hvgotcodes Posted September 1, 2019 Share Posted September 1, 2019 (edited) I think I have my Corsair RGB fans installed correctly, everything except for hooking them up to the MOBO. How am I supposed to hook them in -- I don't understand the mobo schematic in the instructions. There are CPU_OPT, CPU_FAN, AIO_PUMP,CHA_FAN1,EXT_FAN,CHA_FAN2,W_PUMP+,and M.2_FAN. headers. Which can I plug my 3 cables from the fans into? Also I have 3 other fans (non rbg) that I am going to use to pull air into the case from the bottom, each probably with their own connectors. How do I hook all this in? Thanks Edit, in addition, I also have a Corsair H115i Platinum AIO cooler I need to hook in as well. Edited September 1, 2019 by hvgotcodes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c-attack Posted September 2, 2019 Share Posted September 2, 2019 The labels are what they sound like — for the most part. All of your headers are PWM capable and all of them will power either DC or PWM fans. You have not specified which fans, but I will assume these are the PWM LL/HD/ML and not the SP-RGB that are DC motors. That said, there usually is some preferential order. A CHA_1, CHA_2 is a chassis fan header. You’ll notice there are only 2. A couple of years ago you would have had CPU & OPT for the cpu cooler, then 3-5 CHA fan headers for everything else. Asus seems to prefer to rename all of their chassis fan headers with these cute titles to imply you are getting something special. Most often you are not and actually get less functionality than if it was just a CHA fan header. However, I think the charade wore thin and with Z390 some functionality has returned. You may be able to go into the BIOS and turn the normally locked at 100% AIO and W-Pump headers back into working chassis fan headers with full fan control. Short and quick version - H115i goes on CPU fan. Nothing goes on OPT. OPT is a copy of cpu fan with no controls of its own. Case fans will need PWM splitters for CHA 1 and 2. That would be 3 each and that may be pushing your luck with LL fans at 0.9 of a 1.0A maximum. You are going to need to be specific about your hardware. W_Pump May be a solution if it can be taken off “disabled” fan control. It usually has a higher amperage limit. Those limits should be in your manual. Unfortunately much of the behaviors and limitations are motherboard specific. What my W-Pump header can do on a Formula XI May be different than the A model. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hvgotcodes Posted September 2, 2019 Author Share Posted September 2, 2019 c_attack, thanks again. I bought the ll 120 3pack. I was at microcenter this morning and they didn't have any fan hubs, just a cable that can handle up to 5 fans from 1 header, for $9, so I got that. I'm guessing I just plug that cable into a fan header and then the fans into the other side, hook up the SATA power and I'm good? Unfortunately CHA_FAN1 (I believe, not looking at it right now), is not conveniently placed, can I just put my splitter cable into CHA_FAN2? Again, I appreciate the help, am new to all this. It's been a fun process. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c-attack Posted September 2, 2019 Share Posted September 2, 2019 Ok, that sounds like a powered fan hub (splitter) and may be just fine for your needs. All of your fans will run the same speed as dictated by the control header (CHA_2). They will follow the control parameters you set in the BIOS. No problem with using CHA2 and skipping 1. Aside from OPT, none of the headers are dependent on any other. One thing to be aware of is current demand on the powered fan hub. The LL are 0.30A each on the motor. Just to keep it simple, I will assume the non-RGB are the same. 6 x 0.30A = 1.80A on the 12v rail and another ~1.86A on the 5V rail for lighting just for the three LL on the RGB Lighting Hub. You want to be a little bit careful combining another Device on the same SATA power cable. These usually have 2-4 connectors. SSDs are fine and have puny power requirements. A HDD or two is also no problem. However, I would try to keep the Platinum cooler on a separate SATA cable from the two hubs. It is probably just under the max, but no reason to gamble without a good reason. You will also want to decide if you want the RGB lighting cable from the radiator fans controlled via the cooler’s controller (and thus through the cooler tab) or with the other LL fans in the RGB hub and Lighting Node Pro. If you have the black Platinum with ML-RGB fans, it may be easier to keep them on the cooler to better illustrate and control the differences between LL and ML lighting patterns. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hvgotcodes Posted September 2, 2019 Author Share Posted September 2, 2019 Ok, that sounds like a powered fan hub (splitter) and may be just fine for your needs. All of your fans will run the same speed as dictated by the control header (CHA_2). They will follow the control parameters you set in the BIOS. No problem with using CHA2 and skipping 1. Aside from OPT, none of the headers are dependent on any other. One thing to be aware of is current demand on the powered fan hub. The LL are 0.30A each on the motor. Just to keep it simple, I will assume the non-RGB are the same. 6 x 0.30A = 1.80A on the 12v rail and another ~1.86A on the 5V rail for lighting just for the three LL on the RGB Lighting Hub. You want to be a little bit careful combining another Device on the same SATA power cable. These usually have 2-4 connectors. SSDs are fine and have puny power requirements. A HDD or two is also no problem. However, I would try to keep the Platinum cooler on a separate SATA cable from the two hubs. It is probably just under the max, but no reason to gamble without a good reason. You will also want to decide if you want the RGB lighting cable from the radiator fans controlled via the cooler’s controller (and thus through the cooler tab) or with the other LL fans in the RGB hub and Lighting Node Pro. If you have the black Platinum with ML-RGB fans, it may be easier to keep them on the cooler to better illustrate and control the differences between LL and ML lighting patterns. To be clear, what I bought is a bunch of wires, one part plugs into a fan header, one gets hooked up to a SATA connection, and the other 5 ends all go to the various fans. I don't know if that is classified as a hub, and I only bring it up to clarify my understanding. WRT SATA, on reddit a bunch of people said I can use each of the three connections for a different device. Now, I trust you more than I trust reddit, so can clarify? If I read your comment correctly, power the cooler on one cable, and put the rgb hub and node from my 3 pack on a different SATA cable? If that is correct can I connect anything else to the SATA that powers the cooler? My PSU only came with 2 SATA cables, a total of 6 available connections, and I need to power: 1. RGB hub from the 3pack, 2. Node from the 3 pack 3. Cooler from the H115i 4. USB2 hub 5. My fan wires, powering 5 fans (3 from the RGB 3 pack and 2 non-RGB fans if I need them) Also note the cooler will be plugged into the USB hub as its USB wire can't reach the MOBO headers. Finally, I have the H115i RGB Platinum cooling system. Does that change your final paragraph? After all my reading I *think* I have the option to either plug the two 140mm fans from the cooling system into the wire coming off the pump, OR, plug them into the RGB hub from my 3 pack, depending on how I want these synchronized. Oh, one more thing, I noticed my RBG hub fell off the case -- can I just use a different 3M command strip to put that back on? I know Im asking a lot and I really appreciate feedback from someone like yourself, who clearly knows WTF they are talking about :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c-attack Posted September 2, 2019 Share Posted September 2, 2019 You have a "powered fan splitter". Whether you refer to it as a hub is mostly semantics, but the end result is exactly the same with both devices and regardless if there is a visible circuit board or controller. Asus sells one as well and that is what connects to "FAN_EXT". I have one rattling around somewhere. Same thing -- one control header to tell the others what to do. External power because you can't run 3-6 fans from a single motherboard header's power. You most likely would be OK if you combined the RGB Lighting Hub, H115i Platinum, and powered splitter onto 1 line and totals would come in below the 4.5A max for each of the 12v and 5v rails. However, power problems created when you are close to the limit are very hard for most users to identify and since it seemed near certain you would need at least two different SATA power cables to supply the system, I didn't see a reason to put the two biggest current draws on the same line. Absolutely, you can put other things on the same 3/4 way SATA splitter that powers this stuff. That is expected. My suggestion was to put the Platinum cooler (12v and 5v) on one cable (plus whatever other things you need) and the powered splitter (12v) and RGB Lighting Hub (5v) on a different SATA line (plus whatever else you need). That puts the two largest 12v and 5v draws on separate lines rather than combining them. The disk drives you most likely will also connect to the SATA use a minor amount of power/current and are practically negligible in the calculation. Those can go anywhere you prefer. Again, if you needed to put the Platinum, RGB Lighting Hub, and power splitter on the same SATA line for some physical reach reason, the math says you are below the 4.5A limit. However, from a prudent planning standpoint, you break up the biggest draws onto separate supply lines. Having made this mistake earlier this year, it took me a good 10 days to figure out why the PSU kept shutting down. The math said I was right and it was below the limit. Reality was something else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hvgotcodes Posted September 2, 2019 Author Share Posted September 2, 2019 Thanks again c_attack. I mispoke anyway, my fan hub connects to the 4pin connector coming out of the PSU, not a SATA. Anyway, all I have left is to put in my graphics card, then I get to turn this thing on! I have to wait until the kids go to bed but Im pretty nervous, never done this before. I hope it doesn't blow up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c-attack Posted September 2, 2019 Share Posted September 2, 2019 (edited) Thanks again c_attack. I mispoke anyway, my fan hub connects to the 4pin connector coming out of the PSU, not a SATA. OK, then that is one less thing to slide onto the SATA and probably makes life easier. In a perfect world, I still might separate the 5v draw on the cooler from the 5v draw on the RGB Lighting Hub, but that is getting a bit picky with 3 LL fans. It might be more concerning if you had 6 LL. So if you need to use all the SATA connectors on one line for some SSDs all lines up in a row, don't worry about trying to connect the others in there. Edited September 2, 2019 by c-attack -ing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hvgotcodes Posted September 2, 2019 Author Share Posted September 2, 2019 OK, then that is one less thing to slide onto the SATA and probably makes life easier. In a perfect world, I still might separate the 5v draw on the cooler from the 5v draw on the RGB Lighting Hub, but that is getting a bit picky with 3 LL fans. It might be more concerning if you had 6 LL. So if you need to use all the SATA connectors on one line for some SSDs all lines up in a row, don't worry about try to connect the others in there. I found a third SATA cable (sorry again for the mistakes) and am running the cooler and RGB hub on separate cables. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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