H80i problems

[PutuLips]

I recently got a Corsair H80i for Christmas, and it worked like a charm once installing it using the stock fans, and connected to board, sata power and USB for link. I was running stock speeds @ ~13-14 degrees idle, 30 degrees max. I then overclocked it to 4.2GHz and the max temps were around 50 degrees.

The problem is it has been getting hotter and hotter as time goes on. It now runs @ 46 degrees idle (stock speeds) and it goes up to 70 sometimes when doing stuff like rendering. This morning it actually wouldn't let me boot because it was overheating. The pump was flashing red, so I removed the usb so it would run @ 100% speeds to cool it down.

 

Is there something wrong with this H80i, or could it be the thermal compound or something that was pre-applied to the heatsink or a common issue etc.?

 

Thanks

[flibberdipper]

Did you take the plastic off the bottom? Stupid question, but it can happen to anybody.

 

If you did, take it off, re-apply thermal compound, and really try to seat it properly.

[Jogostar]

I had to put washers behing the backplate, because the block didn't make contact with the CPU.

[Thermite]

I recently got a Corsair H80i for Christmas, and it worked like a charm once installing it using the stock fans, and connected to board, sata power and USB for link. I was running stock speeds @ ~13-14 degrees idle, 30 degrees max. I then overclocked it to 4.2GHz and the max temps were around 50 degrees.

The problem is it has been getting hotter and hotter as time goes on. It now runs @ 46 degrees idle (stock speeds) and it goes up to 70 sometimes when doing stuff like rendering. This morning it actually wouldn't let me boot because it was overheating. The pump was flashing red, so I removed the usb so it would run @ 100% speeds to cool it down.

 

Is there something wrong with this H80i, or could it be the thermal compound or something that was pre-applied to the heatsink or a common issue etc.?

 

Thanks

I'd make sure that the cpu is getting contact with the heat sink, and reapply the thermal compound if you can't find anything wrong. Maybe just a fluke? If it still overheats undo the overclock and monitor the CPU temps with cpu-z or a similar program like speedfan.

[PutuLips]

Thanks for the quck replies.

I removed the plastic that covered the thermal compound before screwing it in (I read the manual when installing ^^)

 

I shall try putting the washers on and see if it helps.

Thanks!

 

EDIT: Okay, I took the washers from the fans and put them on the screws and the temperature is still the same. I might head out tomorrow to get some thermal compound. Do I need to use anything special to remove the compound from the cooler?

[applebook]

I highly doubt that thermal compound will make as dramatic a difference as you're hoping, especially since the stock compound is actually pretty decent to begin with. Are you absolutely sure that the block is making good contact? Don't be afraid to screw it in very tightly (not too much though!)

 

Did you clean the old compound off your CPU before installing?

[PutuLips]

I highly doubt that thermal compound will make as dramatic a difference as you're hoping, especially since the stock compound is actually pretty decent to begin with. Are you absolutely sure that the block is making good contact? Don't be afraid to screw it in very tightly (not too much though!)

 

Did you clean the old compound off your CPU before installing?

I wiped the cpu clean, but I heard you need to use alcohol or something to clean it off...

 

I don't understand why the thing would work on day one, but not now though... Surely the temps would have been bad when I first installed it?

 

EDIT: also, I put it in as tight as it will go. Also, http://forum.corsair.com/v3/showthread.php?t=112940 < that shows how to do so for intel, not amd unfortunately.

EDIT2: Since the pump is powered directly by the PSU, I used HWMonitor to check the voltages, and the +12V is running at 8.016V... is this a problem or normal? -- Ditch that my multimeter read 12V (hard to tell decimal points because it's analogue)

[PutuLips]

Update: Fixed it.

 

Went down to the local PC store and picked up some thermal paste for about R70 (~$7 USD).  It was the only tube they had and it has enough paste for at least 20 systems, so now I have spare for future problems!. It runs at about 18 degrees Celsius at stock idle on Balanced mode (it is at least 5-10 degrees hotter today than when I first installed it). The pipes are also much cooler, as is the air that is exhausted from the case.

 

How I reapplied the paste:

1. Took PC apart, and motherboard out the case.

2. Removed the cooler from the cpu socket.

3. Took surgical spirits (not too much) and applied it to a fibreless cloth (the things used to clean glasses and TV screens).

4. Removed the thermal paste by rubbing it off in one direction. The paste was incredibly difficult to get off -- it took about 30 minutes for each surface to be clean.

5. Added a pea-sized amount of thermal paste to the centre of the cpu's surface.

6. Applied even pressure to the cooler on the cpu, then tightened the screws evenly.

7. Put everything back together.

 

Took about an hour total, but it worked. I guess that the paste that came with the cooler must have been bad. Just back luck I guess.

I'm considering reapplying thermal paste to my 5970 now... Maybe that will help too :3

 

Anyway, thank you for all the help, everyone!

[PutuLips]

Okay, well everything was working fine and dandy until a couple hours after use, but I think I may know what the problem is now. When I start my PC up, there is a grinding noise from the pump and LED flashes blue, which I presume means pump failure or something (wish it actually told me what the different colours mean somewhere).

 

Anyway, I think there is either a problem with the pump, or there isn't enough water in the cooler, or maybe there is a blockage, or air in the loop. Changing the fan speeds does very little to the temperature, and after flipping my PC over a few times, it starts to pump again (which is why I think the water isn't flowing to the pump or something). At startup the pump sometimes can go up to 5400rpm (which I presume is too high, as the default it reads is ~2100) then it hits 90 degrees and shuts down. Is this a common issue?

Something I think MAY have happened (not likely) is when the pump came through customs, they might have opened it to check for anything... The reason I think this is because when the fan arrived, some of the grills were slightly damaged and the one pipe's rubber holder (not sure what the correct terms are here) was slightly misshapen. Though I'm not sure if they'd seriously go through that much trouble in the first place.

 

Thanks

[Corsairsailor]

Agreed - sounds like you are not getting any flow. Taking it off the cpu and applying paste may have released some air inside the pump or jarred it so it works. Corsair has a good warranty program so just warranty it out and use whatever cooler you have in the mean time. I had to RMA an orignal H80 last year, all went smooth.