Do H100's Need to Be Replaced Over Time?

1Wolf

1Wolf

Limp Gawd
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Jul 10, 2007
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433
This system is just shy of 3 years old (Built it in September 2012) with an i3770K and a Corsair H100. Running stock speeds I used to get low thirties for temps. However, recently, I've noticed those going into the forties...and now today I'm up in the high forties and hitting 50. I don't see any leaks or anything. System seems to run fine, just hotter.

I just pulled the system apart and dusted everything real good but that doesn't seem to have changed the temps at all. Not too surprising as it wasn't all that dusty.

Is my H100 going bad? Do they need to be replaced periodically?

Thanks!
 
Closed loops do eventually run dry and need to be replaced. What that time frame is, is hard to say. If you stayed on stock speeds then 3 years seems a too soon to run dry. Could be the pump going out.

Hard to hear the sounds it makes with fans and such running but you can try to have a listen.
 
Did you put new paste on the CPU as well when you dusted? I wouldn't think it would be that much of a temperature hit though, just a thought.
 
Three years seems like a long time for something with hoses, fluids, internal moving parts, etc. I have a H90 and love the temps and noise levels, but I will be replacing it before the 3 year mark. I still like the AIO water coolers, they give me much more room to work on my MOBO and make the system look cleaner IMO. But most of them are unfortunately a disposable cooler, it's not something you can easily repair if things go wrong. And although I prefer the AIO solution, Noctua and Phanteks etc. coolers may take up a lot of room, but the only thing you really have to worry about is the replaceable fans. Long story short, I would replace it if you have 3 years into it.
 
My H60 in my 3770K setup has been running 24/7 for over 4 years now.
temps are in the high 30's at idle and it will get to 60 under 100% load but the room is quite warm most of the time, 78-85*F.
 
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Thanks guys. I appreciate the info. This was the first machine I ever built with water cooling so I'm not as experienced as you guys with the nuances. I wasn't sure if 'closed loop' meant it would last a long time, or if the liquid would slowly evaporate.

I'm going to put a separate thread up regarding my temps, but I'll post the question here as well in case someone following along can chime in with the answers.

What would you expect for idle temps for an i3770K at stock speed, H100 with fans in a push/pull setup, in a nice big case with good ventilation? I'd think at or pretty close to ambient temp wouldn't you? Maybe high twenties or low thirties? What would you expect under load?

Once I get my cooling back in order, I'm thinking of putting a modest overclock on it. For an i3770K, what is a good, safe idle temp to be running 24x7 for normal usage? How about a good safe load temp to be using for everyday gaming?

The reason I ask about idle temp as well is that the machine sits idle a great deal of time.

With regards to the previous question about dusting. No...when I dusted I didn't replace the thermal paste on the H100. Beyond temporarily unbolting the radiator so that I could gently vacuum the dust off it and its fans, I didn't mess with the water block or CPU.
 
Just wanted to say thanks to all who chimed in.

Looks like my pump was indeed going bad. I picked up a new H100i GTX on my lunch hour yesterday, and installed it last night.

Previously with the old H100 the idle temps were in the high forties and hitting 50, and immediately after installing the new H100i GTX the idle temps are in the low to mid thirties.

I'd guess that low to mid thirties for a stock clock CPU still isn't stellar but it must be where and how I have the PC situated. Its in a good size case (NZXT Switch) with plenty of airflow. The H100i GTX is setup for "push" exhaust out the top, another 140mm exhausting t to the rear, 2 140mm as intake in front, another 140mm as intake from the bottom, and another 140mm just in front of the video card, behind the drive cages...to feed the video card. The machine is on the floor, beneath a desk and has about 3 inches clearance from the top of the machine to the bottom of the desk, and about 2 inches clearance from the back of the machine to the wall. Unfortunately thats about the only place I have room for it. So maybe its just swimming in its own exhausted hot air down there, or maybe that last fan I have mounted on the back of the drive cage to feed the video card is causing the air to get turbulent and so the radiator above isn't getting much cooler air.

For comparison, in the same room I have a second PC sitting on top of the same desk with a much smaller and more cramped Temjin TJ-08 case, i3770K, and on an H80i and that one runs high twenties. Just over ambient.
 
My machine sits in the corner of the room and the room stays in the upper 70's to low 80's during the spring to the fall. there are also 9 drives in the machine.
what is your average room temp?
desk%20black.jpg
 
for comparison, my 4790K with an H80i is in the garage and right now it's 87*F next to the PC and it is idling in the mid to upper 30's.
CPU got up to 69* the other day playing GTA 5 and the garage was 98*F. I was roasting in here.
98%20degrees.jpg
 
I used an H50 for almost 5 years with heavy use. no leaks! ran in push/pull.
 
My H100i's pump failed after 1 year, so yeah, they have to be replaced when they fail. Otherwise I don't see any reason why you could replace a perfectly functioning cooler.
 
1Wolf said:
Looks like my pump was indeed going bad. I picked up a new H100i GTX on my lunch hour yesterday, and installed it last night.
Click to expand...

Hey Wolf,

Just an FYI, your H100 has a 5 year warranty from us. Since you've only had it for 3 years, I suggest that you take advantage of your warranty and have that cooler replaced via RMA.

You can start the RMA request here, Corsair.force.com.
 
I actually helped someone splice a fill port into the hosing of an AIO that had gotten low on fluid. It was a PITA because the tubing was so small but it worked well once he bled out all the air. Because they mix aluminum radiators with copper blocks you have to pay close attention to what you use as coolant to prevent corrosion or you will end up with the water side of the block eroding and the rad will start to get prone to leaks as the solder joints corrode and dissolve.

With all that being said, going through all the trouble of trying to fix it will put you at paying around 50% of a new one with the added fun of not knowing when the pump will quit. Replacement is way more safe as you get a new warranty as well.

If the radiator barb sizes weren't so small, you could possibly rig up a semi custom kit using the AIO's radiator that would outperform it and last you far longer if you keep the hoses maintained and the water changed regularly. You would basically just need a separate block and pump plus additional tubing. With an improved pump you could possible even add a GPU block to the loop if the radiator isn't absolute trash. And when money permits, switch to a well made copper radiator. It might so like a pain in the butt but it makes it attainable for people with lower budgets to buy quality parts as they can afford them instead of buying the cheapest pieces all at once and having problems.
 
Joseph Ocbina, I would love to see some info from an official Corsair source! A couple questions for you if you dont mind.

1) Is the 5 year warranty from date of production or date of purchase?

2) After 5 years of use, does Corsair suggest replacing them, keep inspecting them and temps but continue using them, or just use them until they fail? Is there a time frame that Corsair judges a unit containing liquid that has the potential to leak or fail someday is just too old to keep using?

Any and all coolers will eventually fail in time, but with an AIO, any brand of AIO, there is the potential for the failure to cause damage to other components. So while I use them, love them, and will continue to use them for my new builds, I would love to see some feedback on how long the official lifespan of these coolers is. Is there even an official "don't use them longer than xxx years" policy?

Whenever I build a new computer for myself the old one gets repurposed to a family member or friend, a charity, or some new project like a NAS etc. I am fine with pulling out the AIO and changing it to an air cooler if needed, especially as the people who will be using it won't be enthusiasts who blow out their machine with compressed air twice a month, update drivers frequently, and monitor temps constantly. So I put all speeds to stock, check all the fans to make sure the bearings aren't going out and hope for the best. So far I haven't sent off any of my old builds with an AIO still attached. But I am very interested in how Corsair views these coolers. Are they a 5 years then replace or good to go for much longer? I have one build that is still being used after 12 years by one of my relatives, and one of my sons is still gaming on a q9550 so I am getting a lot of life out these builds.

How long do you suggest they can be used before replacing them?
 
Do as Joseph suggested.
Keep a complete and accurate record of everything and request a shipping label for the return. If you do not have a cooler to use, ask for an Express Replacement with return shipping label. You just have to give them credit card info to use in case you do not return your old cooler after receiving the replacement.
 
Direfox said:
Joseph Ocbina, I would love to see some info from an official Corsair source! A couple questions for you if you dont mind.

1) Is the 5 year warranty from date of production or date of purchase?

2) After 5 years of use, does Corsair suggest replacing them, keep inspecting them and temps but continue using them, or just use them until they fail? Is there a time frame that Corsair judges a unit containing liquid that has the potential to leak or fail someday is just too old to keep using?

How long do you suggest they can be used before replacing them?
Click to expand...

1. Warranty starts from the date it was purchased.
2. There isn't really a time frame nor an official MTBF for these AIO coolers as they are composed of multiple components that could affect one another and will eventually cause the cooler's failure. The 5 year warranty period is a good amount of time for us to know if the cooler is going to fail or not. We've seen coolers failed within a 2 year span (sometimes shorter), at the same time, we've also seen coolers failed after 6 years of use. Overall, their failure rate is very inconsistent to tag them with an expected # years to be fully operational.

Technically, they can easily pass that 5 year mark with out a problem. Beyond that 5 year mark, it's safe to say that people can still use these coolers until one of the components fails (i.e. faulty pump, lost of power, etc). It's easy to detect a failing cooler because the symptoms are rather indicative . Extremely high CPU temp is a good indication that your cooler's pump is failing (no liquid circulation). You could also visually inspect the cooler for a possible leak. If any of those things is proven to be true, then that's the only time I would retire the cooler. Otherwise, I'd ride it until the wheels fall off.

We all know that they are almost zero maintenance, but it wouldn't hurt to check the pump's rpm from time to time to make sure that it's running within spec. Change TIM maybe once a year to keep the performance optimal. Clean the rad with a can blower the moment you see dust build up. All these things can easily prolong your cooler's lifespan for a good amount time.

doyll said:
Do as Joseph suggested.
Keep a complete and accurate record of everything and request a shipping label for the return. If you do not have a cooler to use, ask for an Express Replacement with return shipping label. You just have to give them credit card info to use in case you do not return your old cooler after receiving the replacement.
Click to expand...

Thanks doyll, I totally forgot to mention about the Express RMA option :) This is good for those who cannot a afford a system downtime.
 
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