Issues adjusting RPM of Corsair SP120 RGB

[j_kfvi]

Hey guys, so I've just recently built a new PC and everything seems to be running smoothly apart from my fans...

So initially after I assembled all the parts and booted the PC, the fans launched into what seemed like the highest RPM, I thought ah this is no issue as it probably needs configuring through the BIOS, however this was not the case.

I have 6 Corsair SP120 RGB fans, 3 that came with my case (Corsair 460X). So each fan comes with both a 3pin and 4pin cable, I plugged in all the 4pin ends to the Corsair fan controller which came with the case and some of the 3 pin ends to the motherboard (ASUS z270e Strix) and the rest of the 3 pins to my CPU water cooler (NZXT Kraken x52). To check in the BIOS which fans I was directly able to control I turned off all the fans to find out that it actually only turned off one fan. From boot up the fans are extremely noisy, going into the highest RPM capable, it's also important to note that when I play games the fans neither get louder or quicker, they stay exactly the same.

I've downloaded drivers for each of my components, I've even ran Corsair Link and CAM to attempt to adjust the fans, yet this proved to be no solution.

So what's the problem here? I'm a newbie when it comes to PCs as this was my first build, I've read various threads yet haven't come across any that particular answers this question.

I'd really appreciate some help guys, thanks.

 

[Lutfij]

If you're referring to controlling the fans that came bundled with the case, then the fan controller is your friend here. If you want to control the fans on the X52 then the CAM software suite will allow for that control. If you're looking to control the rest 3 SP120 fans then they will see control from your motherboard.

From the way you've mentioned it on the post, it doesn't clearly state which headers you've used to populate the fans on. The 6 SP fans should be controlled via the bundled controller while the NZXT X52 cooler will only need the CAM software.

 

[j_kfvi]

If you're referring to controlling the fans that came bundled with the case, then the fan controller is your friend here. If you want to control the fans on the X52 then the CAM software suite will allow for that control. If you're looking to control the rest 3 SP120 fans then they will see control from your motherboard.

From the way you've mentioned it on the post, it doesn't clearly state which headers you've used to populate the fans on. The 6 SP fans should be controlled via the bundled controller while the NZXT X52 cooler will only need the CAM software.

Hey man, thanks for the reply! I couldn't tell you from the top of my head which headers I've used, I used any available slot with offered 4 pins, expect I used the 3 pin end into the 4 pins meaning I have no PWM control, however I thought having the 4 pin end in the controller simultaneously would solve this issue, I was wrong. I'll try your suggestions when I am back home and update you, again thank you for the advice really appreciate it

 

[Karadjgne]

The 4pin is proprietary 5v just for the LED ONLY. Do not mix the two up or you fry the leds with a 12v source. It was a really bad design decision on Corsairs part that they used the same connector for both pwm and led control. They need to remain separate.

The 3pin should be controllable on any modern motherboard, but depending on the model, might need legacy or DC fan turned on in the bios if its set for pwm only. The cpu header is dedicated pwm, so will not be analog controlled and the Kracken uses PWM control (not DC) of its fans, so will not operate the 3pin fans that way. Because the source is the cpu header, this is going to be the exception to the rule that 3pin dc fans will work on a 4pin header.

The RGB fans come with a single switch each, which can be used independently of anything else, but that's impossible to get results on with multiple fans, so the Case included RGB hub will need to be used for the lighting ONLY, do not connect any fans through it.

The only way you'll be able to get around all this pwm/dc stuff with the kracken and the corsair fans is to use the stock pwm rear fan only on the kracken, the pull configured fan, as its hidden behind the radiator. This leaves the front push configured fan available for use on any other sys_fan header. Then use SpeedFan to configure that fan header with a changed address, relating it to the cpu sensor, not the sys sensor, so that sys_fan header operates identical to the cpu_fan header. That solves the pwm/dc fan issues and keeps everything happy and the kracken fans responding to cpu temps. Just don't change CAM to read temps via liquid instead of cpu or that'll throw the sys_fan header for a loop.