Is this aceptable, when you buy a new product?

Bought a new double hc from DD and when i got it i noticed that they had soldered two spots on it, probably because it leaked under testing.
I know that this also could be a weak spot where a future leaking might start.
Is this aceptable or should i return it? Anyone else that have got a similar new HC from DD with solder spots on it?

Here are the links to 2 pics of it that i toke of my HC, beware they are big.

PIC 1

PIC 2

id return it if i bought it somewhere near by but i dont know if its worth the shipping

lithker said:

id return it if i bought it somewhere near by but i dont know if its worth the shipping

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You are right, the shipping from sweden to the US would make it expensive, but maybe they could refund me with another product or a discount?
Still i will mail DD and see what they have to say about it. Was just curious if someone else got the same product with a similar fault.
Maybe they sent this one to me just because they knew it would cost me more to return it than to keep it, just a tought.

I have a few HC's that are like that (not from DD). I attributed those spots to where too much solder got on the HC, and thus hardened in a kind of "bubble" that you see there. I don't have any spots that were completely closed off from the solder, but I think that may be normal.

If those are the only spots with solder blocking airflow, I'd say keep it. I doubt it was to fix a leak, it was more likely just a solder blob from the manufacturing process. I've seen this before myself.

However, if there are spots down in the radiator that are blocked that you can only see by looking through the fins, I'd say send it back because of the performance hit due to blocked airflow.

I agree. It's just excess solder that is all. It shouldn't affect the performance. Besides, DD wouldn't try to rip you off just b/c you live in Sweden.

they are right, its perfectly fine. just some excess solder from when it was all soldered together. no big deal.


Jon

I may be wrong on my conclusions, as you pointed out it could be from the manufacturing process, but after buying several Pro HC from D-tek i have not seen anything like that before. The solder is alway tru, to the backside.
I can guess that DD does not rip me off because i live in sweden, but it is less hassle if you reside where the company has their business, when it gets to send a product back and foward.

Excess solder. I had a scratch and dent pro core from dtek with a similar flaw. No biggie for an S&D. I'm assuming dtek picks out the cores in the best condition before painting and badging it as a "procore".

That's normal for a heater core.

I am not a guru in WC, (lots of plumbing/automotive experiance) but to me it looks like just a sloppy soldering job. You could get a torch (if you have the skillz) and just wipe off the excess solder. That would eliminate the "blobs" and get the good airflow.

Enablingwolf said:

I am not a guru in WC, (lots of plumbing/automotive experiance) but to me it looks like just a sloppy soldering job. You could get a torch (if you have the skillz) and just wipe off the excess solder. That would eliminate the "blobs" and get the good airflow.

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Great, thanks for the tip, didnt think of that.

Enablingwolf said:

I am not a guru in WC, (lots of plumbing/automotive experiance) but to me it looks like just a sloppy soldering job. You could get a torch (if you have the skillz) and just wipe off the excess solder. That would eliminate the "blobs" and get the good airflow.

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nonononononononnonononononononononononononononononononononononno

ohhhh nooooooo

don't do that please.

Unless you are a torch god (hi Uberblue) you WILL ruin your heatercore this way. Remember that those fins are soldered onto the water channels with the same ultra-thin solder as the rest of the unit. Even the bravest torch-masters submerge their entire tanks in water simply to work on the tanks. If you put a torch to the surface of your rad long enough to melt a blob of solder that big, you WILL have leaks. Aaand, those leaks are quite hard to repair (read: impossible).

As the others have said, that solder is completely normal. Remember that these radiators are made by machines with a highly precise robotic spot-soldering wand. Excess solder tends to drop in strange places. Even if you were successful in removing them, you would gain absolutely nothing outside of aesthetic appeal. In this case, 'looks' are sooooo not worth the effort, and you are talking to a guy with over $500 in chrome in his computer. Leave the blobs be, they aren't hurting anyone =p.

^^what he said
better have a blobby blob of solder than a leaky (and unusable) heatercore...

I have a DD double heatercore lying around in my house and it has the same things, but no leaks watsoever. Ur safe dude.

Ok, thanks for the heads up on this one guys. I think i will let the blobs stay on.