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Hedy
Hedy

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How to install temperature sensor in PC?

#temperaturesensor #sensor #pc #thermistor

You’ve basically got two very different options when people say “install a temperature sensor in a PC”:

  1. Use the sensors that are already built in (CPU, GPU, motherboard) – just add software.
  2. Install physical temperature probes (little wired sensors) inside the case and hook them to a controller or the motherboard.

I’ll walk through both, then give a concrete example with a probe.

1. Easiest: use the built-in sensors (no hardware install)

Modern PCs already have:

All you do is:

  1. Install a monitoring tool (e.g. HWInfo, HWMonitor, etc.).
  2. Open it → look for:
  • CPU Package / Core Temp
  • GPU Temperature
  • “Motherboard / System / PCH / VRM” temps
  1. Optionally, configure:
  • On-screen display
  • Fan curves (via BIOS or software like MSI Afterburner, ASUS AI Suite, etc.)

If your goal is just to see temps, you’re done—no physical sensor needed.

2. Adding a physical temperature sensor inside the PC

This is what people mean when they talk about “thermal probes” or “temperature sensors” in cases or fan controllers.

2.1 Decide what you want to measure

  • Ambient case air (how hot is the inside of the case overall?)
  • Air at a specific spot (intake air, exhaust air)
  • Surface of a component (SSD, RAM, VRM heatsink, radiator, water loop, power supply casing)

This choice decides where you put the probe.

2.2 Choose the type of sensor

Common options:

1. Motherboard temp sensor header (T_SENSOR)

  • Some boards (esp. higher-end) have a 2-pin header labeled T_SENSOR / EXT_TEMP / TEMP_IN.
  • You can buy a simple 2-wire probe that plugs into it.
  • Temp shows up in BIOS and vendor software.

2. Fan controller / front panel with probes

  • Devices that mount in a 5.25" bay or as a little hub inside the case.
  • Come with multiple probes (T1, T2, T3…).
  • Let you control fans based on those temps or show them on a display.

3. USB temperature sensor

  • A small USB dongle or USB board with a probe.
  • Software on Windows/Linux reads it directly.

All three are fine; #1 is the cleanest if your motherboard supports it.

2.3 Physical installation: how to place the probe safely

General rules:

  • Don’t block fans or prevent heatsinks from sitting flat.
  • Don’t crush the probe wire under heavy heatsinks.
  • Don’t let bare sensor leads touch metal traces or component pins (short circuit risk).

A) For measuring case air temperature

  1. Mount the probe tip:
  • Near the CPU cooler intake, or
  • In the middle of the case, between GPU and CPU, away from direct fan airflow.
  1. Fix it with:
  • Kapton tape,
  • Regular electrical tape, or
  • Small zip ties to a cable or fan frame.
  1. Make sure the wire is routed along case edges and away from fan blades.

B) For measuring a specific component surface

Good choices: SSDs, RAM, VRM heatsinks, radiator fins.

  1. Put the sensor body on top of the heatsink surface or metal casing, not under it.

  2. Fix it with a small piece of:

  • Thermal tape, or
  • Kapton tape.
  1. Do not put the probe directly between CPU/GPU and its cooler – that can ruin thermal contact and overheat the chip.

2.4 Connecting the sensor
If using motherboard T_SENSOR:

  1. Find the header on the board (T_SENSOR / EXT_TEMP).
  2. Plug in the 2-pin connector from your probe (orientation usually doesn’t matter for simple thermistors).
  3. Boot into BIOS/UEFI:
  • Look for Monitoring / H/W Monitor / Sensors.
  • You should see something like “External Temp” or “T_SENSOR”.
  1. In BIOS or vendor utility:
  • You can often bind fan curves to this external temperature.

If using a fan controller:

  1. Plug each probe into the labeled header (T1, T2, etc.).
  2. Route the wire to the location you want to monitor.
  3. Use the controller’s screen or software to:
  • Name the sensor (“GPU area”, “Intake air”)
  • Set alarms or fan profiles.

If using a USB sensor:

  1. Plug into a USB header or external port.
  2. Install the sensor’s monitoring software or use generic serial/USB readers if it’s a simple board.
  3. Configure logging, alerts, etc.

3. Safety tips

  • Always power off and unplug the PC before routing sensor wires.
  • Avoid running probe wires across:
    • Fan blades
    • Sharp metal edges
    • Hot spots like VRM chokes or bare MOSFET packages
  • Use zip ties and tape to secure everything—no loose loops that can get into fans.
  • If the sensor is just a bare thermistor (two exposed leads):
    • Insulate the legs with heat-shrink tubing or tape.

4. Example: simple “inside case temp” probe install

  1. Buy a 2-wire thermistor probe compatible with your motherboard’s T_SENSOR.
  2. Power off PC, open the side panel.
  3. Plug probe into T_SENSOR header.
  4. Route the cable to the middle of the case, around GPU/CPU.
  5. Tape the probe tip to a cable bundle near the GPU, not in direct fan air.
  6. Boot PC, enter BIOS → check “External Temp”.
  7. In fan control menu:
    • Set Case Fan curve to use “External Temp” instead of CPU temp.
  8. Save & exit. Now your case fans respond to actual internal case temperature.

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