Wednesday, February 15th 2023
PSA: Corrosion Happening on ASUS ROG Z690 Formula VRM Block, Company Remains Silent
I've been using the ASUS ROG Z690 Formula motherboard in all my recent CPU water block reviews, and also detailed it here for a specific EK VRM bridge block article. While the board has reached end-of-life status at ASUS internally, the company's customers are only just starting to face problems. The board's unique selling point is that it comes with an optional CrossChill EK III hybrid VRM thermal solution, which is effectively a waterblock for your VRMs to keep them cool at all times. Based on ASUS's official advertisement of "nickel-plated" and EK's involvement, everybody assumed that the material used is nickel-plated copper, but it turns out it's something different, most probably nickel-plated aluminium.
This is not the first time that ASUS has failed the material mix in their watercooling products. The first generation ROG Formula motherboard VRM blocks used plated-aluminium that introduced corrosion when added to a watercooling loop that has copper/brass/steel components elsewhere. Mixing metals in a watercooling loop is a bad idea and will result in galvanic corrosion from the different electrochemical potential of the metals. This can result in the block etching off and flakes/chunks getting in the loop to create an increasingly worse reaction with the coolant used. This can lead to blocked channels and even pump failure due to the corroded materials jamming the impeller.
Multiple reports on watercooling communities have come out over the past couple of months about the VRM block in the ASUS Z690 Formula displaying clear signs of corrosion. Months went by without any official statement from either ASUS or EK and it took until ~10 days ago that a more popular such post finally got enough traction to make progress with the issue. Earlier today, EK sent out an email to those customers who purchased the VRM Bridge for the motherboard, to finally acknowledge the use of mixed metals in the VRM block. This revelation makes the block incompatible with any copper-based CPU block and even the very VRM bridge linking the two. EK has not yet mentioned how this could have slipped past the brand's attention until this point, given the company's logo is on the VRM block, but frankly ASUS merits more focus for not bothering to tell any of the undoubtedly thousands of customers who purchased the Z690 Formula motherboard, in addition to all the media partners who have been using it too. As it stands, EK suggests reaching out to your local ASUS support team for a working replacement, but so far it sure feels like this issue is being handled quietly to not get the word out as much as possible. If you are using this motherboard with the VRM waterblock, then my recommendation is to flush and clean the entire loop, replace the coolant, and remove the VRM block from your loop for the time being as the VRMs can still be air-cooled.
Here's the full contents of the EK email, provided to us by an affected TPU reader.
TPU Forum member Trev shared the following photos of his watercooling setup after running just 10 weeks with the VRM block in the loop.
Sources:
Report 1, Report 2, EK Email
This is not the first time that ASUS has failed the material mix in their watercooling products. The first generation ROG Formula motherboard VRM blocks used plated-aluminium that introduced corrosion when added to a watercooling loop that has copper/brass/steel components elsewhere. Mixing metals in a watercooling loop is a bad idea and will result in galvanic corrosion from the different electrochemical potential of the metals. This can result in the block etching off and flakes/chunks getting in the loop to create an increasingly worse reaction with the coolant used. This can lead to blocked channels and even pump failure due to the corroded materials jamming the impeller.
Here's the full contents of the EK email, provided to us by an affected TPU reader.
EK-Quantum Momentum² VRM Bridge ROG Incompatibility AnnouncementUpdate Feb 15th 08:16 UTC:
Dear and valued EK Customer,
We regret to inform you that the ASUS ROG MAXIMUS Z690 FORMULA motherboard is incompatible with our EK-Quantum Momentum² VRM Bridge ROG Maximus Z690 Formula solution, as well as other copper-based EK products.
We have developed the liquid distribution VRM Bridge solution to help our users get the full benefits from motherboards that feature CrossChill EK III hybrid VRM thermal solution by connecting any EK-Quantum Velocity² CPU water block directly to the VRM thermal water ports.
Unfortunately, EK and ASUS have discovered the issue of the VRM block corrosion. We are already working closely to address this issue and offer support to all affected customers.
ASUS is readying an adequate replacement hybrid VRM thermal solution for everyone affected by this issue. Feel free to reach out to your local ASUS support team for any additional information.
In the meantime, EK and ASUS are improving collaborative processes and development guardrails to ensure all future products exceed our customers' expectations.
We are genuinely sorry for any inconvenience this might be causing you.
We appreciate your understanding,
Team EK
TPU Forum member Trev shared the following photos of his watercooling setup after running just 10 weeks with the VRM block in the loop.
151 Comments on PSA: Corrosion Happening on ASUS ROG Z690 Formula VRM Block, Company Remains Silent
Yeah funny thing about these vrm blocks is they work without water to.
This is one of the biggest reasons I love plexi/ acrylic tops
You can see what's going on inside without disassembly :cool:
I just gave you list of PC watercooling examples where it wasn't purely for aesthetics. How can it be about aesthetics if the nickel plating is not visible because of black tubing and black acetal?
Outside of PC watercooling it's also used in automotive and marine applications deep inside the engine or below the waterline where it will never be seen.
Explain nickel plated waterblocks and fittings that are hidden behind covers or sleeves? Why go to the bother and aditional cost of nickel plating things that aren't visible in your loop?
Edit after Thrash and smoking like:
optimuspc.com/ <chemical and cerakote
modultra.com/shop/ols/products/modultra-lobo <cerakote
Yeah ek always says don't mix metals
They also say warranty void if you only use distilled water and not purpose fluids
It would be ironic if ek did all the aluminum/ nickel plating on these vrm blocks :slap:
From what I've read it's the shin that says the nickel plating is not good.
I have no idea if that is true on not.
Ok So, there are more than 2%_3% gains,
When overclocking more than just a cpu, or just a gpu.
A total system overclock generally can increase average performance gains over 10%, but we also need to remember how we would take these measurements.
In some applications, sure, maybe single digit performance gains. But usually just setting the XMP, which is overclocking, gains at least single digit gains.
Everyone's doing it. XMP alone strictly speaking. Should we all just run defaults?? No.
It still doesn't explain why opaque/acetal blocks come nickel-plated but perhaps they share product lines with clear blocks for show and it's just easier that way.
Assembly line dude
You'd think just leaving them copper would be cheaper but nope they have to justify to cost of the item as lookie here bling inside :laugh:
Optimus does do it right but they out sourse the nickel plating
So they to have had issues with the plating coming off.
As for why they nickel-plate the blocks with acetal tops - You don't have to worry about oxydizing and patina, so it's easier to handle without gloves. And GPU fullcovers are seen from the side - some people prefer silver over orange.
Plus some people use liquid metal timm and it don't do so great on copper after a while.
Pretty wild what LM does to aluminum :laugh:
Which is not visible on any of these Formula VRM blocks. And if it was the case, they would have already shown some issues of corrosion.