Corsair H70 not seated properly?

[satindemon4u]

Hello all. My work had a spare H70 that they weren't using and never will so they told me I could have it - score!

I just got it installed which I'll admit was a bit of pain. Mostly because I was stubborn at first and didn't remove my video card. After doing that, it went in fine.

However, I am assuming it isn't seated properly. At idle I can watch my core temps bounce around 28-30C and then all of a sudden go as high as 48C without me even doing anything. As quick as it rises, it falls.

I am using one fan on the radiator so I am assuming that flow is good. All that would leave is the seating? Is it possible I screwed it up. It feels pretty secure and it's lose on the board by any means. Bad paste? This cooler has been sitting in a box for at least 2 years...

 

[jboydgolfer]

If it wasn't seated properly your temps would likely be high enough for thermal shutdown, so im guessing its making contact, but maybe poor contact.Most likely youe TIM is bad, or improperly applied. Remove, re-apply paste, reinstall.

Have you attempted re-installing it?

You mentioned it's been sitting in a box for a couple years I am hoping you didn't use the pre-installed thermal paste because that's likely where your issues stemming from they don't always go bad but they can and I've never been a fan of the paste Corsair uses

 

[satindemon4u]

If it wasn't seated properly your temps would likely be high enough for thermal shutdown, so im guessing its making contact, but maybe poor contact.Most likely youe TIM is bad, or improperly applied. Remove, re-apply paste, reinstall.

Have you attempted re-installing it?

You mentioned it's been sitting in a box for a couple years I am hoping you didn't use the pre-installed thermal paste because that's likely where your issues stemming from they don't always go bad but they can and I've never been a fan of the paste Corsair uses

I am definitely using the pre-applied paste lol. It seemed to still be "moist" if you will, so I thought it might be alright. After starting up though I immediately thought to myself I should have swapped it out because of the age if nothing else.

 

[jboydgolfer]

I am definitely using the pre-applied paste lol. It seemed to still be "moist" if you will, so I thought it might be alright. After starting up though I immediately thought to myself I should have swapped it out because of the age if nothing else.

It's not a guarantee that the pace to go bad or that it is bad I just find it it's better practice to be safe than sorry. I'm sure you'll find if you reapply the paste (after cleaning it thoroughly with rubbing alcohol) and reinstall it ,you'll get perfectly reasonable temperatures.

I ran an H70 for many years ,first with a 2500K overclocked to 4.9 GHz, and then using a 4690K and it really manages the temperatures well ,ambient temperature permitting of course

 

[FR@NK]

At idle I can watch my core temps bounce around 28-30C and then all of a sudden go as high as 48C without me even doing anything.

Could be something running in the background that causes a quick load spike.

Check your temps while running a stress test.

 

[PLAfiller]

Apart from the paste, discussed above, which header you have plugged the pump into? Is the CPU fan header or some of the others on the MB? Try dissabling fan control from the BIOS, or simply put it to the "max" to provide maximum power for the pump. Are the tubes on the rad facing down or up in the case? Which mount location in the case? I don't know, may be re-seated, re-apply paste and test again.

 

[Final_Fighter]

if you have it hooked up to a fan header set it to max in bios. your temps seem fine. whats the rooms temp? also try running it threw a quick cpuz stress test and let us know. should stay around 75c. it seems fine to me tho.

 

[satindemon4u]

Figured it out! It was definitely crappy thermal paste. I removed the old stuff tonight which when looking at it, looked fine. However, when removing it, it was like removing putty. Very stiff and somewhat dry.

Applied some fresh paste and I am happy to report a constant temp of 18-20C at idle. Under a bit of a CPU load I am looking at a max of 49C so far.

Woo!

 

[Keullo-e]

18-20C at idle? Where the hell do you keep ur PC?

 

[PLAfiller]

18-20C at idle? Where the hell do you keep ur PC?

+1 to this guy. I get around 30C with Kraken X31 on a 54W ship during the winter here. These are some amazing temps

 

[jboydgolfer]

18-20C at idle? Where the hell do you keep ur PC?

+1 to this guy. I get around 30C with Kraken X31 on a 54W ship during the winter here. These are some amazing temps

that is indicative of the temps i got with that cooler too. those numbers eem pretty basic. I also use Corsair too, maybe they are better at idle cooling than kraken? dunno but OP's idle temps are about the same as My idle temps from just as i was reading this thread, my pc & my daughters are in the living room fwiw

 

[CrAsHnBuRnXp]

I get temps like that too and I keep my computer in the basement and house temps are typically 68*F.

 

[OneMoar]

did you remove the plastic ....

 

[jaggerwild]

did you remove the plastic ....

LOL! DOH!!

 

[jboydgolfer]

did you remove the plastic ....

They H 70 doesn't have one of those plastic films ,instead it has a molded clear plastic cover, that goes over the mounting screw spots, as well as the block. I don't think you could actually install it without removing it but people have surprise me in the past so I won't say for sure

 

[OneMoar]

give me a sharp screw driver and ill make it fit