PC and AIO fans began sparking, producing sparks, popping sounds, and a burnt smell.

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Okunino
Posting Freak

845

12-22-2022, 08:11 AM

#1

As mentioned in the title, I assisted my friend with upgrading and assembling his PC. All components except the case, CPU cooler, and fans were replaced. Once built, we noticed immediate popping sounds and faint smoke near the AIO cooler fans. Right away I powered off the machine—it stayed on for a few seconds. I suspected a PSU connection issue but found everything properly connected. After removing the new 4080 and re-seating all cables carefully, I restarted the PC. I closely checked the CPU cooler and saw the RGB lights inside the AIO fans flicker erratically, with colors vanishing. The fans didn’t start moving even briefly. All other fans, including front and back units, were functioning normally and operated as usual. Only the AIO fans seemed affected. To be safe, I shut down the PC immediately. I wasn’t sure about damaging anything else, so I turned it off quickly. Any advice on what might be wrong? Could it be just the fans or something else? Any guidance would be greatly appreciated. The AIO model is Corsair H100x.

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Bidsie
Member

168

12-28-2022, 10:35 PM

#2

Did you reverse the RGB header? That could ruin everything. Also, take that aio out—it’s obviously faulty.

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owl707
Member

187

12-29-2022, 12:46 PM

#3

You're asking about the RGB header connection on the AIO Cooler. It seems the issue might have been related to how the cables were positioned during installation. If the cables weren't fully secured and had some tension, it could affect the display. Trying to place the cooler off-center might have caused that problem.

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blau_wal
Junior Member

47

01-01-2023, 02:06 PM

#4

Unless the wires were harmed and linked to inappropriate devices, the main problem tends to be incorrect wiring, such as reversed connectors, inserting LEDs into airflow ports, or using 5V components on a 12V source.

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SkyCrowzK
Member

189

01-01-2023, 02:28 PM

#5

A h100x RGB header connected to the motherboard. It can be rotated and a short can be made. If you kept the stock hub and orientation correct, everything should work. Just ensure it isn’t flipped incorrectly. Ideally, the fans are dead and could be replaced if the cooler is no longer covered by warranty.

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haley123
Member

187

01-01-2023, 04:10 PM

#6

I didn’t remove any cables from the RGB hub, so flipping shouldn’t be an issue. I just pulled the SATA power cable into the PSU and then the one linking to the USB port on the motherboard. In the worst case, it was only the AIO fans that failed.

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MehSparky
Member

193

01-13-2023, 08:46 PM

#7

Consider testing two new fans first before swapping the whole AIO to an RGB hub.

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27Danick
Member

154

01-20-2023, 09:47 AM

#8

It appears you swapped the power supply unit... were the existing cables kept in place or were they removed to prevent a swap? Incorrect connections can damage the entire device.

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LennyLPHD
Junior Member

41

01-20-2023, 11:26 AM

#9

All the cables were brand new except for the SATA power cable leading to the RGB hub. I changed to a different set, but the same issue continued.

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DummesPikachu
Member

63

01-20-2023, 12:11 PM

#10

I considered using the same PSU as @Kilrah or exchanging the MB settings. Now I have the standoff misplaced, possibly affecting grounding.