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

[Chrispy_]

Agreed, EK is way too expensive and in all honesty, they don't really offer any substantial benefit over other, much more affordable, water cooling companies. I personally think it's a case where since so many builds on Youtube use the same EK parts, viewers just assume without doing any other research, that EK is the best and they should get EK too since they see EK everywhere. So then they get EK products, increasing their popularity, and the cycle repeats....it's not do to outstanding quality of the products, just outstanding marketing (which is probably a big part of why their products are more expensive than others)....I feel like the same exact phenomenon is partially responsible for Nvidia's dominance. The overwhelming majority of consumers do absolutely no research before buying a product, they just see that everyone else is buying that products so they copy the behavior. And since nvidia has the most people online constantly hyping their products and spreading misinformation about the competition (there is no shortage of people on the internet that talk about AMD videocards like they're still in the 290x era, i.e. they're hot, etc) you end up with a situation in which popularity begets popularity....a popularity that isn't based necessarily in the superiority of the products, but in the company's ability to manipulate and manufacture "top of mind" awareness in the consumer.....and the unrelenting hive-mind of their fanboy army doesn't hurt either, haha. I guarantee though, that 95% or more of all consumers who are new to the PC space (as in they're buying their first gaming PC or building it) just don't even consider or even research and AMD gpu because they've just assumed (do to the fanboys and the other consumers constantly saying you should only buy nvidia) that you SHOULD get nvidia, and I'd be willing to guess that it's the same exact situation for people who are new to the watercooling space....they just assume you SHOULD get EK.

Not all EK stuff is bad. It just expensive enough that it's hard to overlook shoddy QC.

For whatever reason, there's frequently a story in the news or forum posts, or reddit PSAs about faulty nickel plating with EK stuff. It's not like other companies don't also have nickel-plating mishaps, but when you're charging top dollar, you really shouldn't be cutting corners.

 

[Chaitanya]

You are taking it too far there. Aorus also has aluminum gpu blocks and people still buy it. The difference is that Asus had no public information about the material of the VRM block. Even if you speculate that EK made the aluminum block, which I highly doubt, since the design is nothing similar to any other EK product, the product is sold and advertised by Asus. Nickel is not a material in this matter, just a thin layer of plating.

A: EK designed the block but based on specifications from Shitsus and on budget/unit targets for design.
B: EK manufactured the block based on strict designs and specifications provided by Shitsus and EK selected as they provided lowest possible bid.
C: EK just consulted on design and label was slapped so Shitsus could overcharge for EK label.

 

[Dammeron]

The problem must be the nickel + aluminum.

Nah, the problem is copper + aluminium. You can't mix 2 dissimilar materials without any corrosion inhibitors, otherwise You create a galvanic cell.

Since forever. Google "nickel plating to prevent corrosion" rather than taking my word for it.

Nickel plating is essential for any aluminium parts in contact with water because aluminium has a very high anodic index which means galvanic and electrolytic corrosion are guaranteed if there are low-anodic metals like brass, copper, nickel in the loop. You won't find many AIOs with all-aluminium parts. The CPU block is almost always copper, even in cheap AIOs and the fittings are typically brass.

Additionally, nickel may look nice, but that's a bonus rather than its purpose; It's used extensively in places that you'll never ever see such as the base plate for air coolers, sealed, all-black waterblocks like my Alphacool one that have no plexi windows, internal fittings and elbow joints in both opaque-tubing custom loops and AIOs.

Typically, the only place you DON'T see nickel is in aluminium radiators of cheap, disposable AIOs. The loop will corrode but high glycol content of the relatively low fluid volumes means that the corrosion is slow enough for the AIO to survive its warranty period. It's an ugly truth of the AIO industry and there's no shortage of articles around the web and youtube where people cut open old AIOs to show the corrosion after a few years.

I meant PC watercooling specifically. Nickel plating there is purely for aesthetics.

 

[mechtech]

I’ll stick to air cooling. Thanks

 

[ThrashZone]

I’ll stick to air cooling. Thanks

Hi,
Yeah funny thing about these vrm blocks is they work without water to.

 

[Sabishii Hito]

Asus isn't doing custom loops though only AIO's

They don't even make those themselves, Asetek does.

 

[ThrashZone]

Hi,
This is one of the biggest reasons I love plexi/ acrylic tops
You can see what's going on inside without disassembly

 

[zlobby]

The problem must be the nickel + aluminum.

In my main rig I have nickel plated copper, copper rad, and silver coil and it's fine for years.

In all of my folding rigs I have very cheap aluminum radiators and even cheaper copper blocks (thank you China), no nickel plating, silver coil.

For fluid it's distilled with a drop of Prestone (ethylene glycol).

People hate on silver coils but they also act as sacrificial anode to help prevent galvanic, with the downside that they eventually stain everything black, especially tubing.

Pure copper and silver should not stain anything. At least not with distilled and deionized water, and with no other additives. Often people confuse distilled water with deionized one.

 

[damric]

Pure copper and silver should not stain anything. At least not with distilled and deionized water, and with no other additives. Often people confuse distilled water with deionized one.

When silver oxidizes, it turns black. This oxide layer is swept away into the loop. This is known.

 

[Kindachi]

A: EK designed the block but based on specifications from Shitsus and on budget/unit targets for design.
B: EK manufactured the block based on strict designs and specifications provided by Shitsus and EK selected as they provided lowest possible bid.
C: EK just consulted on design and label was slapped so Shitsus could overcharge for EK label.

I had to read your comment a few times, because I initially thought you referred to some third party company whose name evoked the Shih Tzu dog breed.

 

[Chrispy_]

I meant PC watercooling specifically. Nickel plating there is purely for aesthetics.

Once again, no.

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.

 

[thesmokingman]

Once again, no.

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.

It isn't used in pc watercooling for anything but aesthetics. In other applications like auto sure, but pc watercooling its for looks. We've already been thru this all years ago from the Ek debacle.

 

[Chrispy_]

It isn't used in pc watercooling for anything but aesthetics. In other applications like auto sure, but pc watercooling its for looks. We've already been thru this all years ago from the Ek debacle.

Link?
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?

 

[Patriot]

Once again, no.

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.

Electroplating is not corrosion resistant, it is for looks. There are chemical bonding methods that are corrosion resistant and things like cerakote, but only a handful of pc water-cooling companies use them because they are more expensive. I only know 1 that uses chemical nickel plating and they warranty their blocks for 10yrs with salt-water... everyone else requires anti-corrosive fluids or voided warranty for a reason.

Edit after Thrash and smoking like:
https://optimuspc.com/ <chemical and cerakote
https://modultra.com/shop/ols/products/modultra-lobo <cerakote

 

[ThrashZone]

Hi,
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

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.

 

[goodeedidid]

Yes actually.
Also good for some mild chilling

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


LOL, no WAY this is possibly truthful.

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

Yeah but they make the GPUs already OCed. I mean if you spend hundreds of $$$ more for water cooling solutions how much performance do you gain to the dollar? 2% 3% more performance?

 

[Deleted member 185158]

Yeah but they make the GPUs already OCed. I mean if you spend hundreds of $$$ more for water cooling solutions how much performance do you gain to the dollar? 2% 3% more performance?

I do competitive benchmarking.
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.

 

[Chrispy_]

Electroplating is not corrosion resistant, it is for looks. There are chemical bonding methods that are corrosion resistant and things like cerakote, but only a handful of pc water-cooling companies use them because they are more expensive. I only know 1 that uses chemical nickel plating and they warranty their blocks for 10yrs with salt-water... everyone else requires anti-corrosive fluids or voided warranty for a reason.

Edit after Thrash and smoking like:
https://optimuspc.com/ <chemical and cerakote
https://modultra.com/shop/ols/products/modultra-lobo <cerakote

Happy to stand corrected.
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.

 

[ThrashZone]

Happy to stand corrected.
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.

Hi,
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

Optimus does do it right but they out sourse the nickel plating
So they to have had issues with the plating coming off.

 

[Dammeron]

Happy to stand corrected.
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.

No prob, that's what forums are for - discussing.

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.

 

[ThrashZone]

Hi,
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

 

[thesmokingman]

No prob, that's what forums are for - discussing.

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.

...because nickel/chrome shiny is purty.

 

[Gmr_Chick]

I'm beginning to wonder if the MSI X EK boards suffer from this same corrosion issue. The Carbon EK, I think that board is called.

 

[Steamroller]

I'm beginning to wonder if the MSI X EK boards suffer from this same corrosion issue. The Carbon EK, I think that board is called.

No, they don't because the monoblocks are made at EK. You can see the same design and production techniques used on every other EK monoblock...
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.

 

[Gmr_Chick]

No, they don't because the monoblocks are made at EK. You can see the same design and production techniques used on every other EK monoblock...
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.

Asus cheaped out, in other words. Typical.