The glossy finish front includes the LCD cutout, white Scythe logo at the top left and the four labeled fan controller, which are representing something special. It involves recessed controls that extend a button and then can be rotated.
Here, every knob can be easily rotated in both directions and pushed again.
This makes the Scythe Kaze Master fan controller 2 interesting for users who have a case with front door and would not like to destroy the beautiful look.
Another highlight is the vacuum fluorescent Display – short VFD. Proven technology from the days when you still used Video Recorders with such displays. Unfortunately rare used today, although the benefits are obvious. Wide viewing angle, crisp display and a very long life are characteristics of this type of display.
The upper line is green lighted, showing the rpm of the fan incl. Small RPM logo. Below is in blue displayed the temperature of each channel incl. ° C logo shown. The color separation is only for a better distinction between the two values.
Turning the knob fully to the left there are 0 V on the channel and the connected fan stops. Then the word “OFF” will appear instead of the RPM indicator on the display.
A minimum rotation to the right, and there are 3.7 V to the channel and the Spin Up Voltage feature starts as described.
Let us look at the back of the Kaze Master II Here are the 4 fan connectors, a buzzer, the pin connectors for temperature sensors and a multi-pole DIP switch (also called “Mice Piano”). For connection to the computer power supply a known 3 1/2 inch drives plug socket is available. In the upper right corner are the transistors for the voltage control.
These are, not as usual, provided with an aluminum heat sink to improve cooling and to provide longer service life.
With the DIP switches you can make various settings.
It can for example be the buzzer function to activate in the event that a fan stops or the temperature threshold is exceeded. The temperature can be set in 5 °C increments from 55 °C and 90 °C. Finally, there is an option for the temperature display to convert from degrees Celsius to degrees Fahrenheit.
But there are more functions related to the control of the fans available. The first function, the Spin Up Voltage feature supplies all 4 channels for a very short time with 12 V voltage when booting the system, regardless of the setting. This ensures that fans starting even at 3.7 V setting, which does not work reliably with every fan from the factory, without the Spin Up Voltage Feature turned on.
The second function is a protection circuit in the system that goes by the name Power Feed Control. If the Spin Up Feature is not able to speed up the fan, or the fan is blockes by something the Power Feed Control automatically shuts down the channel after 15 seconds of waiting time, to avoid overheating or defect. Turning the knob switches the power supply on again.
Scythe Kaze Master II Operation and Results …