Alternatives to Corsair Commander Pro for coolant temp-based fan control?

[ShadyHost]

I'm having some issues with my Commander Pro where some of the fan headers will die out/become unresponsive intermittently. RPM reports 0 and the fans don't spin. Power cycling the Commander Pro, resetting it in software, and reinstalling iCue + completely wiping and reinstalling Windows hasn't resolved the issue and I'm at the point where I want to switch to something else. Unfortunately my motherboard does not have a temp probe input (that I'm aware of)
My current workaround is to use more splitters than needed so I can shove more fans on working ports. Currently 2 of my ports are not functioning. Ports are all set to 4-pin PWM control in settings.

My use case:
GPU temp controls pump speed. It's basically an on/off setup where below 45c the pump is running at 2000rpm and above 45c it goes up to 4500rpm. 
Coolant temp controls fan speed. I have this set to 550rpm to start and 900rpm at 36c (coolant temp)

 

Hardware setup:

Commander Pro 

3x Corsair "XR5" 360mm rads

9x Noctua NF-F12 iPPC-2000 (splitters in use since CP only has 6x ports)

Corsair Hydro X pump w/ temp probe

[Skiiwee29]

I had this probably too a long time ago that was the result of a software conflict with HWInfo64. 

[ShadyHost]

Just now, Skiiwee29 said:

I had this probably too a long time ago that was the result of a software conflict with HWInfo64. 

I've got MSI Afterburner, iCue, and GPU-z running most of the time. I fresh installed Windows recently to reduce the possibility it's a software conflict and the odd part is that it's happened to me a few times now and each time on different ports. 

[Skiiwee29]

20 minutes ago, ShadyHost said:

I've got MSI Afterburner, iCue, and GPU-z running most of the time. I fresh installed Windows recently to reduce the possibility it's a software conflict and the odd part is that it's happened to me a few times now and each time on different ports. 

BIOS and chipset drivers up to date? Have you tried a different USB 2 header on the board?

[ShadyHost]

1 minute ago, Skiiwee29 said:

BIOS and chipset drivers up to date? Have you tried a different USB 2 header on the board?

I do keep my chipset drivers updated but I have not updated the BIOS in a while and I have not switched USB headers
I'll give these a shot and see if the two ports come back 

[wONKEyeYEs]

41 minutes ago, ShadyHost said:

Alternatives to Corsair Commander Pro

NZXT RGB & Fan Controller, but it only has 3 fan ports.

or you could try this FanControl, my take on a SpeedFan replacement

 

[ShadyHost]

31 minutes ago, wONKEyeYEs said:

NZXT RGB & Fan Controller, but it only has 3 fan ports.

or you could try this FanControl, my take on a SpeedFan replacement

 

Looking at the FanControl software it does have a lot of features I wish iCue had (like altering how quickly my pump speed reacts) but I can't figure out if this software can read from my temp probe connected to the Commander Pro. 

[Sir Beregond]

I had the same conflict with iCue and HWInfo64, doing clean uninstalls/reinstalls including cleaning up the registry did not solve anything. I did what I was going to do anyway and ditched it for an Aquacomputer Octo. That said, I either need to find an adapter for my current flow/temp sensor, or else get an Aquacomputer sensor to feed data through the Octo into Aquasuite.

[Blai5e]

@ShadyHost - I avoid using any splitters on my Commander Pro's and many a soul have experienced issues with Noctua fans used in conjunction with the Commander Pro.

 

I have two rigs; both with 3 x 360mm radiators and a PWM D5 pump (10 x PWM devices) so... do I suffer the same "not enough ports on my Commander Pro" issue as you?  NO 

 

Each rig runs a Commander Pro (CoPro) coupled to a G1/4" 10kΩ temperature sensor to read my fluid temperature as you do; use 1 x PWM port on the CoPro for the D5 pump and 1 x PWM port on the CoPro connecting to a Lampton SP105 fan controller - a powered 10 port PWM fan controller which sells for around $15. I do exactly the same on my test bench albeit it only runs 2 x 240mm radiators and a D5 Pump (5 x PWM devices). Using a separate powered fan controller provides the advantages of:

• Eliminating the finicky issue some people experience with certain brands of fans playing nicely with the CoPro,
• No fan splitters hanging off the CoPro (which can be problematic on its own), and
• If you want to run a different fan curve, a single cooling entry to change in ICUE.

I'd try this route initially as it would be much cheap alternative over going down the Aquacomputer rabbit hole.

[Mick Naughty]

Really liking fancontrol. Has most of everything I want. Havent figured out how to make a quick selection for actual profiles but has lot of adjustability. 

[fonzz1e]

i'm using AQ quadro with XD5 pump & its temp sensor

[BabaGanuche]

My motherboard has an input for a temp sensor that I use for coolant based fan curves. I just use that in the BIOS as the input temp for the fan curves.

[LynxKCG]

This might sound silly, but I was having similar problems with my 2 commander setup. Problems went away when I plugged them into NZXT internal USB hubs. No love for iCue, but it works now.

[ShadyHost]

On 8/14/2022 at 4:53 PM, Blai5e said:

@ShadyHost - I avoid using any splitters on my Commander Pro's and many a soul have experienced issues with Noctua fans used in conjunction with the Commander Pro.

 

I have two rigs; both with 3 x 360mm radiators and a PWM D5 pump (10 x PWM devices) so... do I suffer the same "not enough ports on my Commander Pro" issue as you?  NO 

 

Each rig runs a Commander Pro (CoPro) coupled to a G1/4" 10kΩ temperature sensor to read my fluid temperature as you do; use 1 x PWM port on the CoPro for the D5 pump and 1 x PWM port on the CoPro connecting to a Lampton SP105 fan controller - a powered 10 port PWM fan controller which sells for around $15. I do exactly the same on my test bench albeit it only runs 2 x 240mm radiators and a D5 Pump (5 x PWM devices). Using a separate powered fan controller provides the advantages of:

• Eliminating the finicky issue some people experience with certain brands of fans playing nicely with the CoPro,
• No fan splitters hanging off the CoPro (which can be problematic on its own), and
• If you want to run a different fan curve, a single cooling entry to change in ICUE.

I'd try this route initially as it would be much cheap alternative over going down the Aquacomputer rabbit hole.

Oooh

I’m gonna order that fan controller and give it a shot. 

[ShadyHost]

To follow up on this thread;

 

it’s been a couple weeks and my fans have been working (splitters on the working ports) and I haven’t identified a “fix” yet 

 

going to try a powered hub mentioned above and I’ll report back 

[thrasher_565]

9 hours ago, ShadyHost said:

To follow up on this thread;

 

it’s been a couple weeks and my fans have been working (splitters on the working ports) and I haven’t identified a “fix” yet 

 

going to try a powered hub mentioned above and I’ll report back 

if you have all the same fan then just use splitors off the working ports. we are talking about the commander pro and not the core right? the pro has thows hubs that have sata power from em already so really just need the data and ground from the working port.

 

pwm you can buy power pwm hubs as well.

 

if you want to try something els thow i would go for aqua computer.

Edited August 28, 2022 by thrasher_565