Give me a reason NOT to be afraid of the H50 or H70...

[bandit4]

Hello!

I am putting together a new system and I have always used air cooling for the CPU. I came across the Corsair H50 and H70 andI did a lot of reading up on it and watched videos also. The products got good reviews.

 

People seem to like them. I was this close to getting one, but I chose to go with air instead. I got a Zalman 9900. I dont overclock at all.

 

I just cant get past the fear of putting anything with water in my PC case. Come on guys ( and girls ) .... give me a reason to NOT be afraid...

 

I7-950

Asus P6X58D-E

Corsair 850w PSU

6 GB

2x EVGA GTX460 1GB

Zalman 9900 CPU cooler ( looking to get H50 or H70 instead )

Cooler Master 690 II Advanced ( wanted Corsair 600T- nice case- just wish it didnt cost so much )

 

Thank you!

[trackrat]

There's always a risk with either air or water cooling. The CPU heatsink has been known to dislodge on rare occasion frying the CPU... If it makes you uncomfortable using H2O, then I'd use air and be done with it. If you don't overclock there is no need for H2O cooling but it's another option.

[shuffle]

If there ever was a reason this is it.

When I used air cooling and played Battlefield Bad company 2, the fans used to ramp up when things got too hot to handle. Whoosh! of the fans.

Now with the H50, no difference in noise, and the temperature is consistant

[T_MacP]

Hi,

I sought the H50 as a silent solution. It runs cool but the pump does not run silent, even after an RMA replacement. All of the reviews and Corsair advertisements I read said that the pump was "virtually" silent. However, "virtually" silent is a subjective term and did not remotely fit the bill for me. If you are OK with hearing a ticking noise comparable to a fan with a piece of paper touching the blades, then you are going to get good results. Good luck with your choice of coolers. If I had to do it all over again, I would likely choose an air only radiator system that would give me a more predictable fan only noise.

[IRAKLION]

Hi, I understand your fear. But, consider this. Either way you go these days there is a risk. Take the ridiculously large after market air coolers. Some anchor to a backplate using "standard" intel push pins. Others use screws into a backplate. Either way they are mechanical absurdities that will stress the motherboard and which, on occasion, do work loose causing instant fatality to the CPU.

 

Manufacturers of the extremely mechanically disadvantageous air coolers all claim any stress to the mobo is "within accepted tolerances" with respect to mobo stress and that anchoring arrangements are secure. Rubbish.

 

The problem we all face is that there is yet no thermodynamic/mechanical solution to the problem of safely cooling all of those souped up cpus and graphics cards manufacturers are pushing. Cooling technology has not kept pace with the advances in cpus and gpus. Out of sync; out of control. Add to that the fact that stock coolers are worthless.

 

Off the shelf computers run much too hot. Yet, the manufacturers have no incentive to insure really efficient cooling and thus prolong computer life. Buy a new computer.

 

On balance, I would say take a chance with the much lighter and more compact H50/H70 pump to ensure far less stress on the mobo and make absolutely sure you can monitor CPU temp every second.

[slotrod]

I purchased my H-50 a year ago and have had no problems. From what I have seen people who experience leaks have posted pictures with the tubes in contorted positions and twisted. Mount everything clean and by directions. I am sitting here looking in the window of my 800D and seeing a temp of 27 degrees. Ambient temp about 72 F The only thing I did was put 3 fans in top all on exhaust. I'm running a I-7 920 at stock speed. I do take the time to blow compressed air through the rad once in a while to ensure its clean.

[bandit4]

Thanks guys for the help and input.

This is a new rig and I want to try some new things.

I never did SLI and I am going to do it now with 2x EVGA GTX460 1 GB SC

I never used RAID and I think I am going to setup an array this time around just to say I did it.

I also wanted to try some sort of different CPU cooling. I never even thought about water cooling until I saw the H50. I would like to try it just to say I did.

You cant get experience with things unless you give them a shot.

 

Now I just have to find a H50 on sale.

[IRAKLION]

Hi, again, Bandit:

 

If you are going to RAID make sure your HDs are TLER capable and that TLER is activated. Otherwise your RAID sets will keep failing and rebuilding, if possible. Time Limited Error Recovery makes sure that HD2 in the set completes its writes before HD1 (master) continues further writing operations (RAID-1). If you use WD HDs you must use the RE (enterprise) version. Non enterprise WD HDs have TLER disabled.

 

For your H50/H70 setup I also suggest you use two identical fans in push/pull configuration and mount the rad/fans either at the top or front of the case with airflow intaking cool air from outside the case. Also avoid mounting the rad lower than the pump. Due to gravity this can promote air bubbles in the liquid stream and malfunction/failure. Also avoid as much as possible twisting and contorting of the hoses that promotes leakage. A top or front mount will largely eliminate this.