H100 problem

Hello everybody.

I've bought my H100 a year ago and since then I've used it to cool an intel's 3930k. H100 was doing it's job perfect until few days ago my CPU started to overheat insanely. I cleaned H100, both fans (I use stock ones), I also cleaned my whole HAF 932 and all of the case fans. And the problem went away. But today my CPU overheated again - I got the blue screen. So I started to look deepley into the problem and found out that my idle temps went from 30-35c up to !50-60c!, while load temps went from 70s up to 90! I tried cleaning again, downclocked CPU (from 4.5 ghz to default settings) - but my idle temps are still the same. I also found out that one of the H100's tubes is hot while the other one is cold and also that one side of the rad is much hotter than usual.

Only thing I haven't tried yet is reapplying thermal paste. I'll try it later today.

pls forgive my english.

p.s. I also found out that changing profiles on H100 doesn't change temps at all! right now my idle temps are ~50 with lowest rpm profile - I change it to highest rpm profile and temps don't change at all while I can clearly hear the difference

UPDATE: found out that the problem is within the tubes - air bubbles. To anyone having same issues - try shaking the tubes, lay the case on different sides with different angles.

i think the tim needs to be properly installed being it cooled after cleaning.you didnt mention it but did you remove the cooler to clean?

no I didn't. only cleaned the rad and the fans

go into your bios and make sure pump speed is ~2200rpm,also since i dont know the extent of dust there was you may take a light and shine in thru the rad and look on the other side to insure its clear

There wasn't much dust in there. I did check the rad and it's clean. I checked the bios settings and haven't found a way to change the pump speed :( it's getting a bit extreme - 85-90c when I start PC

I hope it's just thermal paste. But it's been only 1 year. could it dry out so fast?

There wasn't much dust in there. I did check the rad and it's clean. I checked the bios settings and haven't found a way to change the pump speed :( it's getting a bit extreme - 85-90c when I start PC

I hope it's just thermal paste. But it's been only 1 year. could it dry out so fast?

 

you cant change the pump speed ,but check to make sure its running is all.if it is around 2200rpm and if reapplying tim doesnt help,you most likely have to rma it.

reapplied tim - couldn't make it thru POST at first with CPU overheating at 85c. Now somehow managed to make it with temps idling right now @ 35 to 42. Don't know what the hell is going on. One of the tubes is warm while the second one is cold as ice. 5 minutes ago one of them was very hot(when temps hit 85). Changing profiles on H100 doesn't make any difference at all(actually the noise of the fans and airflow is the only differences - temps don't change). "CPU fan" in BIOS always shows ~2090 rpm - but it's been like that since day one.

Nothing new: http://forum.corsair.com/forums/showthread.php?t=119012

 

There are some serious durability issues with these units...

@dragon88

 

Request an RMA to replace the cooler.

Well, I got to be sure that I can't fix it myself before I request an RMA.

1) Is it ok that one tube is hotter than the other?

2) Why can I feel increased airflow and noise when I change profiles but at the same time temps stay the same? and why CPU fan sensor always shows same RPM, no matter which profile I set?(~2050-2090)

3) Why had it been working just fine for a year but broke down few days ago?

4) could it be that the problem is not H100 related?

Because the h100i pump is connected via the cpu fan connector it show the pump speed, not the rpm of the fans on the radiator. That's why it's always the same value. You can check the rpm of the fans in corsair link by clicking on one of the fans.

 

It's also a mystery for me, why the h100i worked like a charm for 2 months and suddenly fails to give my nice temps, without any changes to the overclock or the PC itself.

 

I also got one hot tube and one cold. Dunno if it's normal.

 

I also can feel lot's of (cold) airflow through the radiator but the temps are horrible.

I don't have corsair link. Idle temps right now are in mid 50s - without any overclock and with "stock" voltage. Sometimes temp go down to ~40s and sometimes up to ~70.

I'm afraid that if the russian store where I bought h100 refuses to accept RMA and I'll have to buy a new H100i there's also possibility of having same problem again.

Update: I tried shaking the tubes and for a few seconds idle temps went from 50s to 40s and then back. I've done shaking few times already - result is the same! now I'm sure that the problem is with the tubes

UPDATE 2! shaking for a minute brought me temps down to 30s!!

Nothing new: http://forum.corsair.com/forums/showthread.php?t=119012

 

There are some serious durability issues with these units...

 

Thing is though, the people who DON'T have any problems wont post here. I would think that most of the people posting their problems here are a small minority. If there were "serious durability issues" then why aren't there thousands of topics here about it?

I agree. It doesn't look like a problem of many.

Now I'm looking for a way to take apart h100 to clean the tubes of something that blocks the way. Is there any guide/how to article?

Sounds like a air lock issue, you might try laying the case on it's side or move case so radiator is higher than the pump for a few minutes to help clear out air bubble.

I think you will void your warranty by trying to take it apart, RMA it.

Sounds like a air lock issue, you might try laying the case on it's side or move case so radiator is higher than the pump for a few minutes to help clear out air bubble.

 

thx, I'll give it a try. But where will the air bubble go? inside the rad?

Yes that is where it is supposed to be.

k, I'll try it now. will report back in 30 minutes

yes! it helps! going to monitor the temps for now and then will overcklock. right now with the default speed and voltage(only XMP enabled) coolest core is 26 and the hottest one is 36-37 and fans slow them down automatically.

Sometimes when the pc is moved around for cleaning or transfer air will get in the pump. the H100 will always have a small amount of air in it and that should be in the radiator. As for the hoses one should be warmer than the other but not hot which made me think you had an air lock. Hope this helps.

yes thanks! but I still have issues(though now I know what's the source) - tried runing prime with default speed and hit 88c :( is it ok? I've never tried prime with default speeds before. only with 4.4, 4.5 and 4.6

Default settings temp should be a lot lower than 88c. Mine is set at 4.5 with xmp enabled and max temp is around 55c. I use only AI Suite to monitor seems like it is the most accurate. Too many different monitoring programs will conflict when run at the same time.

AI Suite isn't accurate at all for CPU temp. RealTemp is accurate however and is probably the best app for monitoring CPU temps.

yeah I use real temp GT. the tube is very hot again while gaming. freaking bubbles