Skip to content

Power Board Connections

The HF-L1 does not need a power board — the backplane is powered directly from the PSU. The optional power board is the same board used across the HakoForge lineup, and on the HF-L1 it is used strictly for PWM fan control and HakoFoundry. It does not power the HF-L1 backplane.

Powering the Board

The power board is powered by a spare PCIe 8-pin cable from the PSU. Make sure your PSU has one available if you plan to add the board.

Fan Control Switch

The power board has a fan control switch that selects whether the fans are controlled by the motherboard or by the power board.

  • MOBO position — all fan headers are controlled by the PWM_IN connector. Connect it to a motherboard fan header or a dedicated fan controller. The USB connection is not required.
  • Power Board position — all fan headers are controlled by the power board. A USB connection is required. With HakoFoundry you can then control each fan wall individually.

Fan Wall Control & RPM

Each fan wall is controlled as a group — all fans on a wall run at the same speed, not individually. Like any fan splitter, only one fan per wall reports RPM, so a failed fan in another position on that wall will not show up in HakoFoundry. Check the fans physically if you suspect a failure.

USB 2.0 Header

The power board connects to a free internal USB 2.0 (9-pin) header on your motherboard using the included Mini-B USB cable. This connection is required for individual fan wall control and drive power monitoring in HakoFoundry. If those features are not used, the USB connection is optional.

USB 2.0 Header Connector Orientation

Note the empty pin on the connector and align it with the motherboard correctly. Improper connection may damage components.

Newer Motherboards

Some newer motherboards no longer include an internal 9-pin USB 2.0 header. In that case an adapter may be required.

PWM_IN to Fan Header

The power board includes a PWM_IN to fan-header cable that connects to a motherboard fan header. That header then controls all fans connected to the power board. Leaving it unplugged runs the fans at full speed.