Question Corsair H150i RGB Elite Pump question

[TheFabled]

Just bought this and i swapped the included fans with three Arctic P12 PWN fans.

The included cable included with this cooler forces me to grab power to the unit from a SATA power cable. Will the pump get everything it needs from this one connection alone? I don't really want to install icue, i just want a pump and a radiator and some good fans to move air.

I also want to connect my fans directly to the motherboard and not in those three connectors on the pump cable. Or is there any upside to connect the fans to those? And also, I'm guessing that id i don't use the included fans connectors, do i even need to add the little one cable connector to a fan header? And also, if I'm not going to use icue, is it even necessary to connect the pump to a internal USB2 port?

 

[Aeacus]

if I'm not going to use icue, is it even necessary to connect the pump to a internal USB2 port?

No.

Or is there any upside to connect the fans to those?

If you'd connect the internal USB and use iCUE, you could control the rad fans from iCUE software. And you'd also see other telemetry about your AIO too. E.g pump speed, liquid temp etc.

The included cable included with this cooler forces me to grab power to the unit from a SATA power cable. Will the pump get everything it needs from this one connection alone?

Yes, and SATA would be enough to power all the rad fans too, if you'd connect them to the wires coming from the pump.

I don't really want to install icue, i just want a pump and a radiator and some good fans to move air.

Then why buy this specific AIO in the 1st place? Might as well go with AIO that doesn't need dedicated software. E.g Arctic Liquid Freezer II 360,
specs: https://www.arctic.de/en/Liquid-Freezer-II-360/ACFRE00068B

Do note that without USB connection and iCUE, you can not control the RGB on the Corsair AIO pump.

 

[TheFabled]

No.


If you'd connect the internal USB and use iCUE, you could control the rad fans from iCUE software. And you'd also see other telemetry about your AIO too. E.g pump speed, liquid temp etc.


Yes, and SATA would be enough to power all the rad fans too, if you'd connect them to the wires coming from the pump.


Then why buy this specific AIO in the 1st place? Might as well go with AIO that doesn't need dedicated software. E.g Arctic Liquid Freezer II 360,
specs: https://www.arctic.de/en/Liquid-Freezer-II-360/ACFRE00068B

Do note that without USB connection and iCUE, you can not control the RGB on the Corsair AIO pump.

Thanks
yeah it was on sale for a really good price, and it has very good reviews on cooling.

My case is the Define 7 without window so i don't really care about RGB, but i don't mind if some component have RGB on them, as long as they do a good job. And iCUE software isn't required in any way is it?

If the pump is just running at full speed constantly and i have my fans connected directly to the motherboard synced to CPU temp? I'm basically all set?

 

[Aeacus]

If the pump is just running at full speed constantly and i have my fans connected directly to the motherboard synced to CPU temp? I'm basically all set?

Yes.

and it has very good reviews on cooling.

Reviews factor in the software control of the fans and iCUE profiles. So, with iCUE, you could make custom profile for specific tasks (e.g more fan RPM at gaming or quiet operation during idle). But without all the bling (iCUE), AIO still works fine.

 

[TheFabled]

Yes.


Reviews factor in the software control of the fans and iCUE profiles. So, with iCUE, you could make custom profile for specific tasks (e.g more fan RPM at gaming or quiet operation during idle). But without all the bling (iCUE), AIO still works fine.

Ye thanks
I was just a tiny bit worried that maybe i would need iCUE to run the pump at full speed or something like that, but of course that makes no sense. But you can never be 100% sure about anything these days.

All case fans and the ones i mounted on the radiator will be operated and run through MSI Center. I have my own fan curve setups for all fans to make sure i maintain a positive air pressure.

Everything was so much simpler a few days ago where i used the Noctua NH-D15, until i realized it isn't good enough for the I7-13700k at ~260w, it just throttles no matter what. 😵

 

[Aeacus]

to make sure i maintain a positive air pressure.

If you want better cooling, switch to negative pressure.
Here's further reading: https://forums.tomshardware.com/thr...-fans-and-keeping-your-computer-cool.1542215/

I'm running slight negative pressure myself, to keep the temps low and close to ambient.

 

[TheFabled]

If you want better cooling, switch to negative pressure.
Here's further reading: https://forums.tomshardware.com/thr...-fans-and-keeping-your-computer-cool.1542215/

I'm running slight negative pressure myself, to keep the temps low and close to ambient.

Yeah, for 20+ years I've been running negative pressure, but i thought I'd stop doing that now, because patching up all the holes everywhere is a travesty. And dust fills up my rear IO ports and such. But making sure my case is always positively pressured is also somewhat tricky due to having radiator that is based on CPU heat, and case fans triggered by ambient heat.

Positive air pressure is a lot more tricky than i thought it would be. It was very simple with a tower cooler, you just add one more 140mm fan for intake than outtake, and voila. 😁

EDIT: Just wanted to add something. Actually, the way PC cases are designed, the best cooling solution is probably to drag in air from the rear and top, and exit in the front. It's kind of logical, because most of the hot components are at the back end, especially the VRM benefit greatly when air is coming in right next to it.

But problem is, very few cases come with dust filters in the back. Der8auer tested a lot of different setups, and he found this path of airflow to the most effective.

 

[Aeacus]

But problem is, very few cases come with dust filters in the back.

For your unconventional airflow path, look towards inverted PC cases. Be Quiet! has some solid options.

And if you want filters, you can get aftermarket ones. E.g Demciflex,
link: https://www.demcifilter.com/

I have Demciflex filters in use since the stock option isn't good enough. Also, you can either get the full kit, if Demciflex has it for that specific case (e.g for my Corsair 760T and 750D AF cases, i bought full kits), or make a custom filter based on your needs.
Gave a quick look and they do have full kit for Dark Base 900 PC case, which has inverted option,
link: https://www.demcifilter.com/demciflex-magnetic-dust-filter-for-dark-base-pro-900-filter-kit

Der8auer tested a lot of different setups, and he found this path of airflow to the most effective.

Well rear-top intake works against natural convection. Sure, you can mitigate that with fans but it would make fans to work somewhat harder to maintain airflow.

Also, it depends on the setup used. Air or AIO cooling + where you put the rad.
Of course, PC placement is another thing. If you have it on the table, next to you (rather than on the floor, sucking up all the dust), you don't want the hot exhaust air blowing onto you from the front panel.

Actually, the way PC cases are designed, the best cooling solution is probably to drag in air from the rear and top, and exit in the front. It's kind of logical, because most of the hot components are at the back end, especially the VRM benefit greatly when air is coming in right next to it.

When you use air cooler, VRM and RAM get the additional cooling regardless. It's the usage of AIOs, that leaves VRM and RAM without airflow.

With AIOs, it depends where you put the rad. E.g if you put the rad at the front, this top-rear intake method (reverse airflow) is worse than conventional airflow (front-bottom intake), since GPU would heat up the air before it reaches the rad on the front.

 

[TheFabled]

Yeah thanks Aeacus.

The case I'm using is the Fractal Design Define 7 midi tower. I just love building PC's in those cases. They are not top of the line when it comes to cooling, but i love the design, minimalistic and advanced at the same time.

I don't know yet if the AIO will reach the front, but i have basically a few options.

1. Rad front intake, top and rear exhaust.
2. Rad top exhaust, front and rear intake.
3. Rad front exhaust, back and top intake.
4. Rad front intake, rear intake and top exhaust.
5. Rad front intake, top intake and rear exhaust.

I need to experiment with these. I bought a silverstone fine mesh ff143 magnetic filter that i can use on the back. Option 2 is the most likely setup it seems, it does bring air directly onto the chipset cooling blocks and the VRM, but the exit fans are going to be right there as well, so i don't know the effect it will have.

Option 2 will be 4x 140mm intake, and 3x 120mm exhaust. This is an almost guaranteed positive air pressure setup no matter how fast those 120mm are spinning, especially since they are also obstructed by the radiator.

If this setup makes the CPU too hot, I'll have to experiment a little bit.

The build is MSI z790 Carbon Wifi, i7-13700k, RTX 4090, 2 3,5" HDD, 4 NvMe, so there is plenty of stuff that can contribute to heat.

 

[Aeacus]

If this setup makes the CPU too hot, I'll have to experiment a little bit.

Besides the rad placement, you also need to look into the rad fans and if they are designed to push or pull the air. <- That can also make a diff in CPU cooling. But for top mounted rad, i'd install fans to pull the air through the rad. Meaning fans are between the case and a rad.

Reason why, here:
(at 3:45)

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyC3lZ5WFMk#t=3m45s

 

[TheFabled]

Besides the rad placement, you also need to look into the rad fans and if they are designed to push or pull the air. <- That can also make a diff in CPU cooling. But for top mounted rad, i'd install fans to pull the air through the rad. Meaning fans are between the case and a rad.

Reason why, here:
(at 3:45)

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyC3lZ5WFMk#t=3m45s

yeah good point. Though the define 7 does come with dust filters in bottom, front and top, they still let some dust slip through. but in my experience, very tiny amounts.

And when it comes to the arctic fans, i have no idea if they work better at pushing air or pulling, i use them now in my current case which is a Fractal Design R6C, and i use them both ways, in from front and exit air back and top.

One thing is for sure, they move a lot of air compared to what they cost.

 

[Paperdoc]

Just want to remind OP of something missed in the discussion above. First post says, "And also, I'm guessing that id i don't use the included fans connectors, do i even need to add the little one cable connector to a fan header". The answer is YES, you DO need to make that connection. We are talking about a single cable from the PUMP that ends in a 3-hole connector to plug into the mobo CPU_FAN header. OP appears to think that is involved in control of the rad fans. NOT! This cable feeds the PUMP speed signal back to the CPU_FAN header, and that IS vital! MOST CPU_FAN headers monitor that signal for possible FAILURE, which certainly is what it would conclude if it got NO speed signal. At VERY minimum the header would be sending out constant failure warnings. But MOST CPU_FAN headers take much more action for a failure of this signal, because it means there is NO cooling of the CPU. Such action normally means a complete system shut-down (to prevent CPU damage by overheating) even without waiting for the temperature sensor inside the CPU to flag a high temp. The mobo may also refuse to even allow start-up if there is no speed signal immediately when power is turned on.

OP, in terms of impact on the system performance, what you are planning would be a lot like an incomplete installation of the AIO system. In such cases the default operation (with no control or contact between the system and iCUE) is that the PUMP will operate at full speed, and the FAN output connections from the pump also would operate at some fixed speeds (maybe not full speed). You want the pump full speed all the time (OK in this default scenario), and you plan to have the RAD FANS' speeds controlled by the CPU_FAN header by mobo resources, rather than by iCUE. Yes, that can work. BUT there may be a "trick" to this. You have not told us exactly what mobo you have, but your plan requires that BOTH the speed cable from the PUMP and the RAD FAN cables be connected to the CPU_FAN header. UNLESS your mobo has a CPU_OPT header, too, where the rad fans could plug in. Without that, what you will need is a simple 4-pin fan SPLITTER. (You do NOT need a HUB that has a connection to get power directly from the PSU.) If the Splitter is just a collection of cable arms, only ONE of the male outputs will have all 4 pins, and that is the only one that can send its unit's speed signal back to the host header, so THAT is where the PUMP must be plugged in. If the Splitter is a circuit board or box, the only such header (where you must plug in the PUMP) will be marked in some way. Then the RAD FANS can be plugged into other outputs. In this arrangement there is no way for automated monitoring of the rad fan speeds for failure, so YOU should check them all from time to time to verify they are working.

 

[Aeacus]

One thing is for sure, they move a lot of air compared to what they cost.

Yeah, Arctic fans are all about performance. Hence why most of them doesn't have LEDs. Same goes with Noctua, also great performing fans. While Delta Industrial fans are the best in the world.

 

[TheFabled]

thanks again Aeacus. I did mention my MB in one of my last posts actually. MSI z790 Carbon Wifi.

From a post that was posted here earlier, i decided i would connect that one plug pin to the CPU fan header. And i will connect the tree Arctic fans to the Pump header. I can run that pump header just like any other header anyways, so that doesn't matter.

 

[Paperdoc]

Yes, that can work IF you ensure a couple of configuration settings for the PUMP/FAN header are set right. The mobo manual does not show details of those options, so I'll mention what is COMMON on many mobo headers.

MODE: Ensure set to PWM Mode, not Auto or Voltage or DC.
Temperature Sensor: use the one inside the CPU chip, not the ones on the mobo.
Type: ensure the header is set to behave as a FAN header, not a PUMP header.