How can I check if my AIO pump died?

[DriedSponge]

Hi there,

Today I was using my PC and then all of the sudden it crashed. It kept crashing while I was trying to turn it back on. It took me a second to realize that my motherboard was telling me on my screen that my CPU was over heating. I have a Arctic Liquid Freezer II 360 cooling my CPU. The little fan on the part that connects to the cpu still spins, and so do all the radiator fans. My theory is that the pump may have failed, but how I can check for sure? I'm not sure what would have caused it to fail, I've only had it since December of 2022. The CPU I am trying to cool is a Ryzen 9 5950x. Any help is much appreciated!

[Agall]

2 minutes ago, DriedSponge said:

Hi there,

Today I was using my PC and then all of the sudden it crashed. It kept crashing while I was trying to turn it back on. It took me a second to realize that my motherboard was telling me on my screen that my CPU was over heating. I have a Arctic Liquid Freezer II 360 cooling my CPU. The little fan on the part that connects to the cpu still spins, and so do all the radiator fans. My theory is that the pump may have failed, but how I can check for sure? I'm not sure what would have caused it to fail, I've only had it since December of 2022. The CPU I am trying to cool is a Ryzen 9 5950x. Any help is much appreciated!

Can you hear the pump go brrrrrrrrrrr?

 

You could otherwise slightly pinch a tube to see if you feel/hear any change in flow or flow restrictions.

[Hinjima]

2 minutes ago, DriedSponge said:

Hi there,

Today I was using my PC and then all of the sudden it crashed. It kept crashing while I was trying to turn it back on. It took me a second to realize that my motherboard was telling me on my screen that my CPU was over heating. I have a Arctic Liquid Freezer II 360 cooling my CPU. The little fan on the part that connects to the cpu still spins, and so do all the radiator fans. My theory is that the pump may have failed, but how I can check for sure? I'm not sure what would have caused it to fail, I've only had it since December of 2022. The CPU I am trying to cool is a Ryzen 9 5950x. Any help is much appreciated!

Touch the tubes coming out of the pump. If they are not warm to the touch while the CPU is getting hot, the water is not circulating meaning in a dead pump or a clogged loop.

[DriedSponge]

1 minute ago, Agall said:

Can you hear the pump go brrrrrrrrrrr?

 

You could otherwise slightly pinch a tube to see if you hear any change in flow or flow restrictions.

I cannot hear the pump go brrrr. Everything sounds normal, maybe I should listen closer. I could try the pinching technique.

[DriedSponge]

4 minutes ago, Hinjima said:

Touch the tubes coming out of the pump. If they are not warm to the touch while the CPU is getting hot, the water is not circulating meaning in a dead pump or a clogged loop.

I don't feel anything, I think it is dead. This sucks.

[Agall]

4 minutes ago, DriedSponge said:

I cannot hear the pump go brrrr. Everything sounds normal, maybe I should listen closer. I could try the pinching technique.

You should be able to hear or feel the change in flow when doing so, especially if the pump is operating at a decent RPM.

[DriedSponge]

Just now, Agall said:

You should be able to hear or feel the change in flow when doing so, especially if the pump is operating at a decent RPM.

I can't hear any of that unfortunately. I will have to see if I can get a replacement from the manufacturer. I have not even had this thing a full year.

[Agall]

2 minutes ago, DriedSponge said:

I can't hear any of that unfortunately. I will have to see if I can get a replacement from the manufacturer. I have not even had this thing a full year.

Does it use SATA power to power the pump? If any, I'd check the connections going to it to validate one isn't loose or using a busted connector. A lot of those AIOs have a 3/4pin header for sensing, but then a SATA power connection for power. Very few use straight PWM from the motherboard 4 pin header.

[DriedSponge]

3 minutes ago, Agall said:

Does it use SATA power to power the pump? If any, I'd check the connections going to it to validate one isn't loose or using a busted connector. A lot of those AIOs have a 3/4pin header for sensing, but then a SATA power connection for power. Very few use straight PWM from the motherboard 4 pin header.

From what I can see, it only connects to a 4pin header, at least that is how I have been connecting it. Now that you mention it, I did actually change out my power supply a few days ago so maybe there is something I forgot. It was working for a few days though after I changed my power supply.

[DriedSponge]

I have been using the CPU fan header on my motherboard for it. I did try a different fan header but it did not work.

[Agall]

5 minutes ago, DriedSponge said:

I have been using the CPU fan header on my motherboard for it. I did try a different fan header but it did not work.

Tracking it down on the internet is difficult, but from what I can tell, that AIO design has two cables. That might be the RGB version only though.

 

 

[DriedSponge]

3 minutes ago, Agall said:

Tracking it down on the internet is difficult, but from what I can tell, that AIO design has two cables. That might be the RGB version only though.

 

 

Yes one is for the RGB. I don't use the RGB so I don't have it plugged in.

[DarkAgent]

31 minutes ago, DriedSponge said:

Hi there,

Today I was using my PC and then all of the sudden it crashed. It kept crashing while I was trying to turn it back on. It took me a second to realize that my motherboard was telling me on my screen that my CPU was over heating. I have a Arctic Liquid Freezer II 360 cooling my CPU. The little fan on the part that connects to the cpu still spins, and so do all the radiator fans. My theory is that the pump may have failed, but how I can check for sure? I'm not sure what would have caused it to fail, I've only had it since December of 2022. The CPU I am trying to cool is a Ryzen 9 5950x. Any help is much appreciated!

The time you had it is sorta moot I've had one go in like a year 1/2. Depends on few main factors. How how you push your machine, how good your cases cooling solution is, and how generally hot your ambient temperatures are where your computer is, & luck of the draw.

Most times it will generally just halt your system and shut it down due to the motherboards internal thermal protection system. 

The best way to check is just remove the pump / aio entirely & switch to a normal fan based cooling solution and try rebooting after your done switching them out.

If that fixed the problem then it's def your AIO. 

It could also do you some good to check all your relevant connections & cables and make sure nothing came undone. It is possible to bump your case and dislodge something technically

[Agall]

6 minutes ago, DriedSponge said:

Yes one is for the RGB. I don't use the RGB so I don't have it plugged in.

I would validate whatever header its plugged into works with another device, like a fan. If that works, then the AIO. Another thing you should do for PWM controlled 'CPU fan' header pumps is manually configure the UEFI to have it run at a higher RPM. A normal fan curve can sometime not be enough speed for an AIO pump and not every motherboard detects it as an AIO pump to correct for that. The UEFI should also report an RPM for that device, so if its 0 RPM constantly, then there's a software indication that its dead.

[DriedSponge]

2 minutes ago, DarkAgent said:

The time you had it is sorta moot I've had one go in like a year 1/2. Depends on few main factors. How how you push your machine, how good your cases cooling solution is, and how generally hot your ambient temperatures are. 

Most times it will generally just halt your system and shut it down due to the motherboards internal thermal protection system. 

The best way to check is just remove the pump entirely & switch to a normal fan based cooling solution and try rebooting after your done switching them out.

If that fixed the problem then it's def your AIO. 

I would love to try that but unfortunately I do not have a spare air cooler to try it out with. I'm confident it is the aio though because the temperature in my room is not very high. Only around 70 degrees Fahrenheit. I also have a pretty solid airflow configuration in my case. Also I feel like I should feel warm air exiting my radiator from cooling the cpu, but I don't.

[DriedSponge]

3 minutes ago, Agall said:

I would validate whatever header its plugged into works with another device, like a fan. If that works, then the AIO. Another thing you should do for PWM controlled 'CPU fan' header pumps is manually configure the UEFI to have it run at a higher RPM. A normal fan curve can sometime not be enough speed for an AIO pump and not every motherboard detects it as an AIO pump to correct for that. The UEFI should also report an RPM for that device, so if its 0 RPM constantly, then there's a software indication that its dead.

Ok I will give it a shot, but just to let you know, my AIO fans already ramp up to full speed after booting and I'm not sure I can stay in the bios long enough to check everything out.

[Agall]

1 minute ago, DriedSponge said:

Ok I will give it a shot, but just to let you know, my AIO fans already ramp up to full speed after booting and I'm not sure I can stay in the bios long enough to check everything out.

Being in the UEFI doesn't put much tax on a system, some people (ballsier types) will boot into UEFI without a heatsink momentarily. Having some thermal mass at least on the CPU is far far far less risky than that however.

[DriedSponge]

6 minutes ago, Agall said:

Being in the UEFI doesn't put much tax on a system, some people (ballsier types) will boot into UEFI without a heatsink momentarily. Having some thermal mass at least on the CPU is far far far less risky than that however.

Yeah I am having no luck with it. I'm for two seconds and it pops up with an alert then shuts down.

[Agall]

Just now, DriedSponge said:

Yeah I am having no luck with it. I'm for two seconds and it pops up with an alert then shuts down.

Have you checked the mounting pressure and thermal paste of the pump? See if you're getting enough contact and just unable to determine whether the pump is operating or not?

[DriedSponge]

I should still be well within the warranty so I'm not too worried about this inconvenienc

1 minute ago, Agall said:

Have you checked the mounting pressure and thermal paste of the pump? See if you're getting enough contact and just unable to determine whether the pump is operating or not?

Yes I can confirm there is enough contact both visually and by the fact that the CPU block is incredibly hot. 

[Agall]

6 minutes ago, DriedSponge said:

I should still be well within the warranty so I'm not too worried about this inconvenienc

Yes I can confirm there is enough contact both visually and by the fact that the CPU block is incredibly hot. 

Looks like its time to buy a new cooler while you wait to RMA that one.

[DriedSponge]

1 minute ago, Agall said:

Looks like its time to buy a new cooler while you wait to RMA that one.

I think I will be alright without a new cooler while I wait for a RMA. I still have my laptop. If I did decide to get a new cooler, do you have any recommendations?

[Agall]

14 minutes ago, DriedSponge said:

I think I will be alright without a new cooler while I wait for a RMA. I still have my laptop. If I did decide to get a new cooler, do you have any recommendations?

Thermalright PA or NH-D15. I'm quite the function > form type and have stopped using AIOs for that reason. The extra variables of a pump and liquid system (yes I know heatpipes are liquid systems just smoller) can cause problems, as we've seemed to conclude here. Having an air cooler laying around is a good idea in general if you have an AIO, though I'm the type to have enough spare parts to build 3-4 rigs with at all times.

 

Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 CPU Air Cooler, 6 Heat Pipes, Dual 120mm TL-C12 PWM Fan, Aluminium Heatsink Cover, AGHP Technology, for AMD AM4 AM5/Intel LGA 1700/1150/1151/1200/2011/2066 (PA120) - Newegg.com

 

Snazzy thing to have around, will cool a 5950x perfectly fine.

 

Forums crashed for me.

[DriedSponge]

7 minutes ago, Agall said:

Thermalright PA or NH-D15. I'm quite the function > form type and have stopped using AIOs for that reason. The extra variables of a pump and liquid system (yes I know heatpipes are liquid systems just smoller) can cause problems, as we've seemed to conclude here. Having an air cooler laying around is a good idea in general if you have an AIO, though I'm the type to have enough spare parts to build 3-4 rigs with at all times.

 

Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 CPU Air Cooler, 6 Heat Pipes, Dual 120mm TL-C12 PWM Fan, Aluminium Heatsink Cover, AGHP Technology, for AMD AM4 AM5/Intel LGA 1700/1150/1151/1200/2011/2066 (PA120) - Newegg.com

 

Snazzy thing to have around, will cool a 5950x perfectly fine.

 

Forums crashed for me.

Thanks for the tips! I actually did have an air cooler laying around but I just put it into my server so now it is in use. I will look into the coolers you suggested. Do the air coolers perform the same, better, or worse compared to AIOs in your experience?

[DarkAgent]

49 minutes ago, DriedSponge said:

I would love to try that but unfortunately I do not have a spare air cooler to try it out with. I'm confident it is the aio though because the temperature in my room is not very high. Only around 70 degrees Fahrenheit. I also have a pretty solid airflow configuration in my case. Also I feel like I should feel warm air exiting my radiator from cooling the cpu, but I don't.

Bad luck then perhaps? - shrugs - Sh*t does happen unfortunately. Might wanna see if it's still under warranty of any kind