I have an Enermax Dual Silent HIgh Performance Fan Upgrade (push-pull airflow) as a liquid cpu cooling system. I noticed that neither fan was running so checked cpu temp on startup in the bios and it was just above 70C. The bios also said the cpu fan speed was around 2500 rpm but neither fan was spinning (occasionally the fan speed would flick to 0 and then back to around 2500). I manually gave one of the fans a spin and it started right up and kept going. These fans have a speed control and, if you turn the speed all the way down, the fan will stop. When you turn the speed back up, it won't start again until you manually give it a spin. The speed for both was set on high and I think the computer controls the fan speed. I checked the second fan and same thing - doesn't work until you give it a spin, then runs fine. I just cleaned them both with forced air and they still don't work. They didn't seem to be very dirty. Is there something more I can do to clean the fans to "free them up" (allow them to start) when the computer asks them to run? Any other ideas?
CPU Fans Don't Spin Unless "hand started"
- Thread starter brsuka
- Start date
Solution
I'm not familiar with that particular fan, but what do you have it set to? That sounds like it is not getting enough power. The MB is most likely controlling them via voltage; if you turn it down low enough it is possible for a fan to have enough power to run, but not to actually start.
socialassassin
Honorable
- Feb 23, 2013
- 618
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It's not getting enough voltage to start. Try plugging it in to another fan header on the motherboard, as I've noticed some only supply 7V instead of 12V.
Thanks for your quick reply! Not sure how to tell what the voltage is set to. This is what the bios shows (I would attach a picture but don't see how to do that on here?):
Vcore 1.220V
DDR15V 1.584V
+3.3V 3.264V
+5V 4.892V
+12V 12.239V
Current CPU Temp 29C
Current MCH Temp 54C
Current CPU Fan Speed 19XX rpm
Also in bios, the mother board voltage control shows:
>>> CPU
Load-Line Calibration = Auto
CPU Vcore - Normal=1.225V, Current=1.35V
Dynamic Vcore(DVID) = +0.00V Auto
QPI/Vtt Voltage - Normal=1.175V, Current=1.415V (in fuchsia for some reason?)
CPU PLL - Normal=1.80V, Auto
>>> MCH/ICH
PCIE - Normal=1.5V, Auto
QPI PLL - Normal=1.1V, Auto
IOH Core - Normal=1.1V, Auto
ICH I/O - Normal=1.5V, Auto
ICH Core - Normal=1.1V, Auto
>>> DRAM
DRAM Voltage - Normal=1.5V, Current=1.64V
DRAM Termination - Normal=0.75V, Auto
Ch-A Data VRef. - Normal=0.75V, Auto
Ch-B Data VRef. - Normal=0.75V, Auto
Ch-C Data VRef. - Normal=0.75V, Auto
Ch-A Address VRef. - Normal=0.75V, Auto
Ch-B Address VRef. - Normal=0.75V, Auto
Ch-C Address VRef. - Normal=0.75V, Auto
If I've wasted both of our times by posting this, can you please tell me where to check what they are set to? Thanks!
Thanks both for your input! Looks like it's a 4 pin and I see the Sys Fan 2 is also a 4 pin - I'll try it there and let you know. How can I tell what voltage is supplied to a header? Does any of the bios info I posted earlier show that?
Also, is there a way to change the voltage supplied to the CPU Fan header to 12V?
Ok, thanks! Tried to connect the cooler to the Sys Fan 2 header but the cable is too short (by about 6"!). I'll try a voltage meter on them and I guess I need to find an extension for the cooler cable.
Just a couple other comments on this: It seems odd that these 2 fans on the cpu cooler both stop almost immediately (about 1 second) when turned off while the other 2 fans in my tower both take more like 10 seconds to come to a stop. Maybe different brands behave differently but it just seems like the 2 cooler fans stop so fast that there might be something keeping them from spinning freely?
Also, I didn't build this (bought from iBuyPower), but I can see in the mobo manual it says to connect a 3rd party cpu cooler to the cpu fan header - which is what they did. I'm no expert but it looks like that header is only powering the liquid cooled "pump" as there is no connection to either of the 2 (non-working) fans on either side of the cpu cooler "radiator". It looks to me like the 2 fans get their power from a shared connection directly to a "peripheral/SATA" port on the power supply. If that's the case and you feel the fans are underpowered, should I google the power supply and see which ports are 12V and move the connection?
Used a voltage meter to find that both fans are getting 12V - so I don't think that's the problem. I found the fans online and it says the blades are "easily removable for thorough cleaning" - I'll try that next as it just seems to me that the fans aren't operating as "freely" as they should be.
It's 1:00am and I'm tired but, one thing I can't understand is how the bios is listing a "cpu fan speed" when the fans weren't spinning at all! And, if you read my earlier posts, you'll see that the 2 fans aren't even wired to (or powered by) the liquid cooled pump or the CPU Fan connection on the mobo. So, A. how can the bios list a "cpu fan speed"? or is this just a "recommended" fan speed based on cpu temperature? And B. how can the cpu liquid cooling system control the fan speed if there are no wires connecting the fans to the pump (and/or temperature gauge)? Or are my fan speeds only controlled by the in-line voltage regulator dials that are between the fans and the PSU?
It's 1:00am and I'm tired but, one thing I can't understand is how the bios is listing a "cpu fan speed" when the fans weren't spinning at all! And, if you read my earlier posts, you'll see that the 2 fans aren't even wired to (or powered by) the liquid cooled pump or the CPU Fan connection on the mobo. So, A. how can the bios list a "cpu fan speed"? or is this just a "recommended" fan speed based on cpu temperature? And B. how can the cpu liquid cooling system control the fan speed if there are no wires connecting the fans to the pump (and/or temperature gauge)? Or are my fan speeds only controlled by the in-line voltage regulator dials that are between the fans and the PSU?
You are running an AIO cooler right? Most likely you have the pump hooked up to the CPU FAN header. So it is reporting the "rpm" of the pump.
As for the fans, get rid of that controller thing you are using and connect them straight to the sys fan headers and see what happens.
As for the fans, get rid of that controller thing you are using and connect them straight to the sys fan headers and see what happens.
socialassassin, ewok93 and deuce65 - I was able to plug both the non-starting radiator fans directly onto fan headers on the mobo (Sys Fan 1 and Sys Fan 2) with the same result - the fans will only run if I can give them a good manual spin to start (both fans took several spins to get them going). Don't have time to remove and clean the fan blades more before work this morning so I'll try that later.
deuce65 - bought it from iBuyPower so don't know if it's an AIO or if they put it together. With a good liquid cooler though, shouldn't the fan speeds be controlled by cpu temperature? Or are they all designed for the fans to run at a constant speed and only the pump speed changes as needed? Can't tell the brand of the pump but the fans are Emerex T.B. Vegas Duo 12cm and googling it says they have "manual VR for optimal fan speed control". I assume that's the control dial built into the wired lead on each fan. Maybe those are reducing my voltage - after work I'll check that out. Or should I just remove the VR's altogether?
Right, the VR is reducing the voltage. Thats why I wanted to connect directly to fan header without that, to test it. If it works fine than you know for sure that is the culprit.
As for the pump, well if it came from a store then it is almost certainly an AIO. Does it have any markings on it at all, like on the CPU block perhaps? Im pretty sure that is what it is though, and that the reported speed of the CPU fan would then be the pump speed. Once you get the fan problem sorted out and the fans connected directly to the MB headers, yes they will be controlled based on the CPU temp.
As for the pump, well if it came from a store then it is almost certainly an AIO. Does it have any markings on it at all, like on the CPU block perhaps? Im pretty sure that is what it is though, and that the reported speed of the CPU fan would then be the pump speed. Once you get the fan problem sorted out and the fans connected directly to the MB headers, yes they will be controlled based on the CPU temp.
There are no markings or names on the CPU cooler. I removed one of the VR's and spliced the wires together but same result – the fan does not spin until I give it a spin. It then ran at about 1150 RPM and cooled the CPU to about 35°C. When I rebooted the computer though the fan did not start again. So I am not sure your answer is the issue here.
I don't think cleaning them is the answer either but I decided to remove the fan blades as per manufacturers directions and clean them. Unfortunately they don't come off as easily as advertised and I broke the base that the fan blades snap on to. Since I read somewhere else that liquid CPU coolers only last 3 to 5 years and mine is 3.5 years old, should I now just look for a new AIO liquid cpu cooler? (One without a VR!) And, if so, any suggestions? Or would buying two 12 cm fans be the better route?
Also, MCH temp was getting close to 70°C also – what is MCH and should there be a fan to cool that?
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