CPU running hot with Kraken x61 cooler

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Torook

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Jun 5, 2013
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My specs are:
Asus Z170A
Intel i5 6600k
Kraken x61
16GB Corsair Vengeance 2666
EVGA Supernova 550 G3
EVGA 1080 SC

The computer was built by myself (first time) around the first of the year and for the first week I swear I was playing BF3 and BF4 at an average of 170+ fps on ultra with my CPU temp never exceeding the 60's C with a 4.6ghz overclock. I then decided to unplug my pc from my 144hz monitor and plug it into my 4k TV in the living room to see what that was like: a beautifully rendered slide show. After I got my fill of that I move my computer back where it belongs and discover I have a heat issue.

Now I'm regularly hitting 80-90c while gaming, my CPU LED is coming on and I'm crashing. I open my case and find two of the screws that hold the Kraken down are loose. The standoff screws must have been wedged in some way and wiggled free when I moved the machine. So I remove and reapply the thermal paste, reinstall the Kraken being extra certain the standoffs are where they're supposed to be and it's better now. I'm still hitting 80+c when gaming at 144hz but the CPU LED is no longer on and it seems stable, just hot. I've done this reapplication twice now and reduced my clock speed to 4.5ghz to help keep temperature spikes lower. I've also bought a 4K monitor to use as my main monitor and I'm able to play BF4 on high at 90-100 FPS running temps between 65c to upper 70s, occasionally breaking through to the 80s.

Pump speed sits at around 2500RPM, fans do there thing and it doesn't seem to make a difference if I kick it up to performance mode, liquid temp ranges from 27c at idle to 35c after an hour or so of gaming. Am I having Kraken or CPU issues here? The Kraken seems to operate all hunky-dory while the CPU throws out some erratic temps.

Here's a couple screen caps after about an hour of BF4:
http://imgur.com/xuFgVWh
http://imgur.com/lwmsXYX
 
Solution
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Four thoughts to consider.

1. Installation of the unit DOES involve a connection to the mobo CPU_FAN header. The pump unit's 3-pin female connector goes there so its speed can be reported to the mobo.
2. When you re-tightened the standoffs, are they all screwed in properly? If one or more is loose, or there's some junk preventing it from screwing down snugly, the spacing is too high.
3. When you removed and re-applied thermal paste, did you follow instructions carefully? One type of error made here is to do the "more is better" thing. Too much paste is bad, too, because too much acts like an insulating layer.
4. I presume you have installed and are running the software supplied by Kraken that really does the control of this system...
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Supahos

Supahos

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Nov 11, 2013
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That's beyond me I've never laid hands on a kraken cooler in any of my builds for others (or my own). If those numbers are accurate something else is going on. Perhaps try thumping the CPU block while the pump is running full speed. Perhaps you somehow have air trapped in the block from the move and it's not transferring heat properly.
 
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Paperdoc

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Oct 19, 2006
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Four thoughts to consider.

1. Installation of the unit DOES involve a connection to the mobo CPU_FAN header. The pump unit's 3-pin female connector goes there so its speed can be reported to the mobo.
2. When you re-tightened the standoffs, are they all screwed in properly? If one or more is loose, or there's some junk preventing it from screwing down snugly, the spacing is too high.
3. When you removed and re-applied thermal paste, did you follow instructions carefully? One type of error made here is to do the "more is better" thing. Too much paste is bad, too, because too much acts like an insulating layer.
4. I presume you have installed and are running the software supplied by Kraken that really does the control of this system. Yes? Plus there's a cable from the pump to a USB header. Is that connected securely?
 
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Solution
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Torook

Honorable
Jun 5, 2013
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10,510


1. Yeah you're right, the directions say to plug the pump connector into the CPU-PWR header and I have done so... or at least done what I think is right. I have it plugged it into the CPU_FAN header found at the top of the mobo as illustrated in the guide: http://imgur.com/WDqvDuX The Z170A does have CPU_OPT and W_PUMP headers, perhaps I'm meant to plug it into the water pump header? Although I swear it worked very well the first week.
2. Tomorrow I'll pull it apart and check all that and the cables you mention in #4, it's late and I rather use my computer than work on it :p. I also got some ArctiClean remover and purifier because I hate money apparently. I can't imagine it's any better than rubbing alcohol, but for $12 I thought I'd try it.
3. I put a little more thermal paste on the second time around because I noticed my first attempt didn't quite spread out to the corners of the thermal interface on the CPU, guess we'll have to see.
4. Yes I do have CAM installed and running all the time and it appears to be reading temps, fan, and pumps speeds in real time. It's the program I have up next to hwmonitor in the first two pics.
 
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Torook

Honorable
Jun 5, 2013
5
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10,510
I found the problem!

When I took my cooler off I decided to take the standoffs out and check the back plate and see how well it all went together outside of my PC. I ended up finding that two of the standoffs weren't screwing completely into the back plate because of some burr or debris on the threads from manufacturing. I tried the bad standoffs in different holes until I found which hole the bad threads screwed more easily and completely into, reinstalled everything with new thermal paste and now it's all working better than ever. I'm back up a 4.6ghz overclock and my max temp while gaming on ultra settings never exceeded 57C. An easy fix, just difficult to spot.

Thanks for the help guys!
 
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