DDC Pump wet on bottom

[virtualrain]

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!

[Grinch]

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....

[Waterlogged]

How tight are the screws for the top?

[teyber]

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

[Jedda]

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.

[virtualrain]

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.

[ziddey]

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.

[oerekum]

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.

[septim]

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...

[oerekum]

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.

[septim]

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

[oerekum]

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

[oerekum]

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:

[Sparky]

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.

[oerekum]

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.

[NaeKuh]

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.