Maxiums XII Hero - DRGB Headers?

[volostyle]

Hi, I'm in process of putting together a new build. I got a Maxiums XII Hero, and I'm trying to hook upthe EK AIO 360 coolor, and I'm kind of stumped. It requires the following:

4-Pin PWM Header for pump and fan operation
3-Pin Addressable 5V D-RGB header

The 4-pin PWM header is no problem, but for the life of me I can't find any 3-pin D-RGB headers. Does this motherboard really not have any?

Also, I replaced the stock AIO fans with some Corsair QL120's. I know the LED cables of the fans need to go into the Corsair Lighting Node, which then plugs into my Corsair Commander. But what about the PWM cables? Should I plug those directly into the AIO fan header using the include 3-way splitter, or should I plug the PWM cables into the Corsair Commander so that iCue Software can control them? Or does it even matter for PWM? I know the LED has to go through the Lighting Node for iCue to control it, but I'm unsure about the PWM.

Any help would be appreciated!

[PerpetualCycle]

I have the Hero plus the EK.

It needs A-RGB headers (3 pin). The Hero has 2, one on top right of board, and one on bottom left. You can daisy-chain them on the EK-AIO so you only need one connection to the MB. I have my pump and the 3 fan RGB daisy chained and connected to the top A-RGB header.

I don't know what the EK marketing D-RGB means. Digital?

Let me provide a warning though about clearances with the EK on the Hero. The hose connectors on the EK pump are a bit large, The Hero XII also has a large VRM heatsink below the CPU socket. Also the memory is close to the socket. You can't arrange the pump with the connectors pointing down as the VRM heatsink interferes with the connectors. You can only arrange the pump with the connectors on the right if you only have 2 memory sticks or the memory in slot 1 will interfere with the pump connectors. At least with my g,skill RGB RAM.

I have 4 sticks so the only viable arrangement was with the pump connectors facing up:

[volostyle]

Are those two ports 4 pin though? I see the two ports you are talking about, they are labeled RGB, but they are both 4-pin 12+v ports and in the manual for the EK, it says I can't use these or it will damage the LED's. Hmm maybe I'm missing the correct headers.

[PerpetualCycle]

No they are 3-pin, Yiu can see in this diagram the ports labeled 12 are 3 pin Gene2, and they are 5v

[volostyle]

Wow, I feel dumb, I've literally been staring at that header for like an hour and thought ADD 2.1 meant something else.. 🙂

Do you know how I should hook up my Corsair fans PWM? Should I use the AIO fan header? Or should I plug the PWM directly into the Corsair Commander along with the LED (which has to go there)? I guess I can do trial and error but I'd like to do it correctly the first time. 🙂

I see what you mean about the space. I only have two DIMM's which gives me just enough space to position the water block the correct orientation with the hoses coming out to the right. I also have an XL case, so I have a little more clearance above the MB to work with as well.

[PerpetualCycle]

there is no AIO fan header. There is an AIO pump header that is meant to be 100%. Can't tell you about the corsair stuff. I have the EK fans connected to a fan hub on my motherboard, and that connected to the CPU fan header, which provides the PWM to and rpm signals from the hub.

I have my pump connected to the aio pump header. There is a slight audible whine with my pump at 100%, so I run it at 90% and cannot hear it, and it doesn't affect the cooling capacity any.

[volostyle]

Ya sorry that's what I meant. Is it okay to plug the AIO fans into a header other than the CPU_FAN header? Does it matter?

[PerpetualCycle]

Well I'm not sure. The motherboard may complain about no CPU fan when it boots. In principle it shouldn't, but I bet it does. Best thing IMP is to use a fan hub connected to the CPU fan header and connect the three fans to the hub.