Introduction
Welcome to my Swiftech MCP35X2 review, possibly the ultimate in “Smart PWM Monster Pumping Performance”. After reviewing the Swiftech 35X single pump, I found myself making room for the powerful smart pump as part of my daily use and CPU block testing rig. While manual speed control pumps move water fine, they can not be controlled automatically without more advanced (and expensive) controllers. PWM controlled pumps offer a larger operating range and can be controlled with nothing more than a motherboard CPU header. Just before CES 2012, Swiftech announced an arsenal of exciting new and innovative products, one of which was taking the previous flagship 35X success and marrying it together in a package of two (The MCP35X2). Two pumps in series provides nearly double the head pressure and also adds the pump redundancy safety benefit if one pump stops working. When Swiftech asked if I’d be interested in reviewing, I was happy to accept as I thought it would also make the perfect test pump for my new radiator test bench having all that range, power, and precision(easily repeatable) PWM control.
I would like to give special thanks to Gabe from Swiftech for providing this product review sample:
That’s a lot of smart PWM pumping power in the palm of your hand.
Before digging into the review, let’s first have a look at the product specifications and notes from Swiftech’s site:
Specifications
- Ready for upcoming 5 1/4″ bay reservoir solutions by Swiftech.
- 2 year warranty
Product Description
The MCP35X2 is the dual motor version of Swiftech’s flagship MCP35X pump. The product is designed to provide extreme flow rates in loops that include multiple devices, for example multiple radiators and triple or quad SLI/Crossfire liquid cooled graphics cards; pump redundancy also provides maximum safety in mission critical systems: if one pump fails, flow will continue to circulate thru the system thanks to the second pump. The unit features:
- 12VDC and PWM controlled, allowing variable speed control thru the motherboard from 1300 to 4500 rpm, and linked with Swiftech’s PWM splitter cable for simultaneous pump speed adjustments using only one PWM motherboard header.
Technical Specifications
Motor type 2x Electronically commutated, brushless DC, spherical motors Nominal voltage 12 V DC Operating voltage range 9 to 13.4 VDC Max. nominal power (@12 V) 18 W x 2 Max. nominal current (@12 V) 1.5 A x 2 Max. nominal head (@12 V) 27.9 ft (8.5m) Max nominal discharge (@12 V) ~ 4.17 GPM (15.8 LPM) Maximum pressure 22 PSI (1.5 BAR) Temperature range Up to 140 °F (60 °C) Electrical power connector 2x Molex 4 pin PWM + RPM Signals 2x 4-pin connector RoHS Compliant Port thread standard G1/4 MTBF 50,000 Hours Weight 15 oz Dimensions (not including fittings) L4.9″ x W2.8″ x H1.6″ (L126 x W72 x H41mm)
