Wiring Help for H150i Elite Capellix + 6x QL120 Fans

[NovaTDS]

Hi - I'm putting together a new build and had a couple of questions about the wiring setup for the fans and AIO cooler. I built my current rig back in 2013 and didn't have any RGB or AIO cooler so this is all new to me. For reference:

• Motherboard: ASUS TUF Z690-Plus WIFI D4
  • Fan Headers: 1x CPU, 1x CPU OPT, 1x AIO Pump, 4x Chassis
  • 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C Connector
  • 1x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Header
  • 2x USB 2.0 Headers
• Cooler: Corsair H150i Elite Capellix (1 CoCo included)
• Fans: 6x Corsair QL120mm Fans (2 LNCores included)
• Case: Lian Li PC-O11 Dynamic 
• Power Supply: Corsair HX Platinum 1200W  

I plan on using the ML fans that come with the AIO on the cooler and as the exhaust up top, 3 fans on the side for intake and 3 fans on the bottom for intake. I saw a diagram of a potential setup (below) and had a couple of questions. 

1. Does the CoCo connect to the CoPro via the internal USB header or LED (I've seen both be mentioned in other posts)? If the CoCo is connected to the CoPro via USB header, how is the CoCo connected to the motherboard's PUMP fan header?
2. If the CoCo is connected into the CoPro, is the AIO still visible in iCUE or is it all recognized as one entity and any changes affect all 9 fans? 
3. Is this an ideal setup for wiring? I do not currently own a CoPro so I'm open to other methods before I actually start the build.
4. Given the header limitations detailed above, is there anything I should be considering for the setup?

Thanks in advance!

[c-attack]

1) All Corsair controllers need an internal usb 2 port. This is how they communicate with the software. The ports on the Commander Pro are literal passthrough making the device more like a 3 usb way splitter. It is not device to device communication. AIO tach wire should go to cpu fan so it can serve its purpose as a boot safety warning system. If the cooler doesn’t respond, you get the classic “cpu fan error” warning immediately. On AIO pump or any of those other specialty headers it does nothing more than report a raw pump speed value. 
 

2) Each controller will be a separate group for lighting control. You can’t connect 3 groups of 6 together in any format and make it an 18 fan lighting group. You can make them do the same thing, but each controller or RGB channel is independent. 
 

3) I don’t see a good reason for the Commander Pro unless you have near term plans for RGB strips, custom water cooling, or 3rd party RGB adapters for other 5v products. Those all require a RGB lighting channel and the Com Core has none. If you are not going to use any of those things, then you’re better off with a much less expensive powered PWM repeater to take 3/6 of the fans for speed control and maybe another standard PWM 2way splitter. 
 

4) You may want to consider putting the AIO in the side as intake. Up top will make it the exit point for all your gpu waste heat. You really don’t need that adding another 8-10C to your cpu temp when the gpu is under continuous load. There is another reason to do this as well. The O11 top/bottom is perfect for the QL fans and the side cut LED rings. That’s a lot of the show and part of the balance. When not using a radiator in the top, I still use either 7-10mm gaskets or something else to drop them down to glass height. Putting the different ML-Elite OEM fans up top will shift your appearance.
 

Even if you do put the radiator up top, I would be tempted to use the QL instead and put the ML-E in the side. This also makes sense from a lighting control perspective. The QL will be on one controller (LNC) and the ML-E on the Com Core. This makes the very visible top/bottom 1 zone and the Com Core controlled fans will integrate with the pump RGB, MB and essentially become the central background lighting rather than the dynamic effects unique to the QL. 

Edited December 1, 2021 by c-attack