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

RipGroove · 13 Mar 2017 at 15:05

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.

RipGroove · 15 Mar 2017 at 06:06

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?

RipGroove · 15 Mar 2017 at 06:42

How do you run the Krakens pump off of the CPU header then?

RipGroove · 15 Mar 2017 at 07:04

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.

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?

RipGroove · 15 Mar 2017 at 07:08

Should I also unplug the USB connector from the Kraken then?

RipGroove · 15 Mar 2017 at 07:27

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.

RipGroove · 15 Mar 2017 at 07:55

Haha thanks, I'll go have a play with it and see what happens.

RipGroove · 15 Mar 2017 at 10:23

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.

RipGroove · 15 Mar 2017 at 10:51

No because I've no way of actually seeing the speed of the pump without CAM.

RipGroove · 15 Mar 2017 at 10:57

Hotwired said:
Hence the blind part.

Check how temperatures work out in windows which you can see without CAM while using different BIOS presets.

Oh I see yes I'll give that a go then.

RipGroove · 15 Mar 2017 at 11:01

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.

RipGroove · 15 Mar 2017 at 15:42

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.

RipGroove · 16 Mar 2017 at 05:47

It's not so much the pump speeds but it's the fact that the pump defaults to take its temp from the liquid. You can only set it to ramp up and down with CPU temp by using CAM.

RipGroove · 16 Mar 2017 at 05:51

NZXT have given me a copy of CAM 3.3.04 so I'll give that a try BUT it has to work 100% of the time in the background without me checking on it otherwise it's no good to me.

RipGroove · 16 Mar 2017 at 11:52

Disco_P said:
How much of a difference does the pump speed make though? CAM utterly sucks balls - it's just flashy bloatware as far as I am concerned and I am super glad that I have an alternative for my Grid+ V2 but I can't find anything for the kraken.

To be honest I don't know, I'll have to do some back to back tests with and without CAM and see what happens.

RipGroove · 16 Mar 2017 at 11:56

It's not necessarily the pumps curve that might make a difference, I'd like the pump to react to CPU temp and not liquid temp. I'm pretty sure the Kraken defaults to liquid temp without CAM.

RipGroove · 16 Mar 2017 at 15:07

Back to back test complete, results:

4.9GHz
1.35v
LLC 5
x264 stress test = PASS
CPU Rad fans running off motherboard set to 'Turbo'
CAM not installed (so Kraken on default settings whatever they are)
Max temp 84°C

And

4.9GHz
1.35v
LLC 5
x264 stress test = PASS
CPU Rad fans running off motherboard set to 'Turbo'
CAM Running, Kraken pump set to 'Performance' and taking its temp from CPU
Max temp 78°C

Conclusion, 6°C cooler with CAM running enabling Kraken pump to be set to performance and take its temp from the CPU instead of the liquid.

So basically I pretty much have to keep CAM running.

RipGroove · 16 Mar 2017 at 15:15

varkanoid said:
Since they updated the interface I find CAM very stable and quite handy. Just make sure you are on the latest version. I even use it for overclocking my GPU and dont bother with MSI anymore.

Well the version I had yesterday was garbage but NZXT sent me a download link to ver 3.3.04 which I'm testing now for stability. When I click 'about CAM' though it shows version 3.3.0 for some reason.

RipGroove · 16 Mar 2017 at 15:57

Well already this version of CAM is rubbish. It keeps forgetting the pumps profile, it's keeps defaulting back to Silent.

RipGroove · 16 Mar 2017 at 16:59

Disco_P said:
I wouldn't be suprised if you did an md5 check and found the executables were identical for cam 3.3.0 and 3.3.04

I've no idea what that means lol but either way I can't even trust this latest version to not loose my settings.