Do any H1xx Series coolers still run off of CPU Fan Header?

I have an older H100 that runs the pump based off of actual CPU temp off the motherboard CPU Fan Header. I am looking to do a 2nd build but what I am reading so far is that these new ones do NOT run off of CPU temp, they base the pump speed off of the coolant temp (as I understand it). And you need to install the software to run it? I dont want that, I simply want the pump to run off of CPU temp. Do any of the current models do this? I see several variations of the H1xx. I can accommodate any size. Thanks for any feedback.

This can be done with any of the coolers by moving the fans from the pump unit to the motherboard for power and control. It would be hard to find a motherboard these days without native BIOS fan control based on CPU temperature.

 

The 240mm H100i v2 receives pump power from the motherboard. The 240x38mm H105 is a classic non-software control unit. Pump power from motherboard. Fans must be powered from board or fan controller. No pump control.

 

H110i/H115i 280mm coolers are all SATA powered and Link based. Fans can still be moved to motherboard for CPU temp control.

Thanks for the reply. I may be slightly confused. I realize I can take the fans off of the cooling block and run them off of the motherboard. The pump however, I only want it to run its speed solely based off of the motherboard CPU Fan header. I dont know if Im explaining it correctly? If so, do i still have that interface option on any of the dual radiators 220 or 240 flavors? I have a photo of what I have now. at the 12 oclock position, there is 1 single wire that comes off the top of the cooling block and goes counter clockwise at terminates on the motherboard CPU Fan header.

So you want a cooler that is powered from the CPU Fan header (or other) without a separate SATA power cable?

 

That would still be the H100i v2 or H105 as described above. However, understand none of the these coolers have a dynamically adjustable pump speed. It is either a fixed speed (H105) or toggled low/high (H100i v2, H110i, H115i). Also keep in mind that any cooler that is powered solely from a board header will be capped at the board header's current limit (most likely 1.0A). I think there is an advantage to having the SATA cable power delivery, but it is not essential.

 

If this is just about wiring aesthetics, the H105 will have a single wire for the CPU fan header and that is it. However, it is a 38mm thick cooler (instead of 27-30mm) and no need to make sure you have the space.

Aesthetics is not an issue. It appears that I have misinterpreted my on build (its been many years). You are correct about something now that I think about it. The current pump I have has fixed speeds that are set by pressing on the cooling block button. I forgot I set mine to high during build and never looked back. The fans run based on the motherboard cpu cooler header (I want that). Thanks for pointing that out. The issue I stumbled upon while looking at the new products is that from what I have read, the pumps were now driven based on the coolant temp, and not cpu temp. THAT is what I was looking to avoid. I have no issue at all with letting the pump run manually at a fixed speed, I just dont want to have software running in the background utilizing resources to achieve that. So, what can I buy now that I dont need software running in the background to keep the pump running? Sorry, Im still a little confused in that respect. And Im looking for either of the dual radiators, thanks.

OK, now I think we are at the heart of the matter --- no software.

 

That's fine. None of the coolers require software to function and all of them are capable of handling the loads without desktop guidance.

 

The H105 is of the older school with no software available. Plug the pump in. It runs at one speed. Plug the fans into the board. Do what you want. Simple, reliable cooler with better surface area than a H100i v2. The accommodation is the 38mm thickness.

 

All of the "i" coolers have a software component, but it is not required. There was a recent thread discussing the behavior of the coolers without Link installed. However, in general principle they work more or less the same. Connect a header to the mobo. On the H100i v2 this is also the power lead. Under these circumstances, I would recommend you connect the fans to the board. They will still work on the pump, but there would be no control. You do not need to connect the USB cable if you will never use the software. The default lighting is white. The pump will run a the lower speed setting, which is about the same as the H105. The pump would only shift to the higher speed setting if it reaches a high coolant temperature and at that level your fans would cover over it anyway. It should downshift on its own below the temp threshold. No software is required. Pump actions controlled through native firmware on the device.

Ok, I was not clear on what this meant?:

 

"The H105 is of the older school with no software available. Plug the pump in. It runs at one speed. Plug the fans into the board. Do what you want. Simple, reliable cooler with better surface area than a H100i v2."

 

My interpretation is that you are suggesting that the H105 is a better cooler than the H100i v2.

 

In anycase, since it seems my concerns have been addressed, and all will work as I wish. I have the room for a 280 cooler vs a 240, so that narrows it down to the H110i or H115i it seems.

Yes, the H105 is a better cooler than the H100i v2. It has more surface area and you don't see a lot of complaints.

 

However, since we are now on 280mm sizes, I would strongly recommend the H110i over the H115i, if you intend to run without software. There H110i will let you see a pump speed in the BIOS/monitoring software without Link. You cannot do this with the H115i and must use Link to see some aspects of its performance. There are quite a few threads comparing the two coolers and general performance should be similar, but as far as use without Link, the H110i is the one.

Thanks, yes, I decided on the 280mm after you informed me it would do what I wanted and my case can handle it. I do have to fall back a little here and figure out again if there is a difference between H100i & H100i v2. My head is spinning after all google searching and the loose translations and interjections of GT, GTX flavors etc.Thanks for the feedback.

Just to rotate your head a bit more, you can connect the usb lead to a usb header, install Link, set the pump to performance or quiet, set the fans to run related to the pump temp (if you use the cpu temp your fans will ramp up and down every time the cpu changes temp e.g. when you open a window etc) and set the colour of the LED. Then you can uninstall Link and disconnect the usb cable and it should continue to run as you set it, mine did.

So I purchased the H115i,,,, I have a Gigabyte Z170X Gaming 7. It has a CPU fan header and just below it a CPU_OPT, now there is not a whole lot of info about this CPU_OPT in the manual except for fundamentally stating (Water Cooling CPU Fan Header). Google searching, I found one youtube video where the guys states that if you use a water cooled CPU cooler, you would likely want to use this instead of the CPU Fan Header. Thats not much to work with. Anyone have any feedback? Thanks,

I think Gigabyte is one of the few that allows OPT to be configured individually from CPU_FAN. This is not the case on my Asus boards. So, the question really turns on what you want to do with the fans.

 

If you are going to use Link, then power the fans from the cooler connectors. The one lead coming from the H115i is a "dummy lead" for the CPU_FAN header. It does not transmit power or control to anything. It does let you boot up without the CPU fan error (or it will show it to you if their is a pump failure).

 

If you don't want Link or do want motherboard control of the fans for whatever reason, you likely want the SP140L fans on CPU and OPT. The H115i lead can go to any header or possibly not at all. DO NOT combine the two SP140L fans on a single header. They have a rather high current draw and your motherboard has a 1.0A limit.

 

Ultimately, the finer details for long term use may turn on the peculiarities of the GA board/BIOS system. A system or chassis fan may or may not have fan delays to help. The CPU fan might be PWM only. You need the board to really know the answers to those things, but from a starting point, the above should work.

hmmmm,,,, ok, well so far, I plugged the (2) Noctua NF-A14 fans (attached to the RAD) to the cooler fan connectors. For some reason (that I can not think of at the moment) I thought that 3pin connector with the single wire had something to do with the Corsairs pump control. If I understand you correctly, thats not the case at all, and it serves no other function other than to eliminate the cpu fan fail error during boot up, so it should go onto the CPU fan header.

 

I would prefer the fans to modulate based on CPU temp, or as I think I understand it, they will modulate based on coolant temp? I am of the opinion that I would want the fans to react to CPU temp as opposed to coolant temp. I suppose I will use link if it simplifies the setup. I was originally opposed to it based on reading negative reviews, but maybe I will give it a shot.

Power for the pump and fan controller comes from the SATA cable on the H115i. I believe that lead will allow the BIOS to report a truncated version of fan speed, but that isn't much use. There are a couple of ways you can approach this:

 

1) Use Link for coolant temperature as designed: This is how the cooler really works. Fans help remove heat from the coolant stream. They do nothing for your actual CPU to cold plate heat transmission and that is what keeps the CPU from getting crispy in 3 seconds. Air towers work just the same, but you can't run them from internal air temp in the pipes and the capacity is so small regardless it would not be effective. So, you use what you have: CPU temp. On a 280mm cooler, you don't need as lot of fan speed. My 5930K will pull ~215 watts at full load with heavy CPU and cache overclock. I only need 1350 rpm for bench tests and 1000 is overkill for normal variable load use. Make a nice quiet fan curve and enjoy it. However, like anything new, you will have to learn the range of your coolant temp (H115i temp). It is a somewhat unique variable affected by room/case temp and your actual design and layout. You'll probably see a maximum delta from baseline to peak of 10-12C. Gaming will often bring the higher peak value than CPU bench because of the simultaneous increase in case temperature from your GPU wash. For this: hook the SP140L fans into the cooler. Run Link. Adjust your fan curve to something quiet. H115i lead to CPU fan.

 

2) You also have the ability to run the fans from CPU package temp in Link. I have not done this in ages and have no idea what kind hysteresis or fan delays Corsair have programmed into it. The fans will go with the CPU temp, which is far more active than needed. However, it will let you experience the two difference versions with just a click or two. Note: the included presets in Link (Quiet, Performance, etc) are made for coolant temp. You must make your own for CPU temp. With a 40C =100% line, you'll be maxed out on the desktop if you don't. Same physical set-up as above.

 

3) If you ultimately decide you want to run from CPU temp or just don't want Link, individually connect the two radiators fans to CPU and OPT, stick the H115i lead anywhere it fits, and use your BIOS to set fan controls for CPU temp. There is no reason to run from CPU temp in Link if you have no other Link products. Don't uninstall it and leave the USB cable connected. You can still load it up and see coolant temp, which is the first thing we will ask about when troubleshooting. That will also allow you to change the LED color/effect when desired.

 

My suggestion is you give it an initial go with coolant temp and running from Link. Give it a week or so for you to get used to it and refine your fan speeds. Remember, you don't need much and that is not how it works. Even at 215W I can get by with crappy fans at low speeds. You can only reduce CPU temp by reducing coolant temp. If the coolant temp won't go any lower, you don't need more fan speed. Figure out your baseline coolant temp range. That is key for evaluating whether your changes are doing anything or not.

Great feedback as usual! I appreciate what you have stated and I agree with your suggested approach. I am slowly pecking away at this build as I only get to it occasionally, I hope within the next few weeks I get it online. Thanks again sir!