Corsair H100i v2 High Idle and Load Temps

[JXS]

Within the past week I've seen my CPU go from idling at 35°C to 40°C - 42°C.

I know that these are well within safe operating parameters but I've seen it spike to 50°C just opening Firefox, or hover around 45°C watching a Youtube video which isn't typical of the performance I have had with this cooler.

Running GTA V it jumps to 74°C where as it use to be at low to mid 60°C. I've already tried reapplying some NT-H1 paste which doesn't seem to have any effect. iCue says the pump is at 3000 RPM bur the software is a buggy mess.
Anyone have any advide? Am I looking at a RMA? If I need a new cooling solution I really don't feel like going back to Corsair if their products keep failing (this is the 2ed H100i I've gone through). Are there any suggestions?

 

[RobFRaschke]

I'm big on the KISS approach, please take no offense, have you dusted the radiator and it's fans?

[JXS]

I don't take offense. It's a basic troubleshooting question. I have a Datavac electric duster. The inside of my case, fan blades and radiator all look like they did when I installed them. I even clean them with 91% isopropyl alcohol every few months.
Also, I just finished running malwarebytes and superantispyware (after being updated) offline in safemode. Only found tracker cookies. Sames statues.

[DakotaWebber]

how long have you had it for?

it might sound stupid but has the ambient temperature gone up drastically?

maybe check just flushing the radiator, 

it doesnt seem like a huge issue but keep an eye on it for now in case your pump starts to kick the bucket

[JXS]

It gets pretty chilly in Winnipeg, so we have the heat set to 22°C to keep it comfortable inside. The ambient temp has been constant because of the furnace.

Unfortunately the Corsair H100i v2 is an aio. I wouldn't even begin to know how to flush it if it is even possible without damaging it.
The thing that really bothers me is that it's a v2 which was suppose to have an upgraded pump from the original which had problems of its own.

[RobFRaschke]

AIOs are not completely maintenace free, not even the ones that are advertised as such. Nothing lasts forever, but i would not imagine it being necessary for 3-5 years, however that would be my presumption based on your situation.

[JXS]

If this is a case of hardware failure than it will be the 2ed aio cooling solution from Corsair that has failed within 2 years, this one being inside of a year.

[JXS]

One thing I did just notice is one hose feels very warm while the other does not. Is this a sign that the pump is dead?

[Corsair Nick]

Maybe an air bubble trapped in the pump.  Try dismounting the radiator, running the PC on its side so the pump logo faces your ceiling, and have the radiator above it.

[JXS]

Thank you for the suggestion but I had already thought of this when I was doing my own troubleshooting. I unmounted the radiator, ran my PC, then carefully shook the rad while it was vertical and even horizontal. No change, although I am now seeing a steady climbing delta which would seems to indicate the pump is running slower and slower. I'm not even running my PC atm, using my phone to connect to LTT forums.

 After digging out the original box and finding the receipt I learned I've actually had it much longer than I initially thought. I bought it at the tail end of 2016 so it's just over 2 years old which I "guess" isn't horrible for daily gaming. Still, Corsair has a 5 year warranty, one would think they aren't planning to RMA a high percentage of units. Again, this would be the 2ed h100i for me to die inside the warranty period (the one I'm using isn't an RMA).

Any suggestions on an alternate replacement cooler?

[GeoSquigg]

On 2/18/2019 at 12:17 AM, JXS said:

One thing I did just notice is one hose feels very warm while the other does not. Is this a sign that the pump is dead?

that usually means pump is working .. if it weren't, the hoses would feel the same

[Corsair Nick]

Another thing you can check is make sure the pump is set to PWM and full speed so it receives 12v in the BIOS.  If that is already set, then you can create an RMA on our support site, send me the ticket number, and I'll work with Technical Support to get you squared away.

 

https://support.corsair.com/

[JXS]

It was already set up that way. I knew about the power draw issues some people have had and double checked.

I've made a support ticket over at Corsair, #856123

[Andres Miguel]

I started to experience, actually, the same simtoms that you are expousing here, one warm hose, working pump and suddenly shutdowns and came here to find some anwers, i did not know what it was, but i notice too much heat arround the CPU with just touch it, its been almost 2 years and a half now with that AIO when i bought it and i replaced with a other one that i bought around the same time (2 years and a half) that I used for water cooling the video card (now the video card has the original heat sink) it is working perfectly now. Getting to the point, I had to unmount it and i could see white dots over the radiator, then i realize that it is now corroded, and obviouslly it came from inside this time, i could start a claim because it has 5 year warantee, but, i was thinking in sacrifice for science and open it to show here how could it be corroded in half of its life time. if it's not. well, i have to create a custom loop.

 

Best Regards,

[Steve1978]

You could try what I tried....

 

tottally stripped it it out bought new hoses tested pump all works well. Just trying to figure out how to refil it, ideally I would like to add a fill port / bleed port but don’t know where. Going to take it to see a plumber!

[Corsair Nick]

9 hours ago, JXS said:

It was already set up that way. I knew about the power draw issues some people have had and double checked.

I've made a support ticket over at Corsair, #856123 

You should get a response shortly with an update.

[Steve1978]

1 hour ago, Corsair Nick said:

You should get a response shortly with an update.

I wouldn’t hold your breath mate, I have tweeted them twice to try and get the screw sizes or some replacement screws for the copper plate. I have A LOT of Corsair kit and it’s generally very good but I have always said, the quality of the afterales support by far outweighs the products and sales process, the first time I have asked for assistance and it’s almost as if they have disappeared of the face of the earth, unless of course you have over 8 million followers and then they wright on the forums to make all kinds of promises!

 

sorry mate but this is the truth!

[thinwalrus]

And you are sure its the cooler and not the toothpaste between ihs and cpu?

[JXS]

5 hours ago, thinwalrus said:

And you are sure its the cooler and not the toothpaste between ihs and cpu?

Positive. I'm use to getting idle temps of 30°C - 34°C while I was living in BC, Canada. I'm willing to accept that maybe in my new place the smaller room space where my PC is has a bigger difference on average temps but the cpu goes from 40°C to into the 50°C watching a video, that's 20° over delta.

[vjizzle2384]

On 2/17/2019 at 10:12 PM, JXS said:

If this is a case of hardware failure than it will be the 2ed aio cooling solution from Corsair that has failed within 2 years, this one being inside of a year.

 Just go with air and stop wasting your time 

[JXS]

52 minutes ago, vjizzle2384 said:

 Just go with air and stop wasting your time 

Please be constructive, not destructive. I already posting asking for suggestions. If you have one please feel free to do so instead of insulting me for asking the community for help. The core of LTT forums and PCMR is to build each other up when they're asking advice.

[JXS]

On 2/20/2019 at 10:22 AM, Steve1978 said:

You could try what I tried....

 

tottally stripped it it out bought new hoses tested pump all works well. Just trying to figure out how to refil it, ideally I would like to add a fill port / bleed port but don’t know where. Going to take it to see a plumber!

I'm not going to try that but it was pretty sweet to see the inside of the aio. Was that cracked fitting the source of your problems or did that happen during disassembly?

[vjizzle2384]

2 hours ago, JXS said:

Please be constructive, not destructive. I already posting asking for suggestions. If you have one please feel free to do so instead of insulting me for asking the community for help. The core of LTT forums and PCMR is to build each other up when they're asking advice.

Sorry it just less headache wth air

[Steve1978]

6 hours ago, JXS said:

I'm not going to try that but it was pretty sweet to see the inside of the aio. Was that cracked fitting the source of your problems or did that happen during disassembly?

No mate, mine had the same problem as yours, one hot hose, one cold hose.

 

i have now bought 8mm clear hose, £1, a tin of white spray for the rad £6, deionised water (yes yes I know mixed metals blah.)£1. Food dye £1  - all that’s left now is to refil it all and test it out. Yeah it’s been a bit of a hassle, but if it works out I will use this one for my gpu and then I may even buy another buggered one and do the same again!

[Steve1978]

Looks better I think