CPU/RAM and PCI bay I preferred case fans with high volume flow over static pressure or mixed scenario fans. Not only is the redux variant of great value but it also comes in my preferred color for the Mac Pro.
I thought about a pressure-optimized fan for the PSU but the NF-S12B redux (or a NF-S12A) has no problem pushing the air out.
I cannot compare the noise to other Noctua fans but my MP5,1 is only insignificantly more "whooshy" than my MP6,1, so barely audible.


I haven't tried it but I hardly suspect there is no difference. The charm/goal of this thread is to retain full compatibility with the Macs own Thermal Management (SMC) so that everything is OS independent and self-monitored/controlled.

One last question. Does the Pixlas mod create issues for the PSU fan replacement?

 

[crackajacka77]

Just changed the Inhaust and Exhaust fans using 2x Noctua NF-A12x25 ULN fans.

Used the 4pin header from old Original Mac Pro Inhaust/Exhaust fans and switched the pins according to arw's graphic. Then I noticed that the cable from the Noctua fans was lacking about 1cm to be able to plug them in. So I took the provided ULN adapter and did the same pin switch mod.

Works fine, though the Exhaust fan maxxes out at 960rpm and the Inhaust fan at 870rpm. Did a 100% CPU stress test for a while and the CPUA and CPUB fans took most of the heavy load and maxxed out at 4500rpm, which was very loud. For general use, even just switching these two Inhaust and Exhaust fans did VERY noticable job in reducing overall volume of my dual 5.1. Looking forward switching out the PCI and PSU fan. Will wait for a recommendation for CPUA and CPUB.

Thanks again for the summary arw!

PS: After switching the PSU and PCI fan, i'm thinking about changing the two fans on my Sapphire Pulse Radeon RX 580 8GB

 

[arw]

i'm surprised apple hasn't used those fans on the mdd psu and the g5 psu.

just did the conversions, the blacknoise fans run similar cfm as the noctuas, 17cfm or 29 m3/h. but they definitely have a lower vcc rating at 5v

Any chance you could log/read the minimum speed (on a PC etc.) or are they already soldered? If the Blacksilent Pro PR-2 could spin at 1112 rpm that would be really useful info for future modders.

Off-topic, I actually installed two Noiseblocker NB-BlackSilent 60 XR-1 in my G5 as soon as the fans hit the market in 2005.

One last question. Does the Pixlas mod create issues for the PSU fan replacement?

I‘m not sure I understand the question. The PSU reports/sends its temperature to the backplane/SMC. The PSU fan is connected to the backplane. The new fan is automatically regulated dependent on the PSU load/temperature so I don‘t see any issues there.

Then I noticed that the cable from the Noctua fans was lacking about 1cm to be able to plug them in. So I took the provided ULN adapter and did the same pin switch mod.

Oh, that‘s not a good idea. It has a built-in resistor to reduce the maximum possible speed significantly (from ~1200 to ~900 rpm).
I suspect you already reverted the connector of the fan to the default pin configuration. Then please use the included extension cable and perform the pin swap to the 4-pin connector on that one.

PS: After switching the PSU and PCI fan, i'm thinking about changing the two fans on my Sapphire Pulse Radeon RX 580 8GB

Great idea. I did the same with two Noctua NF-B9 redux-1600 PWM as I have enough space.
I mounted them to blow upwards, to help the chimney effect. The original fan orientation is not optimal as GPUs are installed upside down in our Mac Pros.