[SOLVED] Multiple ARGB Fans connection to the motherboard

[YuterHa]

Hello,

I have never built my own PC yet, but I have been watching PC build videos for almost a year. Now, I am planning to build on my own, but I have some doubt regarding the connection of ARGB fan wires.

I am planning to use Tecware Forge M ARGB case (brand mostly known in Asia) and Asrock B450M Steel Legend motherboard. The case comes with 3 ARGB fans with its own RGB controller. I am also planning to add 2 more ARGB fans to the case. However, I would like to control the ARGB fans with the PC itself.

Since I am going to use 5 fans, I would like to know how to connect the power and ARGB cable of those fans to the motherboard. The list of all the ports available on the motherboard is provided below.

https://www.asrock.com/MB/AMD/B450M Steel Legend/#Specification


Please be as detailed as possible (if possible). Every piece of information helps.

 

[digitalgriffin]

I own that motherboard. If you wish to connect more than 1 ARGB, you'll need a ARGB repeater commonly available on amazon. You have the option of either Molex or SATA power.

You could go with a passive cable splitter type. However you have to carefully read the power ratings for the ARGB on the LED strip and add them up to make sure they don't exceed motherboard spec. You could burn out the +5V pin if you go over current.

For example:
https://www.amazon.com/Timack-Split...keywords=ARGB+splitter&qid=1593702662&sr=8-11

You don't have to use the magnetic stand off. I actually recommend against these if you move you case a lot. You can attach it with heavy duty double sided Velcro strips. Or my favorite, take the screws out and replace them with longer screws and bolt them into your chassis.

For the fans, you might be able to get away with the 4 headers on the motherboard just fine. The water pump headers allow up to 1 amp, so that should easily handle more than 1 fan using a passive splitter. But if it concerns you about burning out a fan header (it does happen), you can use an active fan splitter.

Again you only need an active power fan splitter if you are worried about burning out your header with too much current. But here is an active choice below:

https://www.amazon.com/DEEPCOOL-FH-...&keywords=Fan+splitter&qid=1593703212&sr=8-13



The following below should be able to handle all your task:
https://www.amazon.com/Cooler-Maste...keywords=ARGB+splitter&qid=1593703000&sr=8-10

Just be aware you'll only have 1 zone of fan speed control if you hook all your PWM fan headers to this one device.

 

[YuterHa]

Just be aware you'll only have 1 zone of fan speed control if you hook all your PWM fan headers to this one device.

Does this mean that I am not able to vary the color of each fan? Thank you very much for your information.

 

[digitalgriffin]

Does this mean that I am not able to vary the color of each fan? Thank you very much for your information.

This is kind of complex, but I'll try to explain.

When you have a strip of ARGB, each LED has an address that increments sequentially. ie: LED 1 is address 0. LED 2 is address 1, LED 3 is address 2, etc...

If you have a second ARGB device (fan, strip) the second ARGB device will use the same addresses in the same order. Thus all the devices will cycle in a similar manner.

I have yet to see ANY motherboard which has ARGB which allows independent addressing for different headers as this would require two ARGB controllers. You could buy a separate ARGB controller and install associated software to control it via USB. This would allow for unique effects on two ARGB channels. Like a chasing Red strip on one, and a chasing Green strip on another.

I'll warn you though, it is not for the timid. This is all a tremendous amount of wiring. My mATX case in my profile (Thermaltake core 21) was a very tight fit with all the wiring. There was a lot of zip ties involved and it took me several hours and tries for cable management to make it look "acceptable". But I have 10 RGB devices (9 fans and 1 pump rgb)