Help. GPU waterblock blocked?

[Lochekey]

Thats a first for me. Never heard of siller oxadizing coper or nickel.
Be lets be honest, EK is well known to lie about its nickel plating and the use of distilled. Remember the nikle plating problems they had? And how the kept blaming something new every week to keep out of trouble. If I recall they never offered to fix their problems even adter being forced to admit the truth. I recall all they did was give a discount on a new block or something?

As far as warrantys go, well your putting a water block on your hardware. I think that says enough. Your void your cpu warranty and most likely your video card and motherboard warranty by using a aftermarket heatsink.


But really what a little oxidization compared to a distorted loop?

You do not void a cpu warranty by mounting an aftermarket Cooler on it, heck some cpus do not even come with coolers anymore. As for gpus, if you buy a gpu with a block premounted your warranty will hold, also some manufacturer's are not voiding warranty even with aftermarket blocks as long as you can return the card to factory specifications when sending in for RMA. The same applies to motherboards.

 

[Bill Dimwit]

You do not void a cpu warranty by mounting an aftermarket Cooler on it, heck some cpus do not even come with coolers anymore. As for gpus, if you buy a gpu with a block premounted your warranty will hold, also some manufacturer's are not voiding warranty even with aftermarket blocks as long as you can return the card to factory specifications when sending in for RMA. The same applies to motherboards.

Intel's cpu warranty is voided by using not using a approved tim or heatsink. I'm not sure about VIA and AMD. Alot of motherboards and video cards have a sicker on one or more heatsink screws that says warranty void if removed.
Wile its true that most companies will allow the RMA if the part is returned to factory stock configuration but not all will.

At the same time most blocks (including EKs) have warranty is void if removed stickers too.
If you use a premixed coolant and its brakes down your likely have to take apart the blocks to fully clean them and that would void the warranty. The use of most cleaners would also void the warranty too. EK is well know to blame the user when its products fail and your likely get you RMA denied if you return a part do to a coolant brake down.

Most of the better, more reputable water cooling companies do not require the use of their premixed coolant. Its mostly the lesser quality and lesser reputable companies like EK and thermaltake that require you to use their own coolant to keep the warranty.
Be honest, would they really know what you used in the loop if you cleaned/flushed it with their premixed coolant before you RMA the part? And when was the last time you had to RMA a water cooling part from a quality reputable company? Pumps are about the only thing that go bad. O-rings can fail after a years of use but shipping the part out for RMA would cost more then the cost of new o-rings if the part is even still under warranty.

 

[EarthDog]

Intel's cpu warranty is voided by using not using a approved tim or heatsink.

I dont think so, bud. Please provide a link supporting that assertion.

 

[Silver Surfer]

Intel's cpu warranty is voided by using not using a approved tim or heatsink. I'm not sure about VIA and AMD. Alot of motherboards and video cards have a sicker on one or more heatsink screws that says warranty void if removed.
Wile its true that most companies will allow the RMA if the part is returned to factory stock configuration but not all will.

At the same time most blocks (including EKs) have warranty is void if removed stickers too.
If you use a premixed coolant and its brakes down your likely have to take apart the blocks to fully clean them and that would void the warranty. The use of most cleaners would also void the warranty too. EK is well know to blame the user when its products fail and your likely get you RMA denied if you return a part do to a coolant brake down.

Most of the better, more reputable water cooling companies do not require the use of their premixed coolant. Its mostly the lesser quality and lesser reputable companies like EK and thermaltake that require you to use their own coolant to keep the warranty.
Be honest, would they really know what you used in the loop if you cleaned/flushed it with their premixed coolant before you RMA the part? And when was the last time you had to RMA a water cooling part from a quality reputable company? Pumps are about the only thing that go bad. O-rings can fail after a years of use but shipping the part out for RMA would cost more then the cost of new o-rings if the part is even still under warranty.

Sounds like the traditional fear talk of things that are totally irrelevant!
When it comes to water coolers that have done it for years we just consider the source of information being provided.
You can pass those fears on to the unlearned but not to us.

 

[GTXJackBauer]

It's obvious someone had a bad experience with EK but I don't think EK is that coldhearted as you make it seem they are. I've seem them go above and beyond as the other reputed custom liquid cooling companies. They know what to look for in RMAs so there's a good chance you voided their warranty.

As for the warranties, you couldn't be further from the truth. Maybe along time ago in the 80s and 90s they forced you to use their coolers but that's not the case anymore. EVGA for example, allows you to take off their stock heatsink for a 3rd party cool whether that be for air or liquid. As long as it is returned into its original form, you're still good to go. Any physical damage by the end user would be dealt with or denied.

Hell, you could change the TIM all you want on the CPU/GPU. It's that simple.

 

[Silver Surfer]

From an overclockers point of view, which most of us are that spend the extra money to water cool in the first place. We've sidestepped warranties for years, but that only comes into play very rarely anyway, as once a setup is running good under water cooling, longevity is increased from the systems cooler operating temperatures. Today we're in new territory with CPU manufacturers releasing CPUs with no supplied boxed cooling solution, so in that respect they seriously limit their warranty requirements anyway. For that matter Intel for a while was releasing an overclocking extended warranty, obviously knowing you'll be overclocking.

I have actually seen a CPU water block sport a sticker saying warranty voided if opened, which was a Danger Den MC-TDX i7 Intel water block, but if you ever owned one you wouldn't have to open it to clean it! The more complicated design structured water blocks today have to eventually be opened and cleaned, and I don't see any company voiding the warranty regarding that unless you Gorilla putting it back together and strip out screws.

Of all the fears mentioned the greatest fear of all is leaks, which experience of water cooling teaches you to avoid happening, as we all have learned something the hard way!

To the OP:

I personally run 100% pure steam distilled water with no additives, and Biocide, clear no color. If color is your thing I suggest colored tubing.

 

[Conumdrum]

For the OP:

Cleaning is going to be a pain for the radiators. Every gathering spot for your colored liquid (solids) has settled inside the radiator too. So they are going to need multiple cleanings, lots. They have many many crevices and lots of inside surface area.

Please don't rely on vinegar, muriatic acid (it will BURN your skin at 100%) and CLR for long soaks to get it out. It's corrosive and will just eat away the lead, brass, and copper. You'll have to run water through them for long periods, do the rad dance, use cleaners etc. You will know it's clean when you fill with sink water, shake for 2 min, then pour into a glass bowl. When it's just water, you should be good. I have read than a few horror stories over the last 10 years about getting dyes out of rads. Thankfully you didn't use a solid red/blue etc.

The rads is one place it will hide, and continue to stain and cause problems. So, take the extra time and clean them right, good luck!

 

[Lochekey]

There was a post floating around about using a well filter and pumping water through the loop with that in line to help clean it. These components might be a good candidate for that. Maybe add some dish detergent in the mix as well to act as a surfactant to help particles move through the fins.