Confused about PWM and my NZXT H440

[cctaylor88]

I just purchased an NZXT from Amazon (I assume new version or I will be sending it back) anyways, if I am not mistaken the included fan hub is for PWM correct? I have never utilized PWM on my builds (its been years now) and would like to take advantage of it but it can be a bit overwhelming for a first timer. So essentially I want to be on the lookout for fans with 4 pin connections is that correct? What is the difference b/t 3 and 4 pin fans? Just that a 4 pin makes its pwm essentially? As long as a 4 pin fan is plugged into this hub it will be controlled by way of mobo right?

I feel like this image could be very helpful, but before I go plugging in 10 different wires I'd like to make sure I have it all sorted out. So the "NZXT Fan 1, 2, 3, 4) would all be case fans right, and as long as they are 4 pin I'm good to go with PWM.

The "molex power" is just what I would be connecting to the PSU?

I'm confused about "PWM cable to CPUFAN1" is this cable coming from the hub itself or from somewhere else? Where does it connect?
Which leaves me confused about "CPUFAN" what exactly is this? Where is it coming/going?

Also I will be purchasing an AIO CPU cooler, where will I be running that too?

Sorry for the length its just a bit overwhelming.

 

[Mr Kagouris]

Yes, you want to use fans with 4pin connectors. 3pin connectors will not be controllable at all as the only way to control them is via voltage control.

You connect "Molex Power" to a molex cable from the PSU, yes.

"PWM cable to CPUFAN1" is the one you run to the mobo to control the fan hub. The mobo will detect the hub as a fan and any speed you set it to, it will set its fans to. I recommend connecting it to a 4pin CHASSIS FAN header if one is available.

"CPUFAN" is what the CPU fan header is called on the motherboard. They assume you want the fan speed to be based on CPU temperature because these fan hubs are mostly intended for custom water cooling loops.

Assuming your motherboard has two CPUFAN headers, you should connect each fan of the AIO to one header and connect the pump to a CHASSIS FAN header.

 

[cctaylor88]

Yes, you want to use fans with 4pin connectors. 3pin connectors will not be controllable at all as the only way to control them is via voltage control.

You connect "Molex Power" to a molex cable from the PSU, yes.

"PWM cable to CPUFAN1" is the one you run to the mobo to control the fan hub. The mobo will detect the hub as a fan and any speed you set it to, it will set its fans to. I recommend connecting it to a 4pin CHASSIS FAN header if one is available.

"CPUFAN" is what the CPU fan header is called on the motherboard. They assume you want the fan speed to be based on CPU temperature because these fan hubs are mostly intended for custom water cooling loops.

Assuming your motherboard has two CPUFAN headers, you should connect each fan of the AIO to one header and connect the pump to a CHASSIS FAN header.

So CPUFAN1 makes sense now, bc the mobo is what controls these PWM fans to start with. Is this cable going to be provided with the mobo itself or is this going to be hanging off the fan splitter when I unbox the case. You say I should connect it to a 4 pin chassis fan? I have no idea what that is exactly, does the NZXT H440 come with a chassis fan? And when you say "it" again, Idk where this cable is coming from, will it be from the fan hub to the chassis? Or the mobo to the chassis? I know this is all probably elementary to someone like yourself but, as you know when you are doing a new build there are a TON of cables and Idk where to expect them (as in where they are coming from you know?)

So lets just say for the sake of it I purchase a Corsair H115i AIO cooler, this will come with some type of 4pin connector that I would then connect to the case PWM hub correct? Would I be connecting this in the "CPUFAN1" slot on the hub?

I think I follow what you are saying about connecting the AIO to any mobo connectors I may have (bc if done correctly the mobo will control the speeds of all fans) but why would my AIO have more than one head to connect? "you should connect each fan of the AIO to one header" for example, makes it sound like there will be two fan headers?

 

[Mr Kagouris]

The cable that connects the fan hub to the mobo should come with the case. I didn't mean plug it into a fan, I meant you should plug it into a 4pin CHASSIS_FAN header on your motherboard (if the motherboard has a 4pin one). Since you won't be doing custom water cooling you don't want the chassis fans (which will be connected to the hub) to ramp up and down based on CPU temperature.

No, the AIO will have 3 cables total. 2 from the fans, 1 from the pump. The fans should be connected to CPU_FAN headers on the motherboard (if your motherboard only has one CPU_FAN header you can purchase a splitter separately), and the pump should be plugged into a CHASSIS_FAN header on the motherboard.

 

[cctaylor88]

The cable that connects the fan hub to the mobo should come with the case. I didn't mean plug it into a fan, I meant you should plug it into a 4pin CHASSIS_FAN header on your motherboard (if the motherboard has a 4pin one). Since you won't be doing custom water cooling you don't want the chassis fans (which will be connected to the hub) to ramp up and down based on CPU temperature.

No, the AIO will have 3 cables total. 2 from the fans, 1 from the pump. The fans should be connected to CPU_FAN headers on the motherboard (if your motherboard only has one CPU_FAN header you can purchase a splitter separately), and the pump should be plugged into a CHASSIS_FAN header on the motherboard.

On my actual motherboard (Gigabyte GA-Z170X-Gaming7) I see SYS_FAN1 and SYS_FAN2 I also see CPU_fan. Now If I have a Corsair h115i would I be connecting this to the CPU_fan? Or am I connecting the cases fan hub to the CPU_fan?

Also is it safe to assume when you are saying "CHASSIS_FAN" its known as a "SYS_FAN" on my motherboard.

So I have 2 SYS_FAN connections (what should I be connecting to these) and I have 1 "CPU_FAN" what do I connect to this.

Sorry for needing this step by step but I fully appreciate your help thus far.


EDIT: after re-reading your last entry it appears my Corsair h115i will have two fan connections and they should be connecting to the "CPU_FAN" connection correct? It appears I only have one of those so I will need a splitter? I do have a "CPU_OPT" right below it... what is this?

 

[Mr Kagouris]

CPU_OPT is "CPU OPTIONAL". Basically, your mobo will start spitting out warnings if it doesn't detect a functional fan connected to "CPU_FAN", but not if there's no functional fan connected to "CPU_OPT". That's their main difference.

You should connect the two fans of the H115i to "CPU_FAN" and "CPU_OPT" (1 to each), and the pump (it will also have a cable) to a "SYS_FAN" header (the one next to the CPU 8pin power connector should be the most convenient one).

You should also connect the included case fans to the fan hub, then connect the fan hub to a SYS_FAN header (the one under the 24pin power connector should be the most convenient one).

 

[jstokes001]

CPU_OPT is "CPU OPTIONAL". Basically, your mobo will start spitting out warnings if it doesn't detect a functional fan connected to "CPU_FAN", but not if there's no functional fan connected to "CPU_OPT". That's their main difference.

You should connect the two fans of the H115i to "CPU_FAN" and "CPU_OPT" (1 to each), and the pump (it will also have a cable) to a "SYS_FAN" header (the one next to the CPU 8pin power connector should be the most convenient one).

You should also connect the included case fans to the fan hub, then connect the fan hub to a SYS_FAN header (the one under the 24pin power connector should be the most convenient one).

I know this thread is more than a year old, but I have a question.

I am trying to setup 5 fans for my two radiators and I want them to speed up and slow down based on CPU temp. I have the NZXT H440 and have the same fan hub. If I plug a 3-pin fan into the CPU fan header on the hub can I still set the motherboard to change the voltage based on temps?