[SOLVED] Bought a DeepCool Gammaxx GT RGB fan and can't figure out where the cords go.

[Innosinner]

Yup, I'm a noob and I'm freakin' out. Been stressed out lately, and for the love of god I can't find a video or website that explains in detail where the cords go, plenty of how to screw in the fan over the CPU with thermal paste, which I've already done. There's 1 cord from the heat dispersing bars and 2 cords from the actual fan, and 2 separate connector cords that come in a baggie. Got everything else figured out, this one stupid thing is holding me back. Help! Edit: the mobo is an MSI Tomahawk B450 ATX. Please keep throwing all your answers at me, I will update you when I've figured it out. Had to go to bed for early schedule for now. Thank you very kindly.

 

[richiestang_78]

Found this, not the greatest video and ignore this guys weird thermal paste application, but he does show how to hook the wiring up including explaing why there are two sets of cables.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xb6b7dbnnHE



As far as where the wire goes into your motherboard, consult page 38 of your motherboard manual. https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/support/B450-TOMAHAWK#down-manual

 

[Innosinner]

Wow, that was fast! Thanks. Ya know, I actually watched that vid for help while screwing in the fan, but cords part was not clear enough. Fan didn't come with a diagram/notes for where cords go, but I didn't even think to try the mobo manual... consulting it now. Thanks again!

 

[Paperdoc]

The Deepcool Gammaxx GT CPU cooler includes one fan and two RGB lighting units - one in the fan frame, and another in the heatsink part. Each RGB unit has its own power/control cord and they both will look the same - four contacts in a locking connector. The fan has a separate fan motor cable ending in a common 4-pin fan female (with holes) connector, with two ridges running down one side of it. The system comes with two different ways to connect to the RGB cables, and you use only ONE of these.

The fan motor cable is the easy one. Just plug it into the mobo CPU_FAN header.

For power and control of the RGB lighting, you have two choices. One of the cable sets includes in its middle a box with three buttons. It has two output connectors on one end that mate with the connectors on the cooler system; its other end has a SATA power connector to get power from the PSU. This cable is intended to use if you do NOT have a way to do all of this built into your mobo.

However, you DO have on your mobo two JRGB1 (or 2) headers at bottom back and top front of the mobo. So you should use the other cable, the one that has NO button box in its middle. It has two outputs for the RGB connectors from the heatsink and fan, and on the other end a female 4-pin plain RGB connector with 4 holes. NOTE that one edge of this connector will be marked to indicate the +12 VDC connection point, and the mobo JRGB headers likewise have the +12 VDC pin marked. Match those when plugging in.

Now, check your mobo manual and the CD that came with it, and look for an app called MSI Mystic Light. If it has not yet been installed, do that. you may already be using that for lighting on the mobo. See manual p. 75. Use this app to control the lighting effects for the particular JRGBn header you used for the Gammaxx system lights, rather than the manual box.

 

[dforrest]

Thank Paperdoc. Your response fully explains to me how it is to be installed.

My additional problem is that somewhere in the process the cable to control the RGB lighting from the motherboard has been "lost". It looks like an RGB splitter cable. Could I replace it with an RGB splitter cable from Amazon?

 

[Paperdoc]

Almost, but not by itself. The problem is that the RGB connector used on those Gammaxx units is a bit different from what others have used, so the output (male) ends of most RGB Splitters will not fit onto the connectors on your units. BUT I have found one item, the Phanteks RGB LED 4 Pin Adapter here

https://www.newegg.com/p/N82E168129...e=Phanteks_rgb_adapter-_-12-987-031-_-Product

that APPEARS to have the correct output (Female with holes and latching clips) and input (4 holes) connectors among its three. I see two problems with this: you would have to confirm that the output connector really DOES mate with the inputs on your Gammaxx units, AND you would need one of these for EACH of your Gammaxx units, PLUS the "standard" adapter like this

https://www.newegg.com/p/N82E168122...ter&cm_re=RGB_Splitter-_-12-229-001-_-Product

That last unit is a one-to-three RGB Splitter with gender-changing adapters for its outputs. NOTE that this AND the Adapter item MUST be for 4-pin RGB systems, NOT the 3-pin ADDR RGB system. ALSO note that the connectors all should have one pin (hole) marked as the +12 VDC line, and you MUST make sure to match those up at EVERY joint in your RGB cable system.

To confirm that the adapter up there would actually fit your Gammaxx items, you'd need to contact them. BUT if you are doing that, ask if THEY can supply the lost cable you need - might be cheaper than fiddling with other gizmos.

 

[dforrest]

Thanks Paperdoc. I need to digest all the information you have provided and decide what to do!!!

 

[Paperdoc]

You're welcome, and good luck. Just an additional note IF you consider yourself a "handy" person. Electrically, the systems are the same; the only problem is the physical configuration of the connectors not matching. So it is possible to get it all to work by custom cutting and splicing wires, or even by fitting onto wires some matching connectors if you could get them.