Question New build, CPU overheating with NZXT Kraken x53

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Natedanp

Natedanp

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Jan 29, 2015
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Hey. So I purchased a brand new Kraken x53 for my new build. Upon putting everything together and starting it up for the first time, everything looked great at first. I was in the bios tweaking some things before actually booting to windows when i noticed my CPU was getting hot. At this point it was in the red. So i immediately turned off my pc and checked all the cooler wires and made sure everything was good, which it was and as far as i’m aware still is.

On the motherboard, the pump is plugged into AIO_PUMP, fans are plugged into CPU_FAN, and the other one (blue plug) is plugged into a USB header. And i have switched the pump and fan plugs with each other and even tried the CPU_OPT header, and same results. Also tried switching USB headers, nothing. Fans are spinning, pump is lighting up just fine. Everything is plugged into their respective headers. I even took off the pump, and reseated it using new thermal paste, same result. CPU will reach 80c within 10 minutes of being into the BIOS, which seems to be accurate as the base of the hoses on the pump feel hot to the touch aswell as the back of the pump. I have read the manual from front to back and everything looks good.

Cooler is front mounted with hoses at the bottom. I have googled and googled and nothing has worked. I don’t even feel the pump working (by using touch to feel for vibrations). I have tried everything. This is very disappointing, i was excited to get everything running and even excited to try this cooler out as it’s been recommended by many. But so far it’s caused me quite a bit of stress, and unfortunately has delayed my build which I have been working on getting parts for for months. I can’t explain the disappointment in starting my first build in almost 8 years only to be set back by something like this. I have pictures of everything from the plugs, pump lights, fans spinning, to the cpu temps. Even a video of the cpu temp ramping up.

Do you guys have any recommendations on things to try? I would really not like to go through the customer service system before trying everything I can first.

If it helps I have a Maximus XI Hero with a i9-9900k

Pics:
Dropbox

Thanks
 
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Don't frequent this forum very much - just passing by looking for my own answers.

I'd recommend starting by checking all your fan connections. Are you using a fan hub? I find it quite odd your motherboard is reading N/A under CPU Fan/Opt. Do you know if the motherboards fan control is set to PWM or DC? Do you have another cooler or even a fan you can plug into the fan headers to ensure the headers themselves are functional? Could even swap the cooler to another PC if you have one available to further fault check. If you do have faulty hardware, best to nail down the offender before return periods are over. It would be uncommon for new hardware to be faulty, but it's not unheard of.

Your symptoms sound eerily similar to my two previous failed liquid coolers however. One died of pump failure. The other, permeation. Neither lasted more than 2 years. I've gone back to air coolers for the time being. If I ever go back to liquid, it will be full custom loop.

Hopefully this is of some help.
 
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member said:
Don't frequent this forum very much - just passing by looking for my own answers.

I'd recommend starting by checking all your fan connections. Are you using a fan hub? I find it quite odd your motherboard is reading N/A under CPU Fan/Opt. Do you know if the motherboards fan control is set to PWM or DC? Do you have another cooler or even a fan you can plug into the fan headers to ensure the headers themselves are functional? Could even swap the cooler to another PC if you have one available to further fault check. If you do have faulty hardware, best to nail down the offender before return periods are over. It would be uncommon for new hardware to be faulty, but it's not unheard of.

Your symptoms sound eerily similar to my two previous failed liquid coolers however. One died of pump failure. The other, permeation. Neither lasted more than 2 years. I've gone back to air coolers for the time being. If I ever go back to liquid, it will be full custom loop.

Hopefully this is of some help.
Click to expand...

I’m actually using the included 3-plug dongle for the fans which is plugged into CPU_FAN on the mb. Both fans are running and at full speed per bios setting.

So I will say I wasn’t sure what you meant by PWM or DC until i was getting pictures of all the temps and speeds in the bios and stumbled upon a setting I found for AIO Pump and played around with it. It was originally disabled but I tried auto, pwm and dc, all unsuccessful. It says DC is used for 3-pin connectors which i’m using for the pump but it still didn’t make a difference, temp was still rising. As for the N/A I actually switched the plugs all around from aio_pump to cpu_fan and opt etc but still showing N/A for everything but CPU, MB, and PCH temps.

Here are pictures of the Monitor screen of the bios.
Dropbox

I actually borrowed a cpu air cooler that i will be using until this gets sorted out, and from there I should be able to test the pump on another computer. I will update you on the results, and I appreciate you for responding and trying to help
 
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Your connections were right: pump to AIO_PUMP, rad fans to CPU_FAN. For the AIO_PUMP header where the pump is connected, you should actually be using the PWM Mode setting. This is an odd trick with pumps. They are wired like the older 3-pin fans, so that when you plug them into a header using the new PWM Mode, you get full speed all the time with no ability to control the speed. And that is exactly what a PUMP needs - full speed all the time. But I REALLY do not think that is the source of your problem.

The symptoms you describe sounds a LOT like a pump that is NOT working - faulty in a brand new unit. To check that, a couple of tests you can do by feeling. These are based on the fact that a properly-working system will pump warmer water out of the pump up to one connection on the rad, and the other hose will have slightly cooler water in it returning from the rad. To do this it would be ideal if you have temporarily forced the rad fans to run full speed, too, to maximize cooling at the rad.

1. Feel the two hoses coming out of the pump. One should feel warmer than the other. If the BOTH are equally warm after the CPU heats up that indicates NO flow of fluid.

2. Same test at the rad hoses. One should feel slightly warmer than the other. If both are cool, and much cooler than the hoses at the pump, there is no fluid flowing.

If these tests confirm pump failure, contact Tech Support at NZXT.
 
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Paperdoc said:
Your connections were right: pump to AIO_PUMP, rad fans to CPU_FAN. For the AIO_PUMP header where the pump is connected, you should actually be using the PWM Mode setting. This is an odd trick with pumps. They are wired like the older 3-pin fans, so that when you plug them into a header using the new PWM Mode, you get full speed all the time with no ability to control the speed. And that is exactly what a PUMP needs - full speed all the time. But I REALLY do not think that is the source of your problem.

The symptoms you describe sounds a LOT like a pump that is NOT working - faulty in a brand new unit. To check that, a couple of tests you can do by feeling. These are based on the fact that a properly-working system will pump warmer water out of the pump up to one connection on the rad, and the other hose will have slightly cooler water in it returning from the rad. To do this it would be ideal if you have temporarily forced the rad fans to run full speed, too, to maximize cooling at the rad.

1. Feel the two hoses coming out of the pump. One should feel warmer than the other. If the BOTH are equally warm after the CPU heats up that indicates NO flow of fluid.

2. Same test at the rad hoses. One should feel slightly warmer than the other. If both are cool, and much cooler than the hoses at the pump, there is no fluid flowing.

If these tests confirm pump failure, contact Tech Support at NZXT.
Click to expand...

Hey, thank you for your response. I put it in PWM mode, no change. I felt both hoses at each end, both slightly warmer from pump and both cool at radiator. Anything else I could try?
 
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Paperdoc said:
Let us know the results. We all are always interested in how problems get investigated and resolved.
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NameChanged38 said:
Indeed
Click to expand...
I haven’t received a single response since the 31st. They don’t seem to care one bit. That’s with them aware of the fact i can’t use my newly built pc without it. Kinda pisses me off. I’ve heard of people talking about bad customer service but experiencing it first hand hits different. Personally don’t want to use their products again, especially the fact that they know a ton of these are shipping DOA and haven’t seemed to do anything about it. Seems like the first and last nzxt product i’ll ever purchase
 
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