# led/uv fan for "true" Ultra 120



## grassi (Dec 7, 2005)

Hello, i need to install my "true" ultra 120 cooler on my cpu, however i dont have a fan yet. I really wanted a uv/led combo fan but i dont think it can be hooked up to the EP35-DS3L cause i believe you need to go through an adaptor? Are there certain specifications for the cpu fan i need to know(does it have to be just a plane 3 pin)? I would settle for just an LED. Can i get one with just 1 speed or can i control and use like 3 speeds?

I do know i need a 120mm pushing through the fins.


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## linderman (May 20, 2005)

thermaltake smart fan 2 - 120mm LED (thats what I am using now with the same cooler as you


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## grassi (Dec 7, 2005)

lol, and i didnt think you were into that stuff(led,uv,etc...). Thought u made that statement before, so i didnt even ask.

Okay anyways... I was gonna ask about that one next. Usually there is a few ways of hooking this up? Isnt there a way to do it so you have to manually adjust the rpm, or to hook it up for the Motherboard, or "smart function" to do it automatically?


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## grassi (Dec 7, 2005)

ok, what i meant was i think it comes with 2 different ways to connect, making for extra/leftover cables. If i use the "smart function" way or auto, will there be xtra cabling, i dont need?


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## grimx133 (Jan 15, 2008)

Nope, most fans come with a connector to go on a motherboard fan header, and an adapter to convert to standard molex connector. With the molex the fans run full speed. You want to use the small 3 or 4 pin that is already on the fan and put it onto the header marked CPU_FAN. It's near the edge of the board and a couple inches or so from the cpu, can't miss it. There is a guide by the header and on the connector to ensure you get it onto the right pins.


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## linderman (May 20, 2005)

I am not a LED guy ....... LOL ...... but if I dont have to pay extra for them ...... I buy them ....... they are purrrty 

anyway you can operate those fans either of three ways ........ you choose whats best for you

you can manually operate them with a control knob
you can connect them directly to the motherboard header with zero wiring needed and let the motherboard bios settings control the fan

of you can set the fan control up to run by the included thermometer sensor ...... I would not use this method for cpu cooling though

in your case I would connect it to the cpu fan header wire and let YOUR bios settings control fan speed ...... the smart fan setting in the bios will ramp up fan speeds as necessary to meet your desired cpu temp threshold ....... if you set your cpu temp alarm at a lower number like 70C then the bios will run your cpu full rpm sooner as your cpu temps climb


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## grassi (Dec 7, 2005)

Okay, cool. I was thinking the same about letting the MB control the temps. What about the remaining wires, were you able to hide them easily? Wait till you see the inside of this Bad Boy...For the 
1st build with no clue, i gotta say its Sweet looking.,.thanks to you.


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## linderman (May 20, 2005)

the wires you dont use ....... you dont add ? there is no wiring to hide


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## grassi (Dec 7, 2005)

ah thats awesome...
I hate to be a pain but after looking over my case, i think im gonna want a red Led. I can settle for the blue but everything above my vid. card is red and green. Everything below it is blue. 

I think the zalman cooler came with a red led? Ive been looking for a link to compare the 2
(zalman & thermaltake) but having no luck, ill be back when i can find it. Let me know if you have any links or ideas?


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## grassi (Dec 7, 2005)

okay, i noticed some new red led fans coming out but there not smart fan's. So i ordered my thermaltake smart fan 2(blue led), and i also ordered that artic silver 5. I still have that other stuff, thats suppose to be better called shinitsu or something, oh and i have that thermal chill factor 2 that came with the ultra. It seems AS5 is used by more people, and overall is pretty good, so im going with it for now, unless i can get a good answer on this shinitsu(not sure on the spelling).

Anyways is there any tips on installing the ultra and applying this AS5? I think Linderman and i discussed its best to push Air through the ultra? Im gonna try and find some vids, on applying the AS5, any help is appreciated.

hope the legs dont give me problems like that intel stock fan/cooler omg... :upset:

oh i noticed on thermalrights website it says to apply compound on both cpu and heatsink? Is this correct?


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

Have a read here> http://www.arcticsilver.com/arctic_silver_instructions.htm


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## grassi (Dec 7, 2005)

okay, i had that 2, which says to just do the cpu heatspreader. I guess ill stick with that. Ill just put it on the cpu. Thanks, if all else fails, i can always re apply it. 

Getting nervous already, lol. I do have my old computer hooked up(the one im on now), incase i have any issues. Thank You Wrench97...


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## linderman (May 20, 2005)

dont use much of it ................. a dab about the size of a grain of white rice ........... most fellas put on 4-5 times more than needed ....... which causes overheating


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## grassi (Dec 7, 2005)

Do i leave this plastic piece thats on/imbedded in the back plate? Its in the shape of an X.

Or which way to face it? I have an exhaust fan on top, and back so which way is best?


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## grassi (Dec 7, 2005)

i dont see an arrow on my fan showing me which way the air flows? Any ideas? Ive been looking for an hr. now, and having no luck?

BTW i left that plastic piece, im still not sure?


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## grassi (Dec 7, 2005)

sorry bout this but my motherboard has a 4 pin cpu plug and this fan has a 3 pin plug. What to i do about this?


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

Have a look here to use the 3 wire fan on a pwm 4 pin board> http://www.allpinouts.org/index.php/Motherboard_(CPU)_4_Pin_Fan_Connector


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## grassi (Dec 7, 2005)

oh phew.... i thought i was bummin or missin an adaptor. So im only using 3 pins, that works for me. Thanks buddy. Im a wreck ova here with everything out. Great so far im going by instinct on the rest. Meanwhile ill wait for linderman to pop in before i start it, lol. (since he has the same set up).. Thanks again, Wrench97


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## linderman (May 20, 2005)

Hello josh


as I remember .......... the ultra 120 comes with its own backplate ? X

cant remember for sure ................ I do tooo many of these

anyway ...... simply look at the motherboard and visualize how it will sit in your case ...... then you can select an orientation......... my heat sink is facing the rear exaust fan ........ 

to determine the direction of movement of air .... simply connect the fan to a molex plug on your working computer while its running ............ this will make your fan run and you can verify direction of air flow

did you get instructions with your 120 ???????????? it should show the back plate and which set of hold down screws to use .............. there are the long ones and the shorter shouldered one ............. as I remember one is for intel 775 and the other AMD ?


I will brush up on the install instructions tomm morning .............. been a very long day and now headed for sack time ..................


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## grassi (Dec 7, 2005)

Hello, 
Yeah it had its own backplate but there was a weird plastic x embedded in the backplate, like a bushing so i thought so i left it in there as is. 

@the direction, i figured out the hard way that it only fits one way, cuz my memory chips are in the way. BTW... i had to remove that stock corsair memory 3 fan piece, its sits to close to that smartfan, and being loose as the design was made, i didnt want to take any chances. 

I do have instructions, but after reading through some reviews on the internet, i now know, im not the only one that is having a hard time understanding them.. Others are posting guides which im using. 

Anyways im all back together, but before i start it i had a couple of questions...
I plugged that 3 pin into the MB 4 pin plug. Is that it? No molex/adaptors or anything right?

And can i just start it up or do i have to make an adjustment in bios to monitor or adjust the fan?

Goodnight buddy, hopefully i will see u in the mornin to start this bad boy up.


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## grimx133 (Jan 15, 2008)

Yep, none of those big 4 pin things on power supply cords, just plug the little one off the fan into the motherboard header marked CPU_FAN. You'll notice 2 little horns on the fan plug, well look by the 4 pins at the CPU_FAN header and there should be a plastic guide a wee bit off center and next to the pins. The horns on the fan plug go to each side of the plastic guide and it's on the right pins. Then you are done, as long as you rehooked up anything you unplugged to get the heatsink on. If it doesn't start normally, turn it off and let us know.


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## linderman (May 20, 2005)

which connector you use will depend on how you want to control it ? if you want to be able to reduce the rpm's by only using what the cpu heat sensor asks for ........ then you need to connect your heat sink fan plug to the motherboard cpu fan header ....... with an adapter ........ 

the PWR fan header is going to run at 100% all of the time ?

I dont think ??????????????? connecting it to the CHA fan header (chassis) will let you have rpm control either .............. you could check your mobo manual on that later ...... I will check this later this afternoon to verify ......... as soon as I get a miniute for research

no you dont have to do anything in the bios when you start things up


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## linderman (May 20, 2005)

http://www.allpinouts.org/index.php/Motherboard_(CPU)_3_Pin_Fan_Connector


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## linderman (May 20, 2005)

something is amiss .................. I have my 120mm smart fan connected directly to the motherboard cpu fan header .............. on my GA-EP45-DS4P 

and I can control rpm's by bios settings in the PC Health & Monitoring section (smart fan section) although I always disable that and run cpu fan at 100%


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

linderman said:


> something is amiss .................. I have my 120mm smart fan connected directly to the motherboard cpu fan header .............. on my GA-EP45-DS4P
> 
> and I can control rpm's by bios settings in the PC Health & Monitoring section (smart fan section) although I always disable that and run cpu fan at 100%


The Ultra 120 doesn't come with a fan so the question is what fan are you using?


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## linderman (May 20, 2005)

I am using the same fan he is ..................... thermaltake smart fan-2 120mm with pretty little blue lights ................. LOL >>>>>>>> makes a great nite light when I am doing a complete system virus/malware scan at night !


I plugged the 120mm connector to the same loaction that his stock fan was plugged into ?????????????????????????????????


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

Oh the one with the controller that's why it is not a PWM, the fan hooks to the controller and the controller hooks to the MB cpu fan socket.


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## linderman (May 20, 2005)

wrench97 said:


> Oh the one with the controller that's why it is not a PWM, the fan hooks to the controller and the controller hooks to the MB cpu fan socket.




thats one way it can be used ..... or it can be used by direct connection to the motherboard without the controller........ right at the fan; the first connection coming off the new 120mmm fan has the same connector you will find on the intel stock cpu cooler heatsink fan


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## grassi (Dec 7, 2005)

hello, im sorry for the late reply, my town is in state of emergency, no power or heat, so i had to pack up and head for power. Which wasnt that easy, gotta hotel room, went to bed and woke up there with no heat or power. OMG, just running around, but now i should be all set.

Im not sure what these posts on pg. 2 mean? 
I think as stated above, i just plug that 3 pin fan plug into the 4 pin plug on motherboard thats says cpu fan. And like that diagram by linderman and statement by grimx, it does snug into eachother by a guide on the plug. Which leaves 1 pin open(on motherb... plug). 

Now am i all done? Is this gonna allow my bios or motherboard to control the fan? Im not sure?


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## linderman (May 20, 2005)

I was wondering how you were getting along in your ICE cake ....... that stuff is very hard to deal with ........... we did it for 2 weeks in 97


yes ........... you have it connected correctly Josh ...........and the bios will run that fan as you desire ............


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## linderman (May 20, 2005)

no bios adjustments nesessary on your part to start up the beast ............ you can play with that later


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## grassi (Dec 7, 2005)

okay, great, im gonna plug it in and let it rip...ill be back...
How are you doin? Did you get hit hard?


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## grassi (Dec 7, 2005)

It appears to be the same temperature. I have core temp going and its reading 38(core 0) and 32 (core1). These are the exact same temps i was getting? I put that compound on so you could almost see through it, just a glaze. BTW that 38 doesnt move. Maybe a little hotter when defraging, i dunno?


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## linderman (May 20, 2005)

hmmmmmm I dropped a decent 6C going from stock cooler to the Ultra 120 and that was before OCing ?????/


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## grassi (Dec 7, 2005)

dunno what to do, im just researching and came across real temp... Its a program that might work better for my processor?


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## linderman (May 20, 2005)

hell yes it does


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## grassi (Dec 7, 2005)

33/29 is better but in reality i think it still hasnt changed when installing the new cooler?


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## linderman (May 20, 2005)

I am puzzled how a premium cooler cant out shine the stock variety ? are you overclocking yet ?


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## grassi (Dec 7, 2005)

no im not, could this be a bad cpu? Or stuck sensors, cuz its weird/suspicious that its reading the same temps with cpu-z, and after manually applying compund compared to the amount the pad has on stock cooler? I dunno, think im confusing myself, lol


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## linderman (May 20, 2005)

I think you have no problem and its time to take that puppy to the races ....... 4.0 ghz ?


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## grassi (Dec 7, 2005)

oh yeah baby, been waiting a long time 4 this...
btw, when i applied this compound i could barely see through it, just glazed, and maybe less than what the stock cooler had. I may have removed to much of my "rice grain" when spreading. I had it rubbed off on all 5 fingers, lol.


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## grassi (Dec 7, 2005)

lol, just realized where i am. Should i start a new thread at the overclocking forum?


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## linderman (May 20, 2005)

grassi said:


> lol, just realized where i am. Should i start a new thread at the overclocking forum?





yeah ...... youre ready


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