H100i V2 CPU Fan Error & High Temps after 4 months of use

Been running this setup (http://pcpartpicker.com/list/nHNymG) since May with minimal issues with my H100i V2. Like others I was annoyed that for some reason the CPU_FAN showed up as N/A in monitoring tools (Corsair Link and my Asus MB suite). Normally I just run my fans a turbo or full speed through the ASUS MB interface.

 

From time to time I would notice the Corsair LED on my pump would turn red and the fans below the radiator would stop running. Usually a reboot would fix this and/or an update.

 

A few days ago I noticed a huge performance lag and one again the LED on my pump was red. This time the fans were running at full speed and the radiator itself was cool to the touch.

 

After a reboot I get CPU Fan Error and CPU Temp Error. I shutdown for overnight and booth the next day and get a CPU Fan Error. I can physically see the fans moving like they should. In the BIOS I disable the alert for that fan but in the process I notice the temp jump from 22c to 80c in a few mins.

 

I tried several different MB configs for this but could not get past the CPU fan error (tried direct connections to chassis fans and alternate CPU Opt). Support guides tell me to feel the pumps for vibrations. Honestly I can't tell if the vibration in the pumps is from liquid flow or just fan vibration.

 

I removed the pump and installed the factory heatsink and fan to get myself up and running. Should I RMA this cooler? Can I still do that after 4 months of use?

 

I should also note that I got prompted for a Corsair Link Update as soon as I got my PC to boot fully. Might try and reconnect my H100i V2 one last time with this upgrade.

The warranty for the cooler is 5 years, so the RMA option is available. However, you may need to clarify a couple of points.

 

1) Are you running the fans from the pump block or the motherboard? I assumed the block, but you mention controlling fans through the "MB interface" and is likely a reference for AI Suite. If you have the fans on the block, you need to eliminate AI Suite control over that header. That can be done by setting the H100i v2's header (probably CPU fan) to "Full Speed" in the Q-Fan control in the E-Z BIOS page. You can accomplish the same thing by disabling the fan control in the Advanced BIOS --> Monitoring tab --> scroll down to CPU_FAN. Two different ways to accomplish the same thing.

 

2) Running AI Suite and Link at the same time is likely to cause some control and certainly polling issues. Setting the H100i v2 header to full speed should immunize the cooler from AI Suite/Fan X-pert, but the polling conflicts will remain. During the trouble shooting process, you may wish to exit the AI Suite program by right clicking the icon in the app tray/menu bar. Your case fan profiles will still run as intended. This may or may not be sufficient, but it should help with some of the conflicts and AI Suite makes a lousy monitoring tool anyway. In the long run, you may need to decide between using AI Suite and Link. You do have the option of moving the fan leads to the board headers and controlling all through AI Suite. You'll have to see what is in your best interests.

 

 

I can't tell for sure at this point if you are experiencing an electrical problem in the cooler (RMA) or this is the result of low voltage and conflicting commands. Before latching the H100i back on, you could just run the main lead back to a CHA_FAN header that is set to Full Speed or 100% manually in Q-Fan. Leave your stock cooler in place. If the cooler is recognized on start-up and has power, then you can try to re-install. If it can't see the cooler in Link, it may be time to RMA the unit.

 

Incidentally, you can't use the CPU_OPT header for much on an Asus board. It is a mirror of the CPU_FAN header and will always run the same speed. There are no individual controls for it. It is useful for running two air tower fans (CPU & OPT). It can be used for two radiator fans. But other than that, it's not a functional header. CPU fan is limited to CPU temp control only, so that doesn't make it helpful for controlling two top airflow or other case fans either. At any rate, don't run the H100i v2 from OPT. It will still mimic the CPU fan and endless CPU_FAN errors await.

Not sure if I can answer you question properly. For the 4 months I was running this, the only connections I had from this cooler to the MB was the (white) CPU_FAN header and the USB connection that runs from the pump.

 

Thanks for you tips. I think for starters I am going to remove the Asus AI Suite first. I did some research online which confirmed that it is not the best monitoring tool. After that I will then test the pump using the method you described (using a CHA_FAN header).

Not sure if I can answer you question properly. For the 4 months I was running this, the only connections I had from this cooler to the MB was the (white) CPU_FAN header and the USB connection that runs from the pump.

 

Those are the only two. Some people connect the fans directly to the board for their own reasons. It is a valid form of control, although not necessarily the most efficient. I needed to know how the fans were connected to differentiate between loss of power and loss of pump flow.

 

Thanks for you tips. I think for starters I am going to remove the Asus AI Suite first. I did some research online which confirmed that it is not the best monitoring tool. After that I will then test the pump using the method you described (using a CHA_FAN header).

 

No, definitely not the best monitoring tool, although the fan tuning can be quite useful on Z97 and X99 boards that don't have BIOS programmed fan delays. Fan Xpert can also enable some fans to run below their normal minimum and thus becomes useful for certain models. So, it does have some purpose and is not bloatware.

 

However, its has a deep reach into your system and you can't simply uninstall it. You will need to run the Asus cleaner to remove it after the normal control panel removal. Some boards now have the cleaner built into the AI Suite package, but I don't know how far that has spread. Here is the link to the Asus file site.

I removed most of the AI suite but left a few tools on (EZ Update, USB Boost, and AI Charger).

 

I Plugged my cooler into CHA_FAN3 and reconnected the USB for the pump. I get the same results when I had it plugged into the CPU_FAN. In the BIOS this fan controller just shows as N/A. I cannot control the speed and/or monitor. This has been the way it has always looked for me and it worked fine for 4 months.

 

During this testing I did notice that there is zero vibration in my cooler hoses. Will the pump only turn on if there is heat detected (aka connected properly to the CPU) or should this pump be running whenever there is power?

While I am not sure it is a factor in the current issue, leaving pieces of AI Suite and not using the cleaner may still present a problem. The fan drivers are still embedded until you clean them out with the tool. That is one of the reasons you still have fan control after exiting the AI Suite program.

 

However, if you can't feel a tingle in the pump block now with it out the case and in your hands... it's not running. The pump is variable speed, but one of them is not zero. It should be easy to detect and you would likely hear some water swishing on power up. I think it's time for RMA. You will need to create a login and password for the technical help system. It is different than the forum. Be sure to highlight this last step of running the cooler out of the case. That is clear evidence something is amiss.

 

Link to RMA portal

Thanks again for your tips. I am going to start the RMA process. Definitely no vibrations and/or water flowing sounds from the pump.

 

Going to be doing a new Win 10 reimage on the PC soon because I am upgrading to a 500 gb SSD (also not happy with the Win 7 to Win 10 upgrade results) so I will plan to not install the AI Suite after the clean image and just go with Link.

Hi!

 

I have the same issue as you, after 4 months I got performance lag, today I god the CPU Fan error.

 

Did you solve your issue?

 

Everything is connected, I can feel vibration from the pump, but still Bios report the error and my PC temp is 89 C when using the BIOS. What could be the problem?

 

Thanks

Same steps. Try another header while setting your BIOS to ignore the CPU fan error. However, most likely you have a similar issue and the pump has experienced some sort of error. Whether it is mechanical or electrical doesn't really matter and the end result is the same high temperatures. Start the RMA ticket here.

Hi!

 

I have the same issue as you, after 4 months I got performance lag, today I god the CPU Fan error.

 

Did you solve your issue?

 

Everything is connected, I can feel vibration from the pump, but still Bios report the error and my PC temp is 89 C when using the BIOS. What could be the problem?

 

Thanks

 

Like this user and other: after five months of normal operation my computer crashed due to an overheated CPU. The Bios returned the CPU Fan error which was absent before so far as I knew and reported 89C for the CPU upon boot or within 1-2 mins after boot while still in Bios. The system would not boot up Windows in that state. I checked my Corsair H100i v2 and found that the mounting screws attaching it to the CPU had loosened so I tightened them but that did not help. I then cleaned off the old thermal paste which had dried and replaced it with new paste (Insignia - not the best but in could get it same day from Best Buy) and that did not help. Any suggestions other than those already posted here. Does anyone think there is a trend with the H100i v.2 (not sure it's currently manufactured by Corsair) failing after a few months? Thanks.

The missing piece of information is your H100i v2 temp in Link. This is the coolant temperature and key to differentiating between cooler problems and most others. It sounds like you may have difficulty getting to the desktop. Do you have a pump speed inthe Bios? Or just a zero or n/a?