PSA: Corrosion Happening on ASUS ROG Z690 Formula VRM Block, Company Remains Silent

[thesmokingman]

I haven't seen corrosion like that since the 90's lmao.

 

[ThrashZone]

Hi,
EK's option is a all in one solution monoblock for a discounted price of 350.us

 

[DrCR]

Hi,
EK's option is a all in one solution monoblock for a discounted price of 350.us

Basically products for princes and want-a-be princes at this point?

 

[terroralpha]

I guess asus was just paying to plaster the EK logo on their products since it seems that they were the ones manufacturing them.
I had an asus x570 board with a Built in “EK” VRM water block. It started corroding within a few months. Fortunately the heatkiller CPU block I was using survived.

 

[thesmokingman]

Basically products for princes and want-a-be princes at this point?

Laughably, its not even a single piece of copper for that price.

 

[Trev]

Is mine ok?

The clean up required (and damage) from Asus/EK's incompetence was fairly extensive. 2 GPU blocks and CPU block requiring a deep-clean, several rounds of flushing. Everything is ok now after hours of wasted time, but the blocks are slightly permanently stained still.

Forgot one photo showing further disassembly of the VRM block.

 

[Crackong]

A few dollars of cheap out material nows turning into expensive PR issue

 

[bobbybluz]

Is mine ok?

View attachment 283865View attachment 283866View attachment 283867

The clean up required (and damage) from Asus/EK's incompetence was fairly extensive. 2 GPU blocks and CPU block requiring a deep-clean, several rounds of flushing. Everything is ok now after hours of wasted time, but the blocks are slightly permanently stained still.

Forgot one photo showing further disassembly of the VRM block.
View attachment 283868

Damn! That thing looks seriously fux0red!

 

[ir_cow]

@Trev you know its not . Hopefully ASUS honors the warranty.

A few dollars of cheap out material nows turning into expensive PR issue

I mean the fin-stacks are copper, just not the rest of it. Or it the other way around here?

 

[Trev]

@Trev you know its not . Hopefully ASUS honors the warranty.


I mean the fin-stacks are copper, just not the rest of it. Or it the other way around here?

Yeah, the little Chernobyl blobs gathering on my CPU were the first clue something was up. My system has lots of copper, so the issue developed quite quickly. I just hadn't bothered opening a case with Asus until now.

If I'm remembering correctly the fin stacks were coated or treated copper, the base of the block is all Alu. Soldered together with liquid flowing right through it. Genius work by Asus.

 

[Outback Bronze]

Pretty sure my board (if I had one) would have been fine with the coolant I use.

This is why I use it. Idiot proof. Haven't seen corrosion on any of my liquid cooling blocks for decades. Even mixing and matching metals.

 

[Crackong]

I mean the fin-stacks are copper, just not the rest of it. Or it the other way around here?

Fin-stacks are copper , rest is Alu
They should made the whole thing with copper

1 pound of copper is $4
1 pound of Aluminium is $1

So they cheap-ed out $3 and $3 only....

 

[Dirt Chip]

Nasty.
Water inside a computer, generally a bad idea to avoid if possible.

 

[Deleted member 185158]

Pretty sure my board (if I had one) would have been fine with the coolant I use.

This is why I use it. Idiot proof. Haven't seen corrosion on any of my liquid cooling blocks for decades. Even mixing and matching metals.

Ethylene glycol is what I've used and even windshield washer fluid.

Just a shame to see that ugliness in people's rigs. I mean yeah, there's maintenance and some cleaning involved from coppers natural coating, but man. These pictures look horrible.

 

[beavermml]

Cooler parts last longer.

If you're using a water chiller you can also start pushing 3-500 W on a delidded 13900K and get 6.2 GHz all core etc.

this motherboard will obsolete faster than when it fails anyway...

 

[Outback Bronze]

Ethylene glycol is what I've used

Im with you on that one matey

Ethylene glycol

Did you know its good for the pumps too as it lubricates them?

 

[goodeedidid]

I think overclocking is something that is such a waste of money, especially for gaming. I guess it made sense in 2010 and earlier but now the returns are so small that it makes no sense even a little bit of sense.

 

[Deleted member 185158]

Im with you on that one matey



Did you know its good for the pumps too as it lubricates them?

Yes actually.
Also good for some mild chilling

I saw water in those pics above. Distilled by it'self just isn't enough.

I think overclocking is something that is such a waste of money, especially for gaming. I guess it made sense in 2010 and earlier but now the returns are so small that it makes no sense even a little bit of sense.

LOL, no WAY this is possibly truthful.

OK, maybe not the cpu, but still got your GPU OC!!!

 

[watzupken]

That's flat out incompetence. Mixing metals is wcing 101. Yet these knuckleheads do it with their own blocks. Unfreakingbelievable.

I feel it is not that they are not aware, but a calculated decision from a cost standpoint. To them, I guess they are hoping that the corrosion won’t happen so quickly or widespread.

 

[Patriot]

Yeah, the little Chernobyl blobs gathering on my CPU were the first clue something was up. My system has lots of copper, so the issue developed quite quickly. I just hadn't bothered opening a case with Asus until now.

If I'm remembering correctly the fin stacks were coated or treated copper, the base of the block is all Alu. Soldered together with liquid flowing right through it. Genius work by Asus.

I am just sitting here wondering why they thought they could just submerge an aircooler... 0 WC knowledge exhibited here.

 

[HaKN !]

I mean , who's to blame here? Asus or EK ? Asus makes boards and orders the parts and EK makes the block ?

 

[Steamroller]

I guess asus was just paying to plaster the EK logo on their products since it seems that they were the ones manufacturing them.
I had an asus x570 board with a Built in “EK” VRM water block. It started corroding within a few months. Fortunately the heatkiller CPU block I was using survived.

It's my bet as well. EKs products have warnings on every single copper product saying not to mix metals. When they launched the aluminum kits, they were really heavy on the Mixing metal campaign,
and they even wrote one of the best blogs about mixing metals in a loop. So, Im guessing they are not that stupid. At least EK notified the public about the issue.

 

[Broken Processor]

This has been a industry problem for 20+ years. I remember my zalman reserator base was anodised aluminium and corroded very fast. A sales guy at ocuk to me to use a plant based liquid. So I had the base refinished and used xspc plant based liquid and never had the problem again. I still use that same liquid today.

 

[Trev]

This is the GPU blocks after flushing with demineralized water for a few days. They obviously needed disassembly and a lot of scrubbing. That blue copper crud is a huge pain.

 

[Ownedtbh]

Is there so much profit to be made changing copper to Aluminium?

also: can anyone tell me the taste/smell of this stuff?