H150i RGB Pro XT coolant spikes

[Benjii]

I have an H150i RGB Pro XT and randomly it'll get incredibly noisy due to the coolant spiking rapidly. The coolant will rise up to 10c within 20 seconds or so and cause the fans to go nuts. It's doing it right now and all I'm doing is browsing reddit and watching Twitch, 3% CPU usage. Then, after some minutes, the coolant temp will suddenly drop and it'll go back to normal.

For reference, I have a 5900X and the H150i is using the "H150i RGB PRO XT Temp" sensor and the radiator is mounted on the top of the case.

Edited November 28, 2021 by Benjii

[c-attack]

1 minute ago, Benjii said:

The coolant will rise up to 10c within 20 seconds or so and cause the fans to go nuts.

That part is concerning.  Coolant should never rise that fast, even when under a maximum CPU load.  It should take 3-5 minutes for your 5900x to raise the temp 5-7C, unless the fans are shut-off.  What do you see for coolant temp at the desktop?  One of the signs of a partial blockage is the coolant starts ramping up like that the moment you power on, but no matter what you do you can't get it to come down until you power off for several hours and the heat dissipates naturally.  

 

This seems like a genuine hardware issue, but I'll link a post I just made for someone else regarding control options for reference.  Also of note is the warning in that thread about running other monitoring programs that poll the AIO at the same time as CUE.  Wacky fan speed is highly likely, however the coolant spike is not.  

https://forum.corsair.com/forums/topic/173464-corsair-h115i-rpm/#comment-1002757

[Benjii]

12 minutes ago, c-attack said:

That part is concerning.  Coolant should never rise that fast, even when under a maximum CPU load.  It should take 3-5 minutes for your 5900x to raise the temp 5-7C, unless the fans are shut-off.  What do you see for coolant temp at the desktop?  One of the signs of a partial blockage is the coolant starts ramping up like that the moment you power on, but no matter what you do you can't get it to come down until you power off for several hours and the heat dissipates naturally.  

 

This seems like a genuine hardware issue, but I'll link a post I just made for someone else regarding control options for reference.  Also of note is the warning in that thread about running other monitoring programs that poll the AIO at the same time as CUE.  Wacky fan speed is highly likely, however the coolant spike is not.  

https://forum.corsair.com/forums/topic/173464-corsair-h115i-rpm/#comment-1002757

Currently the coolant is elevated and it's hovering around 40c. It doesn't seem like a blockage as it'll ramp up gradually for gaming then cool down afterwards. Literally as I was typing this the coolant temp just dropped to 38c and now it's risen up to 40c over the space of 10 seconds.

I have MSI Afterburner and RTSS running, but the only Corsair sensor they poll is my PSU (I have the AIO a CoPro and two Lightning node Core) and I've been running those since day 1 of me using the AIO. It hasn't been an issue and there haven't been any recent updates for them either. Beyond that, closing them doesn't correct the errant behaviour either.

I do have a custom cooling profile and it is definitely tracking the coolant sensor.

Edited November 28, 2021 by Benjii

[c-attack]

Just now, Benjii said:

I have MSI Afterburner and RTSS running,

Those programs are not an issue and we all run them.  This reads like a hardware issue to me anyway.

 

I would start a support ticket with Corsair.  Partial blockages are hard to detect in the early stages when it doesn't sting so much.  However, the fluctuating temps in the CPU block area suggest that is where the issue may be located.  It's possible a large air bubble is there, although this normally causes erratic popping and other clear noise.  Nevertheless, try lifting the front or back of the case so that the inlet/outlet hoses tilt up above the CPU block/pump.  Set the pump to max speed prior to doing this to give the bubble the best chance to break out and drift out of there.  

 

Things to include with your support ticket.  Coolant temp value should be just above the case internal ambient temp when in the idle state and the CPU sitting quietly in the 15-30W range.  AMD Ryzens tend to idle a bit heavier, so maybe 3-4C above the case temp is normal.  If your MB case temp sensor says 22C and the coolant is 40C, that is a strong indicator something is going on.  

 

Cycle the pump up to extreme for a minute.  At idle CPU load, pump speed should make zero difference in coolant temp and really very little at load either.  If you see the coolant temp drop 2C when upshifting, that is a clear sign it is fighting some extra resistance.  

[Benjii]

5 minutes ago, c-attack said:

Nevertheless, try lifting the front or back of the case so that the inlet/outlet hoses tilt up above the CPU block/pump.  Set the pump to max speed prior to doing this to give the bubble the best chance to break out and drift out of there. 

Thank you for your help, I really appreciate it.

If I tilt the case forward the pump makes a rapid popping noise, kinda sounds like bubbles.

It's always run kind of hot, I have it on top exhaust and a very low speed idle profile, it's more aggressive as it gets hotter. The coolant temp has calmed down now though. Mobo sensor says 28c and the coolant is at 38c. As I type this though, it dropped 2c in about 5 seconds and then went back up again to 38.

Is there something more I should try regarding trapped air before I open a ticket?

[c-attack]

Open the ticket.  Actual coolant temp can vary quite a bit from one install to the next based on hardware, case, placement, etc.  However, those flutters of changing coolant temp are weird.  I can generate about 290W on my 10900K by throwing up an AVX2 stress test.  It will not make the coolant jump around like that and in this instance -2 is just as concerning as +2.  It should not change in this fashion.  

 

Not unusual to hear the air shift whenever you pick it up.  Little bubbles don't matter too much.  It's becomes a problem when you get a large one in the CPU block and it leaves the cooling fins exposed to air and not fluid.  What would be interesting is if your coolant temp dropped 3C when you picked up the case (or a CPU temp drop of 3-5C).  However, I don't think this is in play.  When you have that big bubble in a CPU block mounted pump like an AIO, you get a lot of audible feedback all the time.  You would be complaining about the gurgles and general noises long before you noticed the temp irregularities.  

[HardcoreGames]

This is an advantage to the top mounted radiator that naturally allows any air bubbles to rise away from the pump.

Front mounted radiators are more tricky to keep air bubbles away from the pump.