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Nickel plating peeling

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Boygenius32

n00b
Joined
Aug 16, 2014
Messages
15
I opened up my gpu block for my first annual teardown, and the nickel plating is peeling from the copper block. How should I proceed?

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I came expecting an EK block... I found a... I don't what block that is.

I would say try to remove as much of the flaking as you can. I'm not sure if there's something you can use to chemically remove the nickel plating.
 
Tsumi said:
I came expecting an EK block... I found a... I don't what block that is.

I would say try to remove as much of the flaking as you can. I'm not sure if there's something you can use to chemically remove the nickel plating.
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Any of the strong acids I would suggest would also gobble up that copper in a heartbeat. :)
 
Thats a Koolance block, This one. I called their tech support line, and the tech said he would forward the pictures to the block designers. Not sure if I should be pursuing replacement or just scrub off the flakes.
 
this can happen to any manufacturer, the important thing is how they deal with it

looking at you EK
 
They said it's not covered under warranty, as the delamination was apparently caused by my copper sulfate dead drops. Apparently the block will work just fine without the nickel, so I'll just scrub at it.
 
Boygenius32 said:
They said it's not covered under warranty, as the delamination was apparently caused by my copper sulfate dead drops. Apparently the block will work just fine without the nickel, so I'll just scrub at it.
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problem there is more of it coming off and fucking up your other blocks/pump
 
Should've just told them you were using their premixed coolants. Under no normal circumstances should a properly plated nickel block flake like that.
 
Tsumi said:
Should've just told them you were using their premixed coolants. Under no normal circumstances should a properly plated nickel block flake like that.
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But that would be DECEITFUL, and I'm ALWAYS trustworthy and above-board. ;)
 
You can take to a machinist who can strip the nickel plating for you. leaving just the base copper. I have no idea what the cost would be though. Possibly more than the block is worth.
 
When you email any water cooling company with nickel flaking problems, always tell them you ran distilled water 24/7 with nothing else. They will instantly deny you if you say anything but distilled or some premixed bullshit that they sell. Period.

I refuse to buy any nickel plated cpu/gpu blocks anymore, not worth the hassle.
 
sok0 said:
When you email any water cooling company with nickel flaking problems, always tell them you ran distilled water 24/7 with nothing else. They will instantly deny you if you say anything but distilled or some premixed bullshit that they sell. Period.

I refuse to buy any nickel plated cpu/gpu blocks anymore, not worth the hassle.
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Koolance warranty only applies if you use their premixed coolant.

I would press Koolance again for a replacement. You can scrub off what is already flaking, but it will continue to flake. Pieces will jam up your other blocks and could potentially damage your pump. Copper Sulfate will *NOT* cause flaking like this. The only thing that causes this is a faulty plating job. Point Koolance to this thread and any others on forums you have created, refer them to the shit storm that EK faced over faulty plating, and see how they respond then.

If they still refuse to replace the block I would bite the bullet and get a new block from a reputable vendor and never buy another Koolance product again.
 
i am not denying the claim, but how can copper sulfate cause such things?

isn't nickel plating something destined to peel, since electrochemical potential between copper and nickel would ensure 100% of the time that corrosion would take place in the system anyway?
 
properly plated components should last many years, if there are no flaws in the plate then the water only sees Nickel.
 
Real Red Raider can probably re-nickel plate it for you the right way to where it never happens again.
 
they would probably like to hear about this over at RRR anyway, pretty disappointed in Koolance myself on this
 
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