H150I RGB PRO XT: Temperature rises when using some RGB effects

[KazooCallum]

Hi all,

 

I've been having a strange issue with my H150I RGB PRO XT on firmware v.1.01.32. When the RGB on the block is set to anything other than a solid white colour the coolant temperature shoots up. Monitoring my CPU temperature and usage shows it is still sat at idle, so the coolant a being that temperature, in reality, is unlikely. This also occurs to a lesser extent when syncing a Lian Li RGB strip plugged into the motherboard's ARGB header, which is strange as this uses Aura and shouldn't interfere with iCue at all when I have plugins disabled (?). I can change the RGB on all of my other Corsair products without this issue or anything similar happening.

 

When experimenting I found some cases where the issue just didn't occur, such as after reinstalling the firmware or when using some linked lighting effects, but I couldn't get it to work consistently and the problem would start happening again after I restarted my computer or changed the RGB.

 

Some other threads with a similar issue have said that it could be due to the LEDs heating up the coolant, but that seems unlikely in this case as the issue occurs even when the RGB on the block is turned off.

 

I'm nowhere near an expert but I don't think this is an issue with iCue as the issue occurs even when hardware lighting has been set to a rainbow effect and I am idle in BIOS. I'm also unsure whether the unit itself is faulty as it otherwise works fine and I'm sure the issue wasn't occurring when I first installed the AIO and had it on rainbow puke mode 24/7, but I am able to return the unit to Amazon to test this theory if all else fails.

 

I have tried:

- Reinstalling iCue

- Forcing an update to the same version of the firmware via iCue

- Disabling plugins and enabling limited software control in iCue

- Uninstalling Armoury Crate and Aura, and disabling Aura in the BIOS

- Checking connections are firm, reseating the block with a fresh dollop of thermal paste

- Swapping the AIO USB from the Commander Pro to a header on the motherboard

- Using a different SATA cable (compatible with PSU)

- [Edit 18th Jan 2021] Installing new H150i RGB PRO XT

 

Things I haven't tried but might work?:

- Reinstalling Windows, I doubt this would work for reason discussed above

- Updating motherboard BIOS, it's early days for the 5900x so maybe the processor or BIOS is doing something funky?

 

Any other suggestions on why this could be happening and ways to fix it would be appreciated. My current workaround is to keep the AIO on a solid white colour and unsyncing the RGB strip from the motherboard, this works fine as I have been running it on solid white before I even knew about this issue, but I'd love to take full advantage of all the RGB effects at some point.

 

Here is a video demonstrating the issue: youtube.com/watch?v=KGYIw9FfsYM

 

Thanks

Edited January 18, 2021 by KazooCallum

[c-attack]

Some other threads with a similar issue have said that it could be due to the LEDs heating up the coolant, but that seems unlikely in this case as the issue occurs even when the RGB on the block is turned off.

 

Not heating up the coolant. Heating up the small temp sensor. This is something that has been typically reported on the Platinum Series coolers that also have a lighting controller in the block. That device is going to create some amount of heat and some units were displaying impossible temperature changes on when in use.

 

I don't think we have seen this on the XT series that while the same in most ways, does not have an internal controller for extra RGB fans. It does have it's own LED ring so that is possible. The odd part is your coolant temp stays down on white 255/255/255 which should use the most power and create the most LED heat. Regardless, the cooler is not supposed to behave in this way. Contact Corsair Support. There might be a firmware fix, but if the sensor is not physically where it is supposed to be, you are going to need a replacement cooler.

 

You don't need to do anything with re-installing Windows or the BIOS. This is an internal hardware issue.

Edited December 24, 2020 by c-attack

[Geicher]

I'd return it. However if you're fine with it, just measure the delta between RGB on and off and adapt your fan curve accordingly. As c-attack already pointed out, this seems to be related to an unfortunate placement of the temperature sensor and not an actual increase of temperature of the liquid.

[KazooCallum]

Hi all,

 

Thanks for your replies, clarifications, and for your suggestions to adjust my fan curve as a temporary workaround.

 

I'm going to initiate a return via Amazon after the New Year and will report back once I have installed the replacement unit and (hopefully) fixed the issue. :)

[c-attack]

I definitely don't think you should hang on to it. The problem some other users reported is the temp shift is not consistent and obviously any kind of dynamic lighting effect could cause frequent fluctuations.

 

Another temporary option is to use fixed speeds. This isn't an air cooler that needs to dump heat as fast as you add it. You can run indefinitely using a simple low/high (or idle/load) fan setting. Hit Performance + to make the custom curve. Changed to fixed RPM. 750 is all you need for idle. 1300 rpm is more than enough for sustained load. It does require you toggle into high mode before gaming or other long duration load. Short 1-2 minute bursts don't require a change in fan speed.

[noenic]

Not heating up the coolant. Heating up the small temp sensor. This is something that has been typically reported on the Platinum Series coolers that also have a lighting controller in the block. That device is going to create some amount of heat and some units were displaying impossible temperature changes on when in use.

 

I don't think we have seen this on the XT series that while the same in most ways, does not have an internal controller for extra RGB fans. It does have it's own LED ring so that is possible. The odd part is your coolant temp stays down on white 255/255/255 which should use the most power and create the most LED heat. Regardless, the cooler is not supposed to behave in this way. Contact Corsair Support. There might be a firmware fix, but if the sensor is not physically where it is supposed to be, you are going to need a replacement cooler.

 

You don't need to do anything with re-installing Windows or the BIOS. This is an internal hardware issue.

 

 

 

 

Hi, (sorry big text comming)

I just noticed the same problem with my h100i pro platinum, I think it's mainly a software problem because I don't think I noticed it before, moreover, the temperature rise seems to be related to the number of leds lit and from which device.I have different results according to the leds lit, when only the LEDs of the block are lit (no fans, keyboard, asus motherboard) only the 16 leds of the block, the coolant temperature increases from ~26.5°C to 27°C. then it restores itself to 26.8°C.

 

Now I turn off once again all the leds except the 4 of one of the two ML PRO RGB fans connected to the pump, the temperature of the liquid increases to ~31.5°C. Remember that the 'normal temperature' is 26.5°C,

Now let's try to switch on the second ML PRO RGB fan, so only 8 leds, the temperature remains at ~31.5°C,

let's try to turn off the first ML PRO RGB fan while keeping the second one on, so only the second one is on and the temperature goes down to ~29°C , but it would be a shame if it's so simple, by turning on the first one and turning off the second one the temperature stays at 29°C then while I'm writing this post (let's say it's been 5 minutes) the temperature goes back up to 30°C knowing that my CPU is still in IDLE at 30°C and that all the fans and the pump are at max.

So yeah something is strange with this Water-co.....Wait [LTT-voice]: "there is more".

Now let's try to turn on all the devices turned off until now (case LL120 fans, keyboard, as well as motherboard) BUT let's turn off all the water-cooling leds (pump and fans).

The temperature rises very quickly to 31°C ,4 degrees more while these devices literally have nothing in common with the water-cooling,

Now switch on the pump and the last two ML PRO RGB fans.

WOAW now the temperature rises in a supersonic way up to 35°C then goes down gradually to 34.3°C then rises again to 34.6°C, in short the temperature is not stable at all

 

For the fun I tested different devices 1 by 1, My keyboard does not increase the temperature if it is the only one turned on (fortunately otherwise my brain cells would probably break down).

 

Let's see for the 4 LL120 of my ICUE 465x and.....Yep once again the temperature goes up to 31°C even if these fans have nothing to do with the liquid

 

Last on the line the 5 poor little leds of my motherboard asus that once the only one lit do not increase the temperature

 

 

 

And here we are at the end of this hell, we notice that the temperature rises dramatically and my CPU remains in IDLE at 30 ° C so we can put aside the hypothesis of water heating, I think we can move away from the hypothesis of LEDs too close to the sensors of the block, in the block itself I do not know ..., in any case we saw that the LEDs of the LL120 caused the same effect, the same for the ML PRO RGB,

 

So I'm thinking about a good software problem with icue or a good firmware problem with the h100i pro, I've had it for 2 years now and I never noticed this kind of behavior.

 

the problem is that the speed of the fans is influenced compared to the value that this sensor returns so above all because it is a cooling fluid temperature 10 ° it is the difference between 800RPM and 2500RPM

if you have any info or question fell free to ask :D:

 

 

EDIT : The color chosen for the test was white 255/255/255 but every color as an impact even if white is the one who got the most temp out

Edited January 10, 2021 by noenic

[c-attack]

There is not much any of us can do for you on this end. Contact Corsair Support with focus on the 5C shift for the Platinum's own fans.

 

My suggestion in the interim is to either make your fan curve pretty flat or go to the low/high toggle system. Use two fixed speeds, one for idle and one for prolonged load like gaming/renders/encoding. At the desktop you can set it as low as you like. You cannot overheat as long as the fluid is moving. It takes a sustained wattage to heat up the coolant and keep it up. For the load, pick something comfortable and below your noise limit. It really isn't necessary for the fans to adjust +-100 rpm as the temp goes +-1C all the time. Slow and steady dumps the heat out.

[noenic]

I totally agree but I find it all the same strange, For the moment I have changed the sensor on which the fans react, even if the temperature of the CPU die in itself is much less efficient, the reaction time of Icue will be to my advantage for once and will increase the fans after 5-6 seconds depending on the temperature of the CPU it avoids the increases in RPM just to open a new tab on chrome.

I hope that one day they will fix this problem because I like corsair a lot but I always have a lot of problem with their products (pump that gurgles and had to be RMA, an LL120 that does not turn on and has to to be replaced...

[KazooCallum]

Hi all,

 

I finally got around to exchanging my supposedly faulty H150i RGB PRO XT. I installed the new unit to find that the exact same behaviour described in my initial post is still occurring - anything other than a solid white colour on the block via iCue causes the temperature sensor to shoot up a few degrees, and syncing my case RGB to AURA causes it to rise further. :(

 

Since this seems to indicate either a firmware issue or a compatibility issue with some part of my configuration, I've contacted Corsair support. If anyone has any suggestions for settings I can fiddle with in the meantime, or if anyone else is experiencing this issue, your input would be appreciated.

Edited January 20, 2021 by KazooCallum

[KazooCallum]

I'll bump this thread one last time just to post my resolution. Corsair support recommended that I RMA the second cooler (third time lucky?), I decided that wouldn't be worth the hassle and kept the one I've got now.

 

It ends up that both coolers have the same lot code, so I might just be really unlucky to have got two coolers with the exact same manufacturing defect *shrug*.

 

I've set up some iCue profiles as suggested earlier in this thread which have helped, and some random fiddling with different lighting schemes has lessened the impact. I'll update if the issue is somehow fixed in the future.

[inztigator]

Hi All,

 

1 week old H150o XT RGB owner, and am experiencing same issue with RGB lighting. If I set to white, 23 degrees. Rainbow, it will go up to 24. Turn it off, and it will go above 25 degrees.

[CivilizedAge]

don't have this one but maybe the temp sensor is near leds? In any case, just enjoy your PC versus staring at temps :D