# Cooler Master HAF X Fan LED Mod



## agentRed

Alright, so a lot of you may have a Cooler Master HAF X and might be wondering what to do if you want different colors for your fans other than blue or red provided by Cooler Master (applicable to the 200mm fans). And FYI, for those of you that are unaware, even though the CM website says that the front fan is 230mm, it's actually a 200mm fan. These fans: Newegg.com - Computer Hardware,Computer Cases,Case Fans,Cooler Master,200mm
fit on the front. Also, the front fan can have its LEDs removed as well, so this mod works on the front, stock fan as well!

Well, Cooler Master was kind enough to make the LEDs in the fans a very common size - 5mm.

The output voltage on the fan circuit board for the LEDs is 2.0v, and it just so happens that RadioShack carries a wide variety of 2.1v 5mm LEDs. 

For this mod you will need the following materials:

*Soldering Gun* (I used this one: Cool-Grip 30-Watt Soldering Gun - RadioShack.com )
*.032" Rosin Core 60/40 Solder* (Standard Rosin-Core Solder (0.5 Oz.) - RadioShack.com)
*4 5mm 2.0-2.1 volt LEDs* (Green: 5mm Green LED - RadioShack.com - there are RED, UV, Green, Yellow, Purple and White available. They come 2 to a package.)
*Hot Glue & Gun* (High-Temp preferred)
*Rubbing Alcohol & Q-Tips*
*Common household, damp CELLULOSE sponge. Do not use plastic.*
*Wire Snips or toenail clippers*
*Needle nose pliers*

If you are unfamiliar with LEDs, the short lead is always ground (-) while the longer is positive (+). On these Cooler Master fans, the copper (orange) wire is positive, the silver is ground (neg).

Be sure you check the voltage on the LED package. Needs to be within 2.0 to 2.1v. Any higher and it won't light - any lower and it will not last very long at all.

If you are unfamiliar with soldering, as I was, you should watch this video: YouTube - How and WHY to Solder Correctly

Even with only about 10 minutes prior practice (highly recommended so you don't mess up your fan), I was able to securely and properly solder these LEDs fan.

Start by pulling the old LEDs out of their sockets - don't worry, they're just hot glued in. A gentle tug on the leads with a pair of needle nose pliers and they'll come right out.

Next, remove the clear plastic coating from around the solder joints on the LED leads. I found that cutting the leads right up against the old LED's base and then pulling on the coating with your needle nose pliers or tweezers works best.

Have your soldering gun ready and hot. After you've removed the coating, you'll want to de-solder the existing joint. Careful not to melt the wire insulation. Just hold the tip of the gun to the joint and it'll come right off and the small piece of the LED lead will stick to the tip of the gun. Use your damp sponge to wipe the old solder and piece of metal off the tip. Careful! Bits of solder may sometimes splash on you, so hold far away from your face/body parts, and wear safety glasses.

Now you just need to take your new LED and insert it into the existing socket. A bit of tape or something sticky may help hold it in place. I found that bending the leads on the new LEDs and snipping them BEFORE soldering, helps. Bend them at a 90° angle - about 2-3mm from the very base of the LED - TOWARDS the back of the fan so they fit into the little notch cut in the socket. Just make sure you keep one slightly longer than the other, so your polarity doesn't get mixed up.

Now, just use your newly acquired soldering skills and solder the wires onto the new LED. The alcohol and Q-tips should be used to clean the parts about to be soldered. Also, if you put a dab on the LED and around the insulation on the wires, it'll help you keep from burning them. Remember: less is more when it comes to solder. You're heating the parts to be soldered with the gun - not heating the solder itself. It should only take a few seconds for the parts to get hot enough for the solder to melt onto them.

After soldering the wires onto the leads, snip the leftover of the LED lead off if needed. Space the two connections out so they don't cross. Now, with your hot glue gun, cover the back of the LED and the soldered joint (press the wires against the fan housing for best results). This will help reinforce them and protect against shorts and vibration.

Here are a few pictures to show you what the finished product looks like, sorry they're not better quality!


Half-done. You can see the old red LEDs still in place.










Now with the finished product mounted.









Thanks for reading! If you have any questions, feel free to ask!

Brought to you by agentRed.

Disclaimer: Neither I, (agentRed) nor TechSupportForum.com assume any responsibility or liability for any damage, misuse, misinterpretation, injury, fire, or otherwise. By reading this tutorial you assume all responsibility and liability for your actions and subsequent events. Please follow all safety guidelines and procedures provided by the manufacturer of the equipment and/or materials you use.


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## emosun

Whenever I replace led's I usually just wrap the spliced wire around the led's tails and use heat shrink tubes. A lot easier then soldering. led's power draw is so tiny the wires really don't have to be soldered unless you really want to go that extra mile for some reason.

Most led fans use standard led sizes and voltages so this can be done to pretty much any fan.


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## agentRed

emosun said:


> Whenever I replace led's I usually just wrap the spliced wire around the led's tails and use heat shrink tubes. A lot easier then soldering. led's power draw is so tiny the wires really don't have to be soldered unless you really want to go that extra mile for some reason.
> 
> Most led fans use standard led sizes and voltages so this can be done to pretty much any fan.


Understandable. However, when you look at the wires that are on these fans, you would understand why soldering is a must. There's so little slack in the wires that you'd be unable to wrap enough around to make a secure connection.

Soldering them is just as easy and far more reliable. Also, it should be noted that some LEDs are highly sensitive to heat, so the prolonged exposure to the heatgun required to shrink the tubing may damage it. Also, you run the risk of warping the plastic housing by using a heatgun. Even a hairdryer could cause harm to the integrity of the fan housing.

All in all, soldering is a better choice, in my honest opinion. It's easy enough to do, creates a solid bond when done correctly, and won't come apart or degrade over time. Also, you should know that the method of which you spoke, leaves the wires bare and over time they can oxidize (especially when heat from shrinking the tubing is applied), and thus cause the LEDs to dim from lack of current.

The purpose of this thread was to provide information to those wanting this case but may be apprehensive due to the lack of color variation. I can tell you that the modified fans look _exactly_ like they came from the factory. The color and proportion is just right from these LEDs.


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## emosun

The wire length makes sense. But as for the fan melting , or the wire oxidizing , lol.


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## agentRed

:sigh: Is there any reason why you felt it necessary to post here and try to shoot me down? I'm trying to help people, and you're hindering that. Don't be a turd.

(By the way, watch the video I posted, it shows how metal oxidizes under heat. You needn't take my word for it. Oxidation = resistance and resistance = lower voltage. Lower voltage = dimmer LED)


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## emosun

You'll notice nowhere did I say not to do what you've posted. You can solder if you like.


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