H115i troublesome installation, what happened?

Hi everyone,

 

Just built my new PC (Skylake 6700K, ASUS Sabertooth 710S), and had a lot of trouble making the H115i work.

 

I installed everything and in fact, the newly built computer booted without problem the first try. So I go in the BIOS/monitoring to check if everything is working fine. Unfortunately, the CPU temp just keep rising slowly from 20C to 60C. At 60C, I just turned it off.

 

During the build, I didn't pay much attention to the fact that the backplate is very loose, because when the pump is mounted, everything is tight. However, by googling, it seems like a common problem with ASUS Sabertooth's motherboard. So I unmount the pump, check solder paste on the CPU, and it seems like well spread on it, with good contact. Just to be sure, I add some washers to the backplate so it doesn't move. Another boot, same problem, the temperature still rises at idle !

 

Even if the unit is brand new, I started to suspect the pump. I pull everything out from the case (Obsidian 450), connect to the power supply, just to listen if the pump is working. And indeed, it made quite a bit of noise, like there was bubbles or something in the cooling fluid, then go back to almost silent, but pumping. I put back everything in the case. And now it works! I've installed Win10 and as I'm typing, the CPU is at 20C.

 

So what happened? Why everything didn't work right the first time? Did I mis-mounted the pump, or there was something preventing it from pumping correctly?

 

Now everything works, however one of the 140mm fan makes noise with its bearing. This doesn't affect functionality, but this is annoying. Is it possible to have it exchanged?

one of the 140mm fan makes noise with its bearing. This doesn't affect functionality, but this is annoying. Is it possible to have it exchanged?

 

Log a call via https://corsair.secure.force.com/home/home.jsp stating this and I suspect they will send you a new fan. Remember to upload the invoice.

Most likely there was an issue with the power supply or control to pump. When the backplate is loose or you have bad contact, you get high temperatures the instant voltage is applied. It will be hot before you can get to the BIOS. If you can sit there and watch is rise, it is usually a flow problem and pump issues are one kind.

 

The power should be SATA, but sometimes AI Suite or a improper BIOS Q-Fan setting can send things amiss. If you connected the 3 pin sensor lead to CPU_FAN, make sure it is set to Full Speed in Q-Fan control in the BIOS. I don't know if the Sabertooth's additional temperature features play a role in this or not. Either way, I don't think you need to keep re-mounting the pump.

 

Contact Corsair customer service through the RMA portal. You will need to create an account, since they don't require you to register the product. On a brand new unit, they should ship you a replacement fan.

If you connected the 3 pin sensor lead to CPU_FAN, make sure it is set to Full Speed in Q-Fan control in the BIOS.

 

No, this is not needed for the H115i or H110iGTX as they get their power from SATA power connecters.

The power should be SATA, but sometimes AI Suite or a improper BIOS Q-Fan setting can send things amiss.

 

This will prevent AI Suite from trying to tune the pump like a fan. It certainly doesn't affect the SATA voltage supply. AI Suite is quirky that way and Sabertooth models have additional temperature controls relating to motherboard temps and fan. Unfortunately, I have never had one and can't say if the additional features play a part or not.

I think I've connected everything correctly everytime. Notably the SATA connector which powers the pump, but also supplies (through extensions) the 2 radiator fans. The Corsair link was also connected to USB, but I don't think it's relevant for boot (no Corsair driver loaded).

 

Now for the CPU fan connector, that's more interesting. It was always connected but not detected (by ASUS BIOS) when the CPU temp was rising. Now it is correctly detected and reports RPM. However, that's strange as there is only one wire out of the 3 pins, and it is the one which reports the CPU fan RPM (faked by h115i). Basically, the motherboard has no control on the h115i, which has its own temperature sensors anyway. In fact, when the CPU temperature was rising, the radiator's fans speeded up.

No, but you need something on CPU_Fan to avoid the boot error. In theory, the lead could communicate information to the motherboard about the H115i, but I believe it differs from the H110i (GT) in this way. Ray is far more knowledgeable regarding it's interaction with the motherboard. My point was more of an 'Asus thing' versus a H115i issue.

The Sabertooth will boot with an error message, suggesting that you can turn off the warning in the BIOS. Water cooling is common nowadays, but I guess some other motherboard may consider an unconnected CPU fan a fault situation and not boot at all. Hence the wire faking RPM.

 

The customer service already sent the replacement fan, I must commend them, for that, thank you.

 

For my new PC, I'm still using the Corsair 750HX I've bought in 2011. It provided me rock solid power for all those years. Even if the h115i had rocky start, I don't see why it won't work flawlessly as long.