First AIO ever, What's Proper AIO mounting/orientation?

edo101

Limp Gawd
Joined
Jul 16, 2018
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Hi all, after a lot of debate, I ordered the EK AIO 360MM rgb: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0842YK4L5/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

To cool my 10850K which can do 5.0 all core and possibly more.

When I asked about air vs CLC vs AIO, people mentioned having proper orientation and so I watched these two videos; Gamer Nexus:

And Jayz3cents:

I do plan on top mounting the AIO since doing front mounting might get in the way of future expansions HDD cage wise in my case: Phanteks P500a RGB
From these two videos, it appears I should be good just mounting the AIO on top? And the main risk is when you do front mounting? Is that the gist of these two videos?

Just want to make sure the AIO is mounted properly so it can last longer. Also people have told me if it's top mounted, the fans need to be exhausting air from the radiator. I honestly don't know how it would make your CPU cooler but apparently thats the convention?

I figured it wouldn't matter top or front which way to orient the fans (exhaust vs intake) as you're pull and exhausting into the same air and case either way?
 
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The manufacturer doesn't care how you mount it, it will still be covered under warranty. If it helps I ran my old H100 in all configurations, and it still lived. Coolant level is about half of what it used to be now but it still works lol. That's high TDP for you.
 
This whole idea of there being a "right" way to mount is blown out of proportion. Do whatever you want, the unit will still work.
 
Top mount is fine, hose orientation doesn't matter, do however it fits best. I prefer my top fans to push. Easier install most of the time, and can see the fancy fans. If you have fancy fans.
 
I did use a Thermaltake Water 2.0 Extreme back in the say.......2014 ish. It did have evaporation and you could hear it when shaking the radiator.

I submerged it, removed a hose, ran the pump, and reattached the hose to get it full again.Now it is a dedicated GPU cooler.

All that to say, evap happens faster than you might think. Most mfg's do not submerse the coolers when filling them, so there is always air from the start as well.
 
Just keep the in/outlet of the radiator above the cpu block/pump and you will be fine. Top mount is the best. Either way I don't personally expect more then 5 years out of a AIO. I never had one fail on the past 10 years tho. People make too much of a fuss about shit needing to last forever even of they never will actually use it for 10 years.
 
Come to think of it, I did actually have an old H100 die, looking back on it it was probably due to improper orientation but it did a good 5 years or maybe a little more. I just replaced it and figured it wouldn't last forever.
 
When it evaporates, in 14 years, having the lines leading into the rad at a higher level than the pump will be an issue.

OP, if it's top mounted, you will always be good to go.
If you have a high TDP CPU and you run the shit out of it, you wont notice in 12-14 years, more like 12-14 months lol.

I used my H100 for 4 years. It was good for the first 16 months or so. Then it became average, then it became junk.
 
You will get slightly better temperatures from mounting the fans for intake on your radiator than you will for exhaust, as they will be moving cooler outside air through the radiator instead of the hotter internal air. This means that front mount is usually the best for cooling the AIO liquid (with hoses above pump). Depending on your case, though, you may have to top- or back- mount it for exhaust.
 
If you have a high TDP CPU and you run the shit out of it, you wont notice in 12-14 years, more like 12-14 months lol.

I used my H100 for 4 years. It was good for the first 16 months or so. Then it became average, then it became junk.
I ran my H100 for 7 or 8 years. Started on a core2quad 6600 overclocked 1.2ghz. Then I moved it to a g3258 overclocked by 1.2ghz. Then to a 4690k overclocked by 900mhz and finally go a 6600k overclocked 500mhz. Worked as well on each of these. Ran in the 30's at idle and 50's at load.

I replaced it with a bigger rad becuase I happened across an ad locally for a price I couldn't pass up.

In the end there was no sloshing around when shaking it. Pump wasn't whiny. Settings all worked. I was leery when buying it, but now I'm sold on them.
 
Mind you, this is all conjecture though, just like I don't have windows problems and others claim they have nothing but constant issues.

Some have great AIO experiences and others do not.
 
Lol

just because your car can run a quart low doesn’t mean it’s optimal or you are fine doing it. It also doesn’t mean you’re going to seize your rod bearings, but you’re increasing risk for no reason.

By running suboptimally you’re increasing likelihood of premature failure. Are you guaranteeing failure if you front mount with tubing lower than block? No, but you’re certainly increasing the likelihood premature failure will occur.

Personally I like to take care of my things and keep them functional as long as I can.
 
I ran my H100 for 7 or 8 years. Started on a core2quad 6600 overclocked 1.2ghz. Then I moved it to a g3258 overclocked by 1.2ghz. Then to a 4690k overclocked by 900mhz and finally go a 6600k overclocked 500mhz. Worked as well on each of these. Ran in the 30's at idle and 50's at load.

I replaced it with a bigger rad becuase I happened across an ad locally for a price I couldn't pass up.

In the end there was no sloshing around when shaking it. Pump wasn't whiny. Settings all worked. I was leery when buying it, but now I'm sold on them.
I'm not trying to argue, but my X5690 was 130w TDP stock, and escalated quite quickly from there.. well into the 200-300w range. Those puny quad cores are no match TDP wise. My old unit couldn't handle my brothers 7700K, or my 3770K. When the unit was fresh, it handled my x5690 benching at 4800 1.6v I practically gave away my D14 because I thought I wouldn't need it anymore. If I used a light weight CPU on it I'm sure it would still be fine.. maybe.
 
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I'm not trying to argue, but my X5690 was 130w TDP stock, and escalated quite quickly from there.. well into the 200-300w range. Those puny quad cores are no match TDP wise. My old unit couldn't handle my brothers 7700K, or my 3770K. When the unit was fresh, it handled my x5690 benching at 4800 1.6v I practically gave away my D14 because I thought I wouldn't need it anymore. If I used a light weight CPU on it I'm sure it would still be fine.. maybe.

I'd like to add that AIOs can cool impressively well. I mounted a h100x on a customer's build this weekend, and I thought to myself "what the hell is this puny rad and how is it going to cool this 5900x???" and it was loading in the 75c-80c range in prime95. I was shocked. My CLC loop (D5 & 240 + 420 rad) on my 3900x keeps me in the low 70s in prime.
 

I'd like to add that AIOs can cool impressively well. I mounted a h100x on a customer's build this weekend, and I thought to myself "what the hell is this puny rad and how is it going to cool this 5900x???" and it was loading in the 75c-80c range in prime95. I was shocked. My CLC loop (D5 & 240 + 420 rad) on my 3900x keeps me in the low 70s in prime.
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I don't recall saying they didn't. They do work well.. until they don't.
 
I have mine mounted like this
AMD 5800X with H115i Platinum, Intel i7 4790k with H100i RGB Pro XT, and an Intel i7 4770 with an H80i
IMG_0116.JPEG IMG_0236.JPEG IMG_0354.JPEG

The Plex server on the end with the tubes on the top has been running in that configuration for the past 6 years 24/7.
That cooler was in my main rig mounted the same way when I first got it in 2014. Makes no excessive noise and runs great.

I did mount the cooler with the hoses on the bottom on the middle machine since that is what GN recommended, but maybe it doesn't actually really matter.
Also, if you have a large GPU in the middle machine, the rad will have to be flipped as the hoses won't clear a normal card like a 1080Ti.
 
If you have a high TDP CPU and you run the shit out of it, you wont notice in 12-14 years, more like 12-14 months lol.

I used my H100 for 4 years. It was good for the first 16 months or so. Then it became average, then it became junk.
It is a hhigh TDP CPU lol. So why do you think it died in 12-14 months? What do you mean by run the shit out of it? freeagentt
 
It is a hhigh TDP CPU lol. So why do you think it died in 12-14 months? What do you mean by run the shit out of it? freeagentt
Oh I used it for four years. Permeation was its demise. And by run the shit out of it I mean benchmarking, stress testing, distributed computing, that sort of thing. I had great performance and after 12-14 months I saw slightly higher temps. Eventually I had to drop clocks, and couldn’t run known good overclocks.
 
Oh I used it for four years. Permeation was its demise. And by run the shit out of it I mean benchmarking, stress testing, distributed computing, that sort of thing. I had great performance and after 12-14 months I saw slightly higher temps. Eventually I had to drop clocks, and couldn’t run known good overclocks.
So the coolant was evaporating? One of the reasons I went for the EK was because it looks like it has a fill port that does void warranty but seems like you cna use it to top things off
 
I have mine mounted like this
AMD 5800X with H115i Platinum, Intel i7 4790k with H100i RGB Pro XT, and an Intel i7 4770 with an H80i
View attachment 318786 View attachment 318785 View attachment 318784

The Plex server on the end with the tubes on the top has been running in that configuration for the past 6 years 24/7.
That cooler was in my main rig mounted the same way when I first got it in 2014. Makes no excessive noise and runs great.

I did mount the cooler with the hoses on the bottom on the middle machine since that is what GN recommended, but maybe it doesn't actually really matter.
Also, if you have a large GPU in the middle machine, the rad will have to be flipped as the hoses won't clear a normal card like a 1080Ti.
Zepher I see your fans facing the inside of the case. Is the fan pulling air from inside the case and pushing it out through the radiator?
 
So the coolant was evaporating? One of the reasons I went for the EK was because it looks like it has a fill port that does void warranty but seems like you cna use it to top things off
Yes. If you do move to liquid, get something with a fill port. Unless you are handy and don't mind modding the unit. But I would assume something with a fill port would have a nice pump, and just nicer components used for assembly. CLC are kind of junky if you are looking for something long term. Sure you can get a couple of years out of it, and yeah you will have guys saying I used mine for 7 years and its still fine. Then look at the masses who warrantied their setup after a year or so. Sure.. a Hyper 212 is fine, but it isn't good. I personally cant justify such an expense knowing its performance will degrade over time. CLC are fairly expensive in relation to air coolers, and top air coolers are pretty good.. and as long as your not a pussy and aren't afraid to move some air you can get similar performance.. noise normalization be damned.. I'm not calling anyone a pussy, but you need to move air to keep things cool.

Also, I used 120x38s on my CLC.. It was awesome. And I use 120x38s as case fans in my Meshify C. So not really a fair fight compared to a more standardized setup.
 
Yes. If you do move to liquid, get something with a fill port. Unless you are handy and don't mind modding the unit. But I would assume something with a fill port would have a nice pump, and just nicer components used for assembly. CLC are kind of junky if you are looking for something long term. Sure you can get a couple of years out of it, and yeah you will have guys saying I used mine for 7 years and its still fine. Then look at the masses who warrantied their setup after a year or so. Sure.. a Hyper 212 is fine, but it isn't good. I personally cant justify such an expense knowing its performance will degrade over time. CLC are fairly expensive in relation to air coolers, and top air coolers are pretty good.. and as long as your not a pussy and aren't afraid to move some air you can get similar performance.. noise normalization be damned.. I'm not calling anyone a pussy, but you need to move air to keep things cool.

Also, I used 120x38s on my CLC.. It was awesome. And I use 120x38s as case fans in my Meshify C. So not really a fair fight compared to a more standardized setup.
Yeah I only got this AIO cause it seems I can fill it out. If I can't I think I might just return it. I'll double check the port again. I'm all about longetivity freeagentt . Main reason why I picked the EK over Arctic liquid Freezer II which is a pure CLC and only has 2 year warranty
 
View attachment 318899
https://tech4gamers.com/ek-aio-elite-d-rgb-360mm-liquid-cooler-review/

This would be a fill port yeah? I always thought it would be on the pump itself not the radiator?
thats what it says... easier on the rad. pull it, fill it, no need to remount the pump. if you are putting it up top, youre good to go. if you are front mounting, the tube should be higher than the pump/block. all aios have a bit of air in them and if the tubes are lower than the pump the air will collect in there, potentially ruining the pump or at minimum causing gurgling. as per: How should I mount the radiator of my AIO cooler? – Corsair
 
Mind you, this is all conjecture though, just like I don't have windows problems and others claim they have nothing but constant issues.

Some have great AIO experiences and others do not.
could be the way they are mounting them....
or, after reading, not using an appropriately sized aio on high TDP chips...
 
Zepher I see your fans facing the inside of the case. Is the fan pulling air from inside the case and pushing it out through the radiator?
Ya, pushing the warm case air out the top through the radiator. can't put the rad in the front not enough space.
 
could be the way they are mounting them....
or, after reading, not using an appropriately sized aio on high TDP chips...
Right..

It was the first gen H100.. when they were new lol.. as in state of the fart. That was it, there was no 360s, there was that or a D14.. and maybe a Swiftech if you could find one.. or you could buy a shittier CLC than the H100 from some other guy.. Or you had a real loop. You guys are spoiled for choice now..

Fun fact.

My 3600XT overclocked at 4500 consumes nearly the same power as my 3770K did overclocked 100MHz higher. Still an easy load. I can run linpack xtreme @ 4400 all core with no fan on my cooler. With my 3770K I could run linpack xtreme @ 4500 with no fan installed.
 
Right..

It was the first gen H100.. when they were new lol.. as in state of the fart. That was it, there was no 360s, there was that or a D14.. and maybe a Swiftech if you could find one.. or you could buy a shittier CLC than the H100 from some other guy.. Or you had a real loop. You guys are spoiled for choice now..

Fun fact.

My 3600XT overclocked at 4500 consumes nearly the same power as my 3770K did overclocked 100MHz higher. Still an easy load. I can run linpack xtreme @ 4400 all core with no fan on my cooler. With my 3770K I could run linpack xtreme @ 4500 with no fan installed.
yup...
lol ok. yeah, you build a basic open loop to appropriately cooler your chip. i like being spoiled after build from aquarium pumps and car heater cores in the early days.

fun fact: if youre talking about running an aio like that, then its no wonder you cooked 'em. and if youre talking your air cooler, why the hell do you list what fan you have on it in your sig if you dont use one?
ps: pics or shens.
 
I know.. I recognize you from the old days. I remember all you guys doing crazy stuff to your computers.

I only had the one CLC, I still have it. As for my CPU fan, I do have one on because I can run it faster than 4400..

pix or shens:

R23NOCPUFAN.PNG
RBNOFAN.PNG
Capture.PNG
6EBD2A12-9590-40C8-B051-99B20FD3CA0A.jpeg003.JPG003.JPG


Edit:

Ahh I fucked that up. Those are at stock clocks. Was still boosting 4350 but still. Hold on I gotta dig em up as I did not transfer them over to another drive before I reinstalled winderz but I have them online.

Edit again:

Cinebench and Realbench are at stock clocks, I do have them at 4400 I think Ill dig them up.
 
Should I use the default paste that comes preapplied to the Pump block or use the thermal grizzly I have?
 
direct from ek support:
View attachment 319011
Well no improvement on temps but definite increase in noise. ITs my first mounting. I dropped a dot of themal paste. Maybe I need to spread it all over the IHS. This has been strong dud so far. I'm tired and need to go to bed. But yeah temps the same as my NH-14s if not slightly worse so far WIll post more results tomorrow.

THe hottest cores on the AIO are slightly worse than the NH-14s but the 3 to 4 cooler cores are significantly lower than the NH-14s. Maybe the mounting pressure isn't even?

Maybe I should have left the default paste on the surface before going straight for Themal Grizzly. I figured I better take any deg drop i can. Did I mount it wrong?:
AIOmounting.JPG
 
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Nope your mounting looks fine, that said you might need to reseat/repaste it if your temps aren't adequate and spread the paste instead of a dot.
 
Well no improvement on temps but definite increase in noise. ITs my first mounting. I dropped a dot of themal paste. Maybe I need to spread it all over the IHS. This has been strong dud so far. I'm tired and need to go to bed. But yeah temps the same as my NH-14s if not slightly worse so far WIll post more results tomorrow.

THe hottest cores on the AIO are slightly worse than the NH-14s but the 3 to 4 cooler cores are significantly lower than the NH-14s. Maybe the mounting pressure isn't even?

Maybe I should have left the default paste on the surface before going straight for Themal Grizzly. I figured I better take any deg drop i can. Did I mount it wrong?:
View attachment 319016
You have some cores slightly higher with the AIO and some significantly lower?

I would definitely be checking the paste application on that one. I would have followed the advice of Pendragon and just used the paste provided on the pump.
 
I agree check your tim application. I was able to maintain a 3-6c spread on my Xeon. Instead of a blob in the middle, put a line down the cores. and when you plant the cooler back on, give it a titty twister to the left and right a few degrees and then clamp her down.
 
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