Quote Originally Posted by Petra View Post
Eddy, did you read the 43 page report you commissioned? Because, the way I see it, the report doesn't really support the explanation you're offering.

Seeing as how the report uses "block 1" as the primary example and source of evidence, I will do so as well.

The failure analysis of the first cold plate studied (exposed to distilled water with a silver coil for a period of one month) concluded on page 15-17 that crevice corrosion (which was the same cause of the failure, undermining, and exfoliation of the Apogee GTX's rather nice plating job) was the cause of the initial plating failure--all of the galvanic corrosion that is brought up is just a distraction since it results from the initial plating failure (according to the report). Crevice corrosion has little to do with the coolant or additives used (unless you're purposefully trying to accelerate the reaction by making your coolant substantially more acidic, like on page 32), as the pH of the fluid in such a situation can easily swing outside of a corrosion inhibitor's effective range (again, just look at the GTX). In addition, the report does absolutely nothing to explain why the presence of silver metal would cause or accelerate the crevice corrosion which caused the initial plating failure. Crevice corrosion is not, it self, a galvanic reaction. So, while the silver may play into the explanation of a galvanic reaction taking place after the initial plating failure, it does not explain the root cause of the problem.

I should point out that even though crevice corrosion caused the failure of the old Apogee GTX blocks, it was physical damage to the plating resulting from the installation of metal fittings which facilitated the undermining of the plating. If the plating hadn't been damaged in the first place, it probably wouldn't have failed within the part's useful life… just as any quality nickel plating shouldn't fail in this manner (especially if it's just coating copper).

Eddy, I'm still inclined to view your current plating process as suspect… largely because your nickel plated products from the era of the nVidia G80 didn't seem to have this problem--I'd know. Also, no other manufacturer seems to be having issues.






A note of disclosure and some history for those who haven't been around very long: Yes, I'm the guy who founded PTS/Petra'sTech in 2005, introduced the Nuke -Cu (copper sulfate) biocide in 2006 and Nuke -PHN (benzalkonium chloride) biocide in 2008(?...can't recall offhand), and helped Ian get the silver KillCoil thing going. However, Petra's Tech Shop was sold to Gary/Sidewinder Computer Systems, Inc. on Dec. 31, 2009, I no longer have any interests (financial or otherwise) in PTS, I am not here as any sort of representative of Gary/PTS/Sidewinder, I have absolutely nothing to do with the operation of PTS/Sidewinder, and have no interests (financial or otherwise) in the Nuke line of biocides or Ian's KillCoils. I do, however, offer advice and information to any who are interested as a way of continuing to help the water cooling community--having experienced it from all sides over the past 10 years (enthusiast, customer, reseller, distributor, designer, tester, manufacturer, PR liaison, etc.), I occasionally have something useful to contribute. That said, feel free to ignore me.
I'm the former owner of CoolerKit and I was among the very first, if not the first, reseller of EK waterblocks outside Slovenia.
We've been selling their plated blocks since 2006 and haven't had or seen any plating problems until now...

This doesn't 100% proof it's a new problem, but combining this with all the other observations, the smell of the smoking gun is undeniably strong in that direction!
Would you please comment on why you don't think we haven't seen any prior plating problems Eddy?
/Thomas