Kraken X60 AIO Liquid Cooling Issues

Son Of A Vidic

Put together a new build during the week and went with a AIO water liquid solution for the first time. Liking the Kraken X60 benchmarks & reviews, I went with that over a Corsair H100i. After installing the X60 the recommended way. My CPU was running @ 80c while idling (4770K). Pretty shocking considering I have a well vented case, (NZXT 810) that had both sides off because I have yet to sort out the final bit of cable management. Even sitting in the Bios, CPU temps were hitting 75c – 85c. Did the usual checks ect and finally re-installed the X60. This time I totally ignored the NZXT recommendations for connecting it up and connected the fans directly to the MB instead of attaching them to the Kraken fan connector power cable. CPUID and HWininfo64 are now showing the the CPU @ 24c during normal browsing.

So the only way to get the X60 to cool the CPU, was by connecting the only 4 pin fan that comes with the Kraken to the Motherboard CPU fan header. The other 3 pin fan was connected to another Motherboard fan header. The pump power connector was then connected to the CPU fan optional header. Weirdly enough, when I originally connected the pump power connector as recommended to the CPU fan connection. It didn't work and the CPU temps soared. Right now, despite the CPU and all the cores now finally running at a temp I would have expected them to be at. I am not happy, my X60 fans seems nosier than advertised. And again the associated software is a disaster. I cannot even change fan speed or get the customisation options to work. Which makes the software pointless imo.

So I’m wondering has anyone in the forum gone with the Kraken X60 and what has their experience been like? I didn't realise that the X60 only came with a 2 year warranty, where the H100i comes with a 5 year warranty. So I’m on the verge of returning it and going with the Corsair H100i or maybe switching back to a top spec fan option instead. One of the reasons I didn't originally go with the H100i was the noise it seems to emit at full load, especially when overclocking. So I'm wondering, is anyone here using it and have ye replaced the original fans?

Wossack

doesnt sound ideal alright..

am I reading it correctly, that the pump is designed to connect directly to the mobo CPU1 header? Maybe I'm wrong, but I didnt think it would supply enough power..?

Son Of A Vidic

Wossack wrote: »

am I reading it correctly, that the pump is designed to connect directly to the mobo CPU1 header? Maybe I'm wrong, but I didnt think it would supply enough power..?

Yes you are reading it right, the pump was supposed to connect directly to the CPU fan header (That's what gave me the problems). Yet it works perfectly on the CPU optional fan header . Btw the MB is a ROG Asus Maximus Formula VI Z87, so it's a very good board for OC and that's why I got it. Read in an Asus forum a post from a guy who had similar problems to me, got his Kraken working in a similar way. 6 months later, it ends up melting the fan headers and shorting his board. So to say that didn't fill me with much confidence would be an understatement.

Wossack

yea, I watched a 'how to install' on youtube, and it said to do as you originally did

certainly would not instill confidence - and that forum find, would have me returning it.. especially with such a nice mobo on the line..


I believe on the corsair ones, they run just a sensor wire to the cpu1 header, and get power direct from the psu, via a sata type connector - much better idea imo

Luck100

None of this smells good. I'd return it for the Corsair or a good air cooler and forget about all the worry at this point. Plenty of fish in the sea when it comes to PC parts...

deceit

I had a h110 with exactly the same issue, turns out the board wasn't supplying enough power to it from that fan header. Nothing wrong with the cooler. Same with another persons h80.

Son Of A Vidic

Will be packing the Kraken up tomorrow and sending it back. Just not worth the risk of potential damage to my build. I think I'll go back to the old air cooling option instead. Seen some reviews of the Noctua NH-U14S and benchmarks show it capable of a stable 4.5 - 4.6Ghz OC on the 4770K. I'd be very happy with that tbh, it would also be quieter than the H100i at load. so I think I'll knock liquid cooling on the head for now.