Connecting AIO Pump to Motherboard Without Dedicated Header

December 10, 2025 3 answers
Asked by GamerGal123
I have a Gigabyte B850 Gaming X WiFi 6 motherboard, and I'm trying to hook up my Hydroshift II LCD-C 360CL AIO cooler. However, I can't find a dedicated pump header on the motherboard. It only has two 4-pin connectors: one for the CPU fan and one for CPU_OPT. Can I safely connect the AIO pump to the CPU_OPT header?

Answers

ManualHunter84
The manual actually specifies that the CPU_OPT header can be used for both CPU fans and water cooling pumps. So yeah, youโ€™re good to go plugging it in there.

GamerGal123: Thanks for checking that out! Iโ€™ve been digging through the mess in my room and couldnโ€™t find my manual.

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TechWhiz99
Yes, you can connect your AIO pump to any fan header, including the CPU_OPT. Itโ€™s essentially treated like a fan in terms of connection, so that should work just fine.
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CoolerMaster78
Definitely plug your pump into the CPU_OPT header! It's designed to stay on when your PC is powered up. The CPU_FAN header is usually for fans that need speed control, so using CPU_OPT for your pump is perfect.
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