wiring Wiring for CoolerMaster ML240L RGB cooler

[SirRubsA_Ducky]

Before I start, here are the relevant parts to my issue:

 

Gigabyte Z390 UD motherboard
CoolerMaster ML240L RGB Liquid Cooler

Fractal Design R6 Blackout Case

 

Manual links:

Cooler Master ML240L

https://www.manualslib.com/manual/1452876/Cooler-Master-Masterliquid-Ml240l-Rgb.html?page=13#manual

Fractal Design R6 Blackout Case

(Attached)

 

The wiring diagram from Cooler Master for this cooler is lackluster to say the least, it shows that the pump needs to be connected to the CPU_FAN header, while the actual fans need to use the supplied splitter and be connected to the CPU_AUX header (or equivalent), while all the RGB/PWM 4 pin headers all go to the supplied PWM controller from the ML240L box.

I have two questions:

 

1. Does it matter if I connect the splitter fans to any SYS_FAN header on the board instead? The Gigabyte z390 UD only has one CPU_FAN header, and 3 SYS_FAN headers, and my case will have 5 fans total after the ML240L is installed with the 3 existing case fans. This creates a bit of an issue with header availability, I need 4 headers, but only have 3 for fan support. I could use splitters on the case fans to reduce the amount of headers used, but I don't want to wait for them to arrive from amazon, but I could just leave one unplugged in the meantime, and add it when the splitter arrives.

 

2. There is a PWM controller mounted inside the back panel of this case. The manual for the case instructs that the power for the controller is to be supplied via SATA cable (there was one nearby, so that was easy), and that the soldered connection from the controller be plugged into the CPU_FAN header. I have attached an image of the specific page in the R6 manual with the schematic for the PWM controller/fan hub. There is a total of  6 lead wires on the Cooler Master ML240L assembly, two from each fan, and two from the pump block. Here is what I want to do: Plug the fan hub connector into the CPU_FAN header, power the fan hub with sata (these are a given), then I want to plug all the Power connectors for the fans into the left side (3 pin) headers on the fan hub, as well as the block pump, and all the rgb/pwm 4 pin connectors into the right side, hopefully bypassing the need for the PWM controller that came with the cooler kit. OR I could use the PWM controller and use the fan hub simply for the fans, and the block pump (3 pin).

 

Hopefully I explained my thoughts clearly enough. If anybody can confirm if what I'm thinking will work, or can help direct me otherwise it would be much appreciated. Thanks!

 

d29f080e-6bef-44b5-a5fb-9e02b8767a29.pdf

[Origami Cactus]

I don't see any rgb ports on the "fan" hub, so i don't know how you plan to connect the rgb cables to it.

 

About the fan headers? It is mostly non important, you can plug anything into anywhere, and just set the "temp input" to cpu temp, but there is a reason why pump is usually plugged straight into the cpu_fan: Because that way when the pump dies you get a "cpu fan error" and the computer turns off, but when it is in a hub/ random port then that wont happen and the computer will turn off when the cpu is like over 100c.

 

You can connect the fan hub also into any fan header on the motherboard, not only in cpu_fan.

 

So recap: You can connect any fan/fan hub into any fan header.

[paddy-stone]

No it doesn't matter IMO, as long as you have the pump on it's own header.. pref pump, but any will do. I use a fan hub for outputting from CPU fan header to all except pump, so controlled by CPU temp. BTW in that diagram, it's saying to connect the CPU fan header to the HUB.

[SirRubsA_Ducky]

3 minutes ago, Origami Cactus said:

I don't see any rgb ports on the "fan" hub, so i don't know how you plan to connect the rgb cables to it.

 

About the fan headers? It is mostly non important, you can plug anything into anywhere, and just set the "temp input" to cpu temp, but there is a reason why pump is usually plugged straight into the cpu_fan: Because that way when the pump dies you get a "cpu fan error" and the computer turns off, but when it is in a hub/ random port then that wont happen and the computer will turn off when the cpu is like over 100c.

 

You can connect the fan hub also into any fan header on the motherboard, not only in cpu_fan.

 

So recap: You can connect any fan/fan hub into any fan header.

As for the RGB, I am now realizing that I need to use the RGB controller supplied from Cooler Master, or I don't get any RGB. So theoretically I could leave all those cables unplugged, get no lights but the fans will work.

SO what I think I should do now is plug the block pump into the CPU_FAN header (its a 3 pin but needs constant power) like you mentioned, have the fan hub control all the case fans, and use the splitter supplied by the ML240L kit to use one fan header on my motherboard. This leaves one free header in the end, which is a bonus. And is it in the BIOS that I can set say SYS_FAN1 to match CPU_FAN curves?

 

Thanks for the quick reply!

[Origami Cactus]

29 minutes ago, SirRubsA_Ducky said:

As for the RGB, I am now realizing that I need to use the RGB controller supplied from Cooler Master, or I don't get any RGB. So theoretically I could leave all those cables unplugged, get no lights but the fans will work.

SO what I think I should do now is plug the block pump into the CPU_FAN header (its a 3 pin but needs constant power) like you mentioned, have the fan hub control all the case fans, and use the splitter supplied by the ML240L kit to use one fan header on my motherboard. This leaves one free header in the end, which is a bonus. And is it in the BIOS that I can set say SYS_FAN1 to match CPU_FAN curves?

 

Thanks for the quick reply!

Sorry for now my late reply, but yes, everything you said is correct.

You can leave rgb cables unplugged, you can use the fan headers as you mentioned, and you can set all the fan curves in BIOS to whatever you want. Just set it that they follow the cpu temp curve for the CPU fans that are on the radiator.