Official EK statement - Nickel Plating Issues

[Eddy_EK]

Dear Eddy EK

I bought 4 EK's nickel plated blocks ( Supreme HF, Full cover block for evga x58 classified, and two FC580 GTX+ blocks) 2 months ago without knowing about this problems with nickel plating, I discovered all this last week so I've been running my blocks for last 1 and half months now.
After reading this statement I was disappointed that your company will only provide this "special RMAs" until July 31st its obviously puts me and other people with similar situation in a bad spot because if i decide to believe in you and let my system run for about 8-10 months more and after that discover that all my block are ruined, and according to this statement I wont be able to replace them after that.
BTW I'm using Thermochill EC6 and i did not used anything else but that doesn't make me less worried about my blocks.

Srry for bad my English, not my 1st language

If you use EC6 coolant based on our tets and experiences you will not have any problems with nickel plating.

Eddy, i got new nickel blocks (sr-2 and 2 RAM blocks) that i bought for my project.
i dont want to fit them on my board and remove them in few weeks because of flaking.

can i RMA them?

If you use what we recommend, or at least don't use what we don't recommend, you will be fine.

So what happens to the people who have paid an extra premium for the nickel products and opt to have the copper one? Will the reseller refund the difference?

We will deduct the difference from the shipping costs.

Question for Eddy:

I have three EK FC580 nickel-plated blocks that haven't been used yet, but I wish to exchange them for the copper-only versions, can that also be accommodated by this RMA process? I don't care if I get the price difference back, at all. An even exchange is just fine.

If not, I don't know what I'm going to do with my 3 brand new nickel-plated blocks, but they are not going into my watercooling loop.

Thanks

If you want to exchange it we will exchange it without a problem. But if you use coolant with anticorrosion additive based on our experience and tests you will not have any problems!

Thanks for the info Eddy but I do have a few questions for you.

First is regarding the RMA process. What do you anticipate the turn around will be for us here in the US? Where will be sending the block to and will the replacement block be sent once you have received the old one or once verified by the info requested sent with the RMA form. Granted it be from you or the reseller.

Now the other is in regards to the testing that has been done. Has the same test been performed on other nickel plated blocks or plated products from other vendors to further study the affect? If not do you plan on doing so? It may seem crazy to do but this has not occurred with nickel plated blocks form other vendors and if it did they did a hell of a job keeping it quiet. I have been using distilled water and silver for 2 years with other nickel plated blocks and they look as new and shiny as the day I got them.

We will try to make the process as quick as possible and prepare the blocks to be send as soon as we get the blocks back. The US customers will have their blocks shipped from one of US resellers although they ordered from EK directly to save on shipping. Also we will try to arrange that customer will ship to our closest reseller in order to lower shipping costs.

I would like to see the "Institute" perform a test on an EK wb from a vendor to see how good the plating is before hand. It has to be a random vendor with stock and not a hand-picked special one from EK.

edit - link removed by shazza

--MikeP

Only a comment.

In production we have random checks for all important dimensions and qualities of the product. After it gets into assembling line every product goes through numbers of QC points before it gets QC sticker and is packed in the box.
1. Surface visual check
2. G1/4 Threads check
3. Few random mounting thread check
4. Leaking check (2 bar pressure test)
5. Visual inspection and cleaning
6. Product packed in PP bag
7. Product packed in box with QC numbers.
Since the beginning of my watercooling time such cases, as shown on that forum we had exactly 0.
And If ever there was such case and we would be notified we would immediately ask customer to ship the product back to reseller and that he will get the replacement. Because that is how EK policy is.

EK, I just purchased 3x Acetal & nickel blocks for my GTX 580s.

- In order to check and see if corrosion is occuring on my blocks, I'll need to remove the "warranty void if removed" sticker. Will you still honor the RMA proceedures as outlined in the OP?
- Also, if my blocks are OK...I'll need to get an official recommendation for a fluid which can be obtained in the USA. I am not familiar with the options you listed.

Thanks

If you remove warranty void sticker you will only void warranty on sealing. The warranty on material and manufacturing process will of course remain.

Eddy Im glad ur taking the RMA's however your statement makes no sense.

Did it ever occure to you, if you guys are the only one having the problem, then possibly its just you guys, and NOT us?

Take an example at koolance or swiftech even.
Have you heard anyone complain about there nickle plating?
And im fairly sure those of us who are on swiftech and koolance are doing what u are telling us not to do without any ill effects.

And after all the flaking pictures you've seen, your still not saying its flaking?

Sorry if i dont sound civil, but Eddy, it looks like you guys are going around the bush..
Instead of saying stop using this ... stop using that... maybe its best if u guys CHANGE your nickle process to something that works.
Because if u get professional nickle platers come in here and tell you, what you said is a result of trying to cut cost, these scars you have are going to turn into amputations.

Based on our tests and results we can say that these certain additives caused EK nickel plating to fail.


Regarding RMA shipping costs: it is standard in industry. It is same as if your kitchen mixer fails and you have to drive to deliver for repair nad drive again to pick it up after repairing.

Regarding other brands and no damage: EK did tests on EK products. We cannot comment or speculate as why are differences between brands. I would like to reiterate again that results didn't find any mistake in EK products, but it is number of factors which users and EK were not paying attention to because of lack of knowledge. And EK will RMA damaged products. And EK will be on top of things - dispersing newly acquired information and taking care of users.