Official EK statement - Nickel Plating Issues

[NaeKuh]

Allright, thanks! (lol) And What about the timeframe of using it? Should I change it every 3-4months, or I just fill the system and forget about it for two years?

ur best tearing your system down... seriously...

Taking all your blocks to a plater...

Then asking eK for replacement Orings - instead of RMA.

Have your blocks replated... if u do all of them, it shouldnt be more then 100 dollars for everything..

And then reinstall using new orings..

Stay away from premix!
Its opening another can of super fail... trust me on this.

[coolmiester]

RE: the return procedure – maybe the main retailers around the world could maybe consider accepting the returns on behalf of the end user and holding them all at their particular locations then return them in one large shipment rather than having the individual end user ship them direct to EK.

Then EK could have all returns sent out direct to the end user at his expense which would eliminate quite a bit of valuable vendor time and would at least show a bit of good will on EK’s behalf.

In fact other than scrap value, i honesty don’t see what good these returns will do for EK so why not bite the bullet and accept pictorial evidence to eliminate the costly returns procedure to the end user and ship them new blocks as most are having to pull systems apart in their own time and expense which fundamentally isn’t their problem to begin with.

Either way, no doubt this is going to cost EK a fair price so why don’t you do the right thing by the very people that got the EK brand to where it is today (well a couple of months ago) and offer new blocks at your own expense.

Seriously Eddy, you need an English speaking PR to stop this becoming one of, if not the most disastrous PR disasters i’ve seen in my 10+ years of watercooling and at this point, i’m honestly not sure you are aware of how bad this actually looks for the EK brand whether it be from a long time user, or potential new one.

[prznar1]

Waterlogged are you ever going to answer my simple question. Why would you need to plate a copper block with copper? To me that statement is showing your true knowledge of the subject.

simple. cover oxidized bare copper to get a fresh clean surface. its like painting a car, you need a base paint before go into colour painting.

[theseeker]

RE: the return procedure – maybe the main retailers around the world could maybe consider accepting the returns on behalf of the end user and holding them all at their particular locations then return them in one large shipment rather than having the individual end user ship them direct to EK.

Then EK could have all returns sent out direct to the end user at his expense which would eliminate quite a bit of valuable vendor time and would at least show a bit of good will on EK’s behalf.

In fact other than scrap value, i honesty don’t see what good these returns will do for EK so why not bite the bullet and accept pictorial evidence to eliminate the costly returns procedure to the end user and ship them new blocks as most are having to pull systems apart in their own time and expense which fundamentally isn’t their problem to begin with.

Either way, no doubt this is going to cost EK a fair price so why don’t you do the right thing by the very people that got the EK brand to where it is today (well a couple of months ago) and offer new blocks at your own expense.

Seriously Eddy, you need an English speaking PR to stop this becoming one of, if not the most disastrous PR disasters i’ve seen in my 10+ years of watercooling and at this point, i’m honestly not sure you are aware of how bad this actually looks for the EK brand whether it be from a long time user, or potential new one.

Well said! +1

[Rudster816]

Opening blocks does not void warranty.

So the stickers that say 'Warranty Void if Removed' and run across the Acetal\Copper line can be cut across that line to remove the top? Im not trying to sound sarcastic, I'm not familiar with EK's RMA policy, and I would find that odd.

I find it funny that some people think that nickel plated EK blocks are useless. An acid bath would remove the nickel plating, and you could keep it like that, or have some other place nickel plate it for you. You shouldn't have to do this, but the block's are most definitely not paper weights. Hell, you could sell them for copper scrap

[Aedubber]

i will say this one more time. why you will not go crazy and chrome your blocks? it could be way easier to find someone who can do that.

That's already been done on blocks so relax yourself cheech..

[NaeKuh]

Then EK could have all returns sent out direct to the end user at his expense which would eliminate quite a bit of valuable vendor time and would at least show a bit of good will on EK’s behalf.

like an advance RMA?

That sounds good...

Or at the very least free oring mail out, if you decide to plate it yourself.
Because i honestly dont think they are going to fix it you guys.

[Buckeye]

Everyone recommends those solutions because they have been proved totally safe...until now as per EK's statement.

So, my logic says that if that stuff has been ok for a ton of time (and they are still with all other vendors except EK) then it still is: and thus there is something else going on here with EK platting.

NO because that opens a totally new can of worms, for the termite problem you have.
I call it termite because something is eatting something.

Best solution right now, is get rid of the eattable source.. ie... eK Nickle, and replace it with another vendor's nickle.. ie.. Swiftech, Koolance, DD, AquaCom, Bitspower.... someone who has a more and better refined plating process, and problem is solved.

OR...

Take your blocks to a local plater... have him do a batch job on all the blocks you wanted plated... go out on vacation with GF for the weekend... come back with done and completed blocks... and then your back in happy happy land.

And this is what is pissing me off... because eK is saying no its not the nickle, everyone is thinking all vendors' nickle is bad.
NO, EK HAS A BAD NICKLE SOLEY, NO OTHER VENDOR HAS THIS TYPE OF ISSUE.

Thank you guys for putting some perspective into this for some of us who haven't done these things before

[prznar1]

In fact other than scrap value, i honesty don’t see what good these returns will do for EK so why not bite the bullet and accept pictorial evidence to eliminate the costly returns procedure to the end user and ship them new blocks as most are having to pull systems apart in their own time and expense which fundamentally isn’t their problem to begin with.

those blocks are not broken or something. all is wrong with them is plating, that can be repaired. why would EK trow away all those blocks and made new? that would be much more idiotic thing then blaming coolants ATM.

[Vapor]

So the stickers that say 'Warranty Void if Removed' and run across the Acetal\Copper line can be cut across that line to remove the top? Im not trying to sound sarcastic, I'm not familiar with EK's RMA policy, and I would find that odd.

Yeah, you can cut/break the "Warranty Void if Removed" stickers without affecting the warranty. The sticker means it was checked for leaks (and doesn't leak).

[Waterlogged]

Waterlogged are you ever going to answer my simple question. Why would you need to plate a copper block with copper? To me that statement is showing your true knowledge of the subject.

My, aren't we a bit impatient?

It's simple, the copper plating process fills in small imperfections that the polishing process doesn't get rid of.


...and as for chrome plated parts, you still need to copper plate and nickel plate the parts before adding the chrome layer.

[Phaseshift]

Yeah, you can cut/break the "Warranty Void if Removed" stickers without affecting the warranty. The sticker means it was checked for leaks (and doesn't leak).

Yes I believe Eddy stated that it will only void the seal warranty as in leaks

[zalbard]

So the stickers that say 'Warranty Void if Removed' and run across the Acetal\Copper line can be cut across that line to remove the top? Im not trying to sound sarcastic, I'm not familiar with EK's RMA policy, and I would find that odd.

See page 2 of this thread...

Warranty void sticker on the blocks ensures the water blocks is leak-proof out-of-the-box. Breaking the orange/black warranty seal does not void the warranty of your water block.

[Sparky]

Waterlogged are you ever going to answer my simple question. Why would you need to plate a copper block with copper? To me that statement is showing your true knowledge of the subject.

People don't live on the forums, give some time

(and no comments from the peanut gallery about ME living on the forums... regardless of how true it may be! )

[OC Maximus]

going back to premixes and those in particular because of the glycol, and having to suffer from collection of mystery gelly

EK LTx + Pre-Mix did not work out too well for me

[mcj66106]

My, aren't we a bit impatient?

It's simple, the copper plating process fills in small imperfections that the polishing process doesn't get rid of.


...and as for chrome plated parts, you still need to copper plate and nickel plate the parts before adding th chrome layer.

Wrong answer. Isn't that what the acid bath is for? Chemical cleaning? If your going to plate nickel then chrome over copper you do not need to plate the copper with copper. You fail!!!!!!!!

[zalbard]

Wrong answer. Isn't that what the acid bath is for? Chemical cleaning? If your going to plate nickel then chrome over copper you do not need to plate the copper with copper.

Filling imperfections =/= cleaning.
And FYI this is exactly how Swiftech plates their blocks.

For reference, our plating consists in 3 "coats":

1/ Copper: thickness: 0.004mm
2/ Nickel: thickness: 0.005mm
3/ Chrome: thickness: 0.05mm

See?

You fail!!!!!!!!

Self-inflicted.

[KingOfsorroW]

ur best tearing your system down... seriously...

Taking all your blocks to a plater...

Then asking eK for replacement Orings - instead of RMA.

Have your blocks replated... if u do all of them, it shouldnt be more then 100 dollars for everything..

And then reinstall using new orings..

Stay away from premix!
Its opening another can of super fail... trust me on this.

I do, I just want to have all options listed.

[prznar1]

EK LTx + Pre-Mix did not work out too well for me

try something else then feser :P

[Vapor]

Let's keep our manners in mind, guys.

No "you fail" or anything like that, please.

[NaeKuh]

Wrong answer. Isn't that what the acid bath is for? Chemical cleaning? If your going to plate nickel then chrome over copper you do not need to plate the copper with copper. You fail!!!!!!!!

it really depends on the process, and if it was electro plating or not.

And if it was electro plating, then why is it flaking?
Because electroplating is supposed to have extreme surface adhesion when done properly.

[Annirak]

For reference, our plating consists in 3 "coats":

1/ Copper: thickness: 0.004mm
2/ Nickel: thickness: 0.005mm
3/ Chrome: thickness: 0.05mm

50um of Cr! Wow. No wonder they don't have problems.

[NaeKuh]

50um of Cr! Wow. No wonder they don't have problems.

this is why i said swiftech has one hell of a tank plating.

[vulcZ]

The problem is something is corroding in the loop, and you have no anticorrosive.
Its only a matter of time b4 the nickle fails, if it fails, or a impurity in the nickle area where it fails, once again, if it fails, and nothing but an anticorrosive will save you.

Well damn

I guess my next step is to find some kind of reputable additive for my loop (if there is any). Or I can just cross my finger and hope my block was properly plated

[NaeKuh]

Or eK should play a reputable retailer.. ie.. sidewinders, to take all the RMA's and have have them replate it stateside and mail them back out.

I figure cross shipping and expense wise, that is probably the cheapest solution, because as it stands, i dont think anyone will trust eK nickle until they did a big time fix on there nickle plating process.