AIO's Why they should only be considered a short term product.
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If the OP was so bothered about the risk to AIO pumps due to slightly thicker coolants with glycol, if that is even true, then why does he still sell that Aurora **** which is guaranteed to increase pump load/wear as soon as you put it in? Oh, nevermind I forgot, its because it is covered by disclaimers and they must only sell a thimble full of it each week, because no one will ever buy it hoping it'll work in a normal custom loop ever will they.
Caporegime
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I don't really get what the OP is trying to achieve with his post - either he thinks he knows something we don't and all the AIOs are doomed (which doesn't seem to be born out by people's experiences) or he's just trying to drum up sales.
Soldato
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Whilst I currently have an AIO, works fine, does the job. Nothing beats the aesthetics gained from a custom loop 
If only Mayhems had the decency to warn people Aurora was only designed to be a show fluid and shouldn't be used as a long term coolant...
They do, the quote below is taken directly from the 'Mayhems Aurora Guide' on their website.
'Aurora is "NOT" made for use in a home system. It has been developed for show System's (modding) and Photo work. If looking for a fluid for a Home system / Gaming system please use Mayhems X1 or Mayhems Pastel range of fluids there are fully tested and working in any kind of loop.'
People are saying Mike knows what he's talking about, but all accusations of bias aside, he's simply wrong on the lifespan argument, even if his 'theory' makes scientific sense. I've been doing a bit of research and I just can't find the evidence to back up his claims. AIO's have been around for years... my sister has one still working fine in a system I built for her over 4 years ago, and that is a VERY typical story. As Mike points out, they are one of the biggest sellers in the cooling industry... so if their lifespan was THAT much of an issue, we'd be seeing an epidemic of furious owners and all kinds of advice saying to avoid them, sales would be in decline etc... but there is none of this. Of course they go wrong from time to time, but what product doesn't? Unless of course there is some kind of media conspiracy and we're all being kept in the dark 
! The glycol issue may be true, but it clearly isn't affecting the lifespan of coolers as much as he implies.
! The glycol issue may be true, but it clearly isn't affecting the lifespan of coolers as much as he implies.I know mate, that was a tongue in cheek sarcastic reply to the comment above mine. Some people seem to think it's OK to ignore all advice and then blame the person they ignored. It's like p1ssing on plug sockets then blaming the electrician that installed them...
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Soldato
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I have to disagree with the OP. I have used sealed unit liquid coolers for about 5 years and have never experienced the issues the op has seen. I use Corsair OEM and Asetek units, the only problems I experienced with AIOs were the initial batches of Cool-It products we imported and almost all of them had to be replaced.
Most systems realistically have a working life of 3 years before they are no longer financially viable and they have surpassed a companies ROI and are no longer an asset. Most AIO now come with at least 3 year warranty so a £60 sealed unit that you install and it works vs a £110 custom loop + liquid that you have to put together and test/leak test the loop, top up etc etc.
I love custom watercooling and I am just about to kit my Air540 out with loads of rads. But saying that its false economy buying an AIO over a custom loop doesn't make any sense each has their own application, benefits and shortcomings.
Most systems realistically have a working life of 3 years before they are no longer financially viable and they have surpassed a companies ROI and are no longer an asset. Most AIO now come with at least 3 year warranty so a £60 sealed unit that you install and it works vs a £110 custom loop + liquid that you have to put together and test/leak test the loop, top up etc etc.
I love custom watercooling and I am just about to kit my Air540 out with loads of rads. But saying that its false economy buying an AIO over a custom loop doesn't make any sense each has their own application, benefits and shortcomings.
Sorry I meant to reply to the other guys post not yours.
Coolant seller talks about benefits of buying coolant 
Personally I've had a Corsair H50 cooling the same 50% overclocked chip since 2009, it does indeed have glycol in the coolant. I need more convincing on the short term angle because that 7 year old coolant, pump and radiator is keeping the same temps as it always did.
Personally I've had a Corsair H50 cooling the same 50% overclocked chip since 2009, it does indeed have glycol in the coolant. I need more convincing on the short term angle because that 7 year old coolant, pump and radiator is keeping the same temps as it always did.
H60 going strong after 5 years, but she does need a clean. H105 in a client build going strong after 3 years.
Mick loves the industry and always gives the best he can, hence the ongoing development of Mayhems products, but this thread does seem strangely doom and gloom and a bit out of nowhere. Are we suddenly seeing a swathe of first-gen Corsair H50s gunking up and breaking?
Mick loves the industry and always gives the best he can, hence the ongoing development of Mayhems products, but this thread does seem strangely doom and gloom and a bit out of nowhere. Are we suddenly seeing a swathe of first-gen Corsair H50s gunking up and breaking?
Everything fails, we are all going to fail at some point.
This seems more like my AIO failed so I'll say they are all junk, AFAIK Mayhems does not sell AIO units, so why they would be receiving them as failed who knows.
I've never had a problem with AIO units, but I've had a few with D5's and DDC and a few other WaterCooling parts, after many many years custom cooling from the days when you cobbled it up from bits n bobs, I've gone back to and AIO and left the GPU's on air, lot easier to work on plus I'm to old to be lifting cases full of water and rads.
This seems more like my AIO failed so I'll say they are all junk, AFAIK Mayhems does not sell AIO units, so why they would be receiving them as failed who knows.
I've never had a problem with AIO units, but I've had a few with D5's and DDC and a few other WaterCooling parts, after many many years custom cooling from the days when you cobbled it up from bits n bobs, I've gone back to and AIO and left the GPU's on air, lot easier to work on plus I'm to old to be lifting cases full of water and rads.
Soldato
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Its always fun to see people defending their purchases lol
Im only working off the products that have been brought to us and asked to be repair (cannot / will not name names). Some are not even over there minim 2 year life span (glad to hear you now get a 3 year warranty as stated above by a user). The data from us is all done in house for our own understanding and knowledge so we can hopefully one day provide the a better product (we are always advancing in this technology).
Im glad every one is chiming in and most have good experiences with some of the products how ever atm we are only getting to see what we have been brought in or given. We have tested Switech, EK and Alphacool and i forgot the other brands name how ever these are all refillable products and for there price range are all exemplary products. We have only played with a few closed loop systems (non refillable ones) and each one we have been given (to be fixed) all had pretty much the same issue such as thick coolants, air causing oxygenation and rapid decrease in performance ect ect. Now we could just be seeing the bad side of the coin because no one brings in working products to be fixed
.There are all ways two sides to every coin and this is my opinion
. Its may be a little more bias than some how ever i have to factor in every thing and personally i have no allegiance to any single company (sept the one i own) and nope sorry we do not sell CLC coolants direct to the public and never have done (reason for this simply put is, its easier to sell to OEM's).
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Soldato
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One interesting point is:
Can you find a 10 year old block still functional? Yes
Can you find a 10 year old rad still functional? Yes
10 year old fittings? Yes
10 year old pump? A few
10 year old AIO? Erm......
Can you find a 10 year old block still functional? Yes
Can you find a 10 year old rad still functional? Yes
10 year old fittings? Yes
10 year old pump? A few
10 year old AIO? Erm......
Have AIOs even been in widespread use for 10 years?
Im only working off the products that have been brought to us and asked to be repair (cannot / will not name names). Some are not even over there minim 2 year life span (glad to hear you now get a 3 year warranty as stated above by a user). The data from us is all done in house for our own understanding and knowledge so we can hopefully one day provide the a better product (we are always advancing in this technology).
Im glad every one is chiming in and most have good experiences with some of the products how ever atm we are only getting to see what we have been brought in or given. We have tested Switech, EK and Alphacool and i forgot the other brands name how ever these are all refillable products and for there price range are all exemplary products. We have only played with a few closed loop systems (non refillable ones) and each one we have been given (to be fixed) all had pretty much the same issue such as thick coolants, air causing oxygenation and rapid decrease in performance ect ect. Now we could just be seeing the bad side of the coin because no one brings in working products to be fixed
So your advice on not buying an AIO is based on a couple of broken ones
AIO's are throw away items if the warranty is expired, you'd have to be a total scrooge to ask someone to try and repair it, something that was cheap to start with.
I can understand someone repairing an EK Predator, but the rebadged AIO's from Coolit and Asetek are certainly not worth trying to repair when out of warranty.