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The original was posted on /r/sffpc by /u/RegulatoryArbitrage on 2024-01-13 23:27:56+00:00.
Hello fellow sffpc enthusiasts.
I built my current sffpc just over 12 months ago (component list provided at the bottom of the post). Everything about it was working like a dream until just before the New Year when the AIO started making a constant ticking sound and, shortly afterwards, the sound of rushing water. CPU temps began soaring to >100c within 10 mins of turning on with no change in load.
I scoured the internet and tried all the suggestions I could find:
- checking for vibration from the pipes
- checking fans were working properly
- moving rad around to shift air bubbles
- reseating pump on CPU with new thermal paste
Suffice to say, nothing worked. I contacted EKWB and provided details and videos of the issue. Customer support were great and sent out a replacement quickly (the product was still within warranty).
I installed the new AIO on arrival, it was quiet as a mouse but continued to have the same issue with CPU temps flying into the sky like Icarus after 15 mins. It didn't seem right that a brand new AIO should be having exactly the same issue so I took it out and tried installing the stock AMD air cooler that came with the Ryzen, just to see what would happen. Lo and behold, my beloved sffpc was still running several hours later. I am writing this post on it now, 2 days later, and haven't seen temps go above 65c (albeit just web browsing/youtube so far).
I am glad that I have managed to get it working again, however, CPU temps are now higher than I would like. The stock cooler is keeping CPU between 50-60c when idle (e.g. PC on but not being used, CPU usage steady at 10% - seems high but that's for another post maybe), this is about 5-10 degrees higher than when I had the AIO installed and I'm not confident that it will manage to stay in an acceptable range when I get the courage to start up a game again.
Clearly the first AIO had an issue, as the ticking/water sound and failure to keep the CPU cool indicated. I accept that. But it seems like it would be very bad luck for the new AIO to just happen to be faulty in having the same problem to cool the CPU as the old one (especially when it seems to be running, I can hear the pump on the new AIO faintly when I put my ear to it and on the old one it would have to be running for me to hear the rushing water/ticking sound). This also leads me to suspect that there is not an issue with the AIO_PUMP header (another thought I had earlier on)
My question is this: is there something I might have missed that could be causing the AIO to not cool properly? should I try and replace the AIO cooler (either give EKWB another shot to replace or try a different brand)? or should I upgrade the stock air cooler to something better (I've heard good things about the Big Shuriken 3 Rev B, especially with Noctua NF A12s swapped in). I'm not bothered about the aesthetics as it currently sits under my desk (no room to show it off at the moment). Would really appreciate any input from the esteemed members of this community.
Please help me sffpc, you're my only hope!
| Case | SSPUD Meshlicious |
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| MOBO | ROG Strix B550-I Gaming |
| CPU | AMD Ryzen 5 5600X |
| CPU cooling | EK AIO 280 D-RGB, rad installed on front of case w/ tubes at bottom (placement = fans-rad-mesh panel) |
| Case airflow | AIO fans set to exhaust |
