Introduction

For the overclocker and case modder, fan noise is nothing new. This is the price that must be paid when one wants to obtain maximum cooling for their computer hardware. To overcome this, the fanbus/baybus was invented, to not only centralize fan wiring within the inside of a PC, but also to lower noise by allowing fans to be turned off when extra cooling was not needed. One probably doesn't need a >100CFM fan running while just listening to MP3s, and the noise from such a fan would probably detract from the musical experience. Soon, rheostats began to be used for fan control, as they were able to provide a variable resistor in the circuit that effectively was able to control fan speed, so instead of just being have on/off control, one could regulate the fan's speed with a reasonable degree of accuracy. The downside was that rheostats had a maximum wattage as the resistance generated heat, and higher-wattage rheostats could get very expensive, so the number of fans that could be controlled by each rheostat was limited. Soon, those with a thoughtful mind came up with the idea of using voltage regulators to control fan speed, as with a proper heatsink mounted to it, these could support a higher load.

But through these developments, the average user and newbie case modder were left behind. Many of these people did not have the time to put together such a device, though they may have had the need for one. Retailers that cater to the needs of overclockers/modders were quick to move in, first developing easy-to-construct kits, and then ready-made switch-baybuses and rheostat-baybuses. One such premade unit was the Rheobus, first reviewed by Wolfman here. Although it was undoubtedly a good device, there were a few minor quibbles. Today, I'll be looking at the 2nd revision of it, the Rheobus v2.0, provided by Lux Design. Let's see what has changed, and if it has changed for the better.

Specifications

The basic design of the Rheobus v2.0 is unchanged. Everything is still professionally mounted onto a PCB, with the protective adhesive already in place on the bottom of the PCB to prevent short circuits if the bottom should contact a metal or other conducting surface. This could happen if you mounted the Rheobus v2.0 in the lowest 5.25" drive bay of your case. Here's a list of the specifications:

• Ability to handle very large fans
• Ability to handle multiple fans
• Rated for fans up to 17 watts per switch
• Ultra Bright Red LEDs, socketed to allow color change
• Extra large heatsinks
• Cast Aluminum knobs
• 90-day warranty (exceeding watts per switch will void your warranty)
• Printed Circuit board eliminates wiring mess
• Drill Template ensures proper installation
• Unit comes with a molex splitter, and "adds its own connection" in your case
• NOTE: RheoBus LEDs are in the "always on" mode.
• Necessary Allen wrench size for knob attachment: .050" (included)

As you can see, each circuit is still rated for 17w, which is still quite a heavy load IMO. I don't think you'll be running into any problems with exceeding this kind of wattage rating. The notable changes are the inclusion of the allen wrench needed for knob attachment (I know Wolfman would like that!), so that you don't have to search for one, (The size is pretty small, and many of you may not have one) and the addition of socketed LEDs so that one can easily swap out LEDs for a different coloured one. The LEDs included are red, a change from the original blue.

As you can see, the Rheobus v2.0 comes in a plain and simple packaging just like its predecessor. Included, besides the main unit, are a 4-pin 'Y' molex cable, 4 aluminum knobs, 4 LED clip holders, the mounting washers & nuts, the drilling template, and a manual/instruction sheet. As mentioned before, the protective adhesive is already applied to the bottom of the unit's PCB. The red LEDs are already socketed in place. Each set of parts came in its own separate plastic baggie, so the components can be easily identified and found for installation.

The kit.

Unit and drilling template.

Parts in their baggies.

The unit itself is very well made, with everything being mounted to a PCB professionally. No wires here! It is designed to fit into a 5.25" drive bay by being mounted to a 5.25" faceplate, and it fits exceptionally well into a Lian-Li aluminum drive bay cover. The same LM324N chip that was on the original Rheobus is also here, again, in the center of the unit, and its job is the same: It will detect current in the circuits, and then get the appropriate LED to light up when there's a load. But of course, the most visible part of the unit is the four large, black heatsinks that are used to cool the LM317T voltage regulators that are the workhorses of the Rheobus v2.0. There should be no problem with overheating as long as you stay within the 17w limit of each circuit, which isn't a low limit at all.

Large heatsinks on the LM317T regulators.

LM324N chip in the center of the PCB.

Front.

The included Y-adapter was already plugged into the unit, and this nice addition means you won't be losing any power connectors in your case. One thing I did find was that it was somewhat difficult to remove a power connector from the connector on the Rheobus v2.0. This isn't much of a problem though, as you can just use the Y-adapter as an attachment/detachment point instead. The socketed LEDs have already been bent towards the front, so that they can be properly mounted onto the faceplate with the included LED clips. The sockets allow you to customize what colour LED you want without making the task of installation more difficult, which is a nice little addition.

Protective bottom prevents short circuits.

Socketed LEDs are easily changed.

The LM317T voltage regulator.

As with most pre-made baybus type kits, all the connectors are at the back of the PCB. The power connector is towards one side, while the screw-down spring-loaded terminals sit in the center of the rear of the PCB. Each terminal is labelled as to which rheostat corresponds to it and the + and - terminals are also indicated. This ensures no guessing games have to be played when you're hooking up your fans to the Rheobus. The advantage of having the hookup terminals on the PCB is that the unit is kept small and compact and the cost is lowered as well. The disadvantage is that it is somewhat cumbersome to change fans/hookup new fans, as you'll have to remove the Rheobus from your case to easily get access to the terminals. A separating the hookup terminals into a box that could be placed away from the Rheobus would solve this problem, but again, the cost would be more and the unit not as compact as a whole.

Hookup terminals are clearly labelled.

Knobs, washers, nuts, LED clips and allen wrench.

All the required hardware to mount the Rheobus to a faceplate is included, so you get 4 of each of the following: washers, nuts and LED mounting clips. Wolfman pointed out in the original Rheobus review that not everyone might have the small allen wrench needed to secure the knobs to the rheostat poles, so in v2.0, the proper allen wrench is provided! The knobs that are included are also slightly different from the previous ones. Here's what Lux Design says:

"Improved Knobs! Our new anodized aluminum knobs are only 1/2 inch tall, and incorporate a knob skirt to cover the nut and washer. The Rheobus V2.0 comes with clear anodized knobs."

The knobs have a nice texture/grip on the side so they are easy to turn, but one thing I did not like was that there was no dial or mark on the front to indicate what position a knob is in. True, you could probably tell from the allen wrench inset on the side, but I would have liked an indicator line on the front.

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