Question Help with installing RGB fans with new build

[friendlyJai]

I am building a new PC which comes with RGB fans that I am not familiar with.

Here are the components of the build

Case : Cougar MX660 Mesh case with preinstalled RGB fans and controller
Motherboard : Gigabyte B550 Aorus Elite V2
CPU : AMD Ryzen 7 5800X Processor
GPU : Zotac Geforce RTX 3070 Ti
PSU : Msi A850GF
Cooler : BeQuiet! Dark Rock Pro 4
Storage : Crucial P5 Plus 500 GB PCIe M.2

The Fans have the standard 3 pin cable for connecting to the SYS_FAN on the motherboard but also a cable to go to the controller. I connected all three to the controller and there is a cable from that that I have connected to the LED Strip header on the MB and another to the Sata for power. I would have though this would provide the power for both lighting them up and to spin the fans. When I fired up the PC, the lights go on but the fans don't spin. Was I therefore supposed to connect the other cables too?

I took some pictures but can't see any options on here to upload them

 

[DRagor]

Was I therefore supposed to connect the other cables too?

Of course. You either connect 3-pin motor fans to controller if it has sockets for them or to the motherboard fan headers directly otherwise.

 

[friendlyJai]

Of course. You either connect 3-pin motor fans to controller if it has sockets for them or to the motherboard fan headers directly otherwise.

Thanks. The controller

Of course. You either connect 3-pin motor fans to controller if it has sockets for them or to the motherboard fan headers directly otherwise.

Thankyou. I just wanted to make sure first as already used up the headers on the MB from the other three standard fans I installed, I have managed to get the images uploaded. So is it OK to put the connector from the first picture onto the controller from picture 2? They look like different connectors so wanted to make sure first. Thanks again

 

[DRagor]

I just wanted to make sure first as already used up the headers on the MB from the other three standard fans I installed

Use splitters if you run out fan headers. For example if the case has 2-3 front fans it makes perfect sense to connect them all to a splitter and then to one motherboard header.

So is it OK to put the connector from the first picture onto the controller from picture 2?

The picture is not sharp enough to even tell what connector type is that, though it looks like RGB type. Obviously not knowing where the other end of the cable connects so can't say where it should be connected.

 

[friendlyJai]

Use splitters if you run out fan headers. For example if the case has 2-3 front fans it makes perfect sense to connect them all to a splitter and then to one motherboard header.

The picture is not sharp enough to even tell what connector type is that, though it looks like RGB type. Obviously not knowing where the other end of the cable connects so can't say where it should be connected.

Thankyou. I am not sure why the pictures are not coming out sharp when you view as look very clear to me. But I was thinking about swapping the other three standard fans with RGB ones anyway. So could connect them to the controller in the same way and buy two splitter cables (split into three each) for the standard 3 pin headers then would just need two of the headers on the MB. Thanks again

 

[DRagor]

But I was thinking about swapping the other three standard fans with RGB ones anyway. So could connect them to the controller in the same way

Word of warning: controllers preinstalled in case quite often will not be compatible with some random RGB fans.
Now that I took a closer look on the picture, this connector actually looks like 4-pin fan motor connector. Can you check if it fit on mobo fan header? Might be it is preinstalled splitter for the case fans.

 

[friendlyJai]

Word of warning: controllers preinstalled in case quite often will not be compatible with some random RGB fans.
Now that I took a closer look on the picture, this connector actually looks like 4-pin fan motor connector. Can you check if it fit on mobo fan header? Might be it is preinstalled splitter for the case fans.

Yeah sorry its a four pin fan motor connector the same as the other three plain fans that I bought. I had a look for more RGB fans but they looked like they had their own controller and different connection type. So be a task to find some the same

 

[DRagor]

I had a look for more RGB fans but they looked like they had their own controller and different connection type.

Yep, that's the problem. Each manufacturer pretty much makes fans that will only work with controller that's supplied with them.

So be a task to find some the same

That can range from trivial to impossible. Your case is Cougar, so there is a good chance case manual mentions what fan model was used, and even if not you have very good chance any Cougar fan should work. But if you had some unknown brand case then finding same type fans might be just impossible.

 

[friendlyJai]

Yep, that's the problem. Each manufacturer pretty much makes fans that will only work with controller that's supplied with them.

That can range from trivial to impossible. Your case is Cougar, so there is a good chance case manual mentions what fan model was used, and even if not you have very good chance any Cougar fan should work. But if you had some unknown brand case then finding same type fans might be just impossible.

Thankyou. I might just keep the standard fans then in the top and back. Cheers for your help