Motherboard does not control PWM fans (kinda) help!

[wbuck]

Hello All,

First, my motherboard is a GIGABYTE GA-Z97X-UD5H-BK (Z97).

I have a Silverstone PWM fan controller hub. For those not familiar with it, it allows you to connect up to 8 PWM fans into the hub.
The hub is designed to only send/receive a signal to and from the mobo through one of the plugged in fans (the hub denotes which fan is used for this).
The hub it self is powered via sata power. The hub then connects to your motherboard via a 4 pin connector.

Now, because the hub is powered by sata, the 4 pin connector which connects to your motherboard only actually uses 2 pins (the signal pins).
The power and ground pins are empty.

The issue I'm seeing is I'm unable to control the fan hub, all fans run at 100% no matter what I set the BIOS too.

When I plug one of the 4 pin fans directly into the motherboard (not using the hub) I'm able to control the fan with no issues.

At first I thought it was an issue with the fan hub until I realized I'm also unable to control my PWM D5 pump.

The PWM D5 pump gets its power through a molex connector and to control the pump there is a 4 pin connector which plugs into your mobo.
Again, this connector only actually uses the signal pins, the power and ground pins are empty.

I've tried every PWM header on the board with the same result.

It appears the mobo only recognizes a PWM controlled device if it is not only sending and receiving a signal from the device but also supplying it power.

This would make sense as any 4 pin fan I plug directly into the mobo can be controlled with no issue.

Has anyone else experienced this before? Is there a walk around for it?

I feel my only solution at this point is buying an Aquaero 5LT to have any control.

Thanks

 

[inVain]

try plug any 3pin fan to your motherboard with control capability.
if it can be controlled by the corresponding header, check your BIOS if it allows you to change between PWM /voltage control.

for most typical mobo, only the cpu_fan header which usually came with true pwm capability

 

[ATMINSIDE]

What brand and model of fans are you using? How many?

 

[wbuck]

What brand and model of fans are you using? How many?

They're Corsair SP120 PWM fans (Performance edition).

I'm trying to connect 8 fans in total.
Well, 8 fans plus a PWM D5 pump.

- - - Updated - - -

try plug any 3pin fan to your motherboard with control capability.
if it can be controlled by the corresponding header, check your BIOS if it allows you to change between PWM /voltage control.

for most typical mobo, only the cpu_fan header which usually came with true pwm capability

I checked the BIOS already hoping I would find something of the sort but no luck.

The 4 PWM fan headers only allow you to control its speed and thats about it.

 

[ATMINSIDE]

Those fans have issues with more than 3 on one header.

 

[inVain]

I checked the BIOS already hoping I would find something of the sort but no luck.

The 4 PWM fan headers only allow you to control its speed and thats about it.

how bout the 3p fan?
did your mobo able to control them?

this is the reason why you should check it out:

note the difference between cpu_fan and the rest of the cha_fan headers

 

[wbuck]

how bout the 3p fan?
did your mobo able to control them?

this is the reason why you should check it out:

note the difference between cpu_fan and the rest of the cha_fan headers

I know the only true PWM is the CPU_FAN header (which is what I'm plugged into).

I should have just stuck with Asus, I'm so angry at myself for deviating.

 

[wbuck]

Those fans have issues with more than 3 on one header.

This was the issue. Four is the magic number for me, more than four and the fans run at 100%.

So my only option at this point is to tear down my system and buy a new mother board with more PWM fan headers (1 is not enough).

 

[ATMINSIDE]

This was the issue. Four is the magic number for me, more than four and the fans run at 100%.

So my only option at this point is to tear down my system and buy a new mother board with more PWM fan headers (1 is not enough).

No, it isn't your only option, you can buy fans that aren't garbage.
Those Corsair fans are the only ones I've ever seen this issue with.

If you want some truly good fans, look at the Noctua iPPC PWM fans. I use them in all my systems and highly recommend them to anyone.