EK Loop Connect issues

Lukasz Broda · 26 May 2020 at 12:39

Hi all,

Recently I bought EK Loop connect to control 9 fans and EK D5 pump in my system. I'm having some serious issues with their software.
1. For starters it constantly crashes without any error message and this causes the temperatures to go through the roof.
2. There are functions in the software which look like you should be able to use but if you click on them nothing happens.
3. EK Loop Connect software has to be manually run after every boot in order to control my fans/pump and has be kept open as it does allow to be minimized into tray.
4. I'm still trying to find a way how to control fans based on the water temperature, this is a fan controller intended for water cooling so what's the point of ramping up fans when CPU temp spikes?
5. RGB section does not allow me to control RGB channels separately and most of the effect won't even let me choose colours unless I'm missing something.
6. In cooling section I can choose between CPU cooling or GPU + CPU cooling if I choose the latter the software is ignoring the fan curves.

What's your experience with this product guys? Have you had any issues?

Awahwah · 26 May 2020 at 19:57

Ditto with all the problems you see.
Additional to yours, mine has a broken rgb header.
Ek told me to raise an rma with OcUK but I've just lived with it.
Ek did not want to support the product.

Lukasz Broda · 26 May 2020 at 20:11

The software looks like a bad school project not a retail solution and the worst thing is that their new line of AIO's require this to control fans.

haszek · 27 May 2020 at 08:47

EK said to me, that future versions will remember custom curves so there won't be need for software to run. Currently hardware is remembering last fan speed they were running before switching of the software.
They are also working on implementing delay to fan speed, as currently they picked the worse sensor (at least for AMD) to control fans. Sensor is showing any highest spike at given moment, which you can't avoid but it doesn't mean CPU is at this temperature. This is making it not WC friendly at this time. There is no way to pick different sensor even though their advertisement of this controller says you can.

1. For me it switches off on its own (from time to time, when left in the background while gaming), sometimes it doesn't recognize hardware at startup (this is kinda dangerous as when you still click OK, to run software without hardware it will shut down all fans...weird logic behind it.
2. I would guess they are working on it:/
5. yes that's an issue, which is strange as I thought (before I bought it) that it is standard functionality to control channels separately.

Personally I would not recommend it to anyone right now. It might be good in the future as hardware looks solid (it's cool idea that you can actually connect directly to power supply).

Lukasz Broda · 27 May 2020 at 13:50

"There is no way to pick different sensor even though their advertisement of this controller says you can."

Yep this is false advertising, misleading customers on purpose, how they can get away with that?

haszek · 27 May 2020 at 14:32

Lukasz Broda said:
"There is no way to pick different sensor even though their advertisement of this controller says you can."

Yep this is false advertising, misleading customers on purpose, how they can get away with that?

When I bought it, I assumed it's gonna be flawed and beta test as it's their first product/software like this. That's why I'm not so bothered about it... it is annoying but I expected this. When I emailed with EK rep, he gave me links every few days to next beta version of the software and stability has improved since the release, just not functionality. Haven't received new versions for a while and build number that is available on their website is the last one I got.

Hopefully it will get better and better, but for people who would like a complete package right now, it is not the right product. I guess you can always return it as it doesn't fulfill their specs. EK support was usually very good when I contacted them.

Lukasz Broda · 28 May 2020 at 11:15

haszek said:
When I bought it, I assumed it's gonna be flawed and beta test as it's their first product/software like this. That's why I'm not so bothered about it... it is annoying but I expected this. When I emailed with EK rep, he gave me links every few days to next beta version of the software and stability has improved since the release, just not functionality. Haven't received new versions for a while and build number that is available on their website is the last one I got.

Hopefully it will get better and better, but for people who would like a complete package right now, it is not the right product. I guess you can always return it as it doesn't fulfill their specs. EK support was usually very good when I contacted them.

Hold on... So you spend your own money and time to buy, install and configure a product that you suspected is going to be bad knowing there are better alternatives on the market? Nice, I guess I'm much less tolerant.

haszek · 28 May 2020 at 11:58

I didn't say I expected it to be bad, just flawed in the beginning. If situation is not going to change in the future then I can honestly say it's bad. From experience with software, I know not everything is working properly with first versions.
I've tried other alternatives, nzxt, corsair commander (old and new one). They have issues that haven't been fixed or lack of functionalities that I want, so yes.... I bought it to play with lower expectations. For me it's fun to test and setup, hobby.

Lukasz Broda · 28 May 2020 at 13:23

If you still need something that just works and offers everything that EK failed to deliver have a look at Aquaero, I think I will be sending EK Loop Connect back.

Bugbait · 28 May 2020 at 14:54

Lukasz Broda said:
If you still need something that just works and offers everything that EK failed to deliver have a look at Aquaero, I think I will be sending EK Loop Connect back.

Couldn't agree more. For a little more you can get the Aquaero 6 LT which is a very solid, mature product. I've have the 5 and 6 and both have been very stable and don't need software running constantly to function fully and reliably.

haszek · 28 May 2020 at 15:15

Bugbait said:
Couldn't agree more. For a little more you can get the Aquaero 6 LT which is a very solid, mature product. I've have the 5 and 6 and both have been very stable and don't need software running constantly to function fully and reliably.

Is there a version with dRGB? Otherwise, not acceptable as I would need additional device.

Lukasz Broda · 28 May 2020 at 15:52

haszek said:
Is there a version with dRGB? Otherwise, not acceptable as I would need additional device.

Yep, Aquaero Octo

haszek · 28 May 2020 at 16:04

Lukasz Broda said:
Yep, Aquaero Octo

Yeah this one looks really cool

Lukasz Broda · 28 May 2020 at 16:14

I suggest people that had a pleasure of using this half baked product leave appropriate review to save some poor souls from making the same mistake we did.

Carl_Bennetts · 5 Jul 2020 at 20:38

Sorry to bring this thread up but i'm having problems with the EK Loop Connect. I can't get it to detect when i open the software. It seems to be running fine because the CPU block and FLT res are both lighting up with the default colours (rainbow) but the software won't detect the device. This should just be plug and play surely!

I do have a commander pro +icue which i plan to still use for full fan control and light control for the corsair products, but because i don't have a 5v motherboard header i opted for the Loop Connect to light up the CPU Block and Res. I'm reading a fair few problems with this device and i can't even get it to detect in my system.

Any suggestions? I've removed another lighting app i had installed MSI Gaming App because i heard other RGB software can take control!

haszek · 6 Jul 2020 at 17:30

Carl_Bennetts said:
Sorry to bring this thread up but i'm having problems with the EK Loop Connect. I can't get it to detect when i open the software. It seems to be running fine because the CPU block and FLT res are both lighting up with the default colours (rainbow) but the software won't detect the device. This should just be plug and play surely!

I do have a commander pro +icue which i plan to still use for full fan control and light control for the corsair products, but because i don't have a 5v motherboard header i opted for the Loop Connect to light up the CPU Block and Res. I'm reading a fair few problems with this device and i can't even get it to detect in my system.

Any suggestions? I've removed another lighting app i had installed MSI Gaming App because i heard other RGB software can take control!

Try connect it to different USB header on motherboard or through Commander Pro

Carl_Bennetts · 6 Jul 2020 at 20:37

haszek said:
Try connect it to different USB header on motherboard or through Commander Pro

I've tried both but no good.