[SOLVED] Lian LI TL 120 Controller box cable length ?

[Colif]

I am thinking of buying a 3 pack of these fans and using them on my Arctic Cooler 2 360mm AIO

UNI FAN TL - LIAN LI is a Leading Provider of PC Cases | Computer Cases

SLIDE IN DAISY-CHAIN STYLE LCP FAN BLADES ENGINEERED MOTOR ENLARGED INFINITY MIRROR DUAL ZONE LIGHTING EFFECTS L-CONNECT 3 SOFTWARE https://youtu.be/ufWeJ4U67Q0 Download L-Connect 3 AVAILABLE IN TWO COLORS/ TWO SIZES/ TWO ORIENTATIONS Elevate the PC setup with UNI FAN TL black and white fans...

lian-li.com

Probably get reverse blade version as I am sick of seeing back of my fans.

Seem to be having problems with the P12 RGB that come attached to my AIO, so I am upgrading the fans.
Had to replace one already and now other two making noises like they are next.
Figure better to replace with better fans than keep replacing them.

Alternate fans I looked at:

• Can’t use Corsair ML120, they don’t have daisy chaining and can only be controlled by Icue for RGB. Also overpriced and have fairly average cooling. They just look pretty. (I have 2 spares, just thought about buying 3rd)
• Bequiet Silent Wings Pro 4 doesn’t allow daisy chain. No RGB either but pretty good cooling. Too much extra cable to deal with. Would have to run off fan hub as I don't have enough headers.
• I didn't look at Noctua as I want RGB. If they made RGB fans I wouldn't look anywhere else. can only be daisy chained at the header end, not as elegant as the Lian li solution. Could also buy a hub for them if I really wanted them. Is still more cables than what Arctic offer now, or the lian li one power cable for everything.

Cable length
I can't find any info on how long the attached cables are on controller

UNI HUB – TL Series Controller - LIAN LI is a Leading Provider of PC Cases | Computer Cases

UNI HUB - TL Series Controller The controller that can control UNI FAN TL & TL LCD in size of 120 / 140 at regular or reverse with L-Connect 3 in one go. TWO FANS, ONE CONTROLLER UNI FAN TL and TL LCD share the same controller, enabling the connection of up to 16 TL

lian-li.com

I can see the power cable from Fans to Control box is meant to be 55cm now, but the cables on the actual controller are a mystery.
Need to work out where I am putting the controller so it can reach

1. CPU_FAN header
2. ARGB Header
3. USB2 header

Last 2 connections on my board can be found at base of board, but as usual the CPU_FAN header is at top of board.

AIO front mounted so the Fan power cable will come out at bottom of the AIO (only way to not obstruct tubing on rad) and needs to connect to Controller box as cannot run these direct off MB. Probably put controller box just near my hdd cages next to AIO

The Controller uses a 6 pin PCIe cables for power - I am not concerned about the PCIe 6 pin as I should have a spare on my RMx1000 since I only used at most half of my 8 pin connections on PSU. One advantage to having too much power I guess. I see videos warning people about that fact as I know most people wouldn't have spares.

This video shows them but its not exact in the measurements - not buying the LCD versions of fans as I have seen they have issues with Lian LI software, and obviously running 3 or more 400x400mm IPS panels in PC at all time will use CPU - I saw complaints but its obvious they don't come free. Also, I wouldn't see screens in case where they are going anyway... and way too expensive for what you get. Non LCD versions have better Static Pressure as well.

Unknown cable length is the only thing slowing me down. I think it should work, just don't want to buy blindly.

 

[Aeacus]

Need to work out where I am putting the controller so it can reach

1. CPU_FAN header
2. ARGB Header
3. USB2 header

When cable reach is a problem, there is simple solution: cable extensions.

E.g CableMod's 4-pin fan cable extensions,
link: https://cablemod.com/product-category/cable-extensions/4-pin-fan/

I have them in use with my Skylake and Haswell builds as well, for eyecandy mostly.

This takes care the CPU_FAN header reach.

CableMod also has internal USB 2.0 extension cables,
link: https://cablemod.com/product-category/cable-extensions/internal-usb/

Have that in use as well.

This takes care the USB2 header reach.

With these two taken care of, i don't think you need to look towards ARGB header extension. But if you do,
amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Jstincal-3-Pack-Extension-Addressable-Computer/dp/B0CF2MG9X9

Unknown cable length is the only thing slowing me down.

Only way of knowing that would be contacting Lian-Li directly and asking them.

 

[Colif]

Most of the cables are hard wired to controller. That or they use proprietary connectors. Entire system is Proprietary until it hits PWM
ARGB should probably be easiest as if I put controller next to board on right, the ARGB header is right next to it.

I watched more videos, it would appear all three cables are long enough to reach as far as they need to in my case.
But thanks for the ideas

 

[Aeacus]

Most of the cables are hard wired to controller. That or they use proprietary connectors. Entire system is Proprietary until it hits PWM

Yes, but the issue is, that the controller cables may not reach where they are supposed to. So, better to put the cable extender at the end of the cable coming from controller box, thus increasing overall cable length.

E.g; controller box --- proprietary connector --- original cable --- PWM/ARGB connector on original cable --- cable extension --- MoBo header.

Whereby, it's the extension that connects directly to MoBo. Like i have it set up:

Spoiler: Pic of cable extension in my Skylake build

Right image - original cables
Left image - CableMod extensions plugged to MoBo

Best example would be front I/O and USB cable, which in original form didn't reach behind MoBo tray. But with cable extensions, i could make it reach behind MoBo tray, giving much cleaner and nicer look.

 

[Colif]

I will get the unit and see if I can reach the ports, it should be able to since I don't see anyone else complaining about cable length apart from Jayz2cents on his videos.

If they don't reach I can buy an extender if need be before installing fans.

 

[Colif]

I figured I play it safe, bought the 30cm pwm extender at same time as the fans.

Waiting for weather to be right before I install them

 

[Colif]

I didn't end up needing the cable but your answer is close enough. It was a suggestion I did follow, I just didn't need it

Its an interesting idea having sensors report in the fan hub but it has its weak points.
Such as:

1. Every sensor you show on a fan adds a process to CPU that has to update constantly to show right amounts.
2. This adds heat to the CPU as it can be up to 20% background processes at all times.
3. So your cooling fans are actually creating heat... seems counterproductive to me.
4. Especially when you mount them on an AIO as find you are gaining heat, not expelling it.

I don't know how you get around that really... apart from not showing sensors on the fans. Which is choice I took, currently just showing the Lian LI logo until I find a better image, gif or animation to put on... I suspect first two use the least resources.

its a shame as the sensors look good. Even just running one sensor adds about 4 processes. Shame really.

Collecting sensor reports is the biggest user. Without using probes its difficult to get those without talking to CPU.

Main reason I got them was to remove a whirring noise. Its gone so I am happy

 

[Aeacus]

Which is choice I took, currently just showing the Lian LI logo until I find a better image, gif or animation to put on... I suspect first two use the least resources.

The least resource usage option is: LED off.

its a shame as the sensors look good. Even just running one sensor adds about 4 processes. Shame really.

Collecting sensor reports is the biggest user. Without using probes its difficult to get those without talking to CPU.

That's the downside of telemetry eyecandy. It's not like where fan itself has a compute unit inside of it, that collects the said telemetry. Like you said, it has to go through CPU.

Now, i don't know how well Lian-Li software is optimized. Maybe it uses way too much CPU compute power, compared to e.g HWinfo64. If so, one possibility would be using HWinfo64 and send telemetry via it to the fans, rather than using resource hogging Lian-Li software. But this is future avenue that you can contemplate about.

 

[Colif]

There is no lcd off option. Only choice is choose a black image or set brightness to 0%.

I don't mind the Lian Li icon for now.

only way I can see it working otherwise is have temp probes that could be attached to CPU and run from a CPU inside the control box. It wouldn't be as accurate as the onboard sensors though

A lot of the processing could also be just constantly updating the displays themselves with the info, they are IPS displays, 400 x 400 pixels. You could do a lot with them...

Other way, run a threadripper and have so many spare cores that the activity isn't as noticeable

 

[Aeacus]

There is no lcd off option.

Well, unless the fans have proprietary connector, whereby fan power and LED signal is in one connector - then yes, no turn off option. But on other cases, disconnecting LED cable would turn them off.

 

[Colif]

They didn't even last 4 months
admittedly their original purpose also stopped existing 2 months ago.

I got them to put on my AIO which decided to die in January. So for the last month or so they were intake fans directly.

They started to make whirring noises. At first I thought it was just one as I used my finger to stop the middle fan from spinning and that stopped noise, but a few days later I checked again to discover it was two of the fans. It was at this stage I decided I was going to RMA them, as I had also discovered after looking online that the model fan has a really high failure rate.

So I was going to send them back on Monday but Thursday night I realised the control software for the fans wasn't working properly and couldn't actually see the fans - them being wrong RGB colors should have been a clue. I restarted windows and on startup, it couldn't find a USB device. I knew what that was going to be and looking in the lian li software confirmed it, since it couldn't see any fans at all.
So the hub the fans run off is connected to motherboard by USB.
Since I had no direct control of my intake fans, PC was running warmer than normal. I actually had no way of knowing what speed they were running.
So I said stuff this and replaced them all with 3 x Noctua A14 Chromax Black Swap 140mm fans. May not have rgb and case might be a black hole now, but they are quieter. And CPU temps are 10c cooler.

4 month post mortem

1. Software sucks, Kept forgetting the order of fans (though this might have been an early sign fans were going bad). There were certain speeds the software would run the fans that made them create annoying noises (running direct from bios seemed quieter). Though that could be the fans too. Hard to say if software problems weren't caused by the hardware.
2. LCD on hub wasn't ever used for more than a few minutes, it adds too much to CPU heat to really be useful. It would have helped if it integrated with hwinfo. I shall see what the display on the side of my next case is like, it may have the same problem (I don't care really, it's not the reason I chose the case). Monitors of PC details need to use less resources to simply generate the reports. I see why external devices work better as then they ask for a report, CPU doesn't have to do all the work. It does depend on what you showed, sensor readings used way more than static images.

I am hoping to get a refund on them so I can just leave it as a lesson.

 

[Aeacus]

They started to make whirring noises.

Bearing issue.

Usually happens at fixed RPM range, e.g 1200-1300 while when fan spins slower or faster than the affected range, there's no bearing noise. But if bearing noise is at any RPM, then it's bearing failure for sure.

I am hoping to get a refund on them so I can just leave it as a lesson.

So, those Lian-Li fans are purely for show with little (if any) reliability? 🤔
Then again, the more complex something is - the more points of failure it has.

Fan has 1 purpose: move air.
Anything else is extra that isn't needed.

E.g fan complexity goes like this, starting from the least complex one;
No LED 2-pin DC fan (e.g Delta Industrial).
No LED 3-pin DC or 4-pin PWM fan (e.g Noctua).
Single color LED fan (e.g Corsair ML140 Pro LED).
RGB LED fan (e.g Corsair SP120 RGB LED) needs controller box to change static LED color.
ARGB LED fan (e.g NZXT AER140 or Corsair LL120 RGB) needs software to control LED pattern/colors.
LCD display, ARGB LED, infinity mirror, wireless and what not (e.g Lian-Li SL Wireless LCD).

 

[Colif]

So, those Lian-Li fans are purely for show with little (if any) reliability? 🤔
Then again, the more complex something is - the more points of failure it has.

I don't know if it applies to all Lian LI UNI fans or just the TL model I had. Its possible its just a flaw of the ones with the LCD screen built into hub.
Not all Lian LI Fans have the LCD screens in them so they might be more reliable... so there are fans that don't fit into your categories.

If I had known the model had a high failure rate with regards to bearings, I wouldn't have bought them considering that was what the previous fans I had been using also failed from. I essentially just wasted 4 months.

Lian-Li SL Wireless LCD

wireless is a lie, the only things wireless about it is the control box. You can't run fans without wires.
SL fans also have a weakness in that they need USB 2 slots on motherboard and many boards don't have that many - mine has 2 available. So the more fans you add, the more USB 2 slots you need. Looks like a limitation to me.

Corsair LL120 RGB

These aren't ARGB... its in the name.
These ones are:
https://www.corsair.com/us/en/p/case-fans/co-9050180-ww/rs120-argb-120mm-pwm-fan-co-9050180-ww
main difference is the argb ones don't need their lighting node pro things to run. Plug direct into motherboard.
argb software built into most motherboards and or windows 11 now. Both are pretty useless... most argb programs are still.

 

[Aeacus]

These aren't ARGB... its in the name.

They came out when ARGB wasn't that wide spread and RGB term was used for both. But they are still ARGB fans, since LEDs within the fan, are individually addressable;

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZ8acay59cY

If they would be RGB fans (+12V 4-pin), individual LED addressing would be impossible. But this is not the case.


Oh, and it doesn't have to be in the name, to make one classify for certain segment.
E.g most ATX 3.x PSUs now have ATX 3.0 or ATX 3.1 in the name. But there are some that do not have it in the name. E.g Seasonic Vertex,
specs: https://seasonic.com/vertex-px/

Is it not ATX 3.x PSU, since it doesn't say so in the name? 🤔

main difference is the argb ones don't need their lighting node pro things to run. Plug direct into motherboard.

Looks like you have misconception.

RGB = all LEDs display the same color, but you can switch between colors. Be it via dedicated RGB controller box or via MoBo +12V 4-pin RGB connector (if fans have that connector).
ARGB = individual control of the LEDs (addressable). Be it via dedicated ARGB controller box or via MoBo +5V 3-pin ARGB connector (if fans have that connector).

Just because individually addressable LED fan doesn't have +5V 3-pin ARGB connector, doesn't make it regular RGB fan. It still is ARGB since that's what the LEDs in the fan are capable of.

wireless is a lie, the only things wireless about it is the control box. You can't run fans without wires.

Yeah, Lian-Li is exaggerating the "wireless" part.

Technically, one can run fans without wires. Namely via the contact pad.
E.g similar as some phones have wireless charging when placed on top of the charging pad. There are no physical wire connections between the charger pad and battery, yet, the electricity still flows from charging pad to the battery.

If I had known the model had a high failure rate with regards to bearings, I wouldn't have bought them considering that was what the previous fans I had been using also failed from. I essentially just wasted 4 months.

With those Lian-Li fans, a lot of money is wasted on LEDs, LCD display, daisy chain, seamless connection and somehow, the fan still needs to be priced competitively. So, something else must give, to make the fan cheaper. One part, where corners can be cut, is fan bearing. Another is reliability.

Sure, specs say FDB bearing, but without actually hacking one open to see if it really is FDB bearing and not the cheap sleeve bearing, it is unknown what the bearing is.
It could be true FDB bearing but with manufacturing fault, hence the bearing fails FAR sooner than it is supposed to. (Or bad FDB design, since there are many FDB/rifle bearing designs out there.)