Commander Pro PWM Splitter issue

Just revived the 2nd Commander Pro (Exchanged the first one), this was to replace the Commander Mini for the Led control on it.

Currently i have 3 fans at the top of my case and 4 on the bottom each group is plugged into the Powered PWM splitter connected to fan 2 and fan 3. Front Fan on Fan 1 and a EK pump (pump has its own power) and Fan 6.

The commander Pro fails to control PWM on the splitter, i get erratic fan speeds jumping around from 400-4000 on a fan that can only do 1450. Also this tends to make teh pump Rpms jump around as well. The direct attached fans seem to work fine.

The above configuration has been working for the past year on my mini with no issues. Also if i use SIV everything works on PWM with options set to 0 and i can control the speed as expected.

Is there an issue with the Corsair link software with the commander pro? or am i hitting a limit on the corsair commander pro that the mini doesn't have?

Hmmm ... we've seen a number of these. I also had issues with absolutely insane fan speeds reported from a PWM->DC splitter. But I didn't see it impact the pump speeds ... are you controlling your pump from the PWM splitter as well?

I'm beginning to think that there may be an issue with the CoPro and splitters.

Hmmm ... we've seen a number of these. I also had issues with absolutely insane fan speeds reported from a PWM->DC splitter. But I didn't see it impact the pump speeds ... are you controlling your pump from the PWM splitter as well?

I'm beginning to think that there may be an issue with the CoPro and splitters.

The EK pump is on fan header 6 of the commander pro. should also note that ive tested this with Silverstone and XSPC splitter both have the same result. i have a swifttech one arriving today.

The reason i switched to the pro was for the new led controller. but I'm starting to lean towards returning the pro and just 2-3 led nodes and the NZXT usb hub which i was hoping to avoid that cable nightmare.

The EK pump is on fan header 6 of the commander pro. should also note that ive tested this with Silverstone and XSPC splitter both have the same result. i have a swifttech one arriving today.

 

The reason i switched to the pro was for the new led controller. but I'm starting to lean towards returning the pro and just 2-3 led nodes and the NZXT usb hub which i was hoping to avoid that cable nightmare.

Sooooo ... I just tried this with the Silverstone PWM controller and a couple of ML-120 fans ... perfect.

If the EK is on a header by itself, it seems odd that the issue with the PWM hub would impact it. I'm not saying that it ain't so ... it just seems odd. What do you have the control value for the pump speed set to on the CoPro?

Sooooo ... I just tried this with the Silverstone PWM controller and a couple of ML-120 fans ... perfect.

 

If the EK is on a header by itself, it seems odd that the issue with the PWM hub would impact it. I'm not saying that it ain't so ... it just seems odd. What do you have the control value for the pump speed set to on the CoPro?

Odd, here is my setup i have the Fans speeds 1-3 set to change rpm based on temp, Fan 6 is set to 40%. i have tried to fix % on fans 1-3 with the same results.

• 
  1 ML140 PWM > Fan 1 (Fan speed based on M.2 temp)
  3 SP120 PWM Quite > Silverstone CPF04 > Fan 2 (Fan speed based on Coolant Temp)
  4 SP120 PWM Quite > Silverstone CPF04 > Fan 3 (Fan speed based on Coolant Temp)
  1 EK D5 Pump > Fan 6 (fixed at 40%)
  

The image below shows the RPM being incorrectly read or calumniated.

Fan 2 (splitter) says its running at 405rpm, but its saw its spiking to 4470rpm?

Fan3 (splitter) running at 1351rpm but spiking to 16016rpm

Pump (on its own header) should be running at 1932 but spiking to 12172rpm...

Just revived the 2nd Commander Pro (Exchanged the first one), this was to replace the Commander Mini for the Led control on it.

 

Currently i have 3 fans at the top of my case and 4 on the bottom each group is plugged into the Powered PWM splitter connected to fan 2 and fan 3. Front Fan on Fan 1 and a EK pump (pump has its own power) and Fan 6.

 

The commander Pro fails to control PWM on the splitter, i get erratic fan speeds jumping around from 400-4000 on a fan that can only do 1450. Also this tends to make teh pump Rpms jump around as well. The direct attached fans seem to work fine.

 

The above configuration has been working for the past year on my mini with no issues. Also if i use SIV everything works on PWM with options set to 0 and i can control the speed as expected.

 

Is there an issue with the Corsair link software with the commander pro? or am i hitting a limit on the corsair commander pro that the mini doesn't have?

Hi. This is my first time on the forum. I'm interested in this post as I have just ordered a Commander Pro and a 3 pack of LL120 fans that come with a Node Pro.

My intention was to connect the 3 LL120s in fan 1,2&3. so they are pwm controlled and report fan rpm individually. I have a Corsair H45 cooler which will go in fan4 and the pump to non pwm fan header on my motherboard. I have 3 140mm identical Thermaltake led blue only fans in the top which I intend to use a 3 way splitter..hence my interest in this post.

So doorknob...you have 4 fans connected to 1 fan outlet & 3 fans to another fan outlet on the CP.. the first question I would be asking myself is ' have I reached the current limit of the commander Pro?'

The current limit for each fan outlet 1to6 is 1Amp..but the total for all 6 fan outlets must not exceed 4.5 amps...this info is available in the CP manual. So your 4 fans on one outlet and 3 on another.. I would check their current demand else you may damage yr CP.

Re-reported erratic speeds..I'm no engineer...ooops I am lol..but mechanical not electrical... surely if you connect a fan splitter to one of the CP fan outlets how is the Link software able to report accurate fan speeds? If you have multiple fans on the splitter cable which are of different brands or different rpm/motor specs, then I cant see how the CP can report accurate fan rpm speeds to the Link app.. as Link will receive different rpm data for each fan its bound to report erratic rpms...I feel sorry for the CP lol.

Even if all the fans connected to one CP fan outlet are identical...due to manufacturing tolerances each fan will spin at slightly different rpm speeds for a given PWM input...so I ask myself which fan speed is the CP supposed to report!..as far as I can see each one of the 6 fan ports on the CP can only report one speed so its bound to get confused and report spurious rpm speeds when its getting three or four different reported fan speeds from each fan connected to the splitter .."idea" maybe in the next update for the Link app could have an average rpm speed icon/button in case you have multiple fans connected to one CP fan port...or does the CP report an average figure already?...what about it Devs?

You say the CP fails to control the fans rpm using PWM.. I think what your seeing is as above in my previous paragraph..the Link software is reporting erratic speed because the CP is confused as it is constantly getting different rpm speed reports from each fan connected to each splitter ...however I suspect that the CP is indeed controlling each fan speed connected to the splitter cable...it can only send out one signal to either increase or decrease fan speed...so if your 4 and 3 fans connected are identical on each individual splitter then its probably working...may I suggest you monitor (look and listen to them) each group of fans connected to each splitter to see if they increase rpm when u put yr PC under high load...this will confirm or not whether the PWM rpm control signal is getting to each of the fans on each splitter.

How it seemed to work with the 'mini' Ive no idea...maybe other peeps can answer this.

Hope this helps...and ps my answers are only based on logic not technical knowledge.

Just revived the 2nd Commander Pro (Exchanged the first one), this was to replace the Commander Mini for the Led control on it.

 

Currently i have 3 fans at the top of my case and 4 on the bottom each group is plugged into the Powered PWM splitter connected to fan 2 and fan 3. Front Fan on Fan 1 and a EK pump (pump has its own power) and Fan 6.

 

The commander Pro fails to control PWM on the splitter, i get erratic fan speeds jumping around from 400-4000 on a fan that can only do 1450. Also this tends to make teh pump Rpms jump around as well. The direct attached fans seem to work fine.

 

The above configuration has been working for the past year on my mini with no issues. Also if i use SIV everything works on PWM with options set to 0 and i can control the speed as expected.

 

Is there an issue with the Corsair link software with the commander pro? or am i hitting a limit on the corsair commander pro that the mini doesn't have?

Hi. This is my first time on the forum. I'm interested in this post as I have just ordered a Commander Pro and a 3 pack of LL120 fans that come with a Node Pro.

My intention was to connect the 3 LL120s in fan 1,2&3. so they are pwm controlled and report fan rpm individually. I have a Corsair H45 cooler which will go in fan4 and the pump to non pwm fan header on my motherboard. I have 3 140mm identical Thermaltake led blue only fans in the top which I intend to use a 3 way splitter..hence my interest in this post.

So doorknob...you have 4 fans connected to 1 fan outlet & 3 fans to another fan outlet on the CP.. the first question I would be asking myself is ' have I reached the current limit of the commander Pro?'

The current limit for each fan outlet 1to6 is 1Amp..but the total for all 6 fan outlets must not exceed 4.5 amps...this info is available in the CP manual. So your 4 fans on one outlet and 3 on another.. I would check their current demand else you may damage yr CP.

Re-reported erratic speeds..I'm no engineer...ooops I am lol..but mechanical not electrical... surely if you connect a fan splitter to one of the CP fan outlets how is the Link software able to report accurate fan speeds? If you have multiple fans on the splitter cable which are of different brands or different rpm/motor specs, then I cant see how the CP can report accurate fan rpm speeds to the Link app.. as Link will receive different rpm data for each fan its bound to report erratic rpms...I feel sorry for the CP lol.

Even if all the fans connected to one CP fan outlet are identical...due to manufacturing tolerances each fan will spin at slightly different rpm speeds for a given PWM input...so I ask myself which fan speed is the CP supposed to report!..as far as I can see each one of the 6 fan ports on the CP can only report one speed so its bound to get confused and report spurious rpm speeds when its getting three or four different reported fan speeds from each fan connected to the splitter .."idea" maybe in the next update for the Link app could have an average rpm speed icon/button in case you have multiple fans connected to one CP fan port...or does the CP report an average figure already?...what about it Devs?

You say the CP fails to control the fans rpm using PWM.. I think what your seeing is as above in my previous paragraph..the Link software is reporting erratic speed because the CP is confused as it is constantly getting different rpm speed reports from each fan connected to each splitter ...however I suspect that the CP is indeed controlling each fan speed connected to the splitter cable...it can only send out one signal to either increase or decrease fan speed...so if your 4 and 3 fans connected are identical on each individual splitter then its probably working...may I suggest you monitor (look and listen to them) each group of fans connected to each splitter to see if they increase rpm when u put yr PC under high load...this will confirm or not whether the PWM rpm control signal is getting to each of the fans on each splitter.

How it seemed to work with the 'mini' Ive no idea...maybe other peeps can answer this.

Doorknob.. U said yr cooler pump was connected to fan 6 on the CP... I don't think cooler pumps are designed to take pwm or voltage control.. I think they're supposed to just take a constant voltage so they run at a constant speed... but I don't know maybe someone who could enlighten me. so I would suggest that you connect your cooler pump to a your PSU or a non pwm or voltage control 3-pin header on your motherboard. Can anyone tell me if my Corsair h45 pump is designed to have a constant supply voltage or pwm or voltage control

Hope this helps...and ps my answers are only based on logic not technical knowledge.

So doorknob...you have 4 fans connected to 1 fan outlet & 3 fans to another fan outlet on the CP.. the first question I would be asking myself is ' have I reached the current limit of the commander Pro?'

The current limit for each fan outlet 1to6 is 1Amp..but the total for all 6 fan outlets must not exceed 4.5 amps...this info is available in the CP manual. So your 4 fans on one outlet and 3 on another.. I would check their current demand else you may damage yr CP.

Excellent point and right on.

Re-reported erratic speeds..I'm no engineer...ooops I am lol..but mechanical not electrical... surely if you connect a fan splitter to one of the CP fan outlets how is the Link software able to report accurate fan speeds? If you have multiple fans on the splitter cable which are of different brands or different rpm/motor specs, then I cant see how the CP can report accurate fan rpm speeds to the Link app.. as Link will receive different rpm data for each fan its bound to report erratic rpms...I feel sorry for the CP lol.

Even if all the fans connected to one CP fan outlet are identical...due to manufacturing tolerances each fan will spin at slightly different rpm speeds for a given PWM input...so I ask myself which fan speed is the CP supposed to report!..as far as I can see each one of the 6 fan ports on the CP can only report one speed so its bound to get confused and report spurious rpm speeds when its getting three or four different reported fan speeds from each fan connected to the splitter .."idea" maybe in the next update for the Link app could have an average rpm speed icon/button in case you have multiple fans connected to one CP fan port...or does the CP report an average figure already?...what about it Devs?

Most splitters only report the speed of a single fan on the splitter. If the tach connection reports the tach signal from multiple fans, yeah, it'll be crazy. But, again, most don't. On my CoPro, I actually have splitters on most of the connections (yes, I kept track of the current usage!) and have no issues whatsoever.

You say the CP fails to control the fans rpm using PWM.. I think what your seeing is as above in my previous paragraph..the Link software is reporting erratic speed because the CP is confused as it is constantly getting different rpm speed reports from each fan connected to each splitter ...however I suspect that the CP is indeed controlling each fan speed connected to the splitter cable...it can only send out one signal to either increase or decrease fan speed...so if your 4 and 3 fans connected are identical on each individual splitter then its probably working...may I suggest you monitor (look and listen to them) each group of fans connected to each splitter to see if they increase rpm when u put yr PC under high load...this will confirm or not whether the PWM rpm control signal is getting to each of the fans on each splitter.

While it's possible, I've seen the same behavior on a PWM-to-DC hub that I used briefly. This hub reported speeds to the motherboard just fine but had crazy speeds when connected to the CoPro. I'm not sure where the issue is but it did go away when I removed the hub.

Hope this helps...and ps my answers are only based on logic not technical knowledge.

Logic? Logic? The horror! The horror! :roll:

The Silverstone 8-way PWM fans splitters have its own power so i wont be going over the amp on the CP. CH1 on the splitter is the only port that reads PWM it then send that to the CP using pin 3 and 4, the cable that connects the spliter to the CP only has 2 pins (3/4), because pin 1 and 2 arnt there im not drawing any power from the CP.

Also the EK Pump i have is there PWM controlled pump.

All of the above works fine on the commander mini, this seems to only be an issue with the commander pro with the corsairlink software, if i use SIV it works fine.

i use SIV to try and diag the issue, SIV auto sensed the splitters as PWM which is correct, they dont work at all when set to DC.

This diag is very similar to my Silverstone Splitter.

http://www.swiftech.org/images/products/8-WAY-SPLITTER/CONNECTIONS2.jpg

So i purchased a LL120 RG to test with my silverstone pwm splitter and my current set up. Oddly enough the fan works with the splitter and levels out my sp120 fans.

i test this with all 3 of my splitters and works great.

so its seems like this an issue with the corsair SP120 pwm fans my splitter and the CP.

The SP fans aren't PWM. They are DC fans.

i have the CO-9050013-WW SP120 PWM High Performance Edition, the are PWM the have a 4th pin and work using pwm

i have the CO-9050013-WW SP120 PWM High Performance Edition, the are PWM the have a 4th pin and work using pwm

Ah! OK. Most of the time when we see "SP" on the forum, it's not that particular variant.

My main interest in this thread apart from newbie (me) learning about CCP & CLNP was to understand the best way to connect my fans for controlling the RPM of all the fans...the lighting control I set up no problem.

I have 3 LL120s in the front of my case (pretty). 2 Thermaltake none PWM 3pin connection in the top http://www.thermaltake.com/Cooler/Case_Fan_/Riing/C_00002634/Riing_14_LED_Blue/Design.htm

another none PWM 3pin fan in the bottom of the case. Finally a Corsair H45 in the rear (painfull).

The 3 LL120s are connected to the CCP in fan headers 1,2 & 3 and are set in Link to be controlled by system temp...similarly the 2 Thermaltake fans are connected to CCP fan headers 4&5..the CCP in Link seems to report and control thier RPMs correctly. The H45 fan is in CCP fan header six. However the none PWM fan 3pin fan.... so I guess this uses voltage control instead like the 2 Thermaltake fans?... in the bottom of the case cannot be connected to the CCP as all the CCP headers are used up by the other fans...At the moment this bottom fan (that disperses smelly fart smells..lol) that is connected to a motherboard fan header RPM is controlled by SpeedFan from the graphics card GPU..it points directly to the intakes for the graphics card n keep it super cool and kicks from zero RPM in at 60C the same as the Asus GTX 1060 fans.

So finally to my question..I prefer not to use SpeedFan but use Link only via CCP to control all 7 fans. I have a 3 way splitter cable, so Im thinking of trying the splitter on the 3 LL120s to see if that works to free up 2 CCP headers. I'll try testing it tomorrow.

If anyone can suggest the best connection set for what I want to achieve it would be greatly appreciated.

If a fan uses 3 pins, it's DC/voltage controlled, not PWM. The PWM signal is on the 4th pin. The third pin is for reporting fan speed (RPM).

Since you have a Commander Pro (CoPro), are you using any of the thermal probes in your case? If not, I do recommend using those. You can place them at strategic locations in your case and use them for your temperature sources. Because they are "native" CoPro sensors/values, you won't need to have Link running for your fan curves to be applied. One example would be to place one in the exhaust of your radiator; this will give you the ability to control the radiator fan speeds based (loosely) on the coolant temperature. Additionally, placing one near your graphics card allows you to based fan speeds on the graphics card's temperature and, specifically, on how much heat its throwing into the system.

As for the 3-way splitter with the LL fans, that should be OK. 3 LL fans will draw up to 0.3A of current so three of them is 0.9A. You have a limit if 1.0A on a single fan header for the CoPro.

If a fan uses 3 pins, it's DC/voltage controlled, not PWM. The PWM signal is on the 4th pin. The third pin is for reporting fan speed (RPM).

 

Since you have a Commander Pro (CoPro), are you using any of the thermal probes in your case? If not, I do recommend using those. You can place them at strategic locations in your case and use them for your temperature sources. Because they are "native" CoPro sensors/values, you won't need to have Link running for your fan curves to be applied. One example would be to place one in the exhaust of your radiator; this will give you the ability to control the radiator fan speeds based (loosely) on the coolant temperature. Additionally, placing one near your graphics card allows you to based fan speeds on the graphics card's temperature and, specifically, on how much heat its throwing into the system.

As for the 3-way splitter with the LL fans, that should be OK. 3 LL fans will draw up to 0.3A of current so three of them is 0.9A. You have a limit if 1.0A on a single fan header for the CoPro.

Im still waiting to order my LL fans to fully set up my copro. But i will have 4 fans on a powered splitter (as to not except the current limit) in fan 1, 3 fans on a powered splitter on fan 2. fan 3 is front fan, and fan 6 is my pump.

With that i have 4 thermal probs in use, one for case ambient, one for top rad, one for bottom rad and the last one is a prob for the coolant. i have all my radiator fan cruves based on coolant temp and the front fan curved on ambient case temp.