Question Kraken CPU Fan RPM reading all over the place

[jadomai]

Hello everyone,
Hope you're all well. So, I removed two top RGB 120mm case fans that had two cables coming out of them and replaced them with two 140 mm Silent Wings 3 fans which only has 1 x cable for each one. When I restarted my PC, CAM seems to be reading my Kraken CPU fan (silent profile) incorrectly. It keeps jumping every second from 180 to 1800 back to 200 etc.. I've attached a video below. But, when I set it to "performance" it'll run at around 440 RPM. Also, in Aorus SIV (App Center) the table shows 0% @ 2033RPM in the Smart Fan 5 advanced settings which makes no sense. I did not touch the CPU fan only the two top case fans that were attached. Does anyone know why this is happening? If you need more information, I'm happy to provide it to you.

Video

 

[Paperdoc]

If the fans you changed have no relationship or connection to your Kraken system, then MAYBE you have just made a small glitch that can be fixed. IF, in doing your work, you loosened a connector from the Kraken fan or pump to its mobo header, you might simply have created a poor contact on the speed signal pin. Try simply and gently unplugging the Kraken PUMP's cable to its mobo header, then plug it back in. Do this a few times. Repeat for the FAN connections for the Kraken system. Now turn it back on and see if the problem has improved.

 

[jadomai]

If the fans you changed have no relationship or connection to your Kraken system, then MAYBE you have just made a small glitch that can be fixed. IF, in doing your work, you loosened a connector from the Kraken fan or pump to its mobo header, you might simply have created a poor contact on the speed signal pin. Try simply and gently unplugging the Kraken PUMP's cable to its mobo header, then plug it back in. Do this a few times. Repeat for the FAN connections for the Kraken system. Now turn it back on and see if the problem has improved.

Cheers for the reply Paperdoc. I unplugged both the top case fans as they are connected to a split from the Kraken I believe. When I did that the Kraken CPU fan read 0RPM in CAM when in fact it was running as per normal. I tried plugging back the original RGB CoolerMaster fan (top of the case) that I had originally and Kraken read a constant 640RPM on "silent" profile. I then unplugged as you suggested (pretty much all plugs connected to the Kraken) but still the same issue. Any ideas?

 

[Paperdoc]

Now you've got me confused. For starters, which Kraken system do you have? There are several and some are supposed to be connected differently.

Next, you talk about "top case fans", and then say they were plugged into a "split" from the Kraken system. There is NEVER any need to connect CASE VENTILATION fans to the Kraken system. BUT if those top fans you mention are really the fans on the RADIATOR of the Kraken system, that's a VERY different story.

So, tekk us more details.

1. Those top fans - are they JUST case vent fans, or are they mounted on the RADIATOR of the Kraken system?
2. Where are those new two fans plugged in?
3. Where is the cable from the P{UMP unit of the Kraken system plugged in?

 

[jadomai]

I have the Kraken X52 and the Z390 Aorus Ultra. I tried my best to identify what cables are going where but as I didn't build the PC myself I found it difficult to navigate as I have the Coolers Master H500P.
Originally there were two 120mm cooler master pro case fans connected to the power cable set (radiator). I've attached a picture below of this.

Image

1. The top fans are 140mm Silent Wings 3 case fans.
2. The two new fans are currently plugged into the power set cables (as shown in the image).
3. The 3 pin cable is plugged into CPU_Fan

Also, my rear fan is plugged straight into SYS FAN 6 PUMP

Everything was fine until I replaced the top case fans. Are the power cables set numbered? or has that got nothing to do with it?

 

[Paperdoc]

OK, but I still have some questions.

1. The Cooler Master H500P case comes with two RGB fans mounted in the front as intakes. Are those still there or were they changed? My guess is that the FAN MOTOR cables from each of these goes to one of the mobo SYS_FANn headers, numbers 1 to 4. Is that right?
2. You have a NZXT X52 cooling system with a rad and two fans mounted on it. WHERE is that rad / fan system? Is THAT the "top fans" you talk about? It is the "Top fans" you have replaced with the new Silentwing models, right?
3. My count says you have two front fans pre-mouted in the case, two more fans on the X52 system radiator, and a fifth fan at the rear plugged into the mobo SYS_FAN6 / PUMP header. Your photo shows a cable with four wires (presumably coming from the PUMP unit of the X52 system) with FOUR fans plugged into it. ONLY the TWO fans on the radiator should be plugged in there. So, what are the other two, or do you know?

You could try this to identify what fans are which. Go to that connector from the X52 system pump with four fans plugged in. With the system running, one at a time UNplug one of them and note which fan stops, then plug it back in. You may find that the front fans are two of those plugs.

 

[jadomai]

1. Correct. The two at the front have not been removed. They're plugged into SYS FAN 5

2. The two fans of the Kraken are mounted straight on top of the radiator. I've attached a picture below (image 1). Top fans are just case fans (image 2).
Image 1
Image 2

3. Yes, you're correct. The other two are my top case fans. As that is where the other two original case fans were plugged into. So I literally just unplugged them and replaced them with the Silent wing case fans.

I unplugged everything from the power set cables and replugged everything as shown in image 3. When I did this my Kraken X Fan 1 in CAM registered 544 RPM using the "Silent Profile". However, when I click on PC Monitoring and "CPU Details" the fan speed is using the PUMP speed @ 2057 RPM, is that correct? In image 3 the mesh type cables coming from the top of the case are the top case fans (Silent Wings 3) and the mesh type cables coming from the bottom are from the Kraken radiator.
Image 3

 

[Paperdoc]

I think I can see now, but please check this for misunderstanding.

1. The case has two front RGB fans pre-mounted and now connected to your mobo's SYS_FAN5 header. I presume there is a Splitter involved for that. I presume these fans suck air INTO the case - correct?

2. The Kraken X52 radiator is mounted right behind those two FRONT fans, and still has the two NZXT fans supplied with it mounted on the rad. I hope the NZXT fans are mounted so they pull air INTO the case. That is, air flow is from front outside, though the RGB fans, then through the rad, then through the NZXT fans on the inside of this "stack" and on through the case. And all four fans are blowing INTO the case. Correct on that? If that is right, then you have in effect a "push / pull" arrangement of fans on the radiator. The RGB fans push air from the outside through the rad, and the NZXT fans pull air through from the back.

3. Separately there were two case fans mounted at the top of the case, and these have been replaced with the new Silentwing fans. The original top fans were plugged into two of the four outputs from the NZXT pump unit, so that is where you plugged in the new Silentwing fans. Now, which way are these fans at the top blowing? Into or out of the case?

4. There is a seventh fan at the rear connected to the mobo CHA_FAN6 header. I presume this is blowing OUT of the case?

I'll have some suggestions for changing where things are plugged in later when I am sure I have this arrangement understood. In the meantime, let me help understand the fan speed readings. If you use the BIOS Setup screens or a mobo utility to monitor fan speeds, it will always label the things it shows you according to what it was DESIGNED to do. For example, although you have the PUMP unit of the Kraken X52 system plugged into the CPU_FAN header, the BIOS only knows that that header is always called "CPU Fan". So it says that, and is wrong, causing confusion. Next, understand that the BIOS and mobo can ONLY show you fan speeds for fans actually plugged into its headers. So ALL of the fans you plug into the output cable from the PUMP unit are completely unknown to the mobo and it can never tell you any of their speeds. BUT the NZXT CAM software utility you have running for that Kraken X52 system CAN read the speeds of the fans connected to that pump cable and WILL show them to you as Rad Fan speeds. It also will show you the correctly-labelled PUMP speed, and that ought to match what the mobo claims is the "CPU Fan" speed. Now, it is quite possible that the CAM software will NOT measure and show you the speeds of all four fans plugged into the pump output cable; it may show you only ONE Rad Fan speed and you are to assume that all the others are the same.

I suggest you check this small detail. You have the front RGB fans and the rear fan plugged into the mobo CHA_FAN5 and ...6 headers. Each of those headers can be used either for fans or for a Pump. When you have such headers, often there is a configuration setting for each of them about whether you are using them for a fan or a pump. The PUMP setting will always run its connected device at full speed. So, check whether there is such a setting and ensure it is set to fan use. Then check the Profile setting for each of these, and ensure it is set to the normal automatic fan speed control, and not something like "turbo" or "quiet".

 

[jadomai]

Sorry for the late reply. I've been busy. I've responded to your questions below.

I think I can see now, but please check this for misunderstanding.

1. The case has two front RGB fans pre-mounted and now connected to your mobo's SYS_FAN5 header. I presume there is a Splitter involved for that. I presume these fans suck air INTO the case - correct?

• Yes, correct.

2. The Kraken X52 radiator is mounted right behind those two FRONT fans, and still has the two NZXT fans supplied with it mounted on the rad. I hope the NZXT fans are mounted so they pull air INTO the case. That is, air flow is from front outside, though the RGB fans, then through the rad, then through the NZXT fans on the inside of this "stack" and on through the case. And all four fans are blowing INTO the case. Correct on that? If that is right, then you have in effect a "push / pull" arrangement of fans on the radiator. The RGB fans push air from the outside through the rad, and the NZXT fans pull air through from the back.

• Yes that is correct

3. Separately there were two case fans mounted at the top of the case, and these have been replaced with the new Silentwing fans. The original top fans were plugged into two of the four outputs from the NZXT pump unit, so that is where you plugged in the new Silentwing fans. Now, which way are these fans at the top blowing? Into or out of the case?

• They are blowing out of the top of the case

4. There is a seventh fan at the rear connected to the mobo CHA_FAN6 header. I presume this is blowing OUT of the case?

• It's connected to SYS_FAN6 header and yes blowing out.

I'll have some suggestions for changing where things are plugged in later when I am sure I have this arrangement understood. In the meantime, let me help understand the fan speed readings. If you use the BIOS Setup screens or a mobo utility to monitor fan speeds, it will always label the things it shows you according to what it was DESIGNED to do. For example, although you have the PUMP unit of the Kraken X52 system plugged into the CPU_FAN header, the BIOS only knows that that header is always called "CPU Fan". So it says that, and is wrong, causing confusion. Next, understand that the BIOS and mobo can ONLY show you fan speeds for fans actually plugged into its headers. So ALL of the fans you plug into the output cable from the PUMP unit are completely unknown to the mobo and it can never tell you any of their speeds. BUT the NZXT CAM software utility you have running for that Kraken X52 system CAN read the speeds of the fans connected to that pump cable and WILL show them to you as Rad Fan speeds. It also will show you the correctly-labelled PUMP speed, and that ought to match what the mobo claims is the "CPU Fan" speed. Now, it is quite possible that the CAM software will NOT measure and show you the speeds of all four fans plugged into the pump output cable; it may show you only ONE Rad Fan speed and you are to assume that all the others are the same.

I suggest you check this small detail. You have the front RGB fans and the rear fan plugged into the mobo CHA_FAN5 and ...6 headers. Each of those headers can be used either for fans or for a Pump. When you have such headers, often there is a configuration setting for each of them about whether you are using them for a fan or a pump. The PUMP setting will always run its connected device at full speed. So, check whether there is such a setting and ensure it is set to fan use. Then check the Profile setting for each of these, and ensure it is set to the normal automatic fan speed control, and not something like "turbo" or "quiet".

I'm not sure where to access these settings for each specific fan. I have attached an image of what my BIOS looks like in "Smart Fan 5". The image shows the SYS Fan 6 PUMP settings. However, SYS Fan 5 does not register any fan speed (the two big ones at the front).

Image