[SOLVED] CPU Water Cooler Help

[tjd7687]

Hello! I have the MSI Z270 Gaming Pro Carbon mobo, which has a 4-pin RGB header, 4-pin CPU/Pump fan header, and 4-pin case fan headers. I’m having a terrible time finding a CPU AIO liquid cooled system that works with this setup. Preferably one with rgb fans and block, if possible. Any suggestions? TIA!

 

[Eximo]

Um, practically any will work. Do you want one that exclusively plugs into your motherboard?

If so, then look for products that support MSI's Mystic Light software.

 

[tjd7687]

Um, practically any will work. Do you want one that exclusively plugs into your motherboard?

If so, then look for products that support MSI's Mystic Light software.

Thanks. I have been doing a lot of research and many of them do have 4-PIN RGB, but then only 3-PIN fan connectors, not 4 pin connectors for each. I would prefer it to work exclusively with my board. Even products that advertise working with Mystic Light have 3 and 4 pin, so simply saying it supports Mystic Light does not mean it'll work with my board.

 

[Eximo]

3-pin fans can be plugged into 4-pin fan headers.

4-pin allows for PWM control. But being PWM also means it has a form of voltage control by pulsing DC it can still control a standard fan.

https://www.msi.com/Landing/mystic-light-rgb-gaming-pc/compatible-products

 

[tjd7687]

3-pin fans can be plugged into 4-pin fan headers.

4-pin allows for PWM control. But being PWM also means it has a form of voltage control by pulsing DC it can still control a standard fan.

https://www.msi.com/Landing/mystic-light-rgb-gaming-pc/compatible-products

Gotcha. So I went to the link you provided and researched some of their AIO kits and they're showing 5V RGB connectors, by my board only supports 12V 4-PIN connections for RGB lighting. That's a big piece I've been struggling finding.

 

[Eximo]

So a lot of those AIOs will have the fans plug into the AIO itself, not the motherboard. Then the AIO is controlled via software via USB.

So there will be a discrete fan controller or the fans will plug into the base of the pump.

They wouldn't certify products that wouldn't work it.

 

[Paperdoc]

OP's problem in not centred on the FANS. The issue is the LIGHTS, and OP is quite correct. That mobo has one plain RGB header (4-pin, 12 VDC power), and hence he MUST buy light systems that use that design - NOT the 3-pin ARGB design. This applies both to any light strips and to any fans with RGB lights in their frames. Such fans will have two cables - one for the fan motor ending in a standard fan connector with either 3 holes or 4, and another for the lights only that must have the 4-hole design.

OP, here are some clues for identifying these things. The terms used - "3-pin" and "4-pin" - are used for BOTH motors and lights, even though they are two entirely different systems! Confusing! The type you need are normally called just RGB lights, and I often try to clarify that by saying "plain RGB". They are distinguished in having FOUR pins on the header (not 3), and the VOLTAGE supplied from the header is 12 VDC, not 5 VDC. The other type you don't want are called Addressable RGB, or ADDR RGB, or ARGB, or Digital RGB. Also, here's a big clue to help (but DO read the specs, too): a plain RGB system can produce thousands of colours over time, BUT at any one moment the entire lighted unit is ONE colour. The ARGB system can produce those multiple colours at EACH of MANY Nodes along a light strip, so you can get more complex displays like rainbows, and even moving rainbows. So in the photos they show, ARGB systems almost always show off the rainbow patterns, whereas a still photo for the plain RGB units you want will always show one colour fully for one fan or light strip. A video may show the fans changing colour, but the entire fan will always be ONE colour at any frozen moment.