Noctua launches their NA-FH1 8-channel PWM fan controller

Noctua promises enhanced safety, functionality, and ease of use with their new NA-FH1 PWM 8-channel fan controller

Noctua has today released their new NA-FH1 8-channel fan controller, allowing users to better cable manage their fans and control their fan RPMs using a fan hub that is designed by one of the most respected manufacturers in the PC cooling market.

With their NA-FH1 PWM fan controller, Noctua wanted a design that did PWM fan control right, with CE, UKCA and UL certifications, a protected PCB, and signal improvement circuitry. This is not a cheap and basic fan controller, this is a Noctua fan controller. 

With an asking price of £31.08 in the UK, Noctua’s fan controller is an expensive option, but in a world where premium case fans can often cost more than £20, it makes sense that that circuitry controlling those fans should also be premium in nature. Using a SATA power connector, this controller can provide up to 54 watts of power to connected fans, and using a 4-pin connector, up to 24 watts of power can be delivered. If both are used, power is provided by SATA and, and RPM/PWM signals are provided using the 4-pin interface.

    Noctua today presented its new NA-FH1 fan hub. The NA-FH1 is a high-quality, smartly-protected 8 channel PWM fan hub that allows up to eight PWM fans to be run and controlled simultaneously via a single PWM motherboard fan header or stand-alone controllers such as the optional NA-FC1. Supporting both 12 V and 5 V fans with 4-pin PWM and 3-pin connectors, the NA-FH1 is highly flexible and suitable both for PC environments and other 12 V- or 5 V-based applications.

“While there is no shortage of fan hubs on the market, we found most of them lacking both from a functional and from a safety perspective,” explains Roland Mossig (Noctua CEO). “PWM control and RPM readout can be unreliable, and most units lack overcurrent or short-circuit protection, which can be dangerous when powering through S-ATA. This is where the NA-FH1 steps in: a safe, dependable quality device for powering and controlling up to eight fans!”

If you look at the image below, you will see that Noctua’s NA-FH1 8-channel fan hub is overbuilt, providing users with maximum power stability and increased safety. This circuitry is protected by a cover, and the fan controller can be attached to PC cases using built-in magnets, which means that this controller can be placed almost anywhere, without the need for double sided tape or mounting holes.

     Many fan hubs that are available on the market use very basic PCB designs without any protection or circuitry for signal quality improvement. While this helps to reduce cost, there are significant drawbacks with regards to function and safety. In particular, PWM based speed control may not work reliably if multiple fans are connected and RPM speed signals may be transmitted in poor quality, especially at low fan speeds, which can cause readout errors. By contrast, the NA-FH1’s signal quality improvement circuitries guarantee reliable readout and speed control, even if incoming signals may be of less-than-ideal quality.

In terms of safety, unprotected fan hubs bear risks in cases of overcurrent or short-circuits on the output ports. Especially when powering the devices through S-ATA, this can result in cables and connectors melting and may even cause sparks or flames. To rule out that anything like this can happen, the NA-FH1 features protection circuitries with resettable polyfuses that shut down in case of overcurrent or short-circuits, protecting the connected fans and surrounding components.

The NA-FH1 can be powered either via its S-ATA input (for 12 V fans, up to 54 W) or 4-pin PWM input (for 5 V and 12 V fans, up to 24 W). The two ports can also be used concurrently with the device automatically taking power via S-ATA and exchanging RPM and PWM signals via the 4-pin interface. Status LEDs allow for easy monitoring and thanks to its magnetic fixture, installing the NA-FH1 inside a PC case or on any other steel surface is a breeze. Topped off with CE, UKCA and UL certifications, full compliance with all applicable safety standards as well as Noctua’s 6-year manufacturer’s warranty, the NA-FH1 is a safe, dependable premium choice for powering and controlling up to eight fans.

If you have spent a lot of money on your PC’s fans and cooling, you may be interested in attaching your fans to a premium controller that promises increased safety, more accurate RPM readings, and more stabilised power delivery. If you want that, Noctua now has a product for you. 

Noctua NH-FH1 8-channel PWM fan controller

– Noctua NA-FH1, 8 Channel Fan Hub for up to Eight 12V or 5V Based 4-pin PWM or 3-pin Fans (Black)

You can join the discussion on Noctua’s NA-FH1 8-channel PWM fan controller on the OC3D Forums.