H100i is about done

oldestgregg · 21 Aug 2016 at 17:11

I posted last week about possible pump failure and it looks like thats the case,or some kind of fault in any case. Temps were super high,super quick and taking the rad out and shaking it fixed it. Today the same happened and by rapping my knuckled on the top of the rad it instantly dropped temps by 20 degrees. So.....looks like its done

Anyway, I obviously have to replace the damned thing now which isnt ideal with a baby on the way and an overly hormonal wife but such is life. I dont want to go Corsair again as this is the 3rd unit in 4 years thats developed fault and thats just not good enough in my eyes.

I'm debating getting a decent air cooler but I like the look of AIO coolers so its either

https://www.overclockers.co.uk/noct...pu-cooler-with-two-nh-a15-fans-hs-026-nc.html

or

https://www.overclockers.co.uk/ek-w...rcooling-solution-revision-1.1-wc-873-ek.html

I like the look of the EK stuff but how much difference is there really in the 240 and 360 other than double/triple rad?

snips86x · 21 Aug 2016 at 17:22

I had the same issue with mine. I didn't really want another cooler being limited to a 2 years life span so went with the chunky Phanteks air cooler. IMHO, I think its better than the H100i. All the AIOs do it make it look neater.

Honestly, go with the air cooler.

oldestgregg · 21 Aug 2016 at 17:56

Yeah, the AIO options seem to be about aesthetics more than temps over air but I do like the look of the EK Predator. Is it worth more than £100 over an air cooler though? People do rate them quite highly.

Anyone have any experience with the double and triple rad EK? and whats the difference other than rad size?

AiiR · 21 Aug 2016 at 18:09

Air coolers are a lot more reliable, the only thing that can fail is the fan which are often rated for several thousand hours.

oldestgregg · 21 Aug 2016 at 18:53

Without doubt mate,of that I have no argument but Ive spent that much on aesthetics the look of the cooler is still important to me

Schizo · 21 Aug 2016 at 18:59

I got a h100 and its been fine for roughly 4 years and I got it 2nd hand,is there a high rate of failures in these units ?

drex69 · 21 Aug 2016 at 19:09

Over the course of probably 5 years, I have had the H60,H110 & H80i GT.

Never had problems with any of them.

I have just upgraded to a EK Predator 360, mainly because I wanted to cool my GPU, as well as my CPU.

I personally have never liked the big air coolers, nothing to do with there cooling performance, I just don't
like the look of them.

Bone9 · 21 Aug 2016 at 19:10

I was fed up with the aio coolers all developing a fault. Mainly noisy pumps for me but just had enough of it. Went through 3 corsair units and one antec.

Fitted a bequiet dark rock pro 3 and couldn't be happier. Same or better temps and so much less noise. Looks a lot better in the case than I thought it would to so that's a bonus.

Wish I went this way from the start.

oldestgregg · 21 Aug 2016 at 19:34

drex69 said:
Over the course of probably 5 years, I have had the H60,H110 & H80i GT.

Never had problems with any of them.

I have just upgraded to a EK Predator 360, mainly because I wanted to cool my GPU, as well as my CPU.

I personally have never liked the big air coolers, nothing to do with there cooling performance, I just don't
like the look of them.

What do you think about the 360? Only difference seems to be a bigger rad and a join in the tubing?

N19h7m4r3 · 21 Aug 2016 at 19:35

If you want to stay with an AIO don't look anywhere but EK or Swifttech mate, both are much better than the rest, and as you know my pump also died this week.

The main reason to get the 360 over the 240 is if you want to expand the loop past just the CPU. The 360 comes with a quick disconnect so you can add more rads, or blocks to the loop. EK also sell pre-filled GPU blocks that can quick connect into the loop.

I was really close to getting the EK 240 Predator, but it's really hard to find a nice spot to fit such a thick rad without issues.

Myself, I went for the Noctua NH D15S air cooler, and it's better than my H110iGT was when it was new. Only way my H110i beat the Noctua was by running the fans in performance mode, which made it more than twice as loud.

My temps under AIDA 64 on the Noctua after 30 minutes. This is with a single fan on the cooler.

Idle Temps

jbh110tdi · 21 Aug 2016 at 19:50

I had the H80i and after I got the 4690k I started seeing horror stories of the Corsair AIO's leaking ( there was 2 or 3 in one week!! ) I decided to go air.

I debated the Phanteks PH-TC14PE or the Noctua NH-D15 I got the chance of a cheap Phanteks PH-TC14PE so this made my decision that bit easier...

Ive no complaints I got better temps even overclocked at 4.4Ghz and as said the only thing that can fail is the fan.. and even at that if you have good airflow on the case it wont sky rocket.

My fan splitter failed and I noticed my temps were slightly higher than normal.
my first thought was I needed to maybe dust the the cooler but then I discovered the fans weren't working. I was surprised at this as my temps were not that high..

oldestgregg · 21 Aug 2016 at 20:10

N19h7m4r3 said:
If you want to stay with an AIO don't look anywhere but EK or Swifttech mate, both are much better than the rest, and as you know my pump also died this week.

The main reason to get the 360 over the 240 is if you want to expand the loop past just the CPU. The 360 comes with a quick disconnect so you can add more rads, or blocks to the loop. EK also sell pre-filled GPU blocks that can quick connect into the loop.

I was really close to getting the EK 240 Predator, but it's really hard to find a nice spot to fit such a thick rad without issues.

Myself, I went for the Noctua NH D15S air cooler, and it's better than my H110iGT was when it was new. Only way my H110i beat the Noctua was by running the fans in performance mode, which made it more than twice as loud.

My temps under AIDA 64 on the Noctua after 30 minutes. This is with a single fan on the cooler.

Idle Temps

Thanks dude. I wont be cooling my GPU and a 240mm rad isnt a problem at the top of my Corsair 780t case so I think i might just grab that after all

oldestgregg · 21 Aug 2016 at 20:39

As I understand it, you have to remove the CPU retention bracket to fit the 240? Also, what are the fans like on it?

N19h7m4r3 · 21 Aug 2016 at 21:30

oldestgregg said:
As I understand it, you have to remove the CPU retention bracket to fit the 240? Also, what are the fans like on it?

It comes with EK Vardar fans, essentially their take on Gentle Typhoons.

They're rated rather well, so should be fine for you. Just plug the 4 pin into your CPU PWM port and you're fine.

drex69 · 22 Aug 2016 at 18:00

oldestgregg said:
What do you think about the 360? Only difference seems to be a bigger rad and a join in the tubing?

They are the only differences,but you can also get the 240 version with QDC as well.

Personally, I see very little point in buying the 240 version, unless that is all you can fit in your case, as the 360 version is only £35.00 more expensive.

Even if you have no intention of cooling the GPU straight away, at least for £35.00 it lets you have the option, if you change your mind, later down the line.

Dave2150 · 22 Aug 2016 at 20:30

Noctua cooler > any cheap, noisy AIO IMO.

Doesn't look as nice, but more than makes up for it not having to listen to the pump 24/7, even at idle.

Plus, absolutely no need to worry about any kind of leak/failure, as a good air cooler will run your PC passively while you find a replacement fan

doyll · 22 Aug 2016 at 21:54

Dave2150 said:
Noctua cooler > any cheap, noisy AIO IMO.

Doesn't look as nice, but more than makes up for it not having to listen to the pump 24/7, even at idle.

Plus, absolutely no need to worry about any kind of leak/failure, as a good air cooler will run your PC passively while you find a replacement fan

There are 2 distinct kinds of AIOs;
AIOs that are CLC, the factory sealed all aluminum radiator and little pumps designed for limited life.
AIOs that are not CLC, that are made of components inclucing quality copper radiator, a pump with enough power to add more radiator and/or waterblocks to, and coolant can be added to or changed as needed.

All CLCs are part of the AIO family group, but all AIOs are definitely not CLCs.

EK Preator 240 / 320 as well as Swiftech H220 / H240 / H320 X and X2 versions as well as X2 Prestige are AIOs, not CLCs.

All others are CLCS .. or as originally named LCLCs for Low Cost Liquid Coolers .. aka cheap.

Don't confuse the two.

Also while Noctua make great coolers, they are not any better than many other brands .. like Phanteks, Cryorig, Alpenfohn, be quiet!, Thermalright, Scythe, and many others. Air cooling industry is very competitive .. unlike CLCs that Asetek's patent means they are all near identical. The biggest differences are logos, labels and fans.

oldestgregg · 22 Aug 2016 at 22:14

Dave2150 said:
Noctua cooler > any cheap, noisy AIO IMO.

Doesn't look as nice, but more than makes up for it not having to listen to the pump 24/7, even at idle.

Plus, absolutely no need to worry about any kind of leak/failure, as a good air cooler will run your PC passively while you find a replacement fan

What Doyll said. The EK predator is not a "cheap,noisy AIO"

kully1972 · 23 Aug 2016 at 11:22

I hated the EK predator 240. Pump failed unless it was on 100% which made it noisy. All on all cost me £200 with support emails from EKWB. In the end settled for good old Noctua. Was better off flushing money down toilet.

doyll · 23 Aug 2016 at 12:24

kully1972 said:
I hated the EK predator 240. Pump failed unless it was on 100% which made it noisy. All on all cost me £200 with support emails from EKWB. In the end settled for good old Noctua. Was better off flushing money down toilet.

I can understand your frustrations, but seems you are getting a little wild. How does "pump failed except at 100%" and how do 'support emails from EKWB' increase the cost of cooler?