InaMORata 2.0

In 2024, I redesigned the InaMORAta to use 5v ARGB fans (the previous design used 12v RGB fans). I also significantly simplified the electronics.

Components

• Mo-Ra3 420mm radiator plus front cover
• 9x 140mm Arctic P14 ARGB 140mm fans
• 12V AC adapter rated for at least 9A (108W)
• 12V->5V buck converter rated for at least 5A (25W) output
• CODI6 (controls ARGB, distributes 12V+5V power to fans)
• 2x SATA splitters
• One SATA power cable (4 wires)
• 4x heatshrink solder tubes
• EKWB EK-XTOP dual D5 pump
• Perfboard, onto which is soldered:
  • Espressif ESP-WROOM-32S microcontroller (controls fans, sensors, provides MMQT+WiFi)
  • 4.7kΩ resistor
  • 3x 0.1nF ceramic capacitors
  • 3x 10kΩ resistors
  • 3x 3.3kΩ resistors
  • 3x Molex 4-pin fan headers
  • DS18B20 digital thermistor
• USB-C header with pigtails

You'll need a hot air gun and a soldering iron (plus whatever you use to assemble the Mo-Ra, and attach things to it).

Power

We have power requirements at both 12V and 5V, ultimately sourced at 12V. The 12 LEDs of each PF-14 take 0.4A at 5V. With 9 of them, that's 18W. The ESP32 will also draw 5V, but not more than a watt. Assume 90% efficiency for a total of 20.4 input watts. At 12V, we have 23W to each of our pumps (46W total). Each fan takes 0.17A of 12V, and thus 9 draw 18.36W. That's 64.36W and 20.4W, a total of 84.76W. 85W at 12V requires just over 7A.

• 12V AC adapter runs to barreljack on/off switch
• On/off switch takes 12V to SATA and buck converter
  • The two sets of three wires are connected with two heatshrink solder tubes
• Buck converter takes 5V to SATA
  • The two sets of two wires are connected with two heatshrink solder tubes
• SATA takes 12V+5V to SATA splitter
• SATA splitter takes 12V+5V to CODI6 + SATA splitter
• SATA splitter takes 12V to 2x pumps
• CODI6 takes 12V (via fan hookup) and 5V (via ARGB hookup) to 3x rightmost fans.
• 3x rightmost fans take 12V+5V to corresponding 3x middle fans.
• 3x middle fans takes 12V+5V to corresponding 3x leftmost fans.

We don't need to expose the 5V to the pumps, but it doesn't hurt anything. The CODI6 has a 5-pin wire, where three pins (12V, 5V, ground) go to a SATA connector, and two pins (tach, pwm) go to a 4-hole Molex fan connector. This connector doesn't carry 12V or ground like a 4-wire Molex would.

At this point, we have three hookups unconnected: the three Molex 4-hole connectors coming off the pumps and CODI6. Each has a tach and PWM signal, and none are drawing power. Hook them up to the perfboard's Molex 4-pin headers.