H100i Cappelix Elite Pump not working

[PowerKjeil]

Hey Everyone, 

 

I do have a support ticket open, but progress is slow on that so I figured I would reach out here in hopes that some one has seen my issue or can speculate as to what they think my issue may be. The first issue I ran into was the mobo complaining about a CPU fan not being detected. With some research I found using an actual fan in my CPU_FAN header, and plugging the pump into the CPU_OPT header should circumvent that issue. It did. When entering BIOS to check some fan settings, I noticed my CPU temp was climbing, quickly. Unpon closer inspection, it seemed as though the pump itself was not running, yet all of the fans were running at max speed. It also seemed weird that the led lighting for the pump was just a dim red led in the upper right corner of the pump. I ended up having to uninstall the unit, as I couldn't make it past login without auto-shutoff occurring due to the saftey settings of the thermal sensors. I reinstalled the old air cooler, and temperatures were back acceptable ranges. It seemed, to me, that the pump may have been DoA. I of course double checked all connections, and ensured they were in the proper locations. Being unfamiliar with this AIO or the iCUE software, I thought maybe I could force the pump awake via said software. I re-connected the AIO connections (not the cooling block) with my air cooler installed as well to maintain acceptable temps, and installed the software. Immediately after installation I recieved an notification from iCUE regarding a pump failure, and to contact support. A thing to note is that while the software saw the pump, it didn't register any of the 5 other fans (including the 2 for the corsair rad who's leds were locked to a dim green color). Things got even more exciting when my computer started to blue screen regularly 10-15 minutes after boot with the wonderful code: irql_not_less_or_equal. This usually occurs when a system process is unable to access a specific memory location. I took a look at perfom /rel, and holy cow. There were almost 600 critical errors for the iCUE's service Corsair.Service.CpuIdRemote64. ALL of the errors were Null Ref Exceptions, which would explain the blue screens. After uninstall of iCUE4, the blue screens ceased. In working with support, they did send me a new Commander unit, but unfortunately this did nothing for my issues. I really think this is just a dead pump, but this is where I am currently. Waiting for a response as to the next plan of attack.

 

BIOS: 3802

OS Version: 10.0.19043

[c-attack]

Either the pump or the power delivery through its Commander Core unit is not working. This is going to be a hardware replacement. If you have local return options at the place of purchase, take it. Otherwise support will be setting you up for the same thing through Corsair. 
 

The cpu boot error warning system can be disabled. The exact place to do so varies by MB manufacturer. Putting a case fan in there may not be the best solution since the motherboard will try to run it like a cpu cooling fan. However, it is the ideal place for the AIO tachometer wire. While pump speed is reported accurately in CUE, this connection will produce that cpu boot error if the pump does not respond to the MB. You know immediately it is a dead pump when the boot error hits. 

[PowerKjeil]

8 hours ago, c-attack said:

Either the pump or the power delivery through its Commander Core unit is not working. This is going to be a hardware replacement. If you have local return options at the place of purchase, take it. Otherwise support will be setting you up for the same thing through Corsair. 
 

The cpu boot error warning system can be disabled. The exact place to do so varies by MB manufacturer. Putting a case fan in there may not be the best solution since the motherboard will try to run it like a cpu cooling fan. However, it is the ideal place for the AIO tachometer wire. While pump speed is reported accurately in CUE, this connection will produce that cpu boot error if the pump does not respond to the MB. You know immediately it is a dead pump when the boot error hits. 

Thanks for the input, much appreciated. It would make sense that I was getting the error because the pump wasn't responding. I had spectulated it was due to only the tach connection existing, and not registering a complete circuit on the power pins. I would very much prefer it being on the CPU_FAN header where it belongs. I have a ticket open with support, and they have sent me a new commander unit, but the functionality (or lack-there-of) remains. I suspect the next step will be sending the pump/rad when they respond to the ticket.

[c-attack]

It's possible it is the Commander Core power delivery or even something as simple as a defect in the wide cable between Com Core and pump.  That is one of the trickier aspects of the two separate pieces.  It could be bad tach reporting from the pump or from the Com Core.  The good news it does not seem to be an actual pump fail, so you can still use the PC in the meantime

 

On a side note, be careful about hot plugging the Com Core to pump "wide cable" or the USB 2 connector for the Elite series. I was trying to replicate a problem for another user today by deliberately doing this and the result was a persistent pump fail notification in CUE, despite the clear and obvious noise coming from the pump.  A power down, disconnect, reconnect, and boot sorted it out, but it seems you can create the appearance of a hardware problem from doing this.  

Edited December 7, 2021 by c-attack

[PowerKjeil]

On 12/4/2021 at 4:08 PM, c-attack said:

It's possible it is the Commander Core power delivery or even something as simple as a defect in the wide cable between Com Core and pump.  That is one of the trickier aspects of the two separate pieces.  It could be bad tach reporting from the pump or from the Com Core.  The good news it does not seem to be an actual pump fail, so you can still use the PC in the meantime  

 

On a side note, be careful about hot plugging the Com Core to pump "wide cable" or the USB 2 connector for the Elite series. I was trying to replicate a problem for another user today by deliberately doing this and the result was a persistent pump fail notification in CUE, despite the clear and obvious noise coming from the pump.  A power down, disconnect, reconnect, and boot sorted it out, but it seems you can create the appearance of a hardware problem from doing this.  

Input appreciated just as before. Per your prior suggestion, I managed to find and disable the CPU_FAN warning, and now have the tach on the CPU_FAN header. I do want to be clear the pump is not running at all, no noise or vibration. Just a dim red led. The only reason I have a working machine is that I have my Hyper212 installed to troubleshoot and prevent overheating. (the air cooler is now on the CPU_OPT header, and running fine)

I make sure before installation of parts to fully kill the power from the PSU, and cycle the power button once after to ensure there isn't anything lingering in the system. None of the connections should have been hot during installation, but I am glad you noted this, and will be mindful of that situation. Something to note, is that the tach cable is a tad loose in the plastic housing for the connector, but I figured as long as the pin is making connection with the connector in the housing, that shouldn't be an issue. 

Support still thinks it's an iCUE issue, and has had me fully clean (including the registry keys) iCUE from my machine, and reinstall. Stating if I am still having issues to provide the Elgato file dump post crash. So now I am waiting for the Corsair.Service.CpuIdRemote64.exe to fail enough times to produce a blue screen from the memory fault.. Not the most ideal of situations.

Fortunately, or unfortunately, I recieved said BSOD while writing this, so I am now submitting my post-crash logs to support.

[c-attack]

My mind must have momentarily drifted elsewhere when I wrote that now struck phrase above.  It most definitely is a pump or power delivery failure.  I am not sure why Support is moving you through the software progression.  The AIO does not require software to run and you cannot use the software to shut it down even if the software is misbehaving.  An AIO with blown firmware will run at max, not shut off.  If you get a CPU boot error (or any other MB header won't read it), the CPU temp skips up 55..60..65..70..85..90 through the temp range in the BIOS, and there is nothing coming from the pump --- it's dead.  The faint red light is actually helpful because it demonstrates power is being delivered to the unit, but the pump does not move.  This is pretty open and shut.  The only time this gets resolved is when someone realizes they never connected the SATA for power.  We know that is not the case here and this is not a user solvable issue.  

 

In order to make the point, remind them that in the BIOS environment the CPU temp rapidly skips up to a high level while there is some lighting and fan power from the Commander.  That rules out user side power connection errors and points directly at the unit.  

Edited December 7, 2021 by c-attack