Corsair iCUE 5000T RGB with 13 fans ?

[Hakanify]

Hello,

I will assemble a PC for the first time, for the most part I have chosen Corsair products.

In theory I have understood everything so far, except for the fans...

In my Corsair iCUE 5000T RGB I want to install a total of 13 fans (I think that only a maximum of 13 fans fit in this case purely)

I have 10x Corsair LL120 RGB and 3x CORSAIR ICUE ML140 RGB ELITE

So far I did not have to buy a commander additionally, this I had already in the package from the water cooler, case and fans....

So I have so far 2x Commander Core XT and 2x Lighting Node Pro ...

And my question would be if I can connect all fans with these parts?
Or if I have to buy something in addition ... and if so then which part ?

Thanks a lot !

[c-attack]

There are a lot of these threads around. Here is a recent one. 

 

You will have one Commander XT from the case and presumably one Commander Core from an Elite Capellix AIO kit. That is RGB and speed control for 12. Your 13th fan is going to be the tricky bit. 
 

For PWM control a simple PWM splitter on one fan port will do it. Better still since this would have to be push pull on the radiator, use the powered PWM hub in the back to take the load of the 6 radiator fans. All 6 will run the same speed and use 1 PWM port on the Commander Core. That frees up 5 other headers and resolves the issue. 
 

The RGB is harder. You need a 3rd RGB controller. One of the Lighting node pro plus RGB lighting hubs from the LL packs makes the most sense. *You also should be able to do this just the RGB Lighting Hub from the LL pack but then connect it to the LED port on the Commander XT. This will save you a device and usb connection. The case strips should use the ID port.*. You can then either put the rear exhaust on its own RGB circuit or put one of the other banks of three on it. Keep in mind each controller acts like a separate lighting group so how you divide the fans governs their sequence for moving effects. You also could get a 3rd party RGB fan splitter and try to twin the rear exhaust with the last top fan. This would then eliminate the need for a 3rd controller but not everyone will like two fans as twins. Makes no difference for static or intra-fan effects, but will be noticeable on moving patterns. 

Edited December 30, 2022 by c-attack

[Hakanify]

First of all, thank you for your help.

I definitely understood some things but some things not. I'm more of a beginner at PC assembly... will also be the first time assembling a PC.

I'll explain first how far I understood. I have 2x a Commander Core XT, there I could easily install a total of 12 fans, but the 13th fan makes problems to connect the...

In this case, I should simply buy a PWM splitter and this then simply connect to a Commander Core... there I can then easily connect all fan cables.

But I have a question, whether I can also set the fan normally with the PWM splitter without any restrictions?

I would still have a LED cable from the 13th fan.
This cable I should connect to the existing Lighting Node PRO and this in turn I should connect to the Commander Core?
And if so, how should I then connect it?

I wonder if you can not just buy a PWM splitter for the LED cable from the 13th fan ?

This is really complicated but am very grateful for your help, I just do not manage otherwise

[c-attack]

You have a Commander XT that comes with the case.  You will have a Commander Core that comes with the AIO.  They look alike, but there are critical differences for when you set up.  You NEED the Com XT controller to make the special case lighting strips work.  There is a special connection for that and it will be in the case owner's manual.  You will NEED the Commander Core for the AIO.  Power to the pump as well as lighting and control all go through the Commander Core to the pump.  There are no internal fan or RGB controllers on the physical pump.  This also means regardless of what you do with the other fans, the radiator fans should connect to the Commander Core.  Only the Commander Core has native access to the pump data and liquid temperature for speed control.  

 

You stated 13 fans and that suggests you want to run fans on both sides of the radiator.  This is typically referred to as push-pull.  You can if you wish, but it's also not necessary unless your intended use is let this PC run as a number cruncher 24/7.  3x120mm LL fans is enough to dissipate your CPU heat.  Running push-pull pretty much forces you to mount the CPU radiator up top as exhaust.  The temperature penalty you take for that with an air cooled GPU is going to be more than you gain for push-pull by far.  Limiting yourself to a single set of fans opens of the side wall as another location, further out of the heat zone.  Plenty of people run their AIO as top exhaust, so if that's what you want to do it will not cause irreparable harm.  You are most likely to notice slightly elevated CPU temperatures during long GPU load times, like gaming.  +5-7C on the case ambient will mean +5-7C on the CPU too.  

 

If 13 fans, the best connection method will be using the small 6 port RGB Lighting Hub and directly connecting it to the Commander XT LED port.  The little hub is a fan 5v RGB booster to handle the higher load from 6 fans.  The Lighting Node Core will not be needed as the Commander XT does the job as controller.  

 

You could buy a PWM splitter for fan 13, but you should have a powered PWM hub in back.  It's a small circuit board with 6 fan headers.  Then 1 lead fan wire to connect to an actual fan controller (either Commander).  This is better than using splitter.  You don't need individual fan speed control for radiator fans or anything block of 3 fans.  

 

The 13th RGB fan can be by itself (6+6+1) or you can do some other logical arrangement.  Remember each physical controller is it's own lighting group.  You want to keep your physical groups of fans together on the same controller.  

 

Take a look at the thread below for pictures and other helpful information that can useful for identifying the various components.  All the names sound alike, both when you first start... and years later.  

5000X Build - https://forum.corsair.com/forums/topic/168235-zottys-corsair-5000x-faq-guide/

General Corsair lighting guide - Zotty's CORSAIR RGB Hardware and iCUE Eco-System FAQ - The Corsair User Forums

 

 

 

Edited December 31, 2022 by c-attack

[Hakanify]

Hello, thank you for your answer...

Below they wrote several ways to solve it with a total of 13 fans, but which one would you do and recommend?

So is it actually also ok to make only one side with three fans on the water cooler than to have both sides a total of 6 fans ?

I would have as a water cooler a Corsair iCUE H150i ELITE and an AMD Ryzen 9 5900X CPU... and I actually thought that then with the water cooler a total of 6 fans would be better to cool the CPU as well as possible.

But on the other hand I save myself quite a few headaches if I just have a total of 10 fans instead of 13 fans...