Question Particular PWM fans won't start up on Corsair H150i PRO

[baileyboy125]

I recently bought some PWM Be Quiet fans to replace the ones on my H150i radiator. The problem is they won't start up unless I unplug and plug them back into the sockets after the PC has booted. Other PWM fans by both Corsair and NZXT start up just fine as soon as the computer is powered on. Even if I go into iCUE and try to change the curves nothing happens and it always reports 0 RPM unless I unplug and plug them back in again. Is there something I'm missing? I don't think they're broken as all 3 behave the exact same and I also have more as my case fans connected to a NZXT hub and those start up just fine on boot. I've tried swapping them around but still the same behavior on all 6 fans if connected to the H150i.

I've tried completely powering off the computer by the plug. Cleared the CMOS. Checked the CPU fan plug is seated properly. Unplugged and plugged back in the SATA power for the H150i. Checked for updates on both iCUE and the H150i PRO itself.
I've also tried just plugging one in at a time, but still the same issue.
It's a very strange issue and I'm not sure what else to try.

Motherboard: Gigabyte x399 Designare EX
Fans: Be Quiet Silent Wings Pro 4
Cooler: Corsair H150i Pro
PSU: Corsair Corsair RM1000i

 

[Lutfij]

NZXT hub
Might want to elaborate on this hub and how all your fans and the AIO are tethered in your build.

I'm seeing a toggle switch behind the fan's motor, which setting is it on? The minimum voltage for the fans shows it to be at 7V and the highest is 13.2V but the ML fans that are bundled with your AIO have an operating voltage of 10.8V and the highest is 13.2V. If I had to take a guess, it's that your AIO doesn't like the lower voltage on the fans. I had a similar issue whereby my Scythe Jyuni fan that was hooked to a Lamptron fan controller(build log in my sig) and wouldn't like low voltage, once you got the fan spinning, you can then use the fan controller to dial down the voltage until it was pushing air but wasn't making a high pitched sound. If I shut down my system and then powered back up, the lowered voltage wouldn't work on the Jyuni, I'd have to ramp the voltage back up then dial it back down.

 

[baileyboy125]

NZXT hub
Might want to elaborate on this hub and how all your fans and the AIO are tethered in your build.

I'm seeing a toggle switch behind the fan's motor, which setting is it on? The minimum voltage for the fans shows it to be at 7V and the highest is 13.2V but the ML fans that are bundled with your AIO have an operating voltage of 10.8V and the highest is 13.2V. If I had to take a guess, it's that your AIO doesn't like the lower voltage on the fans. I had a similar issue whereby my Scythe Jyuni fan that was hooked to a Lamptron fan controller(build log in my sig) and wouldn't like low voltage, once you got the fan spinning, you can then use the fan controller to dial down the voltage until it was pushing air but wasn't making a high pitched sound. If I shut down my system and then powered back up, the lowered voltage wouldn't work on the Jyuni, I'd have to ramp the voltage back up then dial it back down.

The NZXT fan and rgb hub that came with the case works fine for the other be quiet fans in my case, it's just the H150i thats having the issues.
Both the hub and H150i connect to the motherboard via USB 2.0 and are powered with type 4 SATA. The case fans (3 front, 1 rear) is connected to this hub. the 3 top fans on the radiator is connected to the splitter on the H150i. The only "fan" connected to the motherboard directly is the H150i's pump via the CPU_FAN header.

The setting of the switch makes no difference, whether it's in MS, HS, or UHS, the fans will not spin up no matter what unless I unplug and replug while the system is on. Changing the curves in iCUE do nothing until I replug the fans. Even if I spin the fans manually they will not spin.

I've come across two more posts where people are having the same issue between Be Quiet and the H150i:
View: https://www.reddit.com/r/Corsair/comments/zyoxnb/is_the_h150i_elite_capellix_compatible_with/

https://linustechtips.com/topic/1072231-bequiet-fans-not-working-with-h150i-pro/

 

[Paperdoc]

With the H150i AIO system, power and control of the RAD FANS is done totally by the H150i system via a fan controller in the PUMP unit and directed by the iCUE utility. On many mobo-based fan controls and quite likely in the H150i system, at START-UP each fan is sent a Full Speed signal to ensure it starts, and then the signal is reduced to a low speed for a cool system. My suspicion is that the H150i system is sending to those replacement fans a very slow speed signal after they start, and these particular fans are stalling. Look through the iCUE pages and see if there is a way to set the MINIMUM speed of the rad fans higher.

 

[baileyboy125]

With the H150i AIO system, power and control of the RAD FANS is done totally by the H150i system via a fan controller in the PUMP unit and directed by the iCUE utility. On many mobo-based fan controls and quite likely in the H150i system, at START-UP each fan is sent a Full Speed signal to ensure it starts, and then the signal is reduced to a low speed for a cool system. My suspicion is that the H150i system is sending to those replacement fans a very slow speed signal after they start, and these particular fans are stalling. Look through the iCUE pages and see if there is a way to set the MINIMUM speed of the rad fans higher.

The only thing you can do in iCUE is set the curves of the pump and fans. I have them both set to go no lower than 50%, but the issue persists.

 

[Paperdoc]

This puzzles me, too. I don't understand why the H150i system and iCUE cannot control those rad fans properly, but they can't. I suggest your best path is to abandon iCUE for RAD FAN control only, and let the mobo headers to the job.

For this you will need a simple 3-from-1 SPLITTER, but not a HUB. The isfference is that a HUB has a third type of connection that must be plugged into a SATA power output connector from the PSU. A SPLITTER has only one input arm to connect to a header, and three outputs for fans. Leave the cable from your PUMP to the mobo CPU_FAN header in place. Use the new Splitter to connect to the mobo CPU_OPT header and plug in those three rad fans. In BIOS Setup, ensure both of those headers are set to use PWM Mode of control (not Voltage or Auto), and Normal Fan Speed Control. IF you have a choice (I suspect you will not for these headers), ensure it is using the CPU temperature sensor, and not the one on the mobo. Set the Fan Fail Warning to Enabled.

With this arrangement iCUE may well warn you that the rad fans have failed since they are not connected to a place it would expect to "see" their speed. Ignore that. This arrangement makes the mobo CPU_OPT header the control of those three fans, and the system to monitor them for failure. Continue to use iCUE for PUMP speed and other things.

 

[baileyboy125]

This puzzles me, too. I don't understand why the H150i system and iCUE cannot control those rad fans properly, but they can't. I suggest your best path is to abandon iCUE for RAD FAN control only, and let the mobo headers to the job.

For this you will need a simple 3-from-1 SPLITTER, but not a HUB. The isfference is that a HUB has a third type of connection that must be plugged into a SATA power output connector from the PSU. A SPLITTER has only one input arm to connect to a header, and three outputs for fans. Leave the cable from your PUMP to the mobo CPU_FAN header in place. Use the new Splitter to connect to the mobo CPU_OPT header and plug in those three rad fans. In BIOS Setup, ensure both of those headers are set to use PWM Mode of control (not Voltage or Auto), and Normal Fan Speed Control. IF you have a choice (I suspect you will not for these headers), ensure it is using the CPU temperature sensor, and not the one on the mobo. Set the Fan Fail Warning to Enabled.

With this arrangement iCUE may well warn you that the rad fans have failed since they are not connected to a place it would expect to "see" their speed. Ignore that. This arrangement makes the mobo CPU_OPT header the control of those three fans, and the system to monitor them for failure. Continue to use iCUE for PUMP speed and other things.

Unfortunately, the fans don't seem to be controlled properly from the CPU_OPT header even when setting a fan curve in the BIOS. They're just set to a fixed speed.
With all this hassle I'm tempted to just send them back haha

 

[Paperdoc]

Test those three fans ONE AT A TIME. For each, disconnect it from the cable from the pump and plug into the one of your unused SYS_FAN headers so it has NO connection to CPU cooling. Go into BIOS Setup for that header and ensure it is set to use PWM Mode, Normal Fan Speed, and the MOTHERBOARD temperature sensor. Boot up and watch that fan. Does it start at full speed and quickly slow down to slower? Does its speed CHANGE as you use the machine with different workloads? If yes to both tests, and for ALL three fans, then the fans themselves are not the problem. Post back here for next step.

 

[baileyboy125]

Test those three fans ONE AT A TIME. For each, disconnect it from the cable from the pump and plug into the one of your unused SYS_FAN headers so it has NO connection to CPU cooling. Go into BIOS Setup for that header and ensure it is set to use PWM Mode, Normal Fan Speed, and the MOTHERBOARD temperature sensor. Boot up and watch that fan. Does it start at full speed and quickly slow down to slower? Does its speed CHANGE as you use the machine with different workloads? If yes to both tests, and for ALL three fans, then the fans themselves are not the problem. Post back here for next step.

Sorry, I've ended up sending them back, as since they wont work with the AIO and also too many for the fan controller, it wasn't worth it to keep them.
Thank you for your help!

 

[Paperdoc]

You're welcome, and good luck!