iCUE Commander CORE

[tomshm]

Hi All,

Installing iCUE h150i Elite Capellix with iCUE 5000X RGB case.

Should I connect the Case's x3 front-fans to the AIO's commander core, or directly to the motherboard (ASUS ROG Strix Z690-F)?

Any other recommended setup?

Thanks!

[c-attack]

4 hours ago, tomshm said:

Should I connect the Case's x3 front-fans to the AIO's commander core, or directly to the motherboard (ASUS ROG Strix Z690-F)?

To the Commander Core.  That is its purpose -- fan speed control, RGB control, pump power and lighting.  The fans do not connect to the motherboard and the connector does not naturally fit.  

[tomshm]

Thanks, much appreciate your answer.

It's very confusing, since the ASUS ROG Strix Z690-F has its own fan control, so other modern motherboards.

btw, what if you don't have AIO, still, you need to connect the Case's fans to the motherboard somehow? 🙂

Edited December 25, 2022 by tomshm

[c-attack]

You could connect the fans to the motherboard, but then you would be limited to the control options in the BIOS or be forced to run the Asus control software in addition to the Corsair control software you need anyway.  Also, only the Commander Core is going to let you properly use the liquid temp inside the cooler for fan control.  The MB can't access that sensor.  This is the proper control variable for water cooling and you only need to the fans to keep moving along at a slow to moderate pace.  They do not need to react to minor blips in CPU temperature that have no affect on the cooling environment.

 

If you did not have the Commander Core, then you would connect the RGB wires from the fans to a smaller Corsair RGB only controller (Lighting Node Core, Lighting Node Pro) and then the separate PWM wires to the motherboard.  All of the Elite Capellix AIO units come with the Commander Core since there is no room for an internal fan controller on the pump head where it was often placed in the past.  

Edited December 25, 2022 by c-attack

[tomshm]

Thank c-attack for your response. Eventually I connected 4 fans (3-case, 1 read additional) to the case's commander/circuit. The AIO has only 6 in total, and I need 7.

[c-attack]

You could use a stand PWM splitter to pair 2 fans on the Commander Core. However, you should have a better option with the small PWM hub in the back of the 5000X. This is a powered splitter. One lead from circuit board to 1 Commander Core header. Can power 2-6 fans. You can stick three on there that don’t need individual speed control, like the radiator fans or any other bank of three. 
 

The 7th RGB fan is more difficult. RGB splitters will twin it with another fan. Ok for static effects, but moving patterns will look odd. Most users will need to use two RGB controllers and split the fans in some logical way - 6+1, 4+3, etc. 

[pbdsllc]

@tomshm I have just started building the exact system in a iCUE 5000X case.  
@c-attack is there a more detailed manual showing all of the components inside the 5000X RGB case?

[c-attack]

Beyond the manual on the product page, I would look and ask about it here.  Lots of diagram links on the first post.