[SOLVED] Confusion with installing ARGB 3-pin PWM fan interface ?

[Saad Tariq]

Hi. I have recently purchased new 6 ARGB fans (https://thundertechnology.net/product/air-warrior-9/) for my case and I have a motherboard of Gigabyte A520M S2H which has ARGB header. Now I am little confused because these fans have only one 3-pin PWM interface cable for ARGB communication so my questions are:

1. How can I connect them all together with mobo when it is designed as modern 4-pin sync interface?
2. If I connect them with a splitter cable then how do they control the RPM of the fans when there is only one cable. Please see the attached image of the fan's cable interface below:

 

[CountMike]

Hi. I have recently purchased new 6 ARGB fans (https://thundertechnology.net/product/air-warrior-9/) for my case and I have a motherboard of Gigabyte A520M S2H which has ARGB header. Now I am little confused because these fans have only one 3-pin PWM interface cable for ARGB communication so my questions are:

1. How can I connect them all together with mobo when it is designed as modern 4-pin sync interface?
2. If I connect them with a splitter cable then how do they control the RPM of the fans when there is only one cable. Please see the attached image of the fan's cable interface below:

PWM refers to fan's motor power. nothing to do with ARGB/RGB lights on it.
Your picture shows one Molex connector to connect fan's motor to PSU (you don't get control over speed or rpm indication) and what seems to tb 3 pin (not PWM) connector for MB fan header. It will work with 4pin (PWM) header in the MB but it should be set as (Voltage control" in BIOS. Do NOT use both connectors at same time !!!!

 

[Saad Tariq]

PWM refers to fan's motor power. nothing to do with ARGB/RGB lights on it.
Your picture shows one Molex connector to connect fan's motor to PSU (you don't get control over speed or rpm indication) and what seems to tb 3 pin (not PWM) connector for MB fan header. It will work with 4pin (PWM) header in the MB but it should be set as (Voltage control" in BIOS. Do NOT use both connectors at same time !!!!

Then on the product page they said its ARGB fan means it should be controlled via mobo. How can I do that then?

 

[CountMike]

Then on the product page they said its ARGB fan means it should be controlled via mobo. How can I do that then?

You might be confusing motor power and lights. ARGB ( Addressable RGB,) is to power and control LED lights on a strip or fan etc. It's digital, works on 5vDC and it's lead should be plugged into ARGB header on the MB or separate controller. After that, lights and their colors are controlled by software that is provided for your motherboard.It's connector is similar to PWM connector but with one pin missing.

 

[Saad Tariq]

You might be confusing motor power and lights. ARGB ( Addressable RGB,) is to power and control LED lights on a strip or fan etc. It's digital, works on 5vDC and it's lead should be plugged into ARGB header on the MB or separate controller. After that, lights and their colors are controlled by software that is provided for your motherboard.It's connector is similar to PWM connector but with one pin missing.

I think I need to explain my issue again in detail, there are only two interfaces with my fan which I shared via image above, one is PWM 3 pin and other is 4-pin Molex male and if you can see the URL of the fan, it is clearly written that it is ARGB fan. There are only these two interfaces wires in this fan so I understand with the PWM it is controlling the RPM then how ARGB will communicate here? What is missing? Did they assume that they can sell their product saying ARGB when there is no interface cable available or it should be controlling through that PWM 3-pin interface? Please help me to understand this issue

 

[CountMike]

I think I need to explain my issue again in detail, there are only two interfaces with my fan which I shared via image above, one is PWM 3 pin and other is 4-pin Molex male and if you can see the URL of the fan, it is clearly written that it is ARGB fan. There are only these two interfaces wires in this fan so I understand with the PWM it is controlling the RPM then how ARGB will communicate here? What is missing? Did they assume that they can sell their product saying ARGB when there is no interface cable available or it should be controlling through that PWM 3-pin interface? Please help me to understand this issue

Ummmm. now I can reach that address, nowhere does it say that it's PWM and that black connector is clearly Molex connector to be connected straight to PSU Molex and therefore no RPM control is possible unless there's some switch present on the fan or there is some other kind of controller.
Other connector I can't see how many holes it has but looks like 3 only while standard ARGB has 4 holes with one center lead has no connection. Similar one, just male type should be on the MB marked ARGB.

 

[Saad Tariq]

Ummmm. now I can reach that address, nowhere does it say that it's PWM and that black connector is clearly Molex connector to be connected straight to PSU Molex and therefore no RPM control is possible unless there's some switch present on the fan or there is some other kind of controller.
Other connector I can't see how many holes it has but looks like 3 only while standard ARGB has 4 holes with one center lead has no connection. Similar one, just male type should be on the MB marked ARGB.

Yes exactly, this is 3-pin and that is confusing me because it is now connected to SYS+Fan port and it is actually controlling RPM so it is definitely not ARGB cable but then where is ARGB cable when on the product page they are changing its color in showcase video. So strange

 

[CountMike]

Yes exactly, this is 3-pin and that is confusing me because it is now connected to SYS+Fan port and it is actually controlling RPM so it is definitely not ARGB cable but then where is ARGB cable when on the product page they are changing its color in showcase video. So strange

Too bad there's no detailed instructions for fan(s) but I never heard of that make.