Keep Kraken Pump on 'Performance' mode without NZXT CAM software?

RipGroove

RipGroove

RipGroove

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I need NZXT CAM to start when I start Windows in order to keep my Kraken X62 pump on the 'performance' profile (apparently it defaults to silent witha slower pump speed) as that's the only way to keep my 7700k temps down under load at 4.9GHz+. But 50% of the time CAM just crashes after loading.

And I cant just simply restart CAM manually because as it conflicts with my ASUS Aura software, CAM has to load first to get around the conflict so I've delayed the startup of the AURA service, so obviously when my PC starts and CAM crashes, at this point AURA is already running so I can't just restart CAM, I have to reboot whole PC. How can I fix this? Or is there a way I can uninstall CAM completely but still keep the Kraken pump on the 'Performance' profile and taking temp readings from CPU?

If CAM crashes while I'm gaming my CPU will fry!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I wish I could just control the Krakens pump from my ASUS TUF Z270 Mark 1 BIOS.


FYI the conflict I'm talking about between AURA and CAM actually stops CAM from recognising my Kraken at all, which is also no good for me.
 
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Hi, The cam software is a bit hit and miss. ANd I have the same issue as you. But on this current software build it seems to be more stable than the last one. Still way better than any corsair link software or their que software package.

Is this the Kraken x62 you have? I run the pump off the cpu header and the fans are connected to various fan headers. I find in my experience the pump speed makes very very little difference to temps whether idle, gaming or full load testing so it better to fix speed it.

I find setting the fan speed depending on the situation more beneficial than the pump speed.
 
Hi, yes it's the X62, I already have the fans on motherboard headers so I can control them via QFAN in my BIOS. I don't believe I can run the pump from a motherboard header as the only connections I have on it are SATA (for the power) and USB (for the control).

I'd love to connect my pump to the motherboard as my board even has a designated water pump header!

I take it you have an X61?
 
I have the x62 as well. I bought it recently after coming from a DH15 and EK predator 360. Out of the 3 the DH15 is the most quietest. Obviously by a long shot the x62 is lovely to look at and best cooling is easily the predator 360.
 
GoRedwings19 said:
On the fan leads there is a single like 2 pin header that goes to the cpu header. The rest goes for the fans on the radiator but I just run them off my motherboard.
Click to expand...

Oh, maybe I missed that. I must have plugged it in so, if I have then I can just uninstall CAM and Krakens pump can be controlled via my CPU header fan profile in my BIOS? I'm guessing though as it's 2 pin I won't be able to see the actual pump speed anywhere?
 
I can see the pump speed in bios and I am sure other monitoring software of your choice would as well. You need to leave the USB cable plugged in to control the lighting effects. I am not sure what else it controls. I have never tried running it without it plugged in.

So how are you getting on with the Kraken then overall minus the cam software liking it?
 
I thought the 2pin that goes from the Kraken to the CPU header controlled just the fans and the USB controlled just the pump?

Other than the massive pain in the ass software the Kraken seems OK so far, only had it a week on a new build.

I've just managed to get it to pass an x264 stress test at 5.0GHz (7700k) with a max temp of 84°C at 1.395v. From what I can see the Kraken is a great cooler and it's almost completely silent at idle, I keep thinking my PC is turned off, I think my temps would be lower but for some reason my voltage seems higher than a lot of other people's when running 5.0GHz?!

For reference I have the 2 stock NZXT fans on the front of the Krakens rad (connected to CHA_FAN2 on my mobo) and 2x Corsair ML140's on the rear of the Krakens rad (connected to CHA_FAN3 on my mobo).

So if you have the USB plugged in to the Kraken AND the 2pin connected to the CPU header how does your system know what to use to control the Krakens pump, your BIOS or CAM?

I'm really interested in ditching CAM and just using my BIOS for the fans and pump.
 
IIRC the two pin controls the pump speed and the USB allows the lighting blah blah to be controlled by the cam software. BUt I wouldn't say 100%.

Glad to hear you are getting on well with the X62. Yes you would probably have lower temps but your chip needs that voltage to maintain the 5ghz stability. It varies from chip to chip. Some need lower voltage which in general means less heat and some need higher it just one of those things..

I ditched the stocks fans without even installing them like yourself I went with the ML 140's as all my other fans are ML as well. I only run two fans on the rad.

As for your question about how does the setup knows which setting to use. I assume when outside windows everythings runs off the bios then when it boots into the windows and cam fires up then it takes over. I couldn't say to be sure. I also assume if there is no cam software then the bios will still control it. There is only one way to find out. Good luck Mr Guinea Pig.....

;)
 
RipGroove said:
For reference I have the 2 stock NZXT fans on the front of the Krakens rad (connected to CHA_FAN2 on my mobo) and 2x Corsair ML140's on the rear of the Krakens rad (connected to CHA_FAN3 on my mobo).
Click to expand...

Your using different fans on the front and back of the same rad?

They have different static pressures, different air movement and different RPM, how do you get them to sync up without causing a massive air drag between them?
 
Yes I've basically built this, same components, same configuration: https://youtu.be/eityIEAXNWw

Which according to Part 2 of the video achieved a somewhat quiet 5.0GHz clock. I do plan to test the cooling with just the Corsair fans on the rad to see if it actually makes a difference. Reading online there are just as many people who think different fans is not a problem as those who think it is so I can't be sure without testing it for myself.

Worst case, I buy two more Corsair fans so all 4 match, actually I already have 1 more Corsair fan so all I need to do is buy 1 other.

Currently I'm more interested in how exactly I can use and monitor my water pump without having NZXT cam installed.
 
So as the Kraken has one cable (other than the USB) as default without CAM then the fans and pump would all be working in tandem and increase in speed exactly the same.
 
I've just had a look in QFAN in my BIOS and this is what I've found:

CHA_FAN2 (2 fans on front of Krakens rad) These ramp up and down when I play with the fan curves as expected, they are set to the 'Turbo' Profile)
CHA_FAN3 (2 fans on rear of Krakens rad) These ramp up and down when I play with the fan curves as expected, they are set to the 'Turbo' Profile)
H_AMP (2 top exhaust fans on top of case) These ramp up and down when I play with the fan curves as expected, they are set to the 'Turbo' Profile)

CPU_1 (?) - This constantly shows around 3400rpm and does not increase or decrease when I play with the fan curve or change the profile. The only thing connected to this header is the Kraken, via it's supplied cable. I tried to feel and listen if the Krakens water pump actually gets faster or slower when I play with this fan curve but it's so quiet it's hard to tell, if I had to guess I'd say it has zero effect.

This leads me to believe that the Kraken's pump is not at all being controlled by QFAN or the BIOS. I'm guessing that as I don't have CAM installed to control the Kraken that it's just defaulted to take its temp reading from the liquid (which I don't like at all) and it's default fan profile is 'Silent' (which doesn't matter to me as my fans are on the motherboard).

Why on Earth couldn't they have just ran the Krakens pump straight from a motherboard fan header?!!

All I want is either full control of the Krakens pump via QFAN or at the very least that without CAM installed to default to take its temp from the CPU and set the pump to 'Performance' mode. Maybe the Kraken could have a firmware flash to achieve what I want lol

I've emailed NZXT to see if they can shed some light on it.
 
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