DDC Pump wet on bottom

I'm setting up a friends system with a DDC-2 w/ Petra's top and after about 5 min. the pump becomes intermittent... it stops, starts, stops, etc. The pump is brand new.

The pump is upright supported by two large rubber posts under the stock mounting tabs.

I felt the underside and noticed two things...

a) it was damp... coolant is somehow leaking into the pump and out the bottom? I haven't taken it apart yet, but will this evening. Both barbs are dry as a bone. BTW, the o-ring was installed and the screws tightened appropriately. (I have 3 other DDC pumps so I'm not a total noob).

b) it was extremely hot... like I nearly burned my finger hot.

This is clearly another bad DDC-2 but I'm guessing an atypical failure type?

Has anyone else noticed this in the past?

Anyway, chalk this up as another DDC-2 failure. It looks like NCIX is stocking the 3.2 so I suspect that will be the replacement... let's hope it fares better!

something sounds defective for sure...from what I have read & heard MOST of the other "DDC-2 Failures" were the pump not starting or spuratic at best...not leaking like this scenario....

How tight are the screws for the top?

can someone inform me? i can get a deal on this pump, but i need reliablility. What have the other problems been?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by teyber

can someone inform me? i can get a deal on this pump, but i need reliablility. What have the other problems been?

---

Depends who you listen to.
There's a small but vocal group who claim it had issues.
There's also Alex of PTS and Gabe of Swiftech, where many of these were sold who say the RMA rate is 2%.
So whether it's 30% or 2% depends on either your own experience or who's opinion you respect.
FWIW, my two are running OK.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Waterlogged

How tight are the screws for the top?

---

I'll try to make time to take it apart tomorrow night and see what's going on. Based on the other DDC I have on the bench, there's no way for it to leak water unless the casing is cracked or the o-ring is not doing it's job.

it's leaking into the pcb, causing the intermittancy. also, it's bridging power and ground, causing heat. would be my guess. other sources of heat are possible as well.

Oh my god, sorry for the necropost but thank all that is holy for this thread! I had the EXACT same issue and I could not figure it out. I demounted my DDC and my top and yes it turned out to be fluid in the lower chamber of the pump! I burned two fingers on the pump, it was absolutely SCORCHING.

EDIT: ASJDNASJDA still not fixed =( !! I let it dry for quite a while ... blargh.

well if you didn't do anything wrong like forget the o-ring or any other stuff that can be termed USER ERROR, then RMA said water pump...

No I'm blaming myself for this. Must have screwed up something.

I let it dry overnight and this morning (round 10-12 hrs i think) and it's still leaking on the underside. Also I can see moisture outside the Oring trough the acrylic top. This sucks.

well it can't hurt to disassemble it to find out the cause... maybe cracked impeller housing?

I can't see anything wrong with it. This is my first DDC though. I'll take some pictures.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by RealRedRaider

Did you have it mounted so the pump motor was exposed and getting air to cool it?

---

Yerp, I had it hanging from a UNdesign bracket (which pwns btw). Everything is outside the case atm.

Don't know if anyone can see something wrong on these pics:

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/n...m/P1010261.jpg

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/n...m/P1010263.jpg

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/n...m/P1010264.jpg

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/n...m/P1010266.jpg

how is the O-ring mating surface? If there is some inperfection on either the top or the groove in the pump for the o-ring it can cause it to leak around there.

Everything is fine. The top I use is in my sig.. XSPC nonres. I had another intensive drying session this afternoon including a hairdryer. Also I reckon I overtightened the screws. It's running ok so far.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by virtualrain

I'll try to make time to take it apart tomorrow night and see what's going on. Based on the other DDC I have on the bench, there's no way for it to leak water unless the casing is cracked or the o-ring is not doing it's job.

---

VR the only way a DDC can leak like that is 1. at the barb, or connecting loop and water travels down to the pump via outside barb.

or the Oring.

Inspect for a crack.

If your body casing on the DDC is also cracked, that could be another source of a leak.

GAH i hate DDC-2. There just like Micron D9's. They have a lot of UMPH. but no stamina.