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Paint(?) problem in CPU waterblock

rsquared

rsquared

Limp Gawd
2FA
Joined
Jul 5, 2007
Messages
497
In the process of rebuilding into a new case, I'm taking everything apart for cleaning. Opening up my Swiftech Apogee GTX CPU waterblock I find what looks like the paint has come off.

2dslqg6.jpg

Does this matter? I don't want paint flakes getting into my loop. And what would've caused this, any ideas? Maybe it's a positive-feedback problem: some abrasive particles in the coolant rubbed off some paint, which put more particles in the coolant....
 
The top of the GTX is aluminum that has been nickle plated (2 layers) and the a black "dye" is placed over the nickle.
What do you use for coolant?

I have one of those same blocks and a small portion of the black has worn off over time.

I never thought twice about it, and the amount in the system is minimal.
What does the base look like? Is it gunked up? Is there stuff in your radiator or reservoir?
If not.....meh.

Send the photo to Swiftech support.....they WILL get back to you I guarantee it. If they see it as poor craftsmanship, you may get a new block out of the deal.:D
 
I agree
The housing is CNC machined out of billet aluminum and receives two plating's for a lifetime protection against corrosion: electroless nickel plating (MIL-C-26074E grade B) and Zinc Cobalt plating (ASTM B 840-99 grade 6). A black die is applied after plating strictly for cosmetic appeal.
Click to expand...

The housing is supported by a 5 year limited(*) warranty.
Click to expand...

That must be an early model or something as that sure as shit does not look like AL and I can see the "black die" maybe coming off but that looks like bare copper and I cannot imagine what in the world would have completely dissolved nickel plating not to mention the area outside the gasket which should not have been touched by the coolant appears unplated and bare copper (or varnish over copper).

Yeah, what where you running for fluid ? Just curious. Did you buy it new ?

But a call to swiftech is in order .

If you scratch it, is it copper ? I guess its conceivable that is some copper layer for plating that did not get done but looking at that picture it appears to be varnish coated solid copper which does not come close to the description given. Very strange and confusing.

(frankly I would prefer a copper top anyway, if it is solid copper I would not worry about it. If Al with some kind of plating that has failed I would want it replaced. )
 
I was using Feser One in UV Red, but I won't after the rebuild. The GTX's "diamond pin matrix" was gunked up with red glop, and there was a gross stringy line of red glop at the waterline in the reservoir. When I got glop from PC Ice, I wasn't surprised, what with their goofy "dye bomb" system, but I expected better from Feser. (Okay, actually it was better… I got as much glop from a couple weeks of dye-bombed PC Ice as from fourish years of Feser One.) I'm done with colored coolants. I liked the Feser One, though, and its billed nonconductivity may have saved my bacon. (I had an explosive leak when my acrylic pump top cracked. Coolant got everywhere, and nothing was fried.) Feser doesn't make a colorless One, so I'm currently full of indecision about what I will use.

In my first watercooled setup I used PC Ice, before they started with the "dye bomb" thing, and got no glop.

Anyway, any resemblance to copper is the camera's fault. The dyeless part looks like what I can believe is the nickel plating—but with a vaguely pinkish tint from the Feser One. It's also not heavy enough to be copper. Swiftech did make a "limited edition" copper-topped version of the GTX, but it was significantly more expensive and I passed it over.

And I've already sent an e-mail to Swiftech with the photo attached.
 
They should come through for you no doubt.

As for coolant, may I suggest plain distilled water and silver "kill coils".
You can make the coils yourself or buy IandH kill coils from various vendors.

For DIY read this: http://www.realredraider.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2088

I've been using plain distilled and coils for about two years now, not a lick of gunk in my system, all I do is change water once a year.
Any of that other colored shit is just that.

Now that I've read your post and looked at the picture again, it looks just like mine did....the black just wore off. Not a big deal, but swiftech may very well appreciate the comment and they will most likely replace the thing or discount you a new GTZ since the GTX is EOL.

Please post what they say or do.
 
I got a reply Monday evening:
It's not paint, it's a die. No problem.
Click to expand...
Presumably the Swiftech rep means dye not die. Or maybe he's emo and is trying to say that the waterblock doesn't matter because of the inevitability of death? At any rate I guess my block is okay to use... didn't expect it would be a problem, but best to find out before I put everything back together. A new Apogee GTZ would have been nice, though.

Regards coolant, I ordered some of the brand-spanking-new Thermochill EC6. Colorless.
 
eh, good enough, we will both be dead before anything eats/wears through the nickel. Was just worried the aluminum was showing/exposed and the pic confused me.
 
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