Windows 8 My computers got a hole in it and I might drown!

[MikeHawthorne]

Hi

My liquid cooling system is leaking.

I got the message when a blue screen opened up and said that there was a problems and my computer was shutting down.

When I booted backup I was forced into setup where I got another message saying that my CPU had exceeded 90C and had shut down to prevent damage.

I opened up my computer and everything looked fine, (and dry) so I cleaned out the case and the radiator and booted it back up.

I saw right away that is was running at about 55C much hotter then the normal 37C that I usually see.

I started The Elder Scrolls Online (what I was doing when it shut down) and the temps quickly climbed into the 80s.

So I exited and watched them drop back into the 50s.

I opened the case again and started looking with a high intensity light source.

This is what I saw...

Link Removed

The cooler pump has been leaking!

I've contacted Falcon NW and they are going to send me a new liquid cooling system, after testing it for a day, they never ship components without stress testing them first.

I'll have it early next week, they tell me that I shouldn't have any problems replacing it, but I've never installed any CPU cooler fan or liquid before, but I'm going to have a go at it when it gets here.

If I have any questions I'll post them, I'm sure there are a number of people here who are familiar with this whole process, for now I'm only running my PC for short periods of time, (like posting this) and I'm watching the pump (which seems to be staying dry, at least I don't see anything squirting out of it) and the temperatures, which are staying it the 50s about 20C above normal but within the safe range.

I've also ordered some material for cleaning off the old goo so I should be ready to go when it gets here.

Mike

 

[ussnorway]

For what it's worth, I've only seen this happen once and that was a power issue… with the computer under load there was not enough juice to keep the pump circulating and the liquid boiled off.

 

[Jimbo22]

If the pump has a leak and your temps are spiking like that, this could lead to irrevocable damage to the CPU. I wouldn't run it at all....or at the minimum install a CPU fan/heatsink cooler which can pickup locally at Bestbuy or a place like that for around $20. A 92mm or a 120 mm should work just fine. I'm using the Coolermaster Hyper 212 and it works great for my gaming needs.

 

[MikeHawthorne]

Hi guys.

My computer is setup to shut down at a temperature low enough to keep it from damaging itself.
And fortunately it did .

I hope the power supply thing isn't an issue I haven't had any issues and I have a 1,000 what power supply.

I thought about going and just getting a fan to throw on it until the cooler arrives but I decided to just not use it for more then a few minutes and I have the side off, so I can see the pump, and I put a little sponge under it so that if it does leak the liquid won't run down into the video card.

I also have my temperature monitor on the screen.
It' holding at about 52 C but that's about 17 C hotter then normal for just sitting there doing nothing.

Hopefully the cooler will be here in a couple of days and I can get back to The Elder Scrolls Online.

Does anyone know of a way to monitor the cooling pump and tell whether it is actually running or not.
I notice now that when I check it one hose is cold and the other is hot.

The other day both hoses were hot.
I also see that today the temperatures have gone down and it's now holding in the mid 40s.

Anyway I just got an Email from Falcon saying that they shipped it yesterday 2nd day air, at their expense and I have a tracking number.

With any luck I'll have it tomorrow, Tuesday and the latest.

Mike

 

[MikeHawthorne]

Whew!

The parts came and I just got finished installing it.
It was a lot harder then I thought it would be.

Mounting the radiator wasn't a problem but putting on the pump was a lot more of a hassle then I expected.
You have to put on the retaining ring which is held in place with 4 screws then pass the pump through it and rotate the pump until a bunch of little locking tabs align then screw down the ring.

No matter what I did once I inserted the pump I couldn't turn it.
I'm 75 and I can't see all that well, and my hands aren't as steady and they used to be.

I finally inserted the pump into the ring, out of the computer, taped it in place so it couldn't move and then aligned the whole thing with the screw holes, pressed down and tightened the screws.

I removed the tape when I was done.

I'm sitting right now watching the temperatures as I write this, they are hovering right around 30C which is slightly below what they were normally, and a lot better then the 57C it was running at idle yesterday.

All the cores are staying in the same range so everything looks good.

I'm going to let it sit for a half hour and then put the sides back on.

Thanks for the input.

Mike

 

[Jimbo22]

Great job Mike....

 

[Jimbo22]

BTW...what brand and size did you go with?

 

[MikeHawthorne]

Hi

It's an Asetek 550 LC, the same as the one that was the original in the computer.

http://asetek.com/desktop/cpu-coolers/550lc.aspx

From what I've read it was very unusual to have a failure, especially a leak.

But it doesn't seem to have affected any thing else in the case, it looked like it was just seeping out and evaporation as it did so.
So it didn't flow anyplace else, but when the fluid got low enough it over heated.

Mike

 

[Jimbo22]

I've never heard of that brand....or a 92mm in size for that matter. How's the noise level on that cooler? Most everything I've read and youtube videos on those self contained CPU water coolers are loud....some more than others.

 

[MikeHawthorne]

Hi

I think that Asetek is the manufacturer of many of the coolers like Antec, Corsair which then relabel them.
When I looked for one under I couldn't find any that were sold under the Asetek name.

I got mine from Falcon NW who built my computer so they must buy them direct from the manufacture, Asetek.
I wanted to be sure it was exactly what I was taking out.

Not only is it not load, it's so quiet that I can't tell if it's running.

My monitoring software says it's running at 1332 rpm but I cant hear anything.
That's assuming that the CPU fan readout now reading the pump.
I'm not really sure that's what is happening.

Even with my ear right next to it I couldn't hear it, but it must be running because the computer is staying cool.

Playing ESO the temps stayed below 50C, that's cooler then is was at idle before I replaced it.

The fan size is 120mm, I think the opening in the radiator is 92mm.
Mine seems to have 2 fans stacked one in front of the other with the radiator inside that.

Anyway it's good to have everything working again.

Mike