Aurora-R7, alternate cooling? (Updated w/ Solution)

Question

When I ordered my R7 I was under the impression it came default with liquid cooling. When I received it I found out it did not so I went back and checked my order apparently I must not of read correctly. Deciding to own up to my mistake I figured I would buy there liquid cooling module and put it in myself. Upon talking with a rep at Dell they said they had no spare coolers and did not know if it would ever be made available again. So now I need to find an alternative cooling solution as my case reaches 88 degrees while gaming and it is far too loud for my liking. I was hoping someone here might know of one. In hindsight I should of built this PC myself but Dell enticed me with a line of credit while I was between paychecks and needed a PC -_-.

UPDATE: After looking around and trying a few different solutions the Corsair H75 AIO solved all my cooling/noise problems. Gaming temps are now 10-15 degrees cooler and the computer no longer sounds like a jet taking off in my office. It is working flawlessly on my 465w PSU. Install did not require me to remove the mother board or any other kind of modification. Simply configure the fans to blow exhaust out of the top of the case. Do not use the Y splitter that comes with the h75 instead plug the top radiator into the top fan header, and the bottom radiator fan into the cpu fan header. If you do not do it this way SupportAssist will give you an error upon boot. Once your in windows use alienware command center to sync the top fan with your cpu sensor.

Tesla1856 · Answer

See these threads:

https://dell.com/community/Alienware-Desktops/Aurora-R7-liquid-cooling-unit/td-p/5743099

and

https://dell.com/community/Alienware-Desktops/Aurora-R6-installing-a-Corsair-H60/m-p/6108251/thread-id/4301

Alien25 · Answer

Same situation with my R7. Thought came with liquid cooled so am following your lead and installing a H75. Did you clean the thermal paste off CPU before putting on new pump? And so for pump plugged one cable in SATA and did you put second cable in pump fan lead? Appreciate your posting the install information; should make this go much more easily.

HanoverB · Answer

AIO liquid cooling wiring should be

Upper radiator fan (or Y cable if using two fans) into TOP FAN header

Nothing conected to CPU FAN Header (will not get start up error with this open)

Pump Power (or tach cable if pump powered by SATA) to PUMP header

Alien25 · Answer

Appreciate the response. Do have 2 fans and based on post from heliades who seemed to have problem with y-adapter put top in top header and lower in CPU fan header then set both to read CPU sensor. Restarted with no issue. Just need to test in game. Terribly loud before to point distracted from the game.

Jvazquez53 · Answer

So, by reading this, is a pretty straightforward install? I ordered the H60, because I never checked if the 75 would fit. Now, Im waiting for the H60 to arrive, return it, and order the H75. To your knowledge, will the H60 would work? My biggest fear is removing the Motherboard. I read that you did not have to do that.

r72019 · Answer

I bought the H60 from Best Buy when it was on sale for $45 two weeks ago and installed it last weekend. It is a pretty straightforward install. You do not need to remove the motherboard. I wiped off the included thermal paste in favor of Arctic MX 4 (2019 version). Corsair Pump to Pump header, radiator fan to top fan header. The H60 is basically an H75, but with 1 fan instead of 2. I used different fans so no need for an H75. Mounted one fan on each side in push/pull configuration. I also needed to use 4x of size 6 - 32 x 1.25" machine screws to mount the second fan. The push fan was a high static pressure Noctua NF-F12 IPPC 3000. I tracked its performance to a higher airflow case fan in a pull setting using a Y adapter, but this setup also works with the stock Corsair fan (SP120L) one either side. It did not trigger any pro-boot errors in this configuration. This is what it looks like in my r7:

Case open 1.jpg

r72019 · Answer

I have the front fan as intake, top fans as exhaust. I figured I'd keep the airflow in the direction that Dell set it up. That, and the PC faces me and I didn't want the hot air blowing into my face - this might seem silly that I even mention this, but the Noctua 3000 IPPC fan is so powerful at full throttle that it can literally blow away a small stack of papers.

FYI for anyone installing an H75, based on my experience with my R7, take note that you need to use a Y splitter for full functionality. Although connecting 1 radiator fan to the CPU header, and the 2nd radiator fan to the Top Fan header, will work in a pre-windows setting, and will clear bios without pre-boot errors, AWCC only powers 3 of the 4 headers after windows loads. I.e., AWCC only powers 3 headers: CPU, Top & Front; or Pump, Top & Front - if you have all 4 plugged in, then AWCC cuts power to CPU header in windows, and also no sensor for the CPU header will show in AWCC [you'll see CPU pump, which is the connection to the Pump header). If you put a non-PWM fan into the CPU header it might work at full throttle only; I didn't try.

Noctua IPPC 3000

wilcreatives · Answer

I chose the Corsair H60 option. Did a video on it and turned out great.  https://youtu.be/RC9Nk0yT8bo Hope it helps!

HanoverB · Answer

Thanks for making the video.

The single wire on the three pin connector you connected to the middle PUMP FAN header is actually a tach cable which reflects the RPM of the CPU cooler pump.

Since the H60 (2018) pump is SATA powered, the tach cable serves to also prevent a startup error from that header being left open.

Alienware Desktops

Aurora-R7, alternate cooling? (Updated w/ Solution)

Was this post helpful?