Do I have to use the CoCore for H150i fans? [5000D Airflow]

[hyu]

It's been a month since I finished my build and EVERYTHING WORKS... sort of.

The #1 issue is my GPU temperature. I want to rewire things and would like expert input.

Hardware info:

• H150i, 3 fans (ML120) wired to Commander Core (incl in box) & mobo
• 6x front/side SP120 wired to 5000D airflow hub + lightning node (incl in SP120 3 pack box) & mobo

What's wrong?

With this setup, I cannot control my front/side 6x SP120 fan speeds with iCUE without buying another Commander Core or some other premium hub.

I've set those fan speeds via BIOS but it's really not optimal.

I care cooling my 3080 Ti than cooling the radiator for my i7-12700k.

H150i does a fantastic job at keeping the CPU cool with the pump alone. Radiator cooling can also be done via BIOS.

Unfortunately, I cannot control front/side fans based on GPU temps via BIOS. And iCUE cannot control Front/Side 6 fan speed.

So. I thought maybe I could use the Commander Core to control my front/side 6x fans via iCUE.

1. Can I plug the 6 front/side fans to the Commander Core (and the H150i pump) to control RGB and fanspeed via iCUE?
2. And can I plug the 3 AIO radiator fans to the 5000D airflow hub + lightning node to control RGB via iCUE and fanspeed via BIOS?

pinging legendary @c-attack😉 for input!

[hyu]

Is there another option? Maybe I could plug in the 5000D hub elsewhere? 

Atm it only shows the h150i elite capellix (for RGB & cooling) and lightning node core (for RGB only)

[LeDoyen]

in the bios you can't select GPU as a source, but often with the motherboard control software in windows you can. I know it works with Asus AI suite, but i don't your mobo's brand 🙂

others should be able to do it too.

[hyu]

1 minute ago, LeDoyen said:

in the bios you can't select GPU as a source, but often with the motherboard control software in windows you can. I know it works with Asus AI suite, but i don't your mobo's brand 🙂

others should be able to do it too.

Hello, another legendary figure 😄

This is a good alternative, thank you! I have an MSI z690 and MSI does have MSI Center for that!

I would prefer to just stick to one software, ie, iCUE (with profiles)

Do you think I can use the setup I shared above?

[LeDoyen]

it will work if the front fans are 4 pin PWM fans. I'm lost with all the SP models, but the old 3 pins one will always run at full speed on a PWM controller.

as long as they are 4 pins you'll be able to control them with iCUE as you want, maybe using a powered PWM hub to connect those 6 to an output of the CoCore

[hyu]

1 hour ago, LeDoyen said:

it will work if the front fans are 4 pin PWM fans. I'm lost with all the SP models, but the old 3 pins one will always run at full speed on a PWM controller.

as long as they are 4 pins you'll be able to control them with iCUE as you want, maybe using a powered PWM hub to connect those 6 to an output of the CoCore

I see. I believe SP has 3 pins and on the product page it even says "PWM Control NO". So it looks like my proposed idea won't work after all.

If only Corsair laid this out a bit better during the research/discovery phase, I would've happily spent more money on the more expensive product... now I'm stuck with suboptimal fans.

Either way, temps are OK. CPU idle/load & GPU idle/load temps are completely well within range 🙂 I just wanted to run the GPU a bit cooler without converting it to liquid and with easy profile switches.

Thank you @LeDoyen!

[hyu]

MSI Center doesn't have fan control based on GPU temps but I can have a profile and set the speed manually... but I think I'll just stick to my BIOs setting and not deal with another program.

[LeDoyen]

if you bought your fans like at Amazon and they are within the return period you can still exchange them ^^ 

 

.. and it's still fun to see your thousands dollars rig with 5 different crappy fans found in the bottom of drawers, and one empty slot, while waiting for replacements. 😛

[c-attack]

It does seem like you have SP-Pro fans that are 8 LEDs, but were 3 pin DC voltage controlled.  Motherboard will be the only viable control option.  When Corsair released the Elite coolers and the PWM only Commander Core, they also released the SP-Elite.  It's the SP-Pro with a PWM motor.  As usual, you have be very careful with the names.

 

SP-RGB - 4 LEDs, DC motor, does not work with other fans

SP-Pro - 8 LEDs, DC motor, LED compatible with other 8 LED fans

SP-Elite - 8 LEDs, PWM motor, LED compatible with ML-Elite, ML-Elite (OEM AIO)

[hyu]

2 hours ago, LeDoyen said:

if you bought your fans like at Amazon and they are within the return period you can still exchange them ^^ 

 

.. and it's still fun to see your thousands dollars rig with 5 different crappy fans found in the bottom of drawers, and one empty slot, while waiting for replacements. 😛

I opened and used, I don't think they accept returns in this condition

2 hours ago, c-attack said:

It does seem like you have SP-Pro fans that are 8 LEDs, but were 3 pin DC voltage controlled.  Motherboard will be the only viable control option.  When Corsair released the Elite coolers and the PWM only Commander Core, they also released the SP-Elite.  It's the SP-Pro with a PWM motor.  As usual, you have be very careful with the names.

 

SP-RGB - 4 LEDs, DC motor, does not work with other fans

SP-Pro - 8 LEDs, DC motor, LED compatible with other 8 LED fans

SP-Elite - 8 LEDs, PWM motor, LED compatible with ML-Elite, ML-Elite (OEM AIO)

Another point in why Corsair messaging is horrible. It looks like I have the SP-Elite.

So I have a 4 pin connector meaning my original idea should work? @c-attack 

[c-attack]

If you have the SP-Elite, this should work.  That small circuit board in the back is a PWM repeater.  It acts like a 6 way powered splitter, but you must have a  fan on the "control header" for the circuit board.  This is usually marked as "1" or sometimes a dot.  That fan becomes the controller for the other fans on the hub.  If the side fans are connected to this, double check to see if the dot header is populated.  If it is, switch a different fan into that position.  Sometimes you get a weird fan that doesn't do well in the lead role.  The PWM hub should have 1 fan connector to go back to the Commander Core at connect to any of the 6 PWM ports and that is the source of control for the block of 6.  

 

If the front/side fans are not on PWM hub, then we need to look for something else.  

[hyu]

16 hours ago, c-attack said:

If you have the SP-Elite, this should work.  That small circuit board in the back is a PWM repeater.  It acts like a 6 way powered splitter, but you must have a  fan on the "control header" for the circuit board.  This is usually marked as "1" or sometimes a dot.  That fan becomes the controller for the other fans on the hub.  If the side fans are connected to this, double check to see if the dot header is populated.  If it is, switch a different fan into that position.  Sometimes you get a weird fan that doesn't do well in the lead role.  The PWM hub should have 1 fan connector to go back to the Commander Core at connect to any of the 6 PWM ports and that is the source of control for the block of 6.  

 

If the front/side fans are not on PWM hub, then we need to look for something else.  

I will simply swap out the 3 fans on the AIO to the PWM repeater on the 5000D + lightning core & the 6 front/side fans all on the Commander Core.

Will try this weekend and report back 🙂 Thanks for your time!

[hyu]

@LeDoyen @c-attack

I couldn't wait til the weekend hah. MY PLAN WORKED!

No additional hubs bought 🙂 

CPU temps are fine (due to the H150i) — BIOS controls the radiator fans' (3x) speed, and I still retain RGB control.

Front/side fans now have custom curve based on GPU temps and profiles to help the GPU more.

The "module" name and organization is a bit wonky on the iCUE but that's fine. 

Thanks for both of your input!