[SOLVED] Connect Corsair H100i Pro to ASUS motherborad prime Z390-A connectors confusion

[zillah]

Dear folks

Trying to build new computers and I got confused where to connect Corsair H100i Pro to ASUS motherborad prime Z390-A.

PRIME Z390-A｜Motherboards｜ASUS Australia

ASUS Prime series is expertly engineered to unleash the full potential of AMD and Intel processors. Boasting a robust power design, comprehensive cooling solutions and intelligent tuning options, Prime series motherboards provide daily users and DIY PC builders a range of performance tuning...

www.asus.com

https://www.corsair.com/us/en/Categories/Products/Liquid-Cooling/Hydro-Series%E2%84%A2-PRO-RGB-Liquid-CPU-Coolers/p/CW-9060033-WW

I have confused which one it would the right connector

The confused motherboard connectors for me are :

"CHA_FAN1",,,,,,,,,"CHA_FAN2",,,,,,,"CPU FAN" ,,,,,,,,,"CPU_OPT",,,,,,,,,,,,"AIO_PUMP"

My interpretation as below :
-----------------------------------
1-Case is Phanteks Eclipse P400A Tempered Glass bty default has two chassis fans rear and front,,,,I would assume that those two fans should be connected to connectors called : "CHA_FAN1" and "CHA_FAN2" not CPU_FAN,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Is that right

2- Cooler pump has 4 cables two of them supposed to be connected to the cooler's fan based on this video (Yes it might not be authenticated source),,,,,,Can someone confirm if that is correct ?

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Nscuwfd0XM


One cable supposed to be connected to "AIO_PUMP" ,,,,,,,Can someone confirm if that is correct ? as I have seen it was connected to be "CPU_FAN" connector ?

And the last one which is SATA type would be connected to PSU,,,,no confusion here

Thx

 

[SATADATA]

Where everything is plugged in is surprisingly unimportant as all of them can be configured from the BIOS. I would connect the pump cord the the AIO_PUMP, The two AIO fans the the two CPU_FAN headers, and the two chassis fans in the front to the CHA_FAN1 and 2

 

[Paperdoc]

I disagree with SATADATA on a few points. First, it does matter which header you use, because the CPU_FAN and CPU_OPT headers can only use the temperature sensor inside the CPU chip for guidance, whereas the two CHA_FAN headers use (or should be configured to use) a different sensor on the mobo. Further, the H100i needs the rad fans connected to the two outputs on wires from the PUMP, and NOT to mobo fan headers. This is vital so that the iCue software utility knows where to find and how to control those rad fans.

The control strategy for the H100i system is this way. The PUMP should always have a supply of the full 12 VDC to work with so it can run full speed all the time. In fact, I believe the iCue software allows it to change the pump voltage (and speed) under some conditions, but that must be done within iCue, and NOT by reducing mobo header voltage. To this end, the pump actually gets it power from the SATA output of the PSU, and not from a mobo header. Control of the CPU internal temperature (as monitored by its own sensor feeding out a signal to the mobo) is done by iCue by altering the PWM fan speed control signals it send to the two rad fans. It MUST do that from the two fan outputs connected to the side of the PUMP, and not via any mobo fan header; so that's where to connect the rad fans. CPU temp control is done solely by changing the rad fan speeds, with a small ability to alter cooling range by changing the pump speed, and ALL of that is done in iCue.

In any CPU cooling system, an important secondary function is to monitor critical components for FAILURE that might cause lack of cooling. This is done by monitoring the speed signals of the components. In this system, the most critical is the PUMP, and it has a 3-pin female (with holes) connector that must plug into a mobo header. For your mobo, the right one for that is the AIO_PUMP header. iCue will look there and at the CPU_FAN header to find that info. But just as importantly, the mobo itself normally monitors those speeds for lack of speed signal and can take rapid drastic action to shut down if the pump fails to work. The system does not feed either of the rad fan's speeds to the mobo for failure monitoring, but that is done by iCue which CAN read the fan speeds through their connection to the pump.

All communication between the H100i system and the iCue software is done though the cable from pump side socket to a mobo USB2 port. That cable must be in place.

In summary:
3-pin (holes) female fan connector to the mobo AIO_PUMP header;
two 4-pin rad fan female connectors to male outputs from the PUMP unit;
wide power input connector to a SATA power output from the PSU;
small cable from a side socket on PUMP to mobo USB2 header.

Install and run the iCue software utility. Use it to observe and configure the H100i system.

 

[SATADATA]

Paperdoc, it is true that the cpu fan headers are normally tied to the cpu temp, and the chassis fan to a motherboard sensor. However, as I mentioned, this can be altered in the BIOS, at least on my board. So, if you are willing to do some configuration, you can plug any fan into any fan header, except the pump one (as long as you disable the cpu fan alarm if you are not using that one). I was unaware of how tightly integrated the AIO was with ICUE, so im glad you came along to correct me.

 

[Paperdoc]

Most mobos I have seen allow those tyes of choice of temperarture sensor ONLY on the CPU_FAN and CPU_OPT headers so that you can NOT make the mistake of basing your CPU cooling on the wrong sensor.That is why it caught my eye. As I said, additionally it can make a difference in this case because iCue is involved and needs to look in the right places for its signals. Even without the iCue factor, the extra monitoring for failure by many mobos is usually done only by the CPU_FAN and / or CPU_OPT headers. Failure monitoring of case ventilation fans by the CHA_FAN headers is not as intensive and does not normally take any fast action when failure happens.

 

[SATADATA]

Most mobos I have seen allow those tyes of choice of temperarture sensor ONLY on the CPU_FAN and CPU_OPT headers so that you can NOT make the mistake of basing your CPU cooling on the wrong sensor.That is why it caught my eye. As I said, additionally it can make a difference in this case because iCue is involved and needs to look in the right places for its signals. Even without the iCue factor, the extra monitoring for failure by many mobos is usually done only by the CPU_FAN and / or CPU_OPT headers. Failure monitoring of case ventilation fans by the CHA_FAN headers is not as intensive and does not normally take any fast action when failure happens.

Very good to know, thank you!

 

[Crosslhs82x2]

Great job Paperdoc
Will only add to what you have explained that the single wire on the 3pin fan connection to th Aio header is Only the pump Tach or Sense wire that feeds the pump speed only.

Now when you boot if there is No fan on the cpu header you are going to get a cpu fan error.
You can set in bios to ignore that header or connect a case fan to it but must set a fan speed or low curve or the mobo will think it is the cpu fan and the fan will rump up/down with the temps.

 

[Paperdoc]

Good point, Crosslhs82x2.The manual on OP's mobo does not even show any option to Disable or Ignore the fan fail warning, its speed readout, or even the entire CPU_FAN header, so I am not sure how one could do that. MAYBE you actually have to use the CPU_FAN header, rather than the AIO_PUMP header, for the pump speed connector from the pump just so you can avoid having this alarm triggered. I do not know if the mobo is "smart" enough to accept a good speed signal on the AIO_PUMP header as proof that the CPU is getting some cooling.

 

[Crosslhs82x2]

There maybe a chance it doesn't give the error then but if it does try a case fan and set a low curve enough that it has a sufficient amount for case cooling so it doesn't react to the temps up/down of the cpu.

On my asus rog strix x470 f gaming
And my corsair h110i i received the error on the first boot on the rebuild and thought I had done something wrong and had no pump speed readings.

Then choose ignore on the cpu fan header setting, then moved the 3pin to the Aio header and was jumped by a few of the elders here for doing so on the ignore part.
After watching some buildzoid vids on the x470 he commented on my mobo model as the Io cover blocking air to the vrm's and decided to install a old fx 8350 cpu fan on the cpu header then attached the fan so it blows on the vrm's.
These pics show this set up when first used on a 8350 on a 970 sli mobo and a corsar h100iv2.
Which this set up is now on my x470 and h110i.
The bracket is just a corner bracket from home depot cut down with a hole drilled with long enough bolts to go through the fans and the 1 out the back ofthe case then nutted.

https://imgur.com/a/pogDkvs

View: https://imgur.com/a/pogDkvs


So a 4pin pwm fan will make it think a cpu fan is hooked up.
Can try a case fan first if the error happens.
Good Luck
Please keep us advised
Someone will assist!!!!!

 

[zillah]

In summary:
3-pin (holes) female fan connector to the mobo AIO_PUMP header;
two 4-pin rad fan female connectors to male outputs from the PUMP unit;
wide power input connector to a SATA power output from the PSU;
small cable from a side socket on PUMP to mobo USB2 header.

Install and run the iCue software utility. Use it to observe and configure the H100i system.

Thanks for this clarifications

 

[Karadjgne]

I'm loving that case mod fan bracket. There's far too many ppl with cooling issues for VRM's and Ryzens and boost clocks who go to extreme measures, when something as simple as a $2 bracket can solve a multitude of issues.

It would be so nice if case designers did something similar, not just stuffing fan vents on side panels.

👍👍

 

[Crosslhs82x2]

As much as I like the corsair series coolers and with as many others on the market you would think 1 of them would have come up with a inexpensive bracket to replace the vrm cooling that Aio's take away.
Asus has got into the game now but I will not recommend the high priced version that has a fan in the pump head for vrm cooling to the price come down.

 

[Karadjgne]

Cryorig A has a fan on the pump, it's more moderately priced. But the Ryu's come with Noctua fans (Finally!) and an OLED display on the pump that's extremely customizable. Can have your own logo, or any other pic you can dream up on there. At $30 a pop for the Noctua, that's $60-$90 of the price right there. When you consider just how many ppl threw away the junkie corsair fans and replaced them with Noctua, it's not such a far stretch overall.

Kinda like when ppl claim air cooling is cheaper, spend $60-$90 on a good cooler, then spend $150 on 3x argb case fans for a total of $210-$240. How is that cheaper than a $180 360mm argb equipped aio?

 

[Crosslhs82x2]

Ya
I am a firm believer in Noctua fans.
I have them on all my corsairs 2xh110i and a h100iv2.
But still hard to beat the old fx8350 cpu cooler just laying around and less then $10.00 gas included for that case mod.

 

[Crosslhs82x2]

Have a Great Weekend Guy's

 

[zillah]

3-pin (holes) female fan connector to the mobo AIO_PUMP header;

Paperdon I guess there is a typo here ,,,isn't ?
You meant to say : 3-pin (holes) female pump connector not 3-pin (holes) female fan connector would be connected to mobo AIO_PUMP header

 

[Paperdoc]

It's sort of semantics and my own habit, I guess. By that I meant the 3-hole connecttor on the end of that cable from the pump, and the connector is often called a "fan connector" in the way that there are 4-pin Molex connectors and SATA power connectors and SATA data connectors ,etc. You are correct to understand that I did NOT mean the connector on the end of the cable from a FAN.