Question Multiple case fan installation - Corsair 1000D

[Jack800]

Hello all,

Hope everyone is doing well. Could use a little help here.

Have a Corsair 1000D case which will be all air-cooling for now with ML120s and ML140s (total of 13 fans). I've never installed this many fans and have a basic question to ask. (front fans are intake, top and rear fans are exhaust)

How would you install these fans in regards to the wiring? The wiring protrudes from one of the fan's corners (obviously). Does it make a difference where that wiring corner is situated when installing the fan: bottom left, bottom right, top left, top right in relation to the case? The only thing I can think of is that the wiring corner should be situated towards the back of the case. I will be using three Corsair iCue Commander Core XT modules for the hookup.

Again, I've never installed this many case fans and could use your advice. Thank you.

Jack800

 

[COLGeek]

Typically, front, side, and bottom fans are intake. Rear and top fans exhaust.

The fans should have a notch to allow you to position the wiring to not interfere with other fans (when crammed together).

 

[Zerk2012]

I put the wires coming out of the fans toward the side of the case where you hide all the cables.
For top or bottom of that side depending on the closest slot to run then through.

That case is huge.

 

[Jack800]

Typically, front, side, and bottom fans are intake. Rear and top fans exhaust.

The fans should have a notch to allow you to position the wiring to not interfere with other fans (when crammed together).

Thanks, COLGeek!

 

[COLGeek]

Thanks, COLGeek!

You are welcome. As Zerk2012 noted (I do the same), I position the wiring so that I can tuck away (all on the same side and then cable tie for neatness). You may need some extensions to reach your fan controller. Just something to keep in mind for the sake on minimal clutter.

 

[Jack800]

I put the wires coming out of the fans toward the side of the case where you hide all the cables.
For top or bottom of that side depending on the closest slot to run then through.

That case is huge.

Thanks, ZERK2012. Yea, one of the reasons I got this case is for wiring space. My current case I can't even close the case door on the back because I think I have wires that are too thick (newbie exuberance).

 

[Jack800]

I don't understand how to secure fans to this Corsair 1000D case.

Corsair does not provide any documentation and for the money I've spent on this case (along with others) I'm very frustrated and I let Corsair know.

The ML120s come with screws, but the fan holes on the case are too big. Am I supposed to use something else?

 

[COLGeek]

Are you using screws similar to these?

https://www.amazon.com/Easycargo-Computer-Screws-120mm-Cooling/dp/B07VLHBL5Q

 

[Jack800]

Are you using screws similar to these?

https://www.amazon.com/Easycargo-Computer-Screws-120mm-Cooling/dp/B07VLHBL5Q

Hello COLGeek,

Yes, those are similar screws that came with the fans, but the fan holes on the case are too big.

 

[COLGeek]

You mean the holes are larger than the screw heads?

Your case should have shipped with a bunch of screws for fans. Are you using those or ones that came with fans?

https://www.corsair.com/corsairmedia/sys_master/productcontent/OBSIDIAN_1000D_QSG_Poster.pdf

 

[Jack800]

You mean the holes are larger than the screw heads?

Your case should have shipped with a bunch of screws for fans. Are you using those or ones that came with fans?

https://www.corsair.com/corsairmedia/sys_master/productcontent/OBSIDIAN_1000D_QSG_Poster.pdf

Yes, the holes are larger than the screw threads. The case came with a bunch of screws (standoffs, mobo, HDD/SDD, fan, and radiator). The fans came with similar screws as with the case. I don't get it.

 

[COLGeek]

I suppose you could pop over to your nearest Lowes/Home Depot and find some washers to augment the screw heads.

 

[Jack800]

I suppose you could pop over to your nearest Lowes/Home Depot and find some washers to augment the screw heads.

Yea, but this is really "off". I'm missing something here. Corsair dumps a $500+ computer case onto consumers without providing any setup documentation which is $#@%! inexcusable. I'll talk to some local pc builders.
Thanks for your input and have a Happy New Year!

 

[Zerk2012]

Yea, but this is really "off". I'm missing something here. Corsair dumps a $500+ computer case onto consumers without providing any setup documentation which is $#@%! inexcusable. I'll talk to some local pc builders.
Thanks for your input and have a Happy New Year!

Yes, the holes are larger than the screw threads.

That is fine as long as their not larger than the screw head since the screw should secure the fan not eat into the case.

 

[COLGeek]

I understand your frustration. Share some pix of your rig after you get this all sorted out.

Good luck.

 

[Zerk2012]

Yea, but this is really "off". I'm missing something here. Corsair dumps a $500+ computer case onto consumers without providing any setup documentation which is $#@%! inexcusable. I'll talk to some local pc builders.
Thanks for your input and have a Happy New Year!

This case. The screws should go on the outside of the fan mounts going into the fan on the inside of the case.
https://www.corsair.com/medias/sys_...466587678/-CC-9011148-WW-Gallery-1000D-20.png

 

[COLGeek]

This case. The screws should go on the outside of the fan mounts going into the fan on the inside of the case.
https://www.corsair.com/medias/sys_...466587678/-CC-9011148-WW-Gallery-1000D-20.png

This is correct, the screw heads will be in the recessed area around the screw holes. Fans go on the backside of the mounting plates. Screws go from the front, through the plate, into the fans. The slotted holes allow for alignment/adjustment of fans.

Keep in mind the orientation of fans. Front, side, and bottom fans are usually intake. Rear and top fans exhaust. All about air flow.

 

[Jack800]

This case. The screws should go on the outside of the fan mounts going into the fan on the inside of the case.
https://www.corsair.com/medias/sys_...466587678/-CC-9011148-WW-Gallery-1000D-20.png

Oh, thanks. I understand now.

 

[Jack800]

This is correct, the screw heads will be in the recessed area around the screw holes. Fans go on the backside of the mounting plates. Screws go from the front, through the plate, into the fans. The slotted holes allow for alignment/adjustment of fans.

Keep in mind the orientation of fans. Front, side, and bottom fans are usually intake. Rear and top fans exhaust. All about air flow.

Thanks, I understand now.

Yes, fronts will be intake while top and back will be exhaust. Because I am not 100% sure how to best position the fans in regards to the corner wire, I think I'm going to use these for now: Rubber Mounting Screw Rivets.

Now, I have 3 iCue Commander Core XTs that I need to install because I have 13 fans (6 fans per controller). I just don't know where to put these three controllers. I would prefer to have them hidden, but it doesn't look like I can attach them to the back side of this case. I'm thinking on the inside of the two metal swingout doors after removing the SSD mounts, but I have to make sure the wiring will be long enough. My last option is putting them on top of the motherboard or to the right of the motherboard.

Corsair 1000D

 

[Jack800]

Hello all,

Just wanted to provide an update on my fan situation.

I mentioned to Corsair that I will be using three Corsair Commander Core XTs, but my motherboard only has 2 USB 2.0 headers. I received a few different answers:

1. There should be no issue daisy-chaining them together as long as the USB controller on the motherboard can handle them. I asked how would I know if the USB Controller on my motherboard can handle daisy-chaining three of them together and have not received a response yet.
2. Another answer was to daisy-chain two of them together which would not be a problem, but having a third in the daisy-chain would have the potential to cause instability issues.
3. Another answer was to use a USB 2.0 header hub or splitter to connect a third XT

So, does anyone have any comment on which course of action they think would work best?
Option 1 - Daisy-chain all 3 of them together (but I wouldn't know how to see if the USB Controller on my motherboard can handle them)
Option 2 - Daisy-chain two of them together to use one USB 2.0 header and connect third Commander Core XT directly to the second USB 2.0 header.
Option 3 - Use a USB 2.0 header hub or splitter which I have never used before (nor am even familiar with)

Again, thanks all for your help.

 

[Paperdoc]

Daisy Chain generally means that the connectors have BOTH male and female sections so that the male pins of the second connector can plug into the female sockets of the first. Is that how the USB2 header connectors are on the cable for this system? If not, how can you make a daisy chain?

A standard USB2 header on a mobo has a (10-1) pin layout. The USB2 Controller chip on the mobo actually provides TWO USB2 ports on one header. The FOUR pin line is the pins required for one ports, and the matching pins in the five-pin line are for the second port. The fifth pin on that line us unused. The dilemma here is that the standard connector that plugs into such a header covers ALL of those pins, even if it really only connects ONE set (one of those two ports) to the device. Then the other port is not avilable for any other connection. It certainly is possible to create a connector system that allows a second connector to make contacts with the pins for that second port, but that is not part of the commonly-used standard USB2 header connector.

However, if there IS a way to plug two cables into that header so that each gains access to ONE of the two ports on the header, then I do NOT believe you can connect MORE USB2 devices to either of those ports. I thought one needs a different type of controller chip to have several USB devices share a single USB mobo port, the way a USB HUB does it. Maybe I'm wrong on that??

 

[Jack800]

Daisy Chain generally means that the connectors have BOTH male and female sections so that the male pins of the second connector can plug into the female sockets of the first. Is that how the USB2 header connectors are on the cable for this system? If not, how can you make a daisy chain?

A standard USB2 header on a mobo has a (10-1) pin layout. The USB2 Controller chip on the mobo actually provides TWO USB2 ports on one header. The FOUR pin line is the pins required for one ports, and the matching pins in the five-pin line are for the second port. The fifth pin on that line us unused. The dilemma here is that the standard connector that plugs into such a header covers ALL of those pins, even if it really only connects ONE set (one of those two ports) to the device. Then the other port is not avilable for any other connection. It certainly is possible to create a connector system that allows a second connector to make contacts with the pins for that second port, but that is not part of the commonly-used standard USB2 header connector.

However, if there IS a way to plug two cables into that header so that each gains access to ONE of the two ports on the header, then I do NOT believe you can connect MORE USB2 devices to either of those ports. I thought one needs a different type of controller chip to have several USB devices share a single USB mobo port, the way a USB HUB does it. Maybe I'm wrong on that??

Hello Paperdoc,

Thanks for your comments! Yes, the Commander Core XT does have both a female connector and a male "pigtail" connector. So, yes, it can be daisy-chained.

Well, I did receive additional confirmation from Corsair that I can daisy-chain 2 Core XTs per header, but not three. Now, I just need to reach out to ASUS to see if there will be any problems on their end with my motherboard.

 

[Paperdoc]

Well, if Corsair says they have included cables designed to daisy chain to allow you to access BOTH ports of a standard mobo USB2 header, I fully expect that to work. Then your only issue is: is the mobo second USB2 header also unused so that it is available for the third XT Controller?

 

[Jack800]

Well, if Corsair says they have included cables designed to daisy chain to allow you to access BOTH ports of a standard mobo USB2 header, I fully expect that to work. Then your only issue is: is the mobo second USB2 header also unused so that it is available for the third XT Controller?

Ah, yes, those are the questions I need to ask:

1. When daisy-chaining 2 Commander Core XTs, will it access BOTH ports of a standard mobo USB 2.0 header?

2. Given the above hookup, will the mobo's second unused USB 2.0 header be available for a third XT Controller?

Thanks Paperdoc for schooling me!