[SOLVED] Rgb lighting installation

[jazgreen99]

Hi all

Please can someone assist me I want to add additional led strips in the front of my case. I currently have aura sync capability which is already setup to 4 rgb fan frames and to rgb strips which are on the back of the case and the case lighting are all controlled by aura sync. They are all connected to the rgb header. Is there an easier way to connect additional rgb strips so I don’t have to unwire my entire case? I just want to add another 1m to the bottom of the case.

I currently have installed in my pc

Phanteks PH-LEDKT_M1 Magnetic RGB 1m LED Strips (X2)


My MB is Asus B450 Prime and Phanteks P400s Case. Everything was piggy backed to each other so there are no adapters in my case

 

[Paperdoc]

Before going any further, examine carefully the electrical load you already have. It's not clear now whether your current lighting units all are connected to a single mobo header, or distributed between two headers. Indeed, we don't know how many RGB headers you have on your mobo. But READ you mobo manual and look for a spec on header capacity. Most are limited to about 3.0 A max current to all devices plugged into a single header. (IF you have two headers, separate limits for each.) Then read the specs for all of the lighting devices - fans and strips - already connected, and add up their max current consumption values. For the fans, make sure you are using the amp values for the lights only, not the fan motors which are separate. THEN you can decide whether you have reserve capacity to add more load to your lighting headers.

 

[jazgreen99]

Hi there

Thank you for your response I’ve worked out that The PH-FF120RGBP_BK01 is using 0.3A each and the 140mm is using 0.42A each . The PH-LEDKT_M2 is using 2.1A each. I only have 1 Rgb header on my motherboard. But I’ll read up now to see the max amp. If you daisy chain does it still use the same output or each daisy chain adds up eg: 0.42A times 2 fans

 

[jazgreen99]

I just read the manual you are 100% correct

The RGB header supports 5050 RGB multi-color LED strips (12V/G/R/B), with a maximum power rating of 3A (12V), and no longer than 3m.

So far I’m using 2.45A and I would need another 2.1A which i don’t think is possible. Is there anyway my motherboard could handle 4.5A?

 

[Paperdoc]

First, thanks for Best Solution.

If all your RGB items are connected to a sinlge plain RGB (4-pin) header, then the max current consumptions of ALL of them must be added together to get the total load. (By the way, I estimate the 120mm frames are 0.36 A each, not 0.30. In the strips, 21 LED's consume 0.42A, and the 120 mm frames have 18 LEDs each.) So IF you have three 120mm frames, one 140mm frame, and two 400mm long strips, total max current is 2.34A. but that does not include current for any additional RGB lighting devices you may have. Your post mentions "and the case lighting", but I'm not clear whether that means you have other items not listed above.

Tell us the exact model number of the ASUS mobo you have. Many (but not all) of them have two of those plain RGB headers, so I'd like to check the manual for additional resources available to you. Without that, you would need a separate RGB controller for additional RGB strips, and that would be controlled separately, not by your mobo header.

 

[jazgreen99]

Hi there thank you for your reply
I wasn’t too sure about the amps so I emailed phanteks because I have 2x120mm Rgb frames and 2x140mm rgb frames and 2x1m rgb strips and the told me to email Asus. You were right the max header capacity is 3.0a. I got info from Phanteks saying

The PH-FF120RGBP_BK01 is using 0.3A each and the 140mm is using 0.42A each . The PH-LEDKT_M2 is using 2.1A each. So that’s basically 2.45amp but I’m not sure about the casing sorry I forgot to give you the specs.The manuals don’t really say much only the basics. Would an RGB Cpu cooler be better as it’s easier. See the thing is my case lighting is very dull th

MB=Asus Prime B450Plus
Case=Phanteks P400s

 

[Paperdoc]

I'm a little confused about how Phanteks specified the amps for the 120mm RGB frame. Their specs for the 140mm frame say it contains 21 LED's and consumes at max 0.42A. The 120 mm frame has 18 LED's in it, so by proportions I would estimate its consumption to be 0.42 x 18/21 = 0.36A. But that's not really going to be critical here.

The manual for your case says it includes one (I believe) 300 mm RGB strip. But it does not include any fans that have RGB components. The case web page also mentions separately "RGB Power Light and Ambient Down Light", so I'm not clear but it seems that is additional RGB lighting devices. Now, the case includes an RGB lighting pushbutton on the case top front which I really suspect is already wired to some of this RGB lighting equipment. That switch control gets power directly from a SATA power output connector from the PSU that you connect when you install everything. The manual does not mention connecting anything else to that switch so it's not clear to me whether that could be done or not. I note that, although the case includes one RGB strip, it does not tell you where to plug that in. Also it does NOT tell us its current rating. So whatever items are connected to the front panel switch (pre-wired "ambient down light"?? and MAYBE a light strip) will NOT be part of the current load calculations for stuff plugged into a mobo header. But of course, that also means that such items will not be controlled by the mobo port and its related software tool. But if that 300mm light strip is going to be used on the mobo header IN ADDITION to the two 400mm strips you mentioned, its load will need to be added into the calculation.

Thanks for the mobo info. As you said, it has ONE plain RGB header, so you are limited to its capacity for all your RGB units connected to that one resource.

I am not clear what you mean about an RGB CPU cooler. Do you have one, or not? If yes, tell us its maker and model number. Some such systems (fan only, or an AIO liquid cooling system with pump, radiator and fans) provide power and control of their lighting components themselves in various ways and do not impact your mobo RGB header. Other systems have cables for their lighting units separate from those for fans and pump, and they have to be connected to an RGB header or controller. In that latter case, of course those lights add to the load on that header. So tell us what you have or might want to get, and we can advise on that further.

 

[jazgreen99]

Hi there

Thank you very much for your long long reply. It also doesn’t make any sense to me. Let me tell you exactly what I did.

As you no the phanteks case comes with 2 fans,1x120mm and 1x140mm standard so what I did is I took the 140mm standard and put it at the top and I bought another 2x140mm fans. Which are franctal design low noise and put them at the front 1 on top of the other.

I then decided I want to add some rgb. So I ordered the phanteks RBG frames for all the fans so 4 in total.

What I wanted was to disconnect the case lighting From the chassis so that button on top would no longer work as I didn’t want it to.

So all of the RGB components are now controlled with a program called Aura Sync as you no. So when you change a colour they all change. Not separately.

I cannot send a picture of my set up which is a bummer. But I’ll try an explain what it looks like at best.

As you take the tempered glass out I have an RGB strip on top looking down,which runs all the way around the chassis in a square shape basically. But I just realized that RGB strip is 400mm which can’t be right because I never purchased additional Strips.

But they must all be connected to the RGB header in order for them to work and there are no splitters. So it’s the case lighting plus the RGB fan covers and the RGB strip which is all controlled by the Motherboard because if you go to Bios you can change the startup of the pc either to have all the lights on when it starts up or you can turn them on with the program on the destop.

The reason why I posted a question because I couldn’t figure out how I would put more Strips in if they should be daisy changed like they all are. or I split the 1m and connect the other splitter to the rgb header and plug with current adapter into the splitter. So basically 2 to 1 with a daisy chain.

I just confirmed the 140mm frames have 30x leds and the 120mm as you said have 18x leds.

So I’m conclusion the button on the case to control the ambient button is disconnected and connected with all the RGB components in the case.

https://www.wootware.co.za/phanteks-ph-ff120rgbp-bk01-halos-120mm-rgb-fan-frame.html

https://www.wootware.co.za/phanteks-ph-ff140rgba-bk01-halos-lux-140mm-rgb-fan-frame.html

I haven’t got a Cpu cooler yet I was thinking of getting one which could solve all my problems without complications.

This is which one I would want to install instead of addational lighting,this would do a better job with the lighting in the case and liquid cooling would be better. And the advantage aswell is the Cpu fan header doesn’t require you to run wires as the header is right there

 

[Paperdoc]

OK, so the only RGB items connected now to your mobo RGB header are three 140mm fan frames, one 120mm fan frame, and one 400mm strip. Although the case web page says it includes a 300 mm strip, you say it really is 400 mm. Based on the Phanteks specs for separate 400 mm strips, that's 0.42 A, The smaller frame consumes 0.30 or 0.36 A, depending on whose estimate we use, and the 140mm frames and the strip each consume 0.42A. That comes to 1.98A (or 2.58A if you assume 0.36 A for the smaller frame.) I was confused when your post mentioned the "PH-LEDKT_M2", which is a 2-metre strip that would consume 2.1 A as you said, but I guess you do NOT have it - that's the one you were considering adding on. Either way, with consumption of at least 2.0 A against a 3.0 A limit in your current system, adding a further 2 A to that one mobo header is not allowed.

Your last part was incomplete - I think you intended to tell me exactly what CPU cooler you were planning. But I doubt it would solve the issue as you were hoping. If your intent was to buy a CPU cooler that includes some RGB lighting component that is powered and controlled by itself without using power form the mobo header, that works for only part of your desire. The Problem is that such a system would do its own control of its lighting display independent of what the mobo header does, and you would not have any way to co-ordinate them.

The only way I can suggest for adding more ADDR RGB lighting devices of whatever type AND co-ordinating all of them to the same displays would involve assembling a custom system from components from other makers. For example, I believe there is an ADDR RGB controller system that is hard to find from Cooler Master that can power several ADDR RGB devices from its ports (power from the PSU, not the mobo) and accept ADDR RGB signals from a mobo header to use that as the cotrnol signal in one configuration. There also may be a system from Corsair involving their Lighting Node Pro and RGB Fan LED Hub that would let you connect several ADDR RGB strips to the Hub, and then feed the control signals from the Lighting Node Pro to the Hub. In fact, the Pro box can operate (independently, I THINK) two channels each connected to Hubs for more devices. BUT then the actual control signals are generated in the Pro box by a software connection to a free utility from Corsair that you download and run. It does NOT use the control abilities of the mobo header at all. Corsair uses connectors for their lighting strips different from others, some some wiring adaption might be required. Further, the max current outputs of the Hub I could not find on the Corsair site. So either of these possibilities gets a bit complex with some questions not yet answered.

 

[jazgreen99]

yes those are the only items sorry its 2 140mm fans and 2 120mm fans(RGB)There is a 400mm RGB strip which came with the case and an additional 1m ive checked!So maybe the amps are less considering its 400mm.what i could do is take that 400mm out and switch it to another 2m that way the amps might just be less then the max header capacity.What do you think about that?

That was what i was considering but taking into account as youve said its not possible only if i can find a way to make sure the capacity is ok.

Regarding the Cpu cooler.I was thinking of going for the COOLER MASTER MASTERLIQUID ML240R RGB PRE-FILLED LIQUID BASED CPU COOLER; 240MM RADIATOR; 2x 120MM MASTERFAN MF120R ARGB.

Instead of adding additional RGB Strips,or would it be the same issue?I saw the coorsiar controler hub i think it was a 6 controller but is it eligible for any mob or case?

 

[Paperdoc]

Sorry I'm delayed and can;t give yo a full reply right now. I was in the middle of a long set of details, and I goofed and wiped it out. Will come back to finish. Bottom line is I think your plain RGB lighting system if at max right now, and adding the Cooler Master Masterliquid ML240R RGB system with all its lighting and advanced ARGB Controller will do a lot of good for what you want. I'll provide details later, plus a few questions to be directed to Tech Support at Cooler Master.

 

[jazgreen99]

Sorry I'm delayed and can;t give yo a full reply right now. I was in the middle of a long set of details, and I goofed and wiped it out. Will come back to finish. Bottom line is I think your plain RGB lighting system if at max right now, and adding the Cooler Master Masterliquid ML240R RGB system with all its lighting and advanced ARGB Controller will do a lot of good for what you want. I'll provide details later, plus a few questions to be directed to Tech Support at Cooler Master.

No Problem at all. i figured out that all my rgb lighting in my case was all connected to the front panel of my case,(The 400mm RGB STRIP which came with the case is daisy chained to the extra 1M i bought)Because the one end of the 400mm is free theres a connector on the end but it hasnt been used if you no what i mean! but i was going to add more RGB Strips but theres no space ive tried my best to check but theres no ways another 1m will fit in.

 

[Paperdoc]

Well I think that means everything has changed. If I get this right, you actually have nothing connected to the mobo plain RGB header, and all the lighting units you have are connected to the case's front panel control.

So if that's right, any additional lighting you want CAN be connected to the mobo header, limited to 3.0 A max. And also limited to the plain RGB variety, not ADDR RGB IF you want to use the mobo header. By the way, before adding to the existing daisy-chain arrangement, check the specs for those items and your case's control system for limits on how long a chain you can use, and for max amps.

Now, at first you discussed adding a CPU cooler system in the context of using it to add more RGB lighting devices. Now you no longer have that need. BUT, do you still want to add some type of AIO cooler system on your CPU anyway? You mentioned a particular Cooler Master unit which has a lot of capability and many connections to make. If you are going to pursue that (or another product) post back here and we can help if you need it.

 

[jazgreen99]

@paperdoc i opened the case earlier to remove the top fan as i wanted to add the cpu cooler.what i actually found was that single fan which i removed,its rgb frame was connected to a splitter straight from the rgb header then it was daisy changed all the way to the case lighting because thats where the led strips are connected to becuase they would be able to reach the motherboard rgb header thats how everything is done now.

regarding the cpu cooler i think im going to add that instead of the extra rgb strips because the rgb header is probably st 3.A capacity already so the Cpu cooler that im looking at is the Corsair h100! Rgb platinum saw excatly how to install it because i wont be needing the rgb header.
Correct me if im wrong i read up that the 240mm fan on the radiator(120mmX2)has a fan splitter for the cpu header.it then has a usb adapter which plugs from the cooler to the usb and then its connefcted via a Sata cable.i wouldnt be able to use Aura sync with the other case lighting.i would have to download another software.

i was looking at the coolermaster but it looks so complicated to install especially with the rgb controller which i dont really want.Then there was the NXZT Kracken K52 that i was looking at but they are preety much the same dont you think?

what are your thoughts?

 

[Paperdoc]

The Corsair H100i cooler system does all its own controlling using Corsair's iCue software utility and a USB2 able connection from a mobo header to the pump unit for communication. As far as I can tell, it does not have any way to co-ordinate what its lights do with a mobo plain RGB header or with a case RGB controller system. On fact, the lights in the Corsair system are the ARGB type, but that does not really matter when they are being powered and controlled separately.

With the H100i system you connect power to the pump unit from a SATA output from the PSU, then connect a signal cable from the pump to the mobo CPU_FAN header. This latter cable merely sends the pump' speed signal to the CPU_FAN header for monitoring. Then there are two splitter cables coming out of the pump. One is for the motors of the two fans on the radiator; the other is for the ARGB lighting parts on each fan. You download and install the iCue software. Via the USB2 cable connection it controls CPU cooling by changing speeds of the fans on the rad, and it also controls the ARGB lighting effects on the pump and rad fans. All this is completely separate from whatever the plain 4-pin RGB lighting units on your case are doing.

The web page for the Kraken K52 system says it is supplied with AER P fans on the radiator. Those do NOT have any lighting components in them, so the only lighting effects with that cooler system is in the pump unit. Now, NZXT might have changed that to supplying their newer AER RGB2 fans with that system, but that is not what the web page describes.

 

[jazgreen99]

The Corsair H100i cooler system does all its own controlling using Corsair's iCue software utility and a USB2 able connection from a mobo header to the pump unit for communication. As far as I can tell, it does not have any way to co-ordinate what its lights do with a mobo plain RGB header or with a case RGB controller system. On fact, the lights in the Corsair system are the ARGB type, but that does not really matter when they are being powered and controlled separately.

With the H100i system you connect power to the pump unit from a SATA output from the PSU, then connect a signal cable from the pump to the mobo CPU_FAN header. This latter cable merely sends the pump' speed signal to the CPU_FAN header for monitoring. Then there are two splitter cables coming out of the pump. One is for the motors of the two fans on the radiator; the other is for the ARGB lighting parts on each fan. You download and install the iCue software. Via the USB2 cable connection it controls CPU cooling by changing speeds of the fans on the rad, and it also controls the ARGB lighting effects on the pump and rad fans. All this is completely separate from whatever the plain 4-pin RGB lighting units on your case are doing.

The web page for the Kraken K52 system says it is supplied with AER P fans on the radiator. Those do NOT have any lighting components in them, so the only lighting effects with that cooler system is in the pump unit. Now, NZXT might have changed that to supplying their newer AER RGB2 fans with that system, but that is not what the web page describes.

Thank you for all the information. Much appreciated I saw a YouTube installation video and the install is exactly what you described.

Do you think that will be a better option for me to add more lighting?Are they low noise fans?

I read up that the kraken only has rgb pump header but it didn’t say anything about the fans.Have you personally seen the Corsair H100i?

 

[Paperdoc]

I have no personal experience with the Corsair H100i RGB Platinum system. As far a fan performance goes, I consider the Noctua products to be among the best, so I tend to use them as a best-case comparison basis. Typically they deliver high air flow against good backpressures with low noise, and are well built to last a long time. Of course, Noctua do NOT have any RGB fans, so a direct comparison with the Corsair ML120 PRO RGB LED line is not exactly the same. But given that, the ML120 PRO RGB units have slightly less performance (air flow and pressure max's) and slightly higher max noise than a comparable Noctua unit, but still quite OK. And those Corsair fans come with a 5-year warranty, close to what Noctua offers and much better than many lesser fans.

I agree that it appears that the Kraken K52 system has lighting in the pump portion only, and none in the fans it includes.

Regarding using the Corsair system to add to your lighting effects, it depends a great deal on other details of your case and how it is assembled. The fans on a Radiator show very little light through the rad. So IF they are mounted on the INSIDE of the rad, their light is directed into the case. Now, if you have a case with a big open transparent window on its side, that may show the lighting effects depending on where your case it placed. The options for directly exposing the RGB fans to the exterior of the case really come down to mounting the fans on the OUTSIDE of the rad, and then that involves air flow direction and balance. Many people want to place INTAKE fans in the case front, and one way to do that is to mount your rad there with the fans outside the rad drawing outside air into the case and blowing it over the rad. This does that job. Then it is often advised that the case have an EXHAUST fan at the rear, and that often does NOT have lighting in it because it may never be seen. For some, that's enough air flow, and gives reasonable balance. Ideally (I believe, although others may differ), you should have slightly more air flow capacity as Intake over Exhaust so that the case has a small positive pressure inside, and any air leakage through cracks flows inside to outside, preventing inflow of dust. And that also means that the Intake fans really need to have dust filters on them to keep out the major airborne dust source. So more intake fans than exhaust fans is a ROUGH way to ensure that balance. Taking into account that the radiator AND the dust filters both restrict air flow through any fan, a pair of fans with dust filters and blowing though a rad on the front will not cause as much air flow as two unrestricted fans, but surely more than one unrestricted rear fan, so appropriate balance is likely in this arrangement.

Now, many people think that is not enough air flow, and want to add more fans on the top. It is often recommended that the top fans be directed for exhaust. In fact, that's another way to arrange a rad and fans. Put the rad on top with the fans INSIDE it and blowing warmer air from the case interior out through the rad. Then mount intake fans in the front instead of the rad system. But if you do that, the air through the rad is warmer than outside air so the cooling effect is reduced, and many would prefer to make a top-mounted rad an INTAKE to improve on that. Simply mounting the rad and fans that way on the top instead of on the front would achieve that and establish much the same air flow balance as before, but it does not add more air flow. And that MAY not expose your RGB lighting as well as a front-mounted system.

So how do we get more air flow (IF you consider it needed)? One arrangement many like is to do the rad system in front, single exhaust fan at rear, and two added fans in the top for exhaust. To my way of thinking that creates an airflow strongly pushed toward negative interior pressure. Simply switching the top fan pair to intake makes too much intake capacity, I think. Personally I would prefer front rad (and fans) intake, single or double rear exhaust, and one added intake fan in the front IF there is space, or in the top. IF there is space on the rear for a second exhaust fan, then two added intakes (front and / or top) would make some sense.

Anyway, that's my design thinking. You may disagree on some of my preferences, and that's up to you - it's your system! And I realize that this has gotten more complicated, moving from simply adding RGB lighting, to fan and radiator placement for maximum visual appeal as well as balancing air flow and dust intake, etc. Further, if you were to consider adding more than the two ARGB fans that come with the Corsair H100i system, where would you plug in their ARGB lighting components? But of course you might not do that - you already have some fans with Phanteks frames that use the plain RGB system from your mobo header, and that is part of your air flow balance and placement thinking.

Have fun figuring this all out!