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How to connect fans to a MB

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Offline killagorilla

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How to connect fans to a MB
« on: July 06, 2019, 03:34:53 PM »
I'm lost with putting my new PC together and google/youtube wasn't able to help either.
Maybe somone here can help.
That's what I've got: Asus GT501 case (a set of 3 fans at the front and 1 fan at the rear built-in), Asus ROG STRIX Z390-F motherboard, a set of 3 LIAN LI RGB fans with button controller.
The LIAN LI fans are compatible with Asus' AURA SYNC.
The cabling of the 3 front built-in fans was done and it ends up with a button controller and just one cable coming out of it, which is a SATA 15-pin. In addition to that there's a cable, which should go to the PSU.
The LIAN LI fans have a button controller with this 15-pin SATA cable as well, but the cable set doesn't include a plug matching the sockets on the PSU.

It's strange that I can't find a matching socket on the Asus MB for the fans of the Asus case.
There are 2 4-pin sockets on the MB, one labelled CHA_FAN1 and on CHA_FAN2.
However, apart from the issue of a plug/socket missmatch, there are still (I think) 3 connections needed, i.e. front, top rear.

Yeah, I'm really at my wits' end here...I'm sort of specialised and pretty good at USB connections...haha.
Never build a computer of course.
Thanks

Offline buellersdayoff

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Re: How to connect fans to a MB
« Reply #1 on: July 06, 2019, 04:39:20 PM »
The Sata cables will supply the power to the controller and will power the fans at full speed, unless the controller has buttons on it (to change fan speed) or a connector to fit to a mobo fan connector. The fan controller may have a usb connector allowing connection to the mobo and control via software, it could also have an led connector to mobo. Shouldn't need the molex connector as the Sata supplies power and molex is pretty shit.
What does the manual say for these devices?
Edit, Just re-read your post, should only need the Sata cables, the fan hubs handle everything if they don't have usb, 4/3pin fan or led connectors
« Last Edit: July 06, 2019, 04:46:30 PM by buellersdayoff »

Offline killagorilla

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Re: How to connect fans to a MB
« Reply #2 on: July 06, 2019, 05:11:26 PM »
Thanks mate. The problem is, there are no sockets on the MB for these 15-pin SATA plugs.
The Asus MB and case manuals don't say anything about the connection of the built-in fans. There is a sort of reasonably detailed manual with the LIAN LI fans, but it still doesn't make sense to me...probably lacking too much basic knowledge.
I'm not surprised too much that the LIAN Li's are causing me grief, but having an Asus case and MB, hooking up the completely wired built-in's should be pretty straightforward I thought.
Btw, the 2 plugs on the left are from the front built-in's, the plugs and controller on the right belong to the LIAN LI's.
« Last Edit: July 06, 2019, 05:15:22 PM by killagorilla »

Offline buellersdayoff

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Re: How to connect fans to a MB
« Reply #3 on: July 06, 2019, 05:35:56 PM »
Thanks mate. The problem is, there are no sockets on the MB for these 15-pin SATA plugs.
The Asus MB and case manuals don't say anything about the connection of the built-in fans. There is a sort of reasonably detailed manual with the LIAN LI fans, but it still doesn't make sense to me...probably lacking too much basic knowledge.
I'm not surprised too much that the LIAN Li's are causing me grief, but having an Asus case and MB, hooking up the completely wired built-in's should be pretty straightforward I thought.
Btw, the 2 plugs on the left are from the front built-in's, the plugs and controller on the right belong to the LIAN LI's.
The Sata plugs go to the power supply, just like a hard drive. If you want the mobo to control the lights then you unplug led from the controller and plug it into the mobo

Offline Bird

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Re: How to connect fans to a MB
« Reply #4 on: July 06, 2019, 07:11:45 PM »
The confusion maybe that "sata cable" usually refers to the HDD sata cable (the data cable) but there's a sata power cable standard - that's what these are.
As Bueller said, plug them into a sata power cable coming off your PSU, the controller box should take care of the rest.

Offline buellersdayoff

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Re: How to connect fans to a MB
« Reply #5 on: July 06, 2019, 08:02:39 PM »
Also if you have to go dig up another sata cable (one from the power supply) be sure to use the one that came with it and not a different branded cable, a lot of power supplies are wired differently at psu end. From memory those corsairs had "type 3/4" inked on the end of the cable. Don't want to fry anything

Offline buellersdayoff

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Re: How to connect fans to a MB
« Reply #6 on: July 06, 2019, 09:36:59 PM »
To control the fan speed via mobo bios and fan headers you might need a couple of these https://www.pccasegear.com/products/35671/cablemod-4-pin-fan-to-3x-4-pin-fan-y-cable-black-10cm provided the fans have standard 3/4 pin connectors, some led fans have proprietary connections which incorporate the led

Offline killagorilla

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Re: How to connect fans to a MB
« Reply #7 on: July 07, 2019, 10:05:22 AM »
Thanks again. You'd fix that up in no time if you had it i front of you I'm sure. It must be a simple job, because I couldn't find anything on youtube explaining how it's done. Based on the way the sales guy at umart was talking I got the impression I need these button controllers.
Out of both of them there are these Serial ATA cables (see picture) coming out and I'm assuming I have to connect them to something. It can't be the PSU as the sockets are completely different, so that probably means it must be the MB. I had a thorough look, but can't find a socket taking these sort of plugs.
I may just need an adapter, but that doesn't make sense to me. Asus case with built-in fans and Asus MB should match...otherwise the sales guy should/would have said something I guess.
I called this Serial ATA cable SATA before. That may have confused you.
There is a plug on the built-in fans which goes into the PSU. However, I wonder where the 3 LIAN LI fans get their power from.
Here another picture of one of these Serial ATA plugs I need sockets for.
One of the pictures shows a kind of hub which was coming with the LIAN LI fans. I wonder what it's for, fan speed control or RGB lighting control. It takes 6 cables. Might be good to connect the 3 front built-in fans (RGB as well) in order to control them more easily.
Must be very difficult for you help without having it physically in front of you...seems I need someone to take a look at it.
Thanks for taking the time to help  :)
« Last Edit: July 07, 2019, 10:17:59 AM by killagorilla »

Offline buellersdayoff

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Re: How to connect fans to a MB
« Reply #8 on: July 07, 2019, 12:21:38 PM »
First pic, male sata, goes to power supply female sata same one that connects to a hard drive and only supplies power.
Second pic is a pwm splitter/hub, input port goes to the mobo fan port and the other six go to fans. This one can be controlled via bios.

Offline killagorilla

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Re: How to connect fans to a MB
« Reply #9 on: July 07, 2019, 03:49:29 PM »
Ha, found an adapter, which has 2 female sockets and therefore makes it possible to connect both 3-fan sets together to the PSU.
That part makes sense now...power is solved :-)
I would want to control fan speed and lighting via MB/AURA software.

In my 1st post I described what fan sockets I've got on my MB.
There are two more things I've got to understand.
1) Can you have a look at my first picture and just focus on the 2 cables/plugs on the left and tell me if I have to take off this 4-pin female plug (the one with the red and red/black cable) and connect this 3-pin plug to the MB? I think I have to, otherwise there's no way to control these 3 front fans by this AURA software. This plug would fit the fan sockets on the MB, but has only 3 pins, the MB socket has 4 though.
2) As mentioned before I've got only 2 (labelled) fan sockets on my MB. How do I connect my 3 fans (two sets of 3 and this single one at the rear)? The Asus rear fan female plug actually does fit on the male socket on the LIAN LI hub. Should I plug it in there? I don't know if the wiring is the same, but it seems ground is matching as there's a white dashed line on the LIAN LI and Asus cables and that seems to indicate it's ground based on the labeling on the LIAN LI hub. Otherwise I need to plug the data cable of one of the fans either somewhere else into the MB or use a splitter cable, which I don't have atm.

Cheers for your patience  :)


Offline buellersdayoff

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Re: How to connect fans to a MB
« Reply #10 on: July 07, 2019, 04:16:53 PM »
Ha, found an adapter, which has 2 female sockets and therefore makes it possible to connect both 3-fan sets together to the PSU.
That part makes sense now...power is solved :-)
I would want to control fan speed and lighting via MB/AURA software.

In my 1st post I described what fan sockets I've got on my MB.
There are two more things I've got to understand.
1) Can you have a look at my first picture and just focus on the 2 cables/plugs on the left and tell me if I have to take off this 4-pin female plug (the one with the red and red/black cable) and connect this 3-pin plug to the MB? I think I have to, otherwise there's no way to control these 3 front fans by this AURA software. This plug would fit the fan sockets on the MB, but has only 3 pins, the MB socket has 4 though.
2) As mentioned before I've got only 2 (labelled) fan sockets on my MB. How do I connect my 3 fans (two sets of 3 and this single one at the rear)? The Asus rear fan female plug actually does fit on the male socket on the LIAN LI hub. Should I plug it in there? I don't know if the wiring is the same, but it seems ground is matching as there's a white dashed line on the LIAN LI and Asus cables and that seems to indicate it's ground based on the labeling on the LIAN LI hub. Otherwise I need to plug the data cable of one of the fans either somewhere else into the MB or use a splitter cable, which I don't have atm.

Cheers for your patience  :)
All good...I'd scrap the red wire connector (you only need it if you can't connect to sata power) and plug the 3pin fan connector to mobo 4pin (it still works), then the rear fan connect to the hub with the other fans which then goes to the mobo.
As for the the led, to control it via software it will need to connect to the mobo not the hub https://www.asus.com/au/support/FAQ/1038980

 

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