The ALX-Files: Operation Mind-Meld: Command Center Retrofit for Aurora R4 overheating problem SOLVED!!! Corsair H55 H60 H75 H80i Area 51 h100i h105 how to cpu liquid cooler harness project Corsair = Corsware

7.04.14 Status = Approved Edit; harnesses are safe for use. Proceed w/Caution: using this information @ anytime for any reason past present or future is always done @ your own risk.

In a few moments you will have an experience which will seem completely real; it will be the result of your subconscious fears transformed to your conscious awareness. Warning: this tape must not be played by government personnel; it can be extremely harmful & result in severe trauma. You have been warned. You have 5 seconds to terminate this tape ... 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 ...

Captain's Log: Star Date 5/23 point 14; our mission: a wiring project for a special connector harness which allows aftermarket liquid cpu coolers to plug in & grab power from the top lighting/power board's special black 5/7pin connector like the stock pump did, & have it fall w/out question back under the Command Center's watchful eye as normal. Some harnesses will be easier to make than others. A rather substantial discussion will unfold due to the serious nature of revamping a high-value system w/no margins for user error. The 1st half of this paper is background history theory & proofs. Suggested materials & hands-on building are mid-page to bottom.

" Listen. We're off DefCon 5. This is not a test. I repeat !!! THIS IS NOT A TEST !!!

This is Operation: Mind-Meld. Over. "

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- A51 Phobos Aurora Deimos Corsware M-M Hydro-Class Adapter Harness Proposals -

4" i-Class; Area-51 Phobos m-mSata 3+5 H80i + 100i Mark I prototype

3.5" i-Class; Aurora Deimos m-mSata 3+5 H80i Mark II noire prototype

- 6.01.14 - introducing: m&m mini's (3m) Mark II -

top: 3" i-Class; Deimos 3mSata 3+7 niore >< bottom: 3" h55/60/75/80 Class; Deimos 3m 3+7

 Proposed: 8" Deimos i-Class m-mSata 3+7 Mark I & II; Phobos wears the 5pin

Above/Below: 8" H55/60/75/105 Class Phobos m-m 3+5 Mark I prototype; Deimos m-m wears a 7pin

8" Phobos m-m 3+5 Mark II prototype

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 12.06.14 Edit: New M-M mini Mark III Tesla

Deimos 7pin shown above ><Phobos wears a 5pin below

Information on Mark II & III mini's can be found here:

• Aurora R4 Corsair h80i = Corsware Mind-Meld Liquid Cooling Adapters Now Available h55 h60 h75 also
• http://en.community.dell.com/owners-club/alienware/f/3746/t/19609280
• photos are self-explanatory to build your own, using methods you'll sift & glean from below

Mark III Tesla is a SAK - a Swiss Army Knife - that can accept both an h80i pump's sata/fan or h75 pump's 'fan' connector & allows you to run all popular coolers on the market, & move from one to the other as you please: one m&m mini does it all (=

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edit: New Corsware H100i GTX Mind-Meld

Below I've made a simple Mark II for Area-51 R1 as a 5pin-to-3pin adaptor, approx. 1 1/2 inches:

note the dual-ground wires, bottom. that's a 3inch wire folded in half with the exact middle of its insulation stripped away; I lay the bare wire (now exposed) into the male fan pin, crimp half of the wire down, fold wire back on itself, now solder it to pin; next, crimp a pair of Molex SL pins on the ends. The other two wires at top of photo shouldn't need comment, other than fan/SL pins crimped/soldered to 1 1/2 inch 22gauge wire. Below, pins are inserted into their connectors.

above: since all cooler pumps are designed to run off of a mthrbrd fan header they're wired like a basic 3pin fan is wired (blk ground / red 12volts / wht rpm-tach). I've coupled a basic fan connector into Mind-Meld adaptor to illustrate the dual-grounds jumper & how it all relates to the 5pin Molex SL connector. Slot #4 as we know is always empty / unused (X) in the A51 5pin & Aurora 7pin

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 - How does your liquid cooling system look act sound & feel these days? -

Is your R4 or A-51's radiator fan getting loud as heck all of a sudden? Are your cpu temps 80c-100c? Does one of your cooling tubes feel way hotter than the other? --> ouch <-- your stock liquid cooler pump may have either finally bit the dust - or might be the culprit which prompted this outstanding member-as-whistle-blower post called: Aurora R4 overheating problem SOLVED!!!

• http://en.community.dell.com/owners-club/alienware/f/3746/t/19516339.aspx

In the top link & post you'll find info & see creepy pictures which have had many owners doing a swap-out of the stock cooler due to a 'maintenance issue'; whether their pump was actin' a fool & got clobbered for it, or was deemed "highly suspect" - a potential WMD - & ousted from the seat of power for the Bush Doctrine ... either way --> pre-emptive strike or no choice in the matter <-- when a stock cooler exits stage left, I've sniffed around at the fall-out & came up w/this companion piece as response to that thread & this issue we'll call: life after a cpu cooler swap.

- Problem > Reaction > Solution -

Whether your stock cooler had, has, or may have a problem - if it zaps out two years from now through no fault of its own & even gave you the best years of its life - you'll be tasked w/servicing it when possible or replacing it outright - but replace it w/what? Another original part or on to the aftermarket scene?

• if your desktop's still under warranty, A-ware says they'll replace your cooler w/a new stock unit; contact them for details

Not under warranty anymore? They suggest you buy another stock unit or go aftermarket, on your dime of course:

• if aftrmrkt, which brand, which model? Dozens to choose from, huh?
• if aftrmrkt, will it truly integrate like the old pump?

The stock coolers do have a twin-sister in the Corsair H55 & she's credited by A-ware as a suitable stand-in. H60 & H75 are bigger sisters. Here's Corsair's current performance ladder: http://www.corsair.com/en-us/cpu-coolers 

• note: h55 comes w/a 3pin non-pwm fan. You may want to either re-install your stock 4-wire pwm fan, buy a pwm fan, or opt-up to the h60/75 who'll have pwm fans 

There's just one caveat: 120mm aftermarket types - which do fit & do work no doubt about it - will not come custom designed for A-51/Aurora like the stock cooler is:

• read the CSI-link from above; the bulk of tales detailing the swap-out process are found there, where we can learn from 1st hand experience the net results & opinions pro & con of doing a change-over; on how the 'power connector' on the old stock cooler was unique, obliging them to plug in the new cooler "someplace else", which represents (an albeit benign) alteration to both the original intent of the case wiring & AlienFx environments they'd enjoyed before the swap-out 

Aftrmrkt units can't plug back in the same place the stock pumps do - a situation that some of you'll puzzle over at 1st; perhaps doubts will set in over what the Command Center thinks about all the new goings on; as it is, it's the only person in the room that doesn't know the swap-out occurred, lol. Without its tendrils sunk into the new unit, what does it do in the background when the new pump's been plugged in someplace else. Something? Nothing? And just what do the mthrbrd/bios & master i/o board think about your new lil' friend?

- Corsair vs Corsware -

Can't we teach this new Corsair sibling of ours to act less like a worldly red-headed step-child & more like her extra-terrestrial off-world baby bro ... to do things the Alienware way? To get w/the old (CC) program? Shape-shift her into an Alienwair? A Corswair? Hmph. Any way to put the Admiral back at the helm of the U.S.S. Enterprise w/out experiencing the wrath of Khan!!!!!!? Is there a solution? For those of you who have or will replace your cooler w/something close to stock, I think you'll find the answer's yes. As Cap'n Spock would say: it is logical. It is called doing a hand-made retrofit ...

... it is called: Operation Mind-Meld ...

Joachim: May I speak?We're all with you, sir. But, consider this: we are free. We have a ship, & the means to go where we will. We have escaped permanent exile on Ceti Alpha V. You have proved your superior intellect and defeated the plans of Admiral Kirk. You do not need to defeat him again ...

Khan:{paraphrasing from Melville's Moby Dick} He tasks me ... he tasks me & I shall have him! ... I'll chase him 'round the Moons of Nibia and 'round the Antares Maelstrom and 'round Perdition's Flames before I give him up! ... prepare to alter course ...

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I was going to build a small batch of these wire/connector adaptation kits for sale to help some people out, but my time is needed elsewhere all of a sudden & I'm taking the summer off from these type projects; I may revisit this sales project/idea later in the Fall, & hopefully this how-to can be of use to you if you want to try my d-i-y method:

• m-m harnesses aren't a cure-all; you may need pwm fans too, so look for a Corsair-type w/4-wire pwm fan or reinstall your stock cooler fan etc
• I'll publish a "how-to-make-your-own m-m harness" right here right now

 But 1st, what is all this talk about "some retrofit cable I may or may not need"?

- A Retrofit Cable: What It Is & Why You Need It -

No one who installs a new cooler will complain their pump didn't power up or the fan won't spin, or spin up faster as cpu temps rise. Of course not: there's no dire need for a retrofit cable. Corsair i-series (80i/100i) have their own software (C-Link) & reports as an acceptable monitoring program, once the owner secretes the former shell of CmndCntr. So do you need one? No; your new cooler was designed to work w/any system so your cooling system will be fine & works w/out one. Would it be nice to have one? Yes. If having things back to the way they were before is important to you: you'll be plugged back into the same spot & reap whatever added benefits it brings. I hypothecate over this, which is a belief on uncertain or tentative grounds; so reality may differ over which coolers should & which actually will or do or did benefit. The topic of quality & quantity of benefits should develop over time as Club members who both opt & do not opt for the retrofit post their results & opinions here on the forum for a more informed community awareness.

... Let the Corsair vs Corsware Games Begin ...

 

Kirk: This is Admiral Kirk. We tried it once your way, Khan ... are you game for a rematch? Khan, I'm laughing at the "superior intellect" ...

Khan: Full impulse power!

Joachim: No, sir! You have Genesis! You can have whatever...

Khan: !!! FULL POWER *** YOU !!!

********************

- 6.13.14 Edit - Breaking News: Close Encounter of the Fifth Kind Expected Soon -

A fellow grey has made contact through the Federation - this brave volunteer's signed on to be the 1st willing participant (nay: lab-rat) in the MKUltra Mind-Meld Operation ... 

Sir, Rebel ships are coming into our sector!
... Good. Our first catch of the day ... [Episode V during the Battle of Hoth]

This ensign-grade soldier & his Aurora r4 - which will sport an h80i & is sleighted to become our Sacrificial Lamb - will soon undergo a highly anticipated unsupervised clinical trial which will remove this venture from the ether of a feasibility study / gedankenexperiment into the real-world of a build performance & electrical assay. Ensign X resides outside of the United States: the proving grounds will be exported to foreign soils & attempt to comply with International Standards. Good for me, as I am well out of reach of the Royal Mounted Police. The prototype's already delivered but the testing can not take place til July, but soon we'll know if it's possible for a Corsair Cooler to Mind-Meld w/an Alienware R4 System, & thus shape-shift through this alchemy into .... a Corsware ...

7.04.14 Status: Mind-Meld As Reality

Ensign X has reported back to me, the excerpts read: "... I've installed the new cooler & used the wire kit I received from you ... it is running perfectly quiet now ... the wire kit worked great ... the pump shows on (in CmndCntr) & the fan speed is running between 800-900 rpm ...". The net result is the system is back to original & the wiring scheme posted here is good-to-go ...

 - 3-wire 3pin Pump Preferred Project-

- Typical 3-wires inside a 3pin Power Plug -

Research your new cooler before you bring it home; to get CmndCntr plugged back into the game can begin w/a cooler that's set up as simple as the stock unit is; something w/a 3-wire 3pin connector on it, no-more no-less as in the photo. H55/60/75 - any basic 120mm cooler willing to use a 3-wire 3pin fan connector will suffice & you will do quite well using the limited materials & methods later. Coolers w/a 1-wire 3pin, 2pin, sata/molex, 4pin, no no no ...

• One pound of flesh, no more, no less; no cartilage, no bone, but only flesh

- h80/h80i require more work & parts: ideas are found at bottom -

H55/60/75 have bigger brothers out there called h80 & h80i - the power connectors they come with aren't the classic 3-wire 3pin type (see h100i photos below) which means they clash a bit w/the project here as outlined:

• h80(i) lacks the classic 3pin - they've a 1-wire 3pin & sata (or molex) -
• you're encouraged to appraise the following information & suggested materials applicable to h50/60/75, & if it looks good to you, think about a sata work-around for your cooler
• retro-80i m-mSata cable ideas are found as addendum @ bottom of page

- h100i / h105 for Area-51? -

Forum members have reported success installing h100/h100i into the top cage - w/the exception that only the inner radiator screw holes line-up - which do provide secure retention when screwed in none-the-less:

h100 molex vs h100i sata

H100 (discontinued / may still be available) & 100i 'have' a 3pin connector, but only the tach signal is inside it, while pwr/grd come from molex or sata connectors. H100's require a more thorough work-around - see sata/molex addendum @ very bottom of page for ideas. 

H105 is newer, has a thicker 38mm radiator, but no one's yet reported installing one as of this date. These units install centered in your cage & radiator dimension comparison is here:

• h100: 275mm x 122mm x 27mm
• h100i: 275mm x 120mm x 27mm
• h105: 272.5mm x 120mm x 38mm

H105 appears to have a simple 3-wire 3pin (pwr/grd/tach) cpu fan header connector. It may indeed be a workable cooler for this retrofit project. Once you plug their included pwm fan y-splitter in your top pwrbrd - yeah - I'm down w/the possibility CC will play nice once the system's rewired back the way it shipped, & so should you be. 38mil rads may require 32mil fans, see below

Suspect that "any" 120 x 280mm+ should fit/work in your case; read over this project, window-shop for typical pc modding connecting & adapting parts - weigh your options & go from there. Note, h105's 38mm rad may not be suitable with its included 25mm fans in your top cage, & 32mm or 38mm fans may need to be used. With a 38mm fan, the fatter rad may impinge on your main 24pin mthrbrd harness also:

• some customizing & alterations may be de rigueur with h105 in A51
• h100i may be more practical then the 105
• 120mm x 32mm fans are recommended: see H80 w/38mm rad below

- Basic 120mm Corsair H-series models for A-51 -

For a basic swap-out of the stock 120x25mm radiator in your roof top for one of the same size, we'll spend a second on the dimensions of that space up there. Stock Fan 38mm wide, stock rad 25mm wide: You have about 13mm left before you encroach on the top mthrbrd sill:

• H55/H60: those are 25mm fan + 25mm rad - their rad is an identical size to what you have now, but I recommend re-using your stock 38mm fan since you're bound to find out their 25mm fan may not be wide enough
• H75: as above, their 25mm fan isn't a good match inside the top cage, therefore it doesn't make sense to buy two 25 mils, as in h75's 'push-pull' setup. 55/60/80 are probably wiser choices. However, if you re-use your stock 38mm fan, uh, you could install those included 25mm fans in your roof, if you haven't done so already. =) The roof space is 360mm long after all, enough for tri-top fans. So in a sense, H75 helps kill two birds w/one stone
• H80/H80i: note rad is 38mm, fan 25mm. Because I got a killer deal, I'm using the newest Auora Premium Cooler in my A-51's, which have a 38mm wide rad; I've removed the 7pins & put on the right 5pin connectors. Through testing I found out a 25mm fan is useless in tandem w/a 38mm rad in the top cage. I've re-used the stock 38mm fans, & the 38mm rad + 38mm fan setup barely fits, but does fit. A special procedure is required to pull off the 38mm radiator install. I pulled my motherboard & its tray out, installed the rad/fan in the cage 1st, carefully slipped the mthrbrd/tray back in, then secured the pump & retention ring to the cpu/socket last. I suspect H80's are a similar process. The fatter 38mm rad was about impossible to go in w/out moving the whole mthrbrd out of the way 1st ...

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- Area-51 38mm Rads & 120 x 32mm Fans -

My 38mil rad cooler install how-to is 2/3 of the way down in this post:

• ABOVE TOP SECRET: Uncovering Area-51's Biggest (& best kept) Secret of All
• you'll find tips for installing Aurora R4 premium cooler & H80i-type coolers in your A-51 R1

From experience, you can't bolt a 25mm fan to the cage with a 38mm rad stuck to it. On the otherhand, a 38mm fan makes for a tight fit:

• 25mm too small >< 38mm fan fits, but just barely
• the "perfect" fan is 120mm x 32mm
• CoolJag pwm 120 x 32mm (R121232BUAF) is just right: 

With an Asetek / Aurora R4 (dp/n 01YGW) premium cooler & 38mm radiator I tried out, a 25mm fan would result in a 7mm gap while a 38mm fan (like the stock fans) pushes / drops the radiator very close down over the motherboard: 32mm CoolJag Everflow fan is just right:

• re-use your mounting hardware (3/8" bolts + coarse fan screws)

- An Aurora R4 Premium Cooler In Your A51/R1-

I bought some 01YGW Aurora premiums for my A51's for several reasons:

• pumps are new / 2014 issue
• cold-plates are copper / rad 38mm / proper Alienhead icon
• your 1366 retention ring fits, or you can try the Asetek Retention kit for other socket types, as I've done w/my socket 1150 Asetek kit

01YGW is a good choice in A51 over the stock 25mm-wide unit; find links here & info to easily swap off Aurora Premium's 7pin for an A51 5pin, since it has an identical wiring scheme to all Aware coolers.  

whether 5pin or 7pin, this is the diagram we use

- When in doubt, see your local Pro -

If you don't have what it takes to make this project cable or do something more involved for h80/80i/100/100i retro sata cables, call or go talk to your local pc modding shop; email them photos, see what they say; no doubt this mod's old-hat for an old-pro. If you're jealous of whatever warranty you have in place w/Alienware &/or "Corsair", have yours made by a Pro.

- "... All the King's Horses & All the Kings Men ..." -

If you pop a new cooler in your case, you realize it can't plug back in the same spot, & some aspect of CmndCntr gets lost in the mix, so what, right? It is what it is: the cpu gets cooled anyway, no different then everyone else that ever popped in a new cooler. But if given the opportunity to put Humpty-Dumpty back together again ... & btw who among us is immune from replacing their cooler someday? If you have an idea on ways to retrofit a cooler into the case, & trust me there are a lot of ideas towards the same end ... chime in, post it ... It takes a village, right?

- "... hey, hey ... I wanna be a Rock Star ..." -

Credit for this project goes to rock-star club members Tesla1856 & Morblore; core information is found in the ancient "Anti-MIO Cooling Project" post they collaborated on 2 years ago & I've borrowed from it as the result:

• semi-related post: "Aurora CPU-Pump (black) connector on MIO":

There we learn this discussion's been percolating for years now, & they've found our wiring details for an original Aurora pump for us also:            

 

(1) Ground (2) 12v (3)Tachometer [rpm/speed] (5) Ground  Jumper

And a suitable harness candidate found in the 1st pc Corp CB-PWM-D5:

 - cb-pwm-d5 comes w/correct 5pin for Area-51's pump connection & a 4pin [3+1] -

(typical studio shot shows ylw/grn wires, mine arrived with red/wht as noted)

It is available, for instance FrozenCpu &/or eBay:

• http://www.frozencpu.com/products/8469/cab-152/FrozenCPUcom_4-Pin_PWM_to_5-Pin_Dell_Adapter_Cable_-_8_Length_CB-PWM-D5.html#blank

- Looking @ a new CB-PWM-D5 -

Here is one of mine, new in the bag - yours will be similar, colors may vary

It fits Area-51's cpu power port perfectly. I've a basic fan plugged into the wht 4p [3+1], showing you the classic grd (blk) 12v (red) rpm (wht) scheme; the wht 4pin passed inspection - uh-huh - but down on the business end note the blk 5pin needs to be reworked slightly; the wht-red-blk-blu order is wrong as delivered & needs to be tweaked; this is par for the course & you'll have to do some M&M Operations on your patient; hopefully you're as skilled a surgeon as Bones McCoy is ... basically, tcb on the business end means the blk & wht wires get switched & the blk wire gets a jumper

finished - "revamped" - now she's ready to inform her mthrbrd, master i/o board & CmndCntr that a new star's been born into the Star System - we don't want it to be as spectacular as say, Jobe the Lawn Mower Man ringing a billion phones in unison as the sound of his birthcry; but we'll celebrate when the Corsair hummm's her birthday song just the same, so long as it's faint & quiet w/no sparks pops noise or fanfare preferred please. We certainly don't want a Big Bang Moment ... or: !!! Judgment Day Is Here !!!

- A good starting material -

There are a few good reasons why the cb-pwm-d5 is worth looking at:

• 22awg wire: the largest size for the application 
• 3+1 male fan connector: ready to accept Corsair's 3pin female
• 5pin connector: correct for Area-51
• connector pins: ready for Aurora 7pin when the 5pin goes bye-bye
• the +1 blue-wire: pre-applied pin makes it a good jumper wire source

If you own Area-51, cb-pwm-d5 should suit your overall basic needs. If you own Aurora, you'll want it for its pre-applied pins to quickly/easily take off the 5pin & slap your 7pin on: you might steal the 7pin off your old cooler or buy a new one, details on how/where to aquire one can be found shortly below:

 Aurora 7pin Molex SL Part# 50-57-9407

The stock pumps use the special 5 or 7 pin. No aftermarket type will ever use these. No way. And w/out one, Scotty's gon' be down in engineering hollerin' up at the bridge that he "can't do it Captain! I haven't got the power!". So long as the new pump uses a 3pin fan connector, cb-pwm-d5 can be slightly tweaked & then used in a retrofit. Post-mod, I like this thing as the interface between new pump, top pwr/light board & CmndCntr at the final end of it: it's close enough to what Area-51 & Aurora actually require in a basic mating harness that's readily available to get you off of lazy impulse power & back up to speed & into the warp drive.

No one makes a harness ... it's either a hand-made job or no soup for you!

- Ah the good ol' days; w/some ingenuity we can plug back into our black Cpu_LC_Pump outlets - a cable tie through a top hex vent would be a good idea here to help position/retain your new harness -

- Epistemology - the Science of: How We Know What We Know -

- Area-51 PwrBrd; tested for Volt/Grounds/Tach - color-coded to D5's new wires -

*** This is a techy discussion regarding proof of the stock unit volt/ground/tach signal pinout; you may skip to other chapters if such data is not highly important to you ***

For your viewing pleasure, what follows is volt/ground/'tach' data collected by myself & another Club menber, using a voltmeter by both continuity & live tests on the A-51 powerboard & an Aurora stock pump; dogma suggests A-51/Aurora pumps - though using different pin-count connectors - are still wired the same by virtue of their shared filial DNA.

I've probed my spare A-51 pwrbrd pins for what's s'posed to be what. Basically, the white pwm system fan connector & black cpu pump connector have pins that are "tied/shared" in the circuit board. The shared ground path for the sysfan (p1) & pump (p1) leads to the 20p black connector pins #3 & 7 (wht-blk). The shared 12v source for the sysfan (p2) & pump (p2) comes from the 20p black connector pins #6 &10 (red). The pump tach signal goes to 20p #12 (wht). Finally, pump p5 gets a dedicated ground on 20p p11 (wht-blk). Pwm sys fan connector pins can only help tell us that there's a common volt/ground path - it tells us nothing about cpu pump tach signal - which we "informed guess" is what p3 is.

These are the tell-tale signs we can be sure that the stock cpu pump connector pins out as below - & when tapped correctly - will supply Corsair H-series pumps exactly what they need as the result:

• p1 = ground 
• p2 = 12v
• p3 = ? = tach = 'it has to be'
• p5 = ground (jumped/tied to p1)

Years ago, Anti-Mio Cooling Project addressed these basics by pitting the:

• 3-wire 3pin Corsair H50 vs 3-wire turned 4-wire 7pin stock Aurora pump
• both units are/were built by Asetek for Corsair & Alienware & should share the same genetics w/only extra "jumper" from p1 to p5
• stock pump was tested w/a voltmeter while it was running

Asetek is the company who patented this technology, & many companies have Asetek make their coolers for them. Corsair went w/a 3-wire 3pin fan connector for mass-consumption & A-ware went w/a "4"-wire 5/7p setup. Regardless, side-by-side, both pumps have 3-wires coming out of them.The stock pump's 3-wires were "verified" by Devanny (the 3rd Tenor ... currently MIA) & his voltmeter, left-to-right as: ground - 12v - speed ... as we'd expect. He used an algebra to solve for X ... he found (+) & (-) x2, so what else could the last wire be, lol ... the tach signal. Of note: motherboards have 3pin cpu/sys fan headers that use this same industry standard grd-12v-speed setup to run a basic fan. Corsair follows suit, that's how/why they use the mthrbrd fan header safely to run the liquid pump with. No doubt A-ware/Asetek designed the same setup left-to-right. In the here & now we would hook the Corsair pump the same way, left-to-right, industry standard ground/12v/sense ... skip pin 4, jump to pin 5. That scheme has a 99.99% ikelihood it's right & its rationally defensible in a debate. If in doubt, read Anti-mio Project again. If you object - post it here for peer-review.

 - McCoy: [to Spock] 'Are you out of your Vulcan mind?' -

It's my opinion that the stock pump gains the jumper wire from pin 1 to pin5 - not because the pump needs it - but because it satisfies a necessary if/then ground input as a requirement for the fiesty master i/o board which impacts the CmndCntr system by design in a beneficial way when ground is present over both pins 1 & 5 at the same time. The project building steps below were written so that the system can be re-wired exactly like the old pumps were ... I do not guarantee applying the jumper is necessary, even though I know it requires added work for you to do it:

• leaving the p1 to p5 jumper off has not been tested & has unknown results. If you leave off the jumper to spare yourself the effort, that is on you. Not me.
• all my harnesses will have the jumper on them, so everything is wired back to stock, whether they need it "or not"
• take the information gathered & reasoned out for you here & decide what to do w/it good or bad

Kirk:  ... Khan, how do I know you'll keep your word? ...

Khan:  ... Oh, I've given you no word to keep, Admiral. In my judgment, you simply have no alternative ...

- The Molex/SL 5pin vs 7pin -

The CB-PWM-D5 - or "D5" - is an 8" harness that wears a 5pin connector:

• perfect fit for Area-51's cpu pump connector
• if you have an Aurora, you will discard this 5pin & obtain the correct 7pin to plug into your top lighting board

- Aurora 7pin -

The Aurora 7pin is:

• Molex Part#: 50-57-9407 (50579407) SL™ Crimp Housing, Version G, 7 Circuits
• old part#: 70066-0181
• http://www.molex.com/molex/products/datasheet.jsp?part=active/0050579407_CRIMP_HOUSINGS.xml

New SL mini-pins for your project when needed:

• SL™ Crimp Terminal Series 70058 or 71851 (22-24awg)
• http://www.molex.com/molex/products/listview.jsp?query=70058&path=cHome%23%23-1%23%23-1%7E%7EncCRIMPTERMINALS%23%230%23%23l&offset=0&autoNav=1&sType=s&filter=&fs=&channel=Products
• http://www.molex.com/molex/products/listview.jsp?query=71851&path=cHome%23%23-1%23%23-1%7E%7EncCRIMPTERMINALS%23%230%23%23c&offset=0&autoNav=1&sType=s&filter=&fs=&channel=Products
• use Molex's "Check Distributor Inventory" function on product's details page
• I use series 70058 #16020086, but will buy what's available
• use any available 22-24awg part# Molex lists; cnnectors/pins normally from :
• http://www.mouser.com/ & http://www.digikey.com/

*********************************

- Off to do battle: let's build an Area-51/Aurora M-M retrofit  - 

 

"D5" wears a typical 4pin [3+1] white pwm fan connector which the Corsair pump's 3pin fan connector will plug into. D5 also has a 5pin on the other end that fits Area-51's top pwrbrd :Þ. Aurora removes/discards the 5pin & applies a 7pin later: steal your old 7pin or buy a new empty one online. Shortly I will add a new "edit" which describes my differing Mark I & Mark II harness procedures.

If you're doing the Mark I build, for A-51, back out both the blk & wht pins, "switch the wht pin in the blk's slot", apply a jumper to the blk pin, then re-insert blk pin + new jumper. That's it.

Aurora backs all the pins out of the 5pin, applies a new jumper wire to black wire as above, reinsert all the pin(s) into the connector in the correct order/correct slots. That's it. If it's difficult to follow the procedures I type out below, in the end? Remember, for Mark I:

• back two pins (A51) - or all pins (Aurora) - out of the 5pin
• apply a new jumper wire to blk pin1
• reinsert all pins correctly back into the 5pin or new 7pin
• Mark II process will add & subtract steps: see very bottom of page ...

When finished w/your modded D5:

• plug pump into white connector
• plug 5/7pin into top pwr/light board
• turn pc on, watch what happens

- Using CB-PWM-D5 on Area-51 & Aurora -

D5 has 4wires:

• three are relevant (blk + red + wht) & will be used
• blue "4th" outer wire is what we would call unused - do not touch it if you don't have to - it can stay unused dormant/harmless inside the connectors & sleeved harness if need be
• Mark II uses the blue wire

h55/60/75/105 pumps have a standard 3pin fan connector that plugs into the white D5 4pin [3+1] - the pump's 3pin makes contact with D5's:

• black - ground
• red (or ylw) - 12v
• wht (or grn) - speed
• (blue = unused  --> it is the optional "1" in a 3+1)
• this is an industry standard wiring scheme, suitable for h55/60/75/105

D5 is wired correctly by industry standard on the white connector end, but it is incorrect for our use out-of-bag:

the black & white wires come positioned in the wrong slots - so we back them both out 1st

• step 1 is to back the pins out that need rearranged
• pins are easily backed out w/help from a needle or other such tools 
• Aurora needs the connector switched, so you'll back all the pins out 1st

---

- (New 5.31.14 Edit ) - 

I've resolved two ways so far to go about making the m-m harnesses:

Mark I = putting the required jumper wire down on the black 5/7pin is standard

Mark II = putting the required jumper up at the white 4pin fan connector is optional & advised

• h80i/100i = putting the jumper in the sata connector pin is highly advised

The steps that came before & follow after were typed 5.23.14, nor will I edit it in light of "optional methods"; the procedures below explain how to build the original Mark I harness for h55/60/75/105 as envisioned. I know now I can bring you an optional, possibly easier way to assemble one of these, included as an addendum as edit:

• see "How to build the m-m 3+5 Mark II" at the very bottom of this page
• look over both methods, the procedures differ slightly; decide which might be best for you, your project & your skill level
• as the resident virtuoso I have no limitations on me here, but I prefer Mark II when given the choice, & I tend to sing Blue On Black by Kenny Wayne Sheppard when I widdle one out ...

---

- Backing Out the Pins -

The front side has the latch on it, so flip d5 over so you can see the back-side of the connector; mid-way you'll see a shine, those are the lock arms, so use a needle etc & mild force to push/compress the metal "pin locks" down. The wire will gently tug out when you've done it right. You can pull the heatshrink/sleeve back a smidge to help removal:

• A-51, back out the blk & wht wires
• Aurora, compress all pin locks down, then back the pins out slowly one at a time - or - tug them all out at once as a group if need be

blk & wht wires backed out; reposition/reinsert the wht wire - now it's ready for a jumper on blk pin1

- Mark I: Create a jumper wire from pin1 over to pin5 -

typical A-51/Aurora stock pump connectors w/jumpers from pin1 over to p5

Alright Bones, now it's time for some surgery; look at the pic, look at your original Area-51/Aurora Asetek pump black 5/7 pin & see the jumped wire on pin 1 over to pin 5:

• you will need a jumper wire also (22awg of any color)
• one end will be stripped & crimped to pin1's main wire/pin
• the other end needs its own pin, to slip into slot #5 later(!)

If you do not care about your old cooler anymore:

• snip that little jumper off of pin1 & back it out of pin5
• that way it has its pin still on it - lol
• strip its end for re-use
• "jump it" to D5's black wire & pop it back into slot5 ... !

With all your relevant D5's pins backed out, concentrate on D5 blk wire pin1:

• w/a needle or mini-flathead screwdriver, "pry" only the outer metal tabs apart that are gripping the black wire insulation (photo later below)
• for the best results on our D5 jumper, get a razorblade & lightly "score" the black insulation - carefully - around the entire circumference, then score it vertical "straight" so it will unfold out of there when you peel it; now peel the insulation collar off, 1-2 millimeters or so
• tip: lightly score means gently "saw": sawing ever-so-lightly down through the insulation w/a gentle back & forth motion while twisting the wire around, you'll feel the blade go down in smoothly; smooth = good. Once you hit metal, it will now feel "rough" through the blade, like a scrape. So stop cutting, then work other smooth areas til the insulation's ready to pop off ... you have to have soft hands here; it's best to take 2minutes to do it slow & right ,then a qwik 30 seconds & maybe damage the wires underneath

w/razor, I've scored off a tiny section of insulation & peeled it off - the actual wires underneath were not cut(!). This requires delicate hands & work, be sure not to cut any of the thin delicate 22awg wire. If you cut/ruin your blk p1 wire w/razorblade & you have a new pin, put it on now ...lol ...

new jumper is 2" long; left side is stripped bare & right has a new pin crimped & soldered onto it

• w/your 2" 22awg jumper wire - insert a stripped end alongside or underneath D5 black wire - there are several ways to do this - in the end, make sure you get wire to wire, wire to metal contact; there is a general jumper how-to @ very bottom of page
• tip: use heatshrink to help hold wires & their new splice/crimp taught
• "crimp" the outer insulation metal arms back down w/needle nose pliers
• tip: solder if at all possible
• gently "tug" 2" jumper wire to see if snug inside pin terminal

pin1 blk & ground jumper to pin5 are now spliced & crimped together; both have been soldered to give 'em the old Vulcan Death Grip. Their black insulations have been stripped 1-2mm away from the pin to "help" them & their shared pin go back into slot #1 

- INTERMISSION -

- Does your New Jump Wire Need Its Own Pin/Terminal? -

If your jump wire started life w/a pin already on it like mine did, & it's been jumped to pin1 blk now, it will slip into slot #5 soon of your 5 or 7 pin-

But if it needs a pin? & you bought or have a new empty pin for this project?

• crimp it to the stripped end correctly, solder as optional

If you do not have a new pin? Remember how the D5 blue wire isn't needed anyway? If I wanted to, as you see my step-by-step photos I could have easily removed the blue wire & may just go back & do that - so you can grab yours  out of the harness if need be & use it & its good pin as your jump material: 

• how? remove blue wire from harness, that's a good start ...
• if you know how to back a male pin from out of a fan connector w/a needle etc - push the needle through - & back out the blue wire's pin

Personally I then "snip" the un-needed male fan pin off the blue wire up @ the white 4pin end, tug the blue wire out of harness, then back its pin out of the 5pin black connector (if you haven't already). You should now have about an 8" blue wire w/a good SL pin on it right?

• now snip it to 2" or so - w/its pin still applied to its end lol - strip other end - use as your new jump wire - understand?
• 5.31.14 edit: the steps above are for Mark I; the idea behind Mark II is using the full 8" blue wire as your jumper: it's pre-applied SL pin can pop into slot 5 (right?) & when its fan pin is clipped off from up top, its bare end jumps over & in w/the blk wire - simply put: working w/the larger fan connector slot up top may prove easier for you than working the smaller SL connector slot down below

If you need help/clarification w/this or any other part of the mod, ask.

- FYI: A Long Word About Asetek's "Jumping" Method -

The Molex/SL 5/7pins are mini-connectors, designed to house mini-wires & mini-terminals; usually only one insulated wire per slot will fit. Two stripped wire ends will fit in their slot if they are ganged to the pin correctly.

When jumping two wires into one slot for this project, go ahead & look at your stock cooler's 5/7pin; Asetek may have done a little "trick" w/pin1, which is to not use any part of the pin to grip the insulation ... looks like their pin only grips "wires". We see it is a "tenuous" job they've done for us - but a necessity - illustrated in this close-up pic of an actual 5pin cooler connector w/a jump on pin1 to pin5:

Whoever's pump connector this is, they need to push pin 1 & 3 back in! A dollop of black liquid-plastic repair around pin 1 jumper would be nice too

Pins 2 & 5 are fully inserted (no "metal" showing) where-as pins 1 & 3 look slightly "backed out" (pin's metal protrudes). You may have an impossible time "stuffing" your insulated jumped + insulated main wires back into pin slot #1.

• only one 22awg insulated wire will fit per slot - got it?
• if both wires are "stripped", the bare wires will both go in

Look at your stock cooler on pin1, see what the factory did to gang these wires - back them out of pin1 if need be to see 1st hand what went on when they ganged these wires in a single slot - & recreate it best you can. It's delicate work, I know that, maybe a prob for you. If you mess your project materials up, oh well, order more & start over til you get it done right:

Normally, a wire's insulation rests in the insulation band; the arms hug it to secure it in the pin. The Asetek jumper wire pair have their insulations stripped beyond the usual point, the wires are held by both the inner ("wires") & outer ("insulation") crimps. This is necessary so that two 22awg wires can gang into one 22awg pin & one 22awg pin slot.

Typical pins have two crimp areas; the inner for the actual wires, the outer "arms" to grip the insulation & "hold" wire in place. We see that Asetek "optionally" used the insulation area crimp to "crimp metal to pin". Uh huh, it's a mini connector, not enough room for two insulated wires in same slot. But two stripped wires surely do fit, as you can see.

Chances are, when you go to pry the D5 black wire's insulation crimp arms back - well, strip your jumper the right length & insert your jumper's wires in there, but do not allow its insulation inside the outer crimp arm area when you use your needle-nose for pressure/recrimp. That way, when you slip the "jumped" wires pin back into slot#1, the main wire will be flush as normal, (see pin2) while the mini-jump wire will be "tenuous", hanging "outside" the connector, mostly insulated, yes - like in the photo & like your stock cooler, see for yourself:

• your best success will come if you strip a liberal amount of insulation off your jump wire, & position just right in the crimp, so in the end, the main wire goes back in & no or "almost" no wire shows from your "jumper", which most likely will "ride the outside of the connector as in the photo
• if you don't like the job you did, re-do it til it looks ok
• available at your local h'ware store is "stuff" called plasti-dip or similar. $6, paint some liquid plastic on & around any bare wire if it shows, to repair/insulate your jumper

- The very 1st jumper method as addendum @ bottom of page may be of help to you here ... or you may borrow from other methods to find something that works for you during this last critical stage of your build -

These coolers shipped w/necessary tenuous jumps, see for yourself, so do what you can, push your pins back in as far as they will go, & never "grab" your 5/7pin by the wires, or else you might break your jumper wire off ... ok?

I can offer a few tips or tricks on how to jump delicate 22awg wire together on a mini-size pin terminal, but you're advised to also search the net or youtube for the many many other ways to jump wires together, as I can not list all ways &/or may not have pointed out nor mentioned what could have been the best way for "you" to have jumped "your" wires. A lot was said here, because jumping the tiny wires together is the hardest part, it commands the most attention & demands your utmost respect & skill to pull it off right ...

***************************

- Now For The Final Act -

- Reset Your Pins' Top Lock Arms -

When finished creating jumper wire, reset all your pin locks:

• to back the pins out you "compressed" the top lock w/needle, right?
• you must "reset" all those pin locks now
• w/needle or mini-flathead or finger-nail, pry up on top lock a little bit to "reset" it - when it's reset, it "clicks" into the 5/7 pin & won't back out (=

- Reinsert Your Pins -

- this information requires confirmation by peer-review -

From Anti-Mio Cooling Project we have the "verified" pinouts. Insert your D5's pins in the correct order:

pin 1 - blk - ground

pin 2 - red (or ylw) - 12v

pin 3 - wht (or grn) - tach/rpm

pin 4 -  "empty" --> or blu --> it's up to you 

• empty = D5 blue was completely removed from harness prior as jumper material or unwanted & discarded as not part of final harness
• blu = Area-51 left it in, Aurora backed it out, so reinsert blu pin into #4 if you did not remove it prior; it will be an unused, harmless wire so pop it in there, that's cool

pin 5 - new jumper wire

• Mark 1: from pin1 blk (ground)
• Mark II: insert your (blue) wire (from fan connector pin1 blk/ground)

***AURORA*** pin 6 & pin 7 = empty 

careful, or your desktop will get blow'd up like 'dis ... 

- Mark1 m2 made in the USA - correct left to right -

blk / red / wht / "blu" / jumper --> inserted, "finished", ready for Area-51's cpu pump connector at one end & Corsair H55/60/75 at the other end; Aurora 7pin will look "identical" since its pin 6 & 7 are empty. Blue wire is strictly "optional" here & "un-needed" (harmless: it can stay or go) -

- cha-ching! M-M Retro-Hydro-Fit harness is ready to Mind-Meld & should be suitable for any 3-wire 3pin cooler on the market, maybe even yours -

- Taking it all in -

Let's look at what just got discussed. In the beginning I made it sound easy:

back pins out, apply jumper, reinsert pins. So! For Area-51, after your D5 arrived new waiting for corrections & assembly, for Mark I what we did is: 

1. backed out pin1 wht & pin3 blk - w/the intent on "switching their positions"
2. reset the pin lock & reinserted wht into slot-3
3. popped a 2" jumper (w/its own pin) onto what is now blk pin1
4. pushed the new reset jumper pair into slot-1
5. you popped solo jumper wire into slot 5
6. whether you removed blue wire for your jump/pin source or not or kept it or tossed it, the work is just too easy to get the above result from a virtually pre-made harness

For Aurora, you probably:

1. backed all pins out / removed the black 5pin connector
2. did jumper as above, reset pin locks
3. rearranged wires correctly & popped 7pin
4. yadda yadda over the blue wire ... what more do you want?

- Final Installation-

If you've successfully modified the D5, it's ready to be put to good use; simply plug the Corsair pump 3pin into the white connector, & plug your 5/7pin into your top pwr/light board::

• turn pc on: the pwr/light board will send your pump 12volts, allow a ground path, & send your mio/mthrbrd the pump speed/tach signal
• note you do not get a "cpu fan error hit f1 etc" anymore
• once your master i/o senses the pump at the other end, Command Center will status note the pump is "on" & the Mind-Meld is complete

From there, you have the peace of mind in knowing Command Center is back to being the lil' man behind the curtain again & that your liquid cooling system's been wired back to the way it began life; back to the way it was before the old pump left terra firma & took an early retirement. That's as good as it gets. Alot of time & effort for this littlest of rewards. When you're done, then you can debate w/other people who didn't do the Mind-Meld Mod if it was all worth it or not. The satisfaction in knowing Humpty-Dumpty's been glued back together again & the fact you now run on a modded Corsware Cooler may have you one up in this discussion ...

- Life after a cooler swap: the happy ending we were waiting for -

The stock cooler & Corsair h55 are true brother & sister who have the same parent Asetek. With the retro-cable we can put the stock stem on h55's apple & make her look act & feel a little more as the so-called suitable stand-in then when she showed up in the box, w/CmndCntr as her new rightful Nanny... (=

(.. but make mine Fran Drescher puh-leeeeeez ???)

- mini-me -

Here we have 1/3 of a cb-pwm-d5 w/serious Seinfeld shrinkage: it's 3", but it could still drop to a scant 2.5" which is about as small as I'd want one. The Blue On Black Mark II jumper is up in the wht 3+1, & 4 new SL pins applied down below. Applying a black 3 or 3+1 pin for the stealth mission would be righteous ... the lessons you learn building your 1st cb-pwm-d5 m-m harness can be used for going back a 2nd time & doing something else trick later on in the next go 'round ...

-this Mark II Sata/Fan mini's down to 2.5" end-to-end, as low as I'll go: wires like the flexibility room-

- Re-Using Your Old Pump's Wires/Connector? -

If you din't toss your old pump in disgust, you can snip a correct length of the black wires off - then toss it, lol. If you're inclined, you want to build something yourself, buy/obtain an empty 3pin fan connector & 3 new pins (sata "stuff" too where needed). Apply new pins to stripped ends & pop them in the top connector(s) in the right order. Qwik-painless-cheap.

- Last Minute Info -

Corsair units that come with - or can optionally have - dual 120mm rad fans (aka push-pull), but do NOT come w/a "y-splitter" cable, you can buy these online from most pc shops &/or eBay

Using one of these y-splits allows you to plug two fans into your single "sys fan" header on the top pwr/light board. There are many names for these, but a general search term is:

• 4 pin y / 4 pin y split / 4 pin y splitter / pwm y split / dual 4 pin / etc

Corsair is not the only brand liquid cooler out there; Zalman, Antec, Cooler Master etc offer these too. Research before you buy, since the CB-PWM-D5 adapter harness project above & below is only good for standard 3pin "fan header" connectors for pump pwr/grd/tach, the mods discussed take sata/molex into account also, anything else is "exotic" & you're on your own

Tip: do not settle for nor use 24-28awg wiring on this project. If the material you buy online arrives & is not 22awg as printed on the wire, wait until you get the right stuff. Always ask your vendor to confirm the wiring you intend to buy is 22awg. Cb-pwm-d5 is 22awg: that is why I recommended its use.

- Closing Thoughts -

I have 22 Molex SL G-series 7pins & 22 SL 5pins:

• I'll build 22 kits max for each desktop, though 7pins will go faster I'm sure
• I've sworn off ordering "more" supplies; when those are sold I will remove mention of harnesses for sale, retire & move on to other adventures
• so long as the forum member reports success next week w/the h80i prototype mini I sent him, my mid-June sales will go as scheduled

I have other ideas on the table that don't revolve around the cb-pwm-d5 per se as well as variations on a theme - perhaps you will too. If you feel there are errors, additions or subtractions that need accounted for, say so & I will make edits when/where needed. If you design & build your own harness, tell us how it went.

Whether you use some, all or none of the methods or materials above, I appreciate you stopping by and reading this far into my community project.

... mind-meld what you have learned ... save you it can ...

Ty to Tesla & Morblore - w/out who's prior contributions & work this could not have been easily contemplated - ... if I've seen further it's because I stood on the shoulders of Giants ...

 **************************************

- Addendum: h80/80i/100/100i m-mSata -

There are a dozen different types & ways you could make a molex/sata + fan connector retrofit cable for pumps using those connector types. I'm not fielding questions on where to source which materials you might need since I've said a lot already:

• go online, see the hundreds of molex/sata/fan pc project parts to choose from; if you successfully build a cable, use it. If no success? Toss it, & go back to Corsair Link keeping an eye on things or hit me up, I may still be making these when you're ready

I name-dropped the cb-pwm-d5 because it arrives w/a 5pin ready to insert into Area-51, &, it already has four SL pins on it for when Aurora wants to slap a new 7pin on. Plus it has a 3pin fan up top - it is half built for you already, so, when I go to make h80i/100i retrofit cables, option1 is using the spot-lighted D5 harness & some of the parts from above to glue on a sata connection.

Using what you learned earlier from the D5 Mark I methods, add these steps:

• with D5, back the red & blk fan pins out, clip the fan pins off, strip ends
• slap 2 new sata pins on, then insert them into the new sata connector
• slap a jumper onto the SL from black pin1 to pin5
• ensure your SL wire/pin/color order down below is right & be done with it -
• for aurora, same deal but slap the 7pin on it

ADVISED Mark II method as newest edit & best method:

@ the black MolexSL 5/7pin:

• move blue wire over to slot-5, move white wire to slot-3, black to slot-1 
• the black SL is now finished

@ the wht fan connector:

1. back the black red & blue pins out of white fan connector
2. snip off unwanted fan pins from blk/red/blue & strip their ends
3. jump both the blue & black wires onto a sata pin & insert into sata ground slot ... yeah ... there you just destroyed the need for a "p1 to p5 jumper". Do the required jump up/in/on the larger sata pin ... you heard me ... (see Mark I vs Mark II Sata photo later below)
4. put sata pin on red wire, insert into sata port
5. do cleanup work: ensure all pins are in all their correct slots top to bottom left/right
6. now you're in b'ness

For Molex/Peripheral apps: substitute the sata steps from above for a molex/periph connector

Optional Sata Connecting Method?

There's an optional type of sata connector: 90° ez-crimp:

Opt for "end cap" style; buy one w/pins pre-installed - if not -then buy @ least 2 pins for your project. Simply push wires in- put on end cap: left in photo (right is pass-thru). I'll determine later if two 22awg can "jump" into same slot ...

Option2, off the top of my head, since I have SL pins I would not mind using the materials you see above:

• typical 4-wire 4pin [3+1] fan extension/adapter; 22awg wire of course
• new empty sata connector & two new sata pins
• empty SL 5pin or 7pin & four new SL pins for it
• (if you need a molex connector (h80/100) get one & get new pins for it)

There is no good reason why that black sleeved fan cable up there won't do the job once it's been disassembled & rebuilt:

For h80i/100i - using a classic fan extension as starter material - keep the one wire in the fan extension connector that will mate to the solitary tach-signal wire in the h-pump's 3pin (see photo of single wire above):

• back out the rest of the wire pins from the fan extender's male 4pin
• "clip" the un-needed "fan" pins off - toss them - strip ends off all three wires

Mark II ADVISED method only will be used here:

• jump your two intended ground wires together onto one sata pin
• apply new sata pin to your other (12v) wire
• insert in the correct sata slots of your empty sata connector, the same slots which will mate later on to the h-pump's opposite sata connector
• the outer wire on h-pump's sata is 12v /  inner wire is ground; your sata connector is keyed, use the chart below & compare to h-pump sata, to identify what goes where. Inspect your case's main sata wiring harness/connectors if you need a color-code:

h80/h100 "molex/peripheral" procedure will be similar: 12v outer (here ylw), ground(s) inner

Next: cut wires down to appropriate length - say 3"-4" - whatever feels/looks right

To rebuild the other end w/the correct Molex/SL 5/7pin:

• strip all four ends & apply new SL pins
• f you know what you're doing you'll have the sleeve & heatshrink back on by now
• see wiring chart from earlier for correct pin placement
• insert your wires/pins into your 5 or 7 pin, correctly

- Mark I vs Mark II - 

Sample drawings: 7pin w/sata using D5 cable or other suggested materials -

left: jumper is down from p1 to p5 >< center: jumper is up @ sata connector (blu on blk)

below & far right: optional mini-sizes for Aurora; Sata/fan using Mark II

Your retro-cable will now be a basic 4" version of the main-project D5 harness; it will have the same 5/7 on one end, it will have a (1-wire) male fan connector on the other end like D5 has, but it will also have a 2-wire sata connector on it as well ... 

• plug your hydro-pump into it, turn on pc, watch what happens ... de nada! ...

This is one of many ways to go about the same thing. What I offer here is a fast retro-cable "solution" w/a minimum of parts required. The harness could be built from the other end up if you snip off your old pump wiring + 5/7pin, then rebuild it w/the new sata+pins & new empty 3pin fan connector + pin. All of these parts are bought online, go look what's available to you. Your project harness wire material must be light 22awg since the Molex/SL 5/7pin is a mini- connector. 22awg "fan harness wires" from typical extensions fit the bill - do not buy "sata harnesses" as your basis because the wires may/will be too fat to fit your 5/7 pins let alone a Mark I jumper ... 

You will debate amongst yourselves over the use of Corsair Link in possible tandem/conflict w/CmndCnter. The mod originally began as designed to put mthrnbrd + CC back in the loop - the aim was an h55/60/75 project, not 80i Link users ... but I heard the 80i crowd wonder about CC, so, I chimed in here for you. If you're giving this a try, good luck; may all aspects of your Alienware "live long & prosper" ...

... Space: the final frontier. These are the continuing voyages of the starship Enterprise. Her ongoing mission: to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life forms and new civilizations, to boldly go where no man has gone before ...

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- Addendum I: Jumper Tips -

- Asetek Dual Stripped-Wires Method -

- solder & heatshrink preferred here -

B shows a razorblade should remove insulation; C shows a needle has poked a hole while jumper awaits;  D has two methods: splitting the wire like a V, then wrapping it back & then back around to the front - or - simply slide it in & hit it w/solder. Note that a good amount of insulation's been stripped, so both wires can pop back into SL slot #1 "grounds jumper"

- Method II -

Left: typical terminal with inner outer crimp arms; right: properly seated: inner crimp holds the copper/tin wire, the outer crimp holds the black insulation

if you want a good result for your D5 jumper, back the black pin#1 out of the 5pin; pry only the insulation arms back, then "score the black insulation" w/a razor blade - carefully - lightly score around the entire circumference, then score it straight/vertical so it will unfold when you peel the insulation collar off, 1-2 millimeters or so, & do not damage the wire underneath w/your razor. Compare - before & after - "a razor blade has gently cut the insulationf" & "a needle peeled it off"

left: blu wire can now lay on top - or- side-by-side - Or - right: blu wire can lay beneath blk wire

w/1-2 millimeters of pin#1 black's insulation "removed", insert a jumper along w/it & have good overall wire-wire, wire-metal contact. The blue wire's copper wires can lay on top of the inner crimp, (or you can split the bu wires like a snake & make it fork-ed & lay it under blk wire) ... then use the outer crimp arms to grab onto blue's copper wires. (Solder would be nice right now).  Both of these wires should stuff back into slot#1, just as we saw w/the Asetek jumper from earlier.

- Method III -

Left: example of pin1 blk wire w/out any modification >< Right: razorblade to "remove" insulation sliver

 

Left: poke hole through wire w/needle etc >< Right: insert stripped end of new jumper wire

Left: wrap/twist wires together >< Right: apply heatshrink to both wires to cover splice

Tip: use solder to give it the Vulcan Death Grip

Tip: next use a dab of black liquid-tape on the splice & let it dry b4 you lay the heat shrink on --> (=

Right now I have & use Performix Liquid-Tape. other brands might be Plasti-dip; whatever, same stuff

Finished product

- Method IV -

razorblade trick to remove 1-2mm of insulation

 

- Method V -

Methods 1-4 photos are rough ideas of how to do a jumper. It's delicate work, so TYT ...

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Tip: welding the Vulcan Death Grip on w/a little ultra-fine .015" .022" or .032" solder is recommended. Too much solder may ruin your chance of pushing your pin back in its slot ... Khan!!!!!!!!!!!

Tip: 15 / 25 watt solder iron is recommended  40watt may get too hot for thin 22awg insulations which like to melt 

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- Addendum II: Build the D5 m-m 3+5 / 3+7 Mark II Harness -

To be quick about this, I will exclude info from earlier, so do be sure you've read up on the Mark 1 for any related info that may be essential to your build. Mark 1 places the required jumper down on the black 5/7pin (from p1 to p5). I sympathize w/the difficulty level associated w/working with tiny wires & pins, especially the Molex SL 5/7.

Mark II places the jumper up at the 4pin fan connector; this takes advantage of both the size of the wht 4pin fan connector slot & the "blue wire" (it has an SL pin already on it, whoopee!):

• it is easier to "stuff" two spliced insulated wires into the 4pin fan connector
• you may find it a smidge easier to work w/the fan pin 
• you use the blue wire as your "on-the-spot already-in-the-sleeved-harness" jumper
• Mark II uses the least amount of materials

- Step 1: Back Some Pins Out -

1. left: back the blk + blu wires from 4p
2. right: back the wht + blk + blu wires from the 5p (Aurora, back all pins out)

- Step 2: Prepare the Blu/Blk Jumper:

I've clipped the unwanted fan pin off of blu wire & stripped the end

Working this dainty black wire is the hardest part because it is, well, dainty:

1. I've pried the blk pin's outer insulation arms back
2. I've used a razorblade to "remove" 1mm of blk insulation (see tiny black dot?)
3. tip: I used the metal pin as my circular razor-guide - understand? - I din't remove as much insulation from this as I would have for Mark I - look close @ the photo
4. I've pulled straight up on the black wire
5. I've used a safety pin to "gently poke a hole" through the dainty blk wires --> (( ))
6. why? I'm using jumper "Method V", & will insert the blu wire into that hole (=

- Step 3: I Might As Well Jump - (Jump!)

1. cover the children's ii's
2. using Method V: I penetrated twisted ends of blue's wires straight into blk wire's "hole" --->(-)--> 
3. tip: slip heatshrink on to hold wires together, apply a lil' heat, we'll apply final heat later
4. I split blue's wires apart in a V  -> I made them fork-ed: like a th'nake
5. twisted each side of the wires back, behind blk's wires, & back out the front
6. I used a mini-flat-head to push/conform wires down & mini-needle-nose pliers to crimp outer insulation arms down to hold all these wires, especially the black's
7. I soldered the blu/blk wires to each other & to the pin = wielding the Vulcan Death Grip
8. I touched it all up w/a dab of Permatex Liquid-Tape & let it cure for 30 minutes

- Step 4: How to Cross the Mark II Finish Line -

Here I've reset all my pin locks, I inserted the blu/blk jumper into the wht 4pin - slid the heatshrink close & put the final heat to the heat shrink to seal the deal:

• 'member that the blu on blk pin goes back where the blk wire 1st came out
• order is now: blu-blk / red / wht / empty

Last, I inserted the wires/pins back into the Molex SL 5pin, in the correct order

• blk / red/ wht / empty / blu  (Aurora pins 6 & 7 = empty)

For the m-m 3+5/3+7 Mark II, to make sure pin1 & pin5 are both doing Corsair cpu pump ground path duty, the required "ground jumper" happens way up in the fan connector. It may be easier this way for you. No matter how you look at it, the blu wire is now your required p5 2nd ground ... believe it ...