H100, Compatability Problem With CoolerMaster R4 Fans?

Hello,

I just finished installing my H100.

Instead of using the stock Corsair fans, I am using four CoolerMaster R4 SickleFlow fans with the H100.

The problem I'm having is that with the four fans connected to the fan header on the pump block,

the fans don't seem to be responding properly and are just spinning up and down constantly.

Two fans will spin up, then as they start to slow down, the other two will spin up etc...

Pressing the fan profile button on the pump block doesn't seem do anything other than switch the profile

(visible by the indication lights).

The fans however don't react any different switched to either of the three profiles.

I have seen at least one other person here mention having a similar problem with his R4's mounted to the H100.

Hence the reason I'm wondering if there isn't a compatibility problem between these two products?

Ok, I have done some testing and can conclude that the CoolerMaster

R4 SickleFlow fans are currently not compatible with the H100 (running off the H100 pump block).

Testing any combination of the R4's plugged into the H100 resulted in the same uncontrollable fan spin up / spin down cycle.

Plugging in the stock fans (that come with the H100) results in proper fan operation and full control of the fan speed profile selector.

For the time being, I have connected all four R4's to the 650D's fan controller. This seems to be working nicely and will probably become my permanent solution.

I wonder if the R4's being LED fans is the cause of the compatibility problem with the H100 ?

Cheers,

I have the non-LED version and they do the same thing.

Maybe because they are 3pin connectors rather than 4?

I have the non-LED version and they do the same thing.

Maybe because they are 3pin connectors rather than 4?

The stock Corsair fans are 3-pin and they work fine.

hi guys we here in Australia, we just got the h100 and im on my third one :[pouts: i also have had trouble with Cooler Master 120mm Silent Red LED Fan which has 90cfm one spin's up, but the other doesn't work right its like its not getting power, i was running cooler master x2 in push and stock fans x2 in pull with the high setting, in my 650d. good temps when it was working

1st h100 died fan controller stoped working.

2nd h100 died in the box lol when i opened it the rad was covered in water coolant etc

3rd h100 waiting for stock to be replaced.:laughing:

I can confirm the Coolermaster R4 fans dont work off the H100 block as well. Just got them in yesterday, installed them and same thing, spin up spin down, spin up, spin down, and it cycles through the fans they dont all do it at the same time.

Not that it matters anyway as I didn't see any temp difference between those and my lesser rated Thermaltake blue LED fans (at low speeds)

The coolermaster R4 fans also have an annoying vibration to them and are not quiet at low speeds, at high speed I dont see how they even claim these are 19dB as they are really loud! (ok granted the radiator may play a part there, but even my exhaust fan on rear of case with the R4 fan is noisy even at 50% speed). Granted the R4 fans are not as loud as the corsair stock at full speed... but I am going for as much silence as possible.

After trying all kinds of fans (not with Corsair H-Coolers) and reading many fans reviews, the reality is that the specs of 95% of fans are always exaggerated, particularly the noise figures. Since there really is no standard, industry accepted manner of testing fan noise, the test procedures are all different (if they even exist) and make it impossible to compare specs between fans in a meaningful way.

The CFM specs are also mostly worthless figures, and are always less when tested, again with varying techniques.

The problems when trying to use other fans with the H80 and H100 is likely due to two factors, the fans start-up voltage and their speed (RPM) at different voltages. All fans will start rotating at different applied voltages, some as low as three volts and others not until six or even nine volts are provided to them. Then the fan's speed will vary from one to another depending upon it's motor, the bearings, it's maximum RPM, etc.

Corsair has no doubt tuned their fan control software for use with their fans. Since the H80 and H100 fan's speed can go as high as 2500 RPM, which is higher than most 120mm fans, they may have a low start-up voltage, or might have a relatively small range of start-up to maximum speed voltages, say between six and 12 volts, for example.

The CM Sickle Flow fan's operational profile obviously does not at all match the Corsair fans. According to a test of the CM SF fan, it starts at four volts, at 890 RPM, and it's top speed is 1910 RPM at 12 volts. When used with the H100, it probably runs faster at the standard voltage applied by the fan controlling software than it is expecting, which then attempts to slow it down by lowering the applied voltage, and the fan then stops rotating. The software detects that and increases the voltage, and the cycle starts again. It may not be that simple but in general this is what is likely happening.

The bottom line is changing fans when using the built in software with the H80 or H100 is the proverbial crap-shoot. Given how differently all fans operate, we can't expect most if not all fans to work appropriately with the specifically tuned Corsair fan control software.

After trying all kinds of fans (not with Corsair H-Coolers) and reading many fans reviews, the reality is that the specs of 95% of fans are always exaggerated, particularly the noise figures. Since there really is no standard, industry accepted manner of testing fan noise, the test procedures are all different (if they even exist) and make it impossible to compare specs between fans in a meaningful way.

 

The CFM specs are also mostly worthless figures, and are always less when tested, again with varying techniques.

 

The problems when trying to use other fans with the H80 and H100 is likely due to two factors, the fans start-up voltage and their speed (RPM) at different voltages. All fans will start rotating at different applied voltages, some as low as three volts and others not until six or even nine volts are provided to them. Then the fan's speed will vary from one to another depending upon it's motor, the bearings, it's maximum RPM, etc.

 

Corsair has no doubt tuned their fan control software for use with their fans. Since the H80 and H100 fan's speed can go as high as 2500 RPM, which is higher than most 120mm fans, they may have a low start-up voltage, or might have a relatively small range of start-up to maximum speed voltages, say between six and 12 volts, for example.

 

The CM Sickle Flow fan's operational profile obviously does not at all match the Corsair fans. According to a test of the CM SF fan, it starts at four volts, at 890 RPM, and it's top speed is 1910 RPM at 12 volts. When used with the H100, it probably runs faster at the standard voltage applied by the fan controlling software than it is expecting, which then attempts to slow it down by lowering the applied voltage, and the fan then stops rotating. The software detects that and increases the voltage, and the cycle starts again. It may not be that simple but in general this is what is likely happening.

 

The bottom line is changing fans when using the built in software with the H80 or H100 is the proverbial crap-shoot. Given how differently all fans operate, we can't expect most if not all fans to work appropriately with the specifically tuned Corsair fan control software.

This explains everything. best thing is to not use the sickle flows with the H100 Cooling Node.

After trying all kinds of fans (not with Corsair H-Coolers) and reading many fans reviews, the reality is that the specs of 95% of fans are always exaggerated, particularly the noise figures. Since there really is no standard, industry accepted manner of testing fan noise, the test procedures are all different (if they even exist) and make it impossible to compare specs between fans in a meaningful way.

 

The CFM specs are also mostly worthless figures, and are always less when tested, again with varying techniques.

 

The problems when trying to use other fans with the H80 and H100 is likely due to two factors, the fans start-up voltage and their speed (RPM) at different voltages. All fans will start rotating at different applied voltages, some as low as three volts and others not until six or even nine volts are provided to them. Then the fan's speed will vary from one to another depending upon it's motor, the bearings, it's maximum RPM, etc.

 

Corsair has no doubt tuned their fan control software for use with their fans. Since the H80 and H100 fan's speed can go as high as 2500 RPM, which is higher than most 120mm fans, they may have a low start-up voltage, or might have a relatively small range of start-up to maximum speed voltages, say between six and 12 volts, for example.

 

The CM Sickle Flow fan's operational profile obviously does not at all match the Corsair fans. According to a test of the CM SF fan, it starts at four volts, at 890 RPM, and it's top speed is 1910 RPM at 12 volts. When used with the H100, it probably runs faster at the standard voltage applied by the fan controlling software than it is expecting, which then attempts to slow it down by lowering the applied voltage, and the fan then stops rotating. The software detects that and increases the voltage, and the cycle starts again. It may not be that simple but in general this is what is likely happening.

 

The bottom line is changing fans when using the built in software with the H80 or H100 is the proverbial crap-shoot. Given how differently all fans operate, we can't expect most if not all fans to work appropriately with the specifically tuned Corsair fan control software.

Thanks for the explenation :)

You're welcome! Actually I made a slight mistake about the CM Sickle Flow fans (it makes no difference regarding compatibility.) It actually will spin with only 2.4V applied, and is at 830 RPM at 4V. I don't know the specs for the Corsair fans, as they seem (99% sure) proprietary to Corsair, and they've never been tested by my favorite fan testing site (xbitlabs.com)

I've been using the Corsair fan provided with the H60, and it's really very good, you'd have a very hard time surpassing it in all areas of performance in one fan IMO.

Yeah, the Corsair fans work very well. I decided to try 4 Cougar fans and am very happy with the performance and low noise. Replaced the stock Corsair 120mm exhaust fan with a Cougar also. If they made 200mm fans would buy them also.

Using the supplied Corsair fans as intake fans and then adding two Cougars worked very well also and would save you a few $$... If additional H100 fans would have been available...would have bought them.