Koolance CPU-370, or EK Supreme HF for a low flow setup?

[Odai]

Hello,

I will be RMA'ing my EK Supreme HF (which I found to be awesome, performance wise) due to the whole bad nickel plating fiasco.

This means I have to make a choice regarding a new CPU block. Do I go for the copper version of the EK Supreme HF, or should I go for the new Koolance CPU 370?

The Koolance seems to out-perform the EK block, except at low flow rates.

The problem is, I've never had a flowmeter in my loop, so I haven't got a clue if my particular setup will be one of those that would work better with a Koolance or with an EK block.

This is the configuration I have:

-EK Supreme HF
-Swiftech MCWNB block
-Koolance RP-452 reservoir + Laing D5
-TFC Xchanger 360 radiator
-about 5 feet of tubing

I always use the pump with the lowest setting on the potentiometer (hooked up to 12V).

If the Koolance block is indeed the preferred option for this loop, I am wondering, should I avoid the CuSO4 based solution as a biocide, considering it uses Nickel plating? Or was the EK problem simply a special case?

I'd appreciate any help, thanks!

Odai.

[PatRaceTin]

i am not sure about flow

but i have a plan to swap my HF with 370

[zeropluszero]

Ignore everything you read written by EK.
Purchase a Koolance block, and use whatever biocide you want. The biocide has absolutely nothing to do with their corrosion problems, it's nothing but bad plating.

[theseeker]

or you could get an Aqua Kryos

[ximius]

if you really want a nickel block, just go with the koolance one. However if you don't care and are happy with the hf performance, and especially because you don't know what your flow is, why not get the copper version? The difference in performance should be minimal at most and you already know you like the block. Both are good.

[Vicey]

I'd get the Koolance block. It looks really nice and the performance is good. I don't think it would restrict your flow so much that you would notice a difference in temperature on the other components your cooling.

[Wolf132]

Has anyone ever ordered refurbished items off koolance.com ? Seems to be decent savings if you go that route.??

[warriorpoet]

1. The Koolance CPU-370 is an amazing (and sexy!) block, and super, super easy to install.

2. If you're happy with the EK, there's nothing wrong with their pure copper blocks that I'm aware of.

3. Why on earth run a D5 on 1? I'm super, super picky about noise (see sig), and setting 3 is next to inaudible out-of-case- not to mention providing WAY better flowrates.

4. If you're really looking for a quiet pump, an EK DCP-2.2 is a far better option than a D5 @ 1. In my experience the EK res add-on is also very nice.

[WonderSausage]

How quickly people are to vilify EK for some bad plating.

Koolance has had much worse. This example was brand new and never had fluid in it -- I just test-fit a fitting and unscrewed it, and it took a huge chunk of the plating with it. I can flake off more plating with a fingernail. No chemicals involved.

Koolanceblock.jpg

[Waterlogged]

How quickly people are to vilify EK for some bad plating.

Koolance has had much worse.

Koolanceblock.jpg

That's because EK is 10x's more popular than Koolance was at that time (they were an "off brand" so to speak). Since then, Koolance has done an amazing job of pulling a 180 and has caught (if not surpassed) a lot of the leading block makers. I'm 100% certain that if they had the problems with their plating now like EK has had, the same thing would happen to them but not likely as bad. I say that because it's all of EK's recent faux pas's and treatment of customers that it's drawn such outrage, Koolance on the other hand, has been on a roll and would likely be cut a little slack (like we've been giving EK all these years).

[Koolance]

Koolance has had much worse. This example was brand new and never had fluid in it -- I just test-fit a fitting and unscrewed it, and it took a huge chunk of the plating with it. I can flake off more plating with a fingernail. No chemicals involved.

That looks like a first Rev. CPU-330 (early 2007), which used an aluminum top before we switched to brass. It was our learning period with nickel. It lasted a short while and we provided replacements to customers under warranty. Gold was actually easier to plate with, which we used from 2002... I'm pretty sure we were the first company to plate copper as a standard feature.

Tim

[Kayin]

So when are you going back to gold? At least it's nonreactive. Pretty much killed galvanic corrosion...

[Conumdrum]

How quickly people are to vilify EK for some bad plating.

Koolance has had much worse. This example was brand new and never had fluid in it -- I just test-fit a fitting and unscrewed it, and it took a huge chunk of the plating with it. I can flake off more plating with a fingernail. No chemicals involved.

Koolanceblock.jpg

And what block is that? Just to keep the thread current with no odd problems. A current Koolance block or something out of date that we wouldn't recommend. Looks like it's old. Old design pins and a non- copper top.

Please tell us more Wonder.

Got my answer. OLD tech. Lets move on folks...

[WonderSausage]

I said has had much worse (past tense). My point was not to say "Koolance sucks today" (they don't) but to say everyone has their bad day, and don't kiss off our Slovenian friends because their plating oursourcer had a bad batch of chemicals. I think the forum sticky underscores my sentiment.