Z77 Extreme6 - Chassis Fan 1 speed N/A even though fans are running

[CookyMonzta]

I have the Z77 Extreme6 with all fans running normally.

Here is where my motherboard may be having trouble recognizing what is plugged into my CHA_FAN1 socket:

http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NjAwWDYwMA==/z/9sIAAOSwk5FUypza/$_12.JPG

http://www.koolertek.com/computer-parts/pc/catalog/PY-1012-1.JPG

They are both the same thing: A 3-pin-to-6x3-pin fan Y-splitter. I have six 40mm fans, each plugged into one of those 6 cables. The other end of that Y-splitter is plugged into CHA_FAN1.

All 6 fans run normally. Unfortunately, in my UEFI, where Chassis Fan 1 Speed is located, it reads N/A. The other fan speeds are displayed normally.

I have yet to test the CHA_FAN1 socket with a single fan plugged directly into it; but is is quite possible (if not obvious) that the fan speed can't be determined from that socket because there are simply too many fans plugged into that one socket, via the splitter? All 6 of my 40mm fans are exactly the same brand and model. I've tested that splitter with one fan plugged in, and the CHA_FAN1 speed still could not be read (still N/A).

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Re: Z77 Extreme6 - Chassis Fan 1 speed N/A even though fans are running

Your splitter cable seems to be the Phobya 3-Pin x 6 Fan Cable Splitter I found on Koolertek's site, is that right?

If so, that is a good splitter cable because it only has one of the six fan end connections with the fan speed pin available. If all the fan end connectors had the fan speed pin connected, you'd get a mixed up speed signal that the board could not read. That is the usual problem with poorly designed fan splitter cables.

When you tested with one fan, you likely (by chance) connected it to one of the connectors that did not have the fan speed pin connected.

But you probably have a different problem. First check that your 40mm fans actually have three wires running to their connector. If they only have two wires, those fans do not provide the speed/RPM signal to the board. So you'll never get an RPM reading.

Also, the Chassis Fan 1 header on your board is a four pin, PWM controlled connector. You should be able to use it with the three pin fan splitter, but you won't be able to control the fan speed at all, unless the fans are four pin PWM fans.

The main thing now is to verify if your fans have three wires or two connected to their connector. What is the model of those fans?

[CookyMonzta]

Re: Z77 Extreme6 - Chassis Fan 1 speed N/A even though fans are running

There was no tag identifying the name brand of my 6-in-1 3-pin fan splitter, but I imagine that it might be the Phobya. There is a tag on one of the cables identifying the socket with 3 pins inside (the other 5 cables have only 2 pins). I removed all of the other fans from the splitter, and left the one inside the cable with 3 pins. Still, no speed was displayed in my UEFI.

I removed the splitter from the CHA_FAN1 socket, and plugged a single fan directly in that socket. The speed was displayed.

It looks as if this motherboard can't display any speed if a splitter can hold more fans than the board can handle, even if the splitter has only one fan plugged into it. A 2-in-1 fan splitter, maybe 3-in-1, will probably show the fan speed in the UEFI; but 6-in-1, probably not, unless there is a 6-in-1 splitter that is better.

One other thing: All of my 40mm fans have 3 wires (red, yellow, black), connected to 3-pin plugs. They are quite loud, very loud when I have all 6 plugged in.

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Re: Z77 Extreme6 - Chassis Fan 1 speed N/A even though fans are running

That is weird.

Your description of the splitter cable sounds like it is made correctly, only one of the fan connectors has three pins, the other five don't.

What doesn't make sense is when using only one fan connected to the single fan connection that has all three pins connected, you still don't get a speed reading. With no fans on any of the other connectors, how could they affect the speed reading, or over load the fan header?

The splitter cable may be defective, the third wire for the fan speed is not connected.

[CookyMonzta]

Re: Z77 Extreme6 - Chassis Fan 1 speed N/A even though fans are running

When I tested a single fan, I tested a 60mm blue LED fan.

Apparently, as it looks right now, any fan will display a speed in my UEFI, with or without the 6-in-1 splitter...

...That is, except this one:

http://sishardware.com/imgs/a/a/a/q/..._fan_5_lgw.jpg

These are what I have plugged into my 6-in-1 splitter. I bought them at eBay. I plugged one of them directly into CHA_FAN1, and no speed displayed in my UEFI. Either they are too small to have a microchip to transmit information to my motherboard, or the Chinese manufacturer didn't put it on the fan's circuit board. Serves me right for buying generic fans.

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Re: Z77 Extreme6 - Chassis Fan 1 speed N/A even though fans are running

Oh well, too bad, but at least that makes sense. Maybe they are from a defective batch the seller got for extra cheap, and dumping them on eBay.

I wonder if you could return them to the seller, if they were sold as having a speed reading output.

Unless you have a special use for those small fans, they don't move much air and just whine a lot.

[CookyMonzta]

Re: Z77 Extreme6 - Chassis Fan 1 speed N/A even though fans are running

I tried more than one of these fans. I bought 10 of them. I couldn't return them if I wanted to. It took me too long to build my machine, because I had other issues to tend to.

I've got 40mm Cooler Master Blue LED fans coming in the mail soon. I will use no more than 4 of them. I hope they have microchips that can send fan-speed information to my UEFI (with that brand name, I expect it). I'll have to cut more plastic to make 2 new mounts for these fans.