H100i gtx/4790K Cooling issues

MrSnict

Honorable
Dec 29, 2012
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10,690
Hi all.

So I've asked this question before and I received an answer that everything is completely fine. I've let it run for a week and I'm still not convinced. While sometimes it's fine, and the idle temps climb to around 35'c at idle; it's constantly fluxuating between levels of 40-50 on windows 10, and on games it climbs from 50-70 in a second. The fans are also crazy erratic and rev up for no reason.

Should I really be getting 70'c with a h100i gtx, on a non OC'd 4790k chip? I just don't believe it. And these aren't taxing games mind you. I got 67'c on 5 minutes of Terraria just now. And this is all inside week rig, which is housed inside an Corsair Air 540 and a gtx 780.

I just can't think of what it could be. I've taken the copper mount off the cpu and replaced it again to make sure it's tight enough. I've applied my old Arctic silver 5 on it, and it doesn't seem to have an effect. Granted I don't know what the temps would be like if I didn't put nonstock compound on it, so It could have been worse.

I'm thinking about buying some newer compound and having another bash but I thought I'd ask you guys before I did it.I'm still not entirely sure anything is wrong. I smashed out 3 benchmarks on Firestrike extreme and it got to around 65-70'c, and in some games (tried it on dishonoured) it barely even noticed there is a games running and stays pretty cool.

Hopefully you guys can figure out something. Any ideas?
 
Solution
Before you attached the waterblock/pump assembly to the mounting posts, was the mounting post assembly loose/wobbly? If it was then you won't get sufficient clamping pressure of the waterblock/pump assembly to the CPU's integrated heat spreader.

If you see this (i.e. due to thinner motherboard) before attaching the screw posts then it's wrong and you'll run into the problem you're having:
Corsair_H80i_retention_nut_2.jpg


It needs to be flush with the top surface of the motherboard like this:
Corsair_H80i_retention_nut_4.jpg


Use spacers (e.g. washers or #8 flat nylon washers) to achieve this...
Your temps should definitely not be that high. I have my 4790K overclocked to 4.6Ghz on a similar cooler with a GPU in the loop and I'm only hitting about 65C at load after an hour of gaming (Witcher 3, Planet Side 2, etc). And I'm running in a really cramped mITX case (Ncase M1).

I'm also using different fans (Cougar) with high static pressure on the radiator. I doubt its the thermal compound - they're all about the same; you shouldn't see that degree of temperature variation from one brand over another. Just make sure it's applied properly. Also make sure that you didn't miss anything like a sticker or other material on the base plate of the pump. Sometimes there's a thin piece of plastic or sticker on them that could be missed.

I also have my fans pulling in cooler air rather than exhausting the case air over the radiator. All other fans I have exhausting.

Check your fan profiles as well. My fans spin at a constant 1200 RPM and provide enough cooling; but usually stock fans are louder and spin faster to achieve the same results.

Good luck.
 


No. It's set to performance, although I don't know what's going on with the fans cause it doesn't even recognise them.

7OzunJF.png









Well, I have triple corsair performance 120 at the front of the air 540 and stock 120's on the radiator at a push setup, but that shouldn't be making the temps I'm getting. I'm absolutely stumped. Still think it's probably a mounting problem of some kind..
 
Before you attached the waterblock/pump assembly to the mounting posts, was the mounting post assembly loose/wobbly? If it was then you won't get sufficient clamping pressure of the waterblock/pump assembly to the CPU's integrated heat spreader.

If you see this (i.e. due to thinner motherboard) before attaching the screw posts then it's wrong and you'll run into the problem you're having:
Corsair_H80i_retention_nut_2.jpg


It needs to be flush with the top surface of the motherboard like this:
Corsair_H80i_retention_nut_4.jpg


Use spacers (e.g. washers or #8 flat nylon washers) to achieve this:
Corsair_H80i_retention_nut_3.jpg
 
Solution

Wow, it actually might be this that's causing the issue.

Do you have anymore information on this by chance?
 


A couple of years ago there was a thread in Corsair's own forums about this problem. It has since been removed.

I built a system for a friend that used a Corsair H80i and it uses exactly the same mounting bracket. I encountered the exact problem that you're having. I went to Home Depot and purchased some #8 flat nylon washers, using them in place of the metal washers shown in the picture I provided (i.e. one #8 flat nylon washer's thickness equals the thickness of two #8 flat metal washers), above, and it resolved the problem.
 


Ok, so I can confirm it's not that. The mounting screws are raised. I included pics.

ky1jS7A.jpg


YP0P1hL.jpg



Not sure about the middle of the cpu cooler though. Is that normal?! o.0
To be honest, I might just buy another thermal compound and call it a day. What do you think?
 
What do you mean "the mounting screws are raised"?

There should be no play/movement in those screw posts shown in your picture. If you can move them, even a little bit, then you have the problem I described above.

Your picture of the copper plate shows poor contact to the CPU's heat spreader.
 


Nope. You're right, this is defo the problem. The mount is wobbingly all over the place and has about an inch of give if I pull it back by the mount from the back.

Im going to try the washer trick. Don't go anywhere, this might get a little messy.
 
okkkk, that was a lot f***** harder than I expected it to be. Turns out I have a faulty mounting plate as theirs resin on the inside on the plate surface which is supposed to connected with the screw which stops it going in all the way. I've cut that out with a dremal and made my own, so now I can use the washer trick and stick that sucker in!
 

Ok!

So I've done all that; wasn't easy!

Pre lim result seem to be good!

I blasted out a bench mark on 3DMark (Firestrike)
Idle temps are around 32-36'c. A little high.
Load temps are around 65-68'c. Lower they were last time.

Wasn't the mind shattering difference I was hoping, but it's a start. Buying some Noctua thermal compound and some extra cleaning solution to give the once over later with.

 


I have no idea how I would find that out. I can monitor internal temp components obviously. I've let everything settle for the night and temps seem to be slightly better.
Thanks to a thermometer on the wall I think ambient temps are around 25'c

Here is a copy of my HWMonitor's reading of my idle temps:

hohDQRy.png


And here is a benchmark on fire strike and the temp I got (maxed out at 66'c.) Starting to the h100i fan's varying speeds might be the cause as well.

xcU6Yh8.png