[SOLVED] Where to connect these different PC case wires ?

[incmachine]

These different wires come from the PC Case (Cooler Master MasterBox MB320L ARGB Micro-ATX with Dual ARGB Fans)

These two are connected to the same wire:

And these four are connected to the same wire:

The Gigabyte wire has 3 empty slots - while the ASUS/MSI/ASROCK wire has 3 empty slots with a closed slot near the middle:

The other two cables in the 4-wire bundle have ends that look like this:

One of these cables was covered with a plastic cap. But I actually lost track of which one that was when I was taking the pictures (I'm not sure if that's significant).

The motherboard being used in this case is the Gigabyte B450 AORUS M and the bottom of the motherboard looks like this:

I am not exactly sure where to connect these cables to the motherboard because it seems like the cables do not match what is showing in the VD_G or 12V GRBW areas. How should these cables be connected? I am worried about plugging something into the wrong slot and damaging the motherboard.

 

[DRagor]

This octopus is actually case fans wires. Those thin ones are for motors, thick ones to control lights. The bare minimum is to connect thin wire black connector to any of SYS_FAN mobo headers. Assuming the wires are coming from front of case best would be SYS_FAN2 header located next to 24 pin ATX header. It is not possible to connect it wrong orientation. This cable alone will allow case fans to run, and probably to light up too. Now, if you want to control the lights you will need to connect the thick cable as well. The connector you need to use is quite obviously the one named Gigabyte. This is were it gets tricky. The connector is only 3 pins wide? It should be 4 pins wide, as ARGB connectors are. Maybe, just maybe it is 3 pin because older Gigabyte boards had 3 pin ARGB headers. I don't see a way to connect it safely to this mobo, especially that case manual is not helpful at all. We can try to connect it risky way if you want, but be warned this could end up frying motherboard.

 

[incmachine]

We can try to connect it risky way if you want, but be warned this could end up frying motherboard.

Now, I'm scared

 

[DRagor]

Now, I'm scared

Yep I know. But we did have reports from people who connected RGB cable to motherboard wrong way and suddenly were one working PC less, so this is real possibility.

 

[incmachine]

From what I am reading, it seems like the Gigabyte connector is an outdated ARGB connector that should not be connected to the motherboard, and the ASUS/MSI/Asrock cable should be plugged into the VG_D space on the bottom of the motherboard.

Does that sound wrong, since the motherboard is Gigabyte?

 

[DRagor]

From what I am reading, it seems like the Gigabyte connector is an outdated ARGB connector that should not be connected to the motherboard, and the ASUS/MSI/Asrock cable should be plugged into the VG_D space on the bottom of the motherboard.

Does that sound wrong, since the motherboard is Gigabyte?

Nope, that's exactly what I was going to propose - to use the Asus... labeled connector. If it works with Asus mobos, and knowing they have exactly same pinout as your D_LED headers (you call them VG_D), it should work with your mobo too. However, here goes the catch. Your motherboard requires to know what voltage the cable connected to this header operates. You need to set it to either 5V or 12V. The problem is, case manual nowhere mentions which of the voltages it uses. And setting the wrong voltage is the risk I was mentioning in first post - it can end up badly.

There is one more thing - the thick cables with male connectors - there should be 3 of them. If you have only 2 this would mean one is already connected to fan. But case have 2 fans and each needs its own cable, so you have to find one more cable that goes from fans and fits with those male connectors, and connect it to one of them (does not matter which). Now there is important thing. The last cable will remain not connected, and it must have plastic cap on it. It can't just dangle around with bare metal pins as it can end badly for your PC.

 

[incmachine]

There is one more thing - the thick cables with male connectors - there should be 3 of them. If you have only 2 this would mean one is already connected to fan. But case have 2 fans and each needs its own cable, so you have to find one more cable that goes from fans and fits with those male connectors, and connect it to one of them (does not matter which).

Okay, a couple of updates. First, you were absolutely right about there being another fan cable that I was missing. I found that and connected one of these cables to it (keeping the plastic cap on the other):

Another thing I had missed was this little piece of machinery (which was in the bag with the extra screws):

I probably should have asked you first - but I went ahead and plugged in the ASUS/MSI/Asrock cable into it. Lo and behold, the thing turns on and controls the fans.

The only thing that seems strange about it is that it goes in the back of the case with all the other wires. It seems you must remove the back of the case in order to get to the switch and change the way the fans look.

I'm not picky about the way the fans look, it just seems strange that they wouldn't make it more accessible....

 

[DRagor]

Another thing I had missed was this little piece of machinery (which was in the bag with the extra screws):

Ah, yes. That's a controller. Now, there are two versions of your case, one has it and other does not. I assumed your didn't have it - call it my bad, should have asked.

It seems you must remove the back of the case in order to get to the switch and change the way the fans look.

Fortunately there is other way. You can connect a button to the controller so you don't have to open case. Typically you use Reset button for that. You would need to disconnect from motherboard 2 wires that are connected to Reset button and connect them to the controller - they go to the side that is opposite to the light cable. After you do that Reset button will let you switch the lights. The downside is you will have no way to reset your PC if is hangs - you will need to power it down with PSU switch instead.

 

[incmachine]

Ah, yes. That's a controller. Now, there are two versions of your case, one has it and other does not. I assumed your didn't have it - call it my bad, should have asked.

I think it's my fault, I should have seen it in the bag...

You can connect a button to the controller so you don't have to open case. Typically you use Reset button for that. You would need to disconnect from motherboard 2 wires that are connected to Reset button and connect them to the controller - they go to the side that is opposite to the light cable. After you do that Reset button will let you switch the lights.

This works!