[SOLVED] Corsair H100i - High Delta under load for i7 3770

[Tolis_GR]

Hi friends,

I recently grabbed a lightly used H100i for a good price and dropped it into my system. It was in a perfect condition at least for the looks of it. It seems though that the results are not what to be expected.
My system:
I have overclocked a i7 3770 non K using the +4 bin turbo overclock with additional bclk adjustment.
My 2 gaming profiles are:
a) 41 x 105 = 4.3 ghz. Manual Voltage at 1.26 volts, drops to 1.2 volts under full load due to Vdroop (LLC medium, 50%)
b) 41 x 107.4= 4.4 ghz. Manual voltage at 1.31 volts, drops to 1.28 volts under full load due to Vdroop (LLC high 75%)

Results using (a) profile:
Idle: Cpu package hovers at mid 30's after hours of usage, H100i Liquid temps stay at 31.5 C (+/- 1 C). Average Delta 5C. Ambient Temps now are around 20C.
Load:
Prime95 Small FFT 26.6 version, 3 cores hover at 70, second core hovers around 75C. H100i Liquid temps at 37.5 C. Delta almost 40 C !

Results using (b) profile:
Idle: Cpu package hovers at mid 30's after hours of usage, H100i Liquid temps stay at 31.5 C (+/- 1 C). Average Delta 5C. Ambient Temps now are around 20C.
Load:
Prime95 Small FFT 26.6 version, 3 cores hover at mid 70s, second core hovers around 85 C. H100i Liquid Temps at 41.5 C. Delta almost 45 C !

H100i: Pump is set at maximum speed, tops at 2200 rpm using 12 volts from cpu fan header. Fan profiles are set so that the fans will ramp up to maximum when liquid temps approach 40 C.
Case: 3 front intake 120mm fans, 1 120mm exhaust at the back. Set to spin at maximum when cpu temps touch 70C
Troubleshooting:
-Made sure the pump works
-Re-installed the block, re-applied thermal paste (Arctic MX 4), made sure the block is in tight contact with the cpu
-Added washers on the back plate (no difference)

The radiator nor the tubings never feel hot, maybe slightly warm, guess it's normal for 42 C max peak of liquid temps. I know Ivy is running hot but i expected 10 C less at least for profile (a) where voltage peaks 1.2 V under full load.

My thoughts, bad contact due to block deformation, bad integrated TIM of the cpu. My temps are not dangerous but they are not desirable for my likes. If anyone has any idea or i am missing something please jump on the discussion

 

[RARRAF]

I am not sure I have the H110 but my pump runs 2940 around that if you click corsair link and "configure" at the 2nd from bottom double click make sure mode is in performance

 

[Crosslhs82x2]

That pump speed is low
I have 2 h110i and 1 h100iv2
On the h110 pump speed max's 2750-2850rpm
The h100 goes 2800 -3000rpm.
What software are you using
Ique or corsair link 4 ?
I have seen my son's not get full speeds using the ique software.
If you aren't using any other corsair products that requires ique try link 4.
Then retest

 

[Crosslhs82x2]

Also your cpu fan ramp up
the pump should have the full voltage all the time so the pump can run at full speed.

 

[Tolis_GR]

Thank you both. It seems though that the H100i pump speed is fixed and powered by the SATA connector directly. Thus, in Corsair Link i have no option to change pump profile to performance, standard or quiet. I added more washers and changed the paste for one last time. The block is 100% tight on the cpu so there should be no contact issue. I forgot to mention that i also removed the radiator and laid down the tower to check for any air bubbles in the loop. No difference.
Temps still jump to same high values with Small FFT Prime95. Since my Delta is completely normal while idle, i can only assume that either the cooler is incompetent for Ivy OC, or i am out of luck with my chip's integrated TIM

 

[Tolis_GR]

Also your cpu fan ramp up
the pump should have the full voltage all the time so the pump can run at full speed.

Thanks, this is how it is already set, by whatever changes i do in fan profiles, pump speed is fixed to 2200 rpm. I guess H100i V2 and GTX use a different pump from the predecessor H100i

 

[Crosslhs82x2]

Well after a little very quick reading ya looks like that 1 is 2200 on the pump speed.
It could take some power cycles for the mx4 to cure. I tried it but went back to what I use thermaltake tg-7 on all 3 coolers.
You can get tg-7 at most Best Buy's for $10 or less.
Another option is to upgrade the fans to higher cfm fans such as what i have but they can get loud on full speed but at a point in time you are doing something that you need max air through the radiator it's there.
They are industrial fans that produce 110cfm. Even running at slower speeds they push more air the the stock fans.
https://noctua.at/en/nf-f12-industrialppc-3000-pwm/specification

 

[Tolis_GR]

Maybe i ll try another paste yes, i ve heard that MX 4 is not meant for overclocking but still that wouldn't make any significant difference i guess. To your point about the fans, since the coolant temp is good, adding better fans shouldn't improve my temps much. That would be the case if my liquid temps kept rising under load but it seems that they top around 42.5 C after hours of gaming. I think i just have to let it go and downclock during summer until i fully upgrade to a new platform. This is the third cooler i try with the above settings and i always flert 80s temp

 

[Tolis_GR]

Coming back for a conclusion. Paired with the fact that Ivy runs hot either-way, it seems that 1.65 V 4x4gb Ripjaws are pushing the IMC quite a lot. I ve heard before that 1.65 volt ram could be quite much for Ivy. The only way to cool temps is undervolting dram, cpu, vccso etc. I managed to keep it stable at 4.4ghz with 1.27 volt under load, 1.63 dram voltage, and 0.95 vccso with temps at 70s