Corsair H100i V2 not working and RMA grievances

[komputeridiat]

Hi guys, my computer died around Dec 2017 and I've since replaced it. However, after letting my cooler sitting for about a month, when I hooked it back up again, it seized to work and my CPU reads at 88 Celsius on my BIOS. This scared me and I immediately turned it off and replaced the cooler with my wraith spire once more. Why does letting my cooler just sitting there make it suddenly go bad? I called Corsair and they've approved my replacement ticket, but they wanted me to pay for return and shipping. Canada Post calculated it about 30 CDN for one trip and I'm almost certain that it will cost about that again when I want it back! This will cost about 60 and my product was 140 to begin with. WTF?! I think this will be my last time ever buying anything from Corsair again. Is there a way to avoid sending it back and fix it myself? Has this happened to anyone else?

 

The symptoms:

AM4 bracket onto R1700 sits at 88 Celsius

Both fans of the cooler spins.

I made sure that the screws are tightened and contact was made with the CPU and Arctic Silver 5 in between amply applied.

No plastic is in between the CPU and the cooler.

 

Thanks in advance

[Hiitchy]

Was one of the two pump lines hot to the touch, or was the pump itself hot to the touch? Do any of the fins on the radiator look like they could be possibly damaged? Are there are cracks around where the lines either go into the rad or the pump? Have you made sure you've connected the pump to a header on the motherboard or power supply (whichever one is applicable)? Is the mounting bracket secure in the ridges on the pump? 

 

What I've learned with the H100i v2 since I've owned one is that there is plenty of room for error since the lines are very hard to bend but easy to break. It's possible that one of the lines might have broke or that the pump suddenly failed or just isn't connected to the PC.

[dizmo]

It won't cost that to get it back. You only pay shipping to the vendor, not return.

What part of the AIO unit doesn't work? Do the fans spin? Does the pump turn on?

 

It's foolish to avoid Corsair because of their return policies, or a single faulty product. Most other companies are the exact same in regards to product returns, and the odd bad product will always slip through; though, since it worked to begin with, I'm going to chalk this one up to user error.

[komputeridiat]

5 minutes ago, Hiitchy said:

Was one of the two pump lines hot to the touch, or was the pump itself hot to the touch?

How does one check? Do I have to hook it up to the CPU and turn on the computer?

6 minutes ago, Hiitchy said:

Do any of the fins on the radiator look like they could be possibly damaged?

fins? Do you mean the mesh looking panel where all the metals are folded? I don't think anywhere is damaged...

 

6 minutes ago, Hiitchy said:

Are there are cracks around where the lines either go into the rad or the pump?

I don't think I can find any cracks. The lines are covered by this fabric thing and I don't think any of them are opened

 

7 minutes ago, Hiitchy said:

Have you made sure you've connected the pump to a header on the motherboard or power supply (whichever one is applicable)?

I believe so. The instructions are that the pins are to be connected to the CPU pins. I did exactly that. and that in itself powers the fans. Since they spin, I assumed that I connected it correctly.

8 minutes ago, Hiitchy said:

Is the mounting bracket secure in the ridges on the pump? 

I believe so. I can't seem to budge the head. It won't rattle, shake, or move if that's what you mean.

 

9 minutes ago, Hiitchy said:

What I've learned with the H100i v2 since I've owned one is that there is plenty of room for error since the lines are very hard to bend but easy to break. It's possible that one of the lines might have broke or that the pump suddenly failed or just isn't connected to the PC.

I just can't imagine taking it off then putting it back on suddenly breaks it.

[Ryujin2003]

Doing this currently on my system. The pump failed at about 15 months. Worked, left my PC on over night because I was rendering a video, and it was off the next morning. I've got my Hyper D92 on currently. I had to pay to ship it to their repair facility in California. $20 USD, plus $10 extra for the book of Star Trek stamps.

 

They pay for shipping back to you. You have to pay to ship to them. It's how it goes for every RMA. Be glad it's an AIO. I had to ship in my gaming laptop. To get enough insurance and overnight, it cost me several hundred bucks... AIO is much cheaper to ship.

[komputeridiat]

5 minutes ago, dizmo said:

You only pay shipping to the vendor, not return

I called in and the Corsair rep told me otherwise and it just fumes me.

6 minutes ago, dizmo said:

What part of the AIO unit doesn't work? Do the fans spin? Does the pump turn on?

The fan spins. I don't know how to check if the pump is working or not.

7 minutes ago, dizmo said:

It's foolish to avoid Corsair because of their return policies, or a single faulty product. Most other companies are the exact same in regards to product returns, and the odd bad product will always slip through; though, since it worked to begin with, I'm going to chalk this one up to user error.

Not the first time. I bought the exact same product and I had to return it the moment I received it bacause the bracket won't come off. That return was the to the vendor and that was free at least. I'm having a small suspicion that QC is not up to par in this particular product.

[dizmo]

4 minutes ago, komputeridiat said:

I called in and the Corsair rep told me otherwise and it just fumes me.

The fan spins. I don't know how to check if the pump is working or not.

Not the first time. I bought the exact same product and I had to return it the moment I received it bacause the bracket won't come off. That return was the to the vendor and that was free at least. I'm having a small suspicion that QC is not up to par in this particular product.

I find that hard to believe. I've done several RMA's with several companies, and never have I been charged for return shipping.

Sounds like the unit is faulty. Either pony up the money to RMA it, or buy something else. I wouldn't bother trying to fix it yourself, especially if you don't know what's wrong. IIRC these aren't very user serviceable. Since you've already had issues with it, I'd just RMA it, sell the unit you get back, and buy something else.

[komputeridiat]

37 minutes ago, dizmo said:

I find that hard to believe. I've done several RMA's with several companies, and never have I been charged for return shipping.

Sounds like the unit is faulty. Either pony up the money to RMA it, or buy something else. I wouldn't bother trying to fix it yourself, especially if you don't know what's wrong. IIRC these aren't very user serviceable. Since you've already had issues with it, I'd just RMA it, sell the unit you get back, and buy something else.

Thanks.

[komputeridiat]

15 hours ago, dizmo said:

I find that hard to believe. I've done several RMA's with several companies, and never have I been charged for return shipping.

Sounds like the unit is faulty. Either pony up the money to RMA it, or buy something else. I wouldn't bother trying to fix it yourself, especially if you don't know what's wrong. IIRC these aren't very user serviceable. Since you've already had issues with it, I'd just RMA it, sell the unit you get back, and buy something else.

Are you from Canada? I may have heard incorrectly but I do remember specifically asking about return shipping and shipping once it is fixed or replaced.

[dizmo]

5 hours ago, komputeridiat said:

Are you from Canada? I may have heard incorrectly but I do remember specifically asking about return shipping and shipping once it is fixed or replaced.

I live in Edmonton.