Expected lifespans for Corsair liquid coolers

[Wild Thing]

Was wondering if any of you knowledgeable folks have any ideas about how long a Corsair H60 would last.
My computer is running a Core i7 @3.3ghz and is running for about 16 hours a day with maybe an hour or so of gaming each day.
Typical idle temp is about 44C and up to 53C or so when gaming.
Does it/can it be flushed and refilled etc and how long could I expect it to last if I give this rig to a friend when I build a new one given similar use?
Thanks for any help/comments etc
I'm real happy with it,its been running 3 years and works like a champ!

 

[Justinus]

The problem is that I don't think closed loop coolers have been around for more than 3-4 years, so there can't be data there to make reasonable speculations. Maybe it will last for 10 years, maybe it will spring a leak after 5 years.

It has a 5 year warranty, so you're safe from anything happening until that point. After that, provided you can fix whatever has happened (Leak or too much fluid evaporation), you'll be fine indefinitely. They aren't really designed to be openable for maintenence, although they do it to refurbish units so it has to be possible. As long as your block is fine and the radiator hasn't sprung a leak, you could probably even replace the tubing if it was necessary.

 

[lehtv]

The problem is that I don't think closed loop coolers have been around for more than 3-4 years

Corsair H50 was released almost 5 years ago.

 

[Justinus]

Corsair H50 was released almost 5 years ago.

That still doesn't give us data on whether it will last 10 years. It should be expected to last the 5 years they warranty it for.

 

[nitromullet]

It has a 5 year warranty, so you're safe from anything happening until that point.

uh... not exactly. That just means Corsair will replace the cooler if it stops working. What happens if it leaks and destroys a bunch of other stuff?

 

[lehtv]

uh... not exactly. That just means Corsair will replace the cooler if it stops working. What happens if it leaks and destroys a bunch of other stuff?

From what I've read, Corsair handles such things on a case by case basis. It doesn't automatically mean they will pay for all damages, nor does it mean they will always only replace the cooler.

 

[cbrunny]

I had a H100i that died on me in under a year. I RMA'd it and they sent me a new one, but I am weary of the pumps failing on these things. I'd rather just not deal with the RMA process since Corsair doesn't pay for shipping (return only).

I didn't even bother installing the new one & went back to stock cooler.

 

[Tweakin]

A good ddc pump has a MTBF of 50k hours, which I'm sure is far superior to any AIO.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

uh... not exactly. That just means Corsair will replace the cooler if it stops working. What happens if it leaks and destroys a bunch of other stuff?

First, take the remarks of some others here about what we've all read and heard: Sometimes the pumps fail; one guy bought a used unit and one of the hose-fittings soon came loose. These are individual facts and observations. If the total incidence of these observations out of the entire AiO customer base or the customer base for Corsair AiO's is a tiny number, then they'll live up to their warranty spec.

A rational corporate entity or firm will design its warranty program around cost-accounting concepts, testing and probability. They'll choose a warranty period that gives them a good compromise between MSRP and profits based on customer performance perceptions, and the unforeseen costs of RMA service to customers under warranty.

So the warranty period has become a useful spec to HDD, SDD, PSU and other customers.

I think those of us who haven't chosen to upgrade to AiO coolers can be put in two groups: those who water-cool with custom water loops, and those who air-cool and anticipate only custom water-loops in their future. I'd think that more of us in the latter category tend to exaggerate the importance of the very real incident reports we've seen.

My personal feeling: If you're going to "do it," pick the best one out of two comparison reviews which test ten or more makes/models.

 

[nitromullet]

First, take the remarks of some others here about what we've all read and heard: Sometimes the pumps fail; one guy bought a used unit and one of the hose-fittings soon came loose. These are individual facts and observations. If the total incidence of these observations out of the entire AiO customer base or the customer base for Corsair AiO's is a tiny number, then they'll live up to their warranty spec.

A rational corporate entity or firm will design its warranty program around cost-accounting concepts, testing and probability. They'll choose a warranty period that gives them a good compromise between MSRP and profits based on customer performance perceptions, and the unforeseen costs of RMA service to customers under warranty.

So the warranty period has become a useful spec to HDD, SDD, PSU and other customers.

I think those of us who haven't chosen to upgrade to AiO coolers can be put in two groups: those who water-cool with custom water loops, and those who air-cool and anticipate only custom water-loops in their future. I'd think that more of us in the latter category tend to exaggerate the importance of the very real incident reports we've seen.

My personal feeling: If you're going to "do it," pick the best one out of two comparison reviews which test ten or more makes/models.

The fact of the matter is that it's not common to see factory refurbed Noctua, Thermalright, or Phanteks air cooler for sale anywhere, but I've seen hundreds of refurbed Corsair AIOs at my local Fry's. Sure, it's anecdotal, but the failure/return rate on these AIOs appears to be significantly higher than high quality air coolers.

think about it... How many of these coolers do they have to have crap out to be able to keep refurb stock at all these major retailers?

http://www.frys.com/product/7856679?...H:MAIN_RSLT_PG
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835181038
http://www.rakuten.com/prod/corsair...t&adid=18179&gclid=CJvyg9Wz1L0CFU1bfgodNYQAXg
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...FVKFfgodyIEAvg
http://www.amazon.com/Corsair-Hydro-.../dp/B00AMH2KRW
http://www.scan.co.uk/products/cors...ce-liquid-cpu-cooler-240mm-radiator-plus-2-fa

 

[Essence_of_War]

The fact of the matter is that it's not common to see factory refurbed Noctua, Thermalright, or Phanteks air cooler for sale anywhere, but I've seen hundreds of refurbed Corsair AIOs at my local Fry's. Sure, it's anecdotal, but the failure/return rate on these AIOs appears to be significantly higher than high quality air coolers.

MTBF for a pump? Some large number of hours.

MTBF for a heat-pipe?........Whoa, it can fail?

 

[BonzaiDuck]

MTBF for a pump? Some large number of hours.

MTBF for a heat-pipe?........Whoa, it can fail?

The fact of the matter is that it's not common to see factory refurbed Noctua, Thermalright, or Phanteks air cooler for sale anywhere, but I've seen hundreds of refurbed Corsair AIOs at my local Fry's. Sure, it's anecdotal, but the failure/return rate on these AIOs appears to be significantly higher than high quality air coolers.

Like I've said -- and I can say I saw a 40-plus-year-old white paper from NASA or their contractor -- the MTBF for a heatpipe was estimated at a million years. Seriously.

And what nitromullet says there is also correct, insofar as the observations in an nexus of failure, damage risk and RMAs. What's to fail on a heatpipe cooler? A solder joint?

We're have a spasm of speculation on another thread about the forthcoming D15 cooler. Howsoever it proves out in bench tests we expect soon, suppose it limps out a 5C improvement over the D14's performance in earlier mass-comparison reviews? I'm willing to bet that I can squeeze out another 10C on top of that, without any major changes in my system. Maybe -- another couple hours folding and gluing artboard and Spire foam-pad cutouts. I'll even swap my only fan hanging on the D14 and put it on the D15 -- which will STILL do better than their fans.

Let's suppose I already found my 10C degrees with the D14. Then the D15 would only earn me another 5C -- and with optimism, maybe 10C.

That means that someone with a water setup (and not AiO, either) might do better by maybe 10C degrees.

I'll STILL build a water system next year. But I have to see how this D15 proves out. And -- yeah! -- no failing pumps, or "spilt milk" -- no catastrophes. That's a quantum absence of risk against the QC and customer review percentages we're talking about with "anecdotes."

 

[Wild Thing]

Appreciate all the replies and comments.
Things started to go abit OT but thanks anyway.:thumbsup:

 

[aigomorla]

Well... i would trust corsiar's MTBF if it wasnt based on trust from ASTEK and their own testing.

However Corsair does not make there own AIO's.
Hence why i will never trust a MTBF on a Corsair AIO.

When a corsair AIO fails, you really cant blame Corsair.
They didnt assemble it.. they didnt manufacturer it.
It came in a white box from ASTEK, for distribution by Corsair.

 

[james1701]

I would be more worried about the link software if you are using Win 8.1.

I have an original H50 that has been running for just over 4 years. I also have an H100i that I did have to RMA, but that was not because of pump or rad problems. I was taking a fan off, and the connection on the board in the pump gave way.

I would buy another one, even though I went full on water.

 

[*kjm]

My H50 is almost 6 years old ran it with my 860 and now my 4770k still working great...

 

[Tristor]

Here's the thing, water cooling (AIO or not) has more potential failure conditions than air cooling, period. But, assuming that none of those particular failure conditions are met and you're just dealing with wear and tear, AIO water coolers should last for quite some time. The most likely failure is the pump, whether that's simply due to a manufacturing defect or something like gunking in the line doesn't really matter. As long as your pump doesn't fail, with low-evaporative tubing in a sealed unit at low pressure, the likelihood of having a leak or having the fluid dissipate is almost nil.

Logic would dictate most failures would happen early in the life of the unit, so if it's been working for awhile, it'll probably work for quite some time. As to heat pipes failing, well if they're punctured yes they will.

 

[*kjm]

I've always thought of it as the weight of the heat sink flexing the board can do more harm..... just me.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

I've always thought of it as the weight of the heat sink flexing the board can do more harm..... just me.

I succumbed to the same myth about large air coolers when I saw my friends "Zalman flower" eight years ago: solid copper, and it looked to be 8 inches in diameter.

But I'd told people recently that most of the weight -- for instance, the NH-D14 -- comes from the 3/4 lb of fans hanging on the cooler at 6 oz per fan. If the heatsink base is "heavy," it's bolted flat against the processor and there's simply no torque stressing the board. The rest of it is simply pipes and fins which weigh little. If someone were worried about torque applied to the motherboard, they could remove one or both fans, find other ways to mount them for the same effect, and any remaining worries would be truly imaginary.

But the point of this discussion hits on the performance of AiO coolers versus top-end air-cooling, both coolers in this category priced about the same -- or maybe the heatpipe cooler is $20 or $30 cheaper. The AiO coolers may get you an extra 10C reduction in temperatures -- or on the outside, maybe 15C. You can show this with the comparison of the Nepton 280L versus the NH-U14S in recent comparison reviews.

Choosing one over another involves a threshold. Maybe the risk is imaginary. But even for overclocking purposes, the margin is just 10 to 15C. That gap can be closed by several degrees -- I proved it through choice of fans and ducting.

Just me, but if I were going to switch to water-cooling -- and I will for my next computer -- I'd be much more satisfied with a custom water "kit" or the freedom to choose my parts.