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Your Tests and Reviews => Your Tests and Reviews => Topic started by: Dark Mantis on December 04, 2011, 10:29:07 am
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Phobya External and Internal Fan Power Distribution Panels Mini Review
by
Dark Mantis
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I have been given these two power distribution panels by Phobya to review today. One is designed to operate as an internal junction point for up to six fans and the other is more designed for the external connection of up to three fans with three pin plugs and a four pin Molex connector power take off for a fan or pump etc.
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The first one I am going to look at is the small internal distribution board. It is supplied boxed which is nice to see as it provides some degree of protection considering there are many exposed prongs which could be easilly bent. This board is tiny and so easy to find a small space to fix it somewhere inside the computer case. At one end there is the input for the power cable which comes directly from the power supply of the computer and is in the form of a four pin male Molex connector. Over the rest of the printed circuit board are evenly spaced six, three pin fan headers. Because of the way the board is designed there is no way to make use of any speed readout from the fans or even control them individually although it would be possible to control the fans as a group which could be useful if they were all connected to the same item like a triple radiator with push/pull configuration.
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The board can be located anywhere within reason inside the case even the ceiling as it is fixed by some hook and eye "Velcro" style tape that is sticky on both sides. Once stuck to the surface the glue takes a while to reach it's maximum potential and after that is quite difficult to remove as long as the substrate is clean and not coated.
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All the fan headers have the same potential elecrically and carry the full 12v by default. The PCB has been made as small as it is possible to do and still fit the required number of connectors on it. It measures 45mm (1.75") by 25mm (1") and stands approximately 15mm (0.5") high without any plugs attached. It is simple and effective and does exactly what it is designed for and the price of £3.49.
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The second item is really aimed at those who require a way of providing power to an external cooling item such as a free-standing radiator or external pump/radiator unit. This is built around a metal expansion bracket which has a four pin Molex male plug on the inside for power input from the system's PSU. On the outside there is an identical four pin male Molex plug and three three pin fan headers. These come with blank plugs to fit so that your own cables can be made up if necessary.
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The metal plate and the PCB are both quite substantially made and are screwed together well by five bolts. These should ensure that everything stays where it is supposed to be even after some plugging and unplugging of devices. The power transmission shouldn't be limited by this unit as all of the circuits on the board are quite substantial and should be able to cope with whatever the normal draw of the connected device is. The unit is well manufactured and although simple does exactly what it was designed for and the price of £6.98 I didn't think exhorbitant.
Both of these devices are well constructed and although not anything to get excited about do their job efficiently. I would award them an 8/10.
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Supplied by : C and C Central Website: http://www.candccentral.co.uk/
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