Hello!
Link to my system [link]
I am looking for some advice about a cooling upgrade. The reason I want to add more cooling fans is to reduce my GPU temperatures (maximum at 80°C and 100°C for hotspot/junction).
Current Fan Setup:
The motherboard has the following information: link. The "+5V" on "CHA_FAN" is throwing me off whether or not "CHA_FAN" and "CPU_FAN" are the same (12V and 1A). Is this just to indicate that it's 5V PWM fan friendly? The two LL120's I currently have running off of the CHA_FAN is fine - even though Corsair say LL120s have a range of "7 to 13.2V".
Question 2: Do SATA provide a maximum of 1.5A?
I made this assumption based on information from the information I found around the Internet
Question 3: Are the ML120s and H100i pump powered by the CPU_FAN, USB header, the SATA connection, or a combination of some/all of them?
Now that the two questions above are done, time for the main question, that depends on the answers for question 1 and 2 as they will affect maximum current. Basically, the H100i has 7 connections required to make it work [information from the manual, pages 5 and 6 or 10 and 11]:
If the pump is powered by USB, I could use a Y splitter on both of the 4-pin PWM connectors. In theory on iCUE [link], I will be able to control each pair of fans individually with different fan curve profiles - one looking at the GPU temperature and one looking at the CPU temperature. Fan #1 will be the top fans (ML120s) and Fan #2 will be the bottom fans (need to buy them). I just need to make sure the summation of current does not go over 1.5A! So, I can have 1.062A headroom with the current assumption.
However, if the pump is also being powered by SATA and not by the USB header, I will have an unknown amount of headroom and will require a fan hub [link] to not take any chances - unless I use two Noctua NF-F12 [link] since they are 0.05A each (I currently have one of two).
Question 4: Will a dual 60mm be worth it to further cool the system down?
Here's where I plan to install them, if it fits: location. I believe that spot is originally a pump/reservoir for water-cooled systems
My Plans
Intended Configuration [image]:
That's it. Thank you for reading it all if you did.
Edit 1: added my system at the start
Link to my system [link]
I am looking for some advice about a cooling upgrade. The reason I want to add more cooling fans is to reduce my GPU temperatures (maximum at 80°C and 100°C for hotspot/junction).
Current Fan Setup:
- Front Fans: 2x LL120's [link] as intakes [Total = 0.6A]. Connected to a fan header called "CHA_FAN" using an extension cable [link] and a Y splitter [link].
- Top Fans: 2x ML120's [link] as exhausts through the radiator [Total = 0.438A] . Connected to the H100i pump [link] but not sure what powers it.
The motherboard has the following information: link. The "+5V" on "CHA_FAN" is throwing me off whether or not "CHA_FAN" and "CPU_FAN" are the same (12V and 1A). Is this just to indicate that it's 5V PWM fan friendly? The two LL120's I currently have running off of the CHA_FAN is fine - even though Corsair say LL120s have a range of "7 to 13.2V".
Question 2: Do SATA provide a maximum of 1.5A?
I made this assumption based on information from the information I found around the Internet
Question 3: Are the ML120s and H100i pump powered by the CPU_FAN, USB header, the SATA connection, or a combination of some/all of them?
Now that the two questions above are done, time for the main question, that depends on the answers for question 1 and 2 as they will affect maximum current. Basically, the H100i has 7 connections required to make it work [information from the manual, pages 5 and 6 or 10 and 11]:
- iCUE USB cable: connects the pump to the motherboard (via a micro-USB cable) to a USB header [link]
- 3-pin pump tach cable: connects to CPU_FAN header (1A maximum - depends on question 1)
- SATA cable: power pump cable connects to a SATA (1.5A maximum - depends on question 2)
- 2x RGB Connectors: to connect and link the included fans RGB's to the H100i
- 2x PWM (4-pin connectors): to connect and link the included fan's to the H100i
- iCUE USB cable: for iCUE (software) related elements (i.e. controlling the fans, pump and RGB) and for possibly powering the pump. Last time I forgot to plug this in and the system refuses to get to BIOS which is why I made the assumption that this is the power cable for the pump.
- 3-pin pump tach cable: purely to get the pump speed and that's it. Doesn't use any power.
- SATA cable: to power the the fans only
- 2x RGB Connectors: to control the fan's RGB lighting
- 2x PWM (4-pin connectors): to connect and link the included fan's to the pump
If the pump is powered by USB, I could use a Y splitter on both of the 4-pin PWM connectors. In theory on iCUE [link], I will be able to control each pair of fans individually with different fan curve profiles - one looking at the GPU temperature and one looking at the CPU temperature. Fan #1 will be the top fans (ML120s) and Fan #2 will be the bottom fans (need to buy them). I just need to make sure the summation of current does not go over 1.5A! So, I can have 1.062A headroom with the current assumption.
However, if the pump is also being powered by SATA and not by the USB header, I will have an unknown amount of headroom and will require a fan hub [link] to not take any chances - unless I use two Noctua NF-F12 [link] since they are 0.05A each (I currently have one of two).
Question 4: Will a dual 60mm be worth it to further cool the system down?
Here's where I plan to install them, if it fits: location. I believe that spot is originally a pump/reservoir for water-cooled systems
My Plans
Intended Configuration [image]:
- Top: 2x ML120s as exhausts. Connect to a fan hub.
- Front: 2x LL120s as intakes. Stays connected to the CHA_FAN if it outputs at least 0.6A. Connect to a fan hub if it's not.
- Bottom: 2x 120mm fans as intakes. Connect to a fan hub.
- Rear: 2x 60mm fans as exhausts. Connects to the CHA_FAN if it outputs less than 0.6A. Connect to a fan hub if it is.
- Top: 2x ML120s as exhausts. Y splitters if H100i pump is not powered by SATA. Into a fan hub if it's not.
- Front: 2x LL120s as intakes. Stays on the CHA_FAN if it outputs 1A. Into a fan hub if it's not.
- Bottom: 2x new fans as intakes. Y splitters if H100i pump is not powered by SATA. Into CHA_FAN if it is less than 1A, else into a fan hub.
That's it. Thank you for reading it all if you did.
Edit 1: added my system at the start
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