Fans not working when connected to link

I installed the link and hooked up five different fans (3 X 200, 1 X 220 and 1 X 120) to the fan node. The H80 radiator fans remain connected to the waterblock, but I connected the waterblock to the main link unit. I also installed the lighting node and three LED strips.

 

When I turned the computer on, the case fans briefly lit up and started spinning, but then they all died. The computer itself continued to boot normally. Since the CPU fans for the H80 were still connected to the motherboard thru the H80 waterblock/pump they continued to work properly so I let things continue.

 

My first thought was I was drawing too much power thru that node, but the fans only draw about 0.3A each so that shouldn't be a problem.

 

Yes I checked all my power connections to make sure the plugs were all properly seated. I also doubled checked to see if all the rest of the connections were correct. The LED's work great.

 

Anybody else have a problem like this? I had to plug all the fans back into the mobo for now.

I think you might be over drawing too much power from the fan node and might need another fan node cause those big fans + 120 suck up a lot of power. Don't forget that each fan node can only handle up to 4 amps total. You might have gone past 4 amps. Those big 200s could be anywhere from .60 amps to 1 amp per alone and you got 3 on it plus the other fans. My fans (120) are .20 amps each. I highly doubt all the fans are the same amp cause size does matter and highly doubt again that all your fans are .3 amps each or you meant to say .30 amp amps.

I thought that at first too. Here's the summation of the fan power draw.

 

200mm: 0.28A max, 3.36W (times 4 is about 1.2A, 13.2W)

120mm: 0.35A (no watts given)

 

Total amperage is only 1.6A (rounding up). I can't get to the 220mm to check its power draw, so I just assumed it was the same as the 200mm fans. But even if it's twice the 200mm fan that still leave plenty of margin.

 

I'll have to double check it, but I don't think it was able to drive even a single fan.

 

I'd love to talk to tech support about it, but there is no tech support number to call. Hence my post here.

hmmm interesting.....well I went around and saw a guy named Corsair George on another post in this forum stating this and hope this info helps ...

 

Corsair Link's fan controller attempts to determine the minimum and maximum true RPM of a fan. The fan controller is actually PWM, so it sets a duty cycle for any fan plugged into it. With the 200mm fans, their speed is fairly slow (900-1100 RPM range) to begin with, and larger fans are easier to stall typically (since the motors are not exactly propeller turbines).

 

As a result, setting the fan speed down low to one of the larger 200mm fans is likely to stall it, and Corsair link will up the duty cycle until it's confident that the 200mm fans are not being stalled out. Based on component variance, this can be anywhere from around 700RPM to 900RPM.

 

Most of the time, it's in the 900s, as the 200mm fans are running with very slow speeds on a very slow duty cycle and occasionally the tach signal isn't received within the appropriate window, causing C-Link to think that the fan has stalled out and up the duty cycle again.

 

 

Your fans stalling could be the root of your problem and not being PWM (assuming).

BF3Addict: Their phone number is on the website.

GTXJackBauer: Corsair George is the Product Manager for a couple of Corsair's product lines.

I opened a case on this last week and was promised a response either by phone or on this forum. So far I haven't heard anything back. Unfortunately, I misplaced the case number.

 

Right now I spent $139 for an expensive LED controller. Would be nice if I could get it to control the fans like it was intended.

 

Tech support where art thou?!

Any Corsair support care to respond here? 1 1/2 weeks gone since I was promised some response. Have I been forgotten?

All the fans work when plugged into the mobo. That's how I have it right now. The link is only driving the LED's and thermal sensors.

 

The list of fans I'm attempting to drive is in the first post on this thread (standard CM HAF X LED case fans). What is notable is when I first powered on the computer after installing the link, all of the fans appeared to power up for about a second then they all went dark and stopped spinning. I plugged all the fans back into the mobo except for one (a 120mm non-led fan) and the cooling node still wouldn't power that single fan. I've also tried to plug that fan into different slots in the cooling node to see if it might be a specific port, but I get the same result in all ports.

 

The software appears to be working normally, but doesn't show any fan info except for the fans on the H80 cooler. I suppose that's to be expected since it's not going through the cooling node.

 

Could it be a bad cooling node? It does transmit thermal sensor info. It just won't power the fans.

I would look at the molex pin on the node. One of the metal pins may not be making contact with the metal sockets in the plastic. This is a common issue with Molex plugs and sockets. You could try jumping them with a short piece of wire to test it. I would also test it with a different digital connection wire and in a different socket in the Commander.

Currently the Corsair Link in optimized for our Fans and we would need the list of fans to see if they are available and can add them in future releases. But for now the fans we suggest using with this will be our fans, sorry!

 

Ram Guy,

 

Did the product manager give you this statement? If so, you need to tell the product manager that people often use "third-party" fans, especially in water-cooling setups. If we all understand the "positioning" of this marvelous case, it is optimized for water-cooling.

 

x509

I would look at the molex pin on the node. One of the metal pins may not be making contact with the metal sockets in the plastic. This is a common issue with Molex plugs and sockets. You could try jumping them with a short piece of wire to test it. I would also test it with a different digital connection wire and in a different socket in the Commander.

 

Thanks for your suggestion. I'll double check on the connector.

I would also try it with the Corsair fans and see if they work.

Currently the Corsair Link in optimized for our Fans and we would need the list of fans to see if they are available and can add them in future releases. But for now the fans we suggest using with this will be our fans, sorry!

 

Ok, here's the detailed list of fans I'm plugging into the link cooling node:

 

230 x 30 mm blue LED on/off fan x 1 (No P/N available)

200 x 30 mm blue LED fan x 3 (Cooler Master P/N R4-LUS-07AB-GP)

120 x 25 mm x 1 (Corsair fan that came with the H80 CPU cooler - using it in the GPU shroud)

Note: all fans are 3-pin

 

There are two other fans that are connected directly to the H80 waterblock and they run fine. They are Cooler Master 120mm X 25mm blue LED fans (P/N R4-BCBR-12FB-R1).

 

The only fan I'm now trying to drive with the link is the 120mm Corsair fan. All of the others have been plugged back into the mobo.

 

So are you saying that non-Corsair fans won't work with the link at all or are you saying that to get best performance from the fans they should be Corsair? Right now I'd settle for it just turning the fan. Optimization comes later. First I have to get the fans to work.

Is the Corsair fan not working?

 

Have you closely checked the Molex? I just put in a couple of lights and the pins took a bit of work to seat correctly. Make sure the pins on the node are contacting the sockets well. You may want to try a different plug on your computer. To be really sure, you can pull the pins from the plastic Molex socket that connects to the Node and plug them into a socket from your power supply. MAKE SURE YOU PUT THEM IN THE RIGHT ORDER AND TAPE THEM BEFORE YOU TURN ON THE POWER. If that does not work I would RMA it. If it does you know it was the Molex.

 

Is the Node connected to the Commander with the Digital wire?

Is the Corsair fan not working?

 

Have you closely checked the Molex? I just put in a couple of lights and the pins took a bit of work to seat correctly. Make sure the pins on the node are contacting the sockets well. You may want to try a different plug on your computer. To be really sure, you can pull the pins from the plastic Molex socket that connects to the Node and plug them into a socket from your power supply. MAKE SURE YOU PUT THEM IN THE RIGHT ORDER AND TAPE THEM BEFORE YOU TURN ON THE POWER. If that does not work I would RMA it. If it does you know it was the Molex.

 

Is the Node connected to the Commander with the Digital wire?

 

The Corsair fan, and for that matter all fans, work when plugged into the mobo. No power is getting thru the cooling node.

 

I plugged the cooling node Molex connector into three different outlets on a known good power cord. This power cord goes directly from the PSU to the H80 waterblock Molex connector, and the H80 is working properly. Unless all of the other outlets on that power cord are bad, then I'm not getting any power from the cord to the cooling node. The Molex pins are properly seated. All other cable connections are verified.

 

I'm getting data fed to the software and it's reporting everything except the powerless fans.

 

I'm of the opinion now that when I first powered up the unit something in the cooling node blew out. That would explain why the fans started turning initially then went dark.

 

Rmaguy, I would like a new cooling node. The Corsair RMA web page is not yet set up to RMA any link components. Could you help me start the process?

Your best bet is to call them. Their number is either 510 657 8747 or 888 222 4346. I think their hours start at either 8 or 9am pacific time. Corsair does not seem to be reading these forums. I had to call to get Ramguy's attention but he has not been seen for the last couple of days. Maybe he has been off. Their support of this prodect has been close to non existent. Why can't you start an RMA online??? Because they have yet to set it up.

 

Good luck.