Can I control PWM capable fans with this mobo?

[KaiserPhantasma]

I have a MSI Z87 MPOWER MAX (this one has a fan control mode in the BIOS) mobo and I wish to control 7 fans (in regards to RPM and noise) in all 2 from the corsair NH-D15 thats connected to by a Y splitter and 5 coolermaster jetflo 120 (non led) I am quite sure that I can control the fans cooling the noctua NH-D15 thru the CPU header (hence the Y splitter) but I am not sure about the other five if I have enough headers or if the mobo can control all seven...

I will be putting it in a corsair carbide 300r case in case that bit of info matters

 

[Darkbreeze]

There is only one PWM case fan header but two PWM CPU headers so most likely only two PWM case fans can be used and it will require a Y splitter. If you want that many case fans you probably want a higher end board. You might be able to use the other CPU fan header with another splitter, or, if you get a fan controller and connect that to the case fan header you can add however many you want.

 

[KaiserPhantasma]

There is only one PWM case fan header but two PWM CPU headers so most likely only two PWM case fans can be used and it will require a Y splitter. If you want that many case fans you probably want a higher end board. You might be able to use the other CPU fan header with another splitter, or, if you get a fan controller and connect that to the case fan header you can add however many you want.

how do I know for certain a a fan header allows PWM control for fans? the manual from here doesn't really indicate it as "PWM fan header" and such it just says that one of the wires is for "PWM" hence I assumed all the fan headers were PWM capable

the manual is from here in case you wanna double check http://www.msi.com/support/mb/Z87-MPOWER-MAX.html#down-manual

 

[Darkbreeze]

If it's four pin, it's PWM. If it's 3 pin it's not. I already checked that board which is why I said it has one PWM case fan header and two PWM CPU headers, however, the manual I looked at may have been for a different revision of the board because according to the manual you linked to the board has three four pin PWM headers and two four pin CPU headers.

That means you will be fine if you get two Y splitters for the case fans. Two case fans can go on one header. Two case fans can go on another and then a single fan on the last one. Since there are two CPU headers you're fine for the Noctua cooler. You want to use the splitter and put both the cpu fans on one header so that they both rotate at the same RPM.

 

[KaiserPhantasma]

If it's four pin, it's PWM. If it's 3 pin it's not. I already checked that board which is why I said it has one PWM case fan header and two PWM CPU headers, however, the manual I looked at may have been for a different revision of the board because according to the manual you linked to the board has three four pin PWM headers and two four pin CPU headers.

That means you will be fine if you get two Y splitters for the case fans. Two case fans can go on one header. Two case fans can go on another and then a single fan on the last one. Since there are two CPU headers you're fine for the Noctua cooler. You want to use the splitter and put both the cpu fans on one header so that they both rotate at the same RPM.

maybe that was the Z97 MPOWER MAX?
or maybe it was the Z87 MPOWER MAX AC (upgraded network updater)

 

[Darkbreeze]

Yeah, not too sure. Anyhow, it looks like you should be fine if you get a couple of these:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812162026&cm_re=PWM_splitter-_-12-162-026-_-Product

 

[KaiserPhantasma]

Yeah, not too sure. Anyhow, it looks like you should be fine if you get a couple of these:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812162026&cm_re=PWM_splitter-_-12-162-026-_-Product

hopefully I can find Y splitters in our local stores

and just to confirm again if the CPU header has 4 pins it can automatically be classified as a PWM capable header?

 

[Darkbreeze]

As far as I'm aware, and I'm aware of EVERYTHING (Just kidding), there are no non-PWM 4 pin headers. If it's a 4 pin fan header, it's PWM.