Need help evaluating Cooling!

[Jaydogg]

Hello! First, I appreciate any thoughts/recommendations any of you may have on this.
I just installed the NZXT 280 aio in my computer and I think my CPU is running hot (it was hotter before replacing the previous cooler).
Hoping some of you may have thoughts on whether:
a) this is even an issue at all and
b) What the issue might be and how I might be able to resolve it

According to NZXT CAM software, CPU is running at 60c +/- 1c without load. I don't see this go up much when under heavier load, but I haven't run any heavy resource games or programs recently to have taxed the system to any significant degree.
Fan setup: On the front of case I have two 120mm fans and one 180mm fan all directionally pulling air in. On top of case, radiator mounted to case with the two fans from the NZXT 280 connected to the radiator, blowing through the radiator/out.
System specs and case setup:

 

[crazyeyesreaper]

photos of the setup would be more helpful.

 

[cvaldes]

No consumer CPU should idle at 60 °C under a 280mm AIO.

I own this same CPU: the Ryzen 5800X (which is a modest 105W TDP per AMD). It is idling today at 22 °C, the same temperature as the air in the room. It is being cooled by an Arctic Liquid Freezer 360mm AIO, about the same cooling capacity as your NZXT 280mm AIO. The radiator fans run at 450 rpm while the CPU is idle (I hate fan noise, that is how I have configured my fan curve).

I will guess that your AIO's cooling block is poorly mounted to the CPU bracket which wouldn't be viewable in a photograph. Maybe the thermal paste is incorrectly applied. Maybe the screws are overtorqued on one side. Maybe you left the protective plastic sticker on the cooling block head; you wouldn't be the first (nor the last) to do this.

The AIO fans are clearly running in the photo. If the AIO pump failed (no coolant circulation), the CPU temp would quickly redline and the system would shut down; it's not that.

Anyhow no one here is going to figure it out for you. You need to unmount the AIO waterblock and try again. If this is not your forte, find someone else to assist, maybe a more dextrous friend or a PC repair shop.

Best of luck.

 

[crazyeyesreaper]

Looks like a bad mount of the CPU block, possible it still has plastic on the bottom. If temperatures are that high. The picture isn't great but it looks like the mounting hardware is skewed off center slightly which is why I am figuring its a bad mount.

 

[ShrimpBrime]

Looks like a bad mount of the CPU block, possible it still has plastic on the bottom. If temperatures are that high. The picture isn't great but it looks like the mounting hardware is skewed off center slightly which is why I am figuring its a bad mount.

Yep, I'd pull the block and take a look for the plastic. This is so easy to miss, it's clear like glass. You'd think they would print something on there to warn the customer. So long as they actually look at the base before mounting.

 

[ThrashZone]

Hi,
So the water block display say 37c and the software says 60c ?
I'd contact support if that's the case seems the software/ firmware bug.

 

[sneekypeet]

Hi,
So the water block display say 37c and the software says 60c ?
I'd contact support if that's the case seems the software/ firmware bug.

I think the block is reading GPU.

 

[Jaydogg]

Thanks everyone for your responses and suggestions. I’m definitely new to the intricacies of building and needed the feedback.

As suggested, I removed the cooling pump, cleaned the paste off both cpu heat distributor and pump. Note that this kraken 280 has a large plastic tray covering the factory applied paste surface and confirmed by cleaning that there is no other plastic cover so that particular issue is virtually impossible to miss.

applied Grizzly kryonaut thermal grease and tightened it down far more than I previously did. Temp dropped to 30-40c depending on load. Still looks seated off but there’s no wiggle with the mounting screws so I think it’s on. Might try tightening just a bit more but these temps don’t have me worried.
Appreciate everyone’s feedback!