Back and testing (well kinda)

[pHaestus]

I am about half finished writing up the Cascade wb review. I unfortunately abused the Cascade a bit inadvertently and managed to crack the top piece and spring a leak. I didn't realize that and the system ran overnight :/

There's water in the AGP port that I am in the process of removing. TBredB still works for diode readings but no video at boot. Hopefully a few hours of air drying with Vantec Tornado will do the trick and I can get the testbed back up and running tonight.

Dangerden RBX with default nozzle is currently installed and will be tested as soon as I can get the PC working again.

[jaydee]

Cracked a poly top? :eek: I flooded a few mobo's in my day. Usually once the PCI and the AGP ports dry up they work fine. Havn't killed a mobo with liquid yet.

[pHaestus]

I have my fingers crossed. It was running and so that makes me nervous. I am guessing it will take overnight to dry out fully.

[Cathar]

Part response to your PM as well...

:mad:

I'm at a loss what to do with these poly tops. If I don't tighten them in enough, people yank and twist on them trying to pull off old tubing and then complain to me that they've gone and half-twisted out the barbs. If I tighten them up enough so that this doesn't happen they get dangerously close to the point of cracking where even a little bit more tightening will cause what you saw.

The correct solution to the small leak would have been to take the barbs out and reapply silicone sealant and put them back, but not too tightly. Unsure how the small leak developed for you in the first place. I've run anything from -5C to 50C liquid through multiples (at least 5) of these tops in my own testing and never noticed issues. Perhaps just a random bad seal? :shrug:

In any event, will send another top your way. Just PM me your address again.

Your board will be fine so long as you give it enough time to dry. As an additional drying method I highly recommend a vacuum cleaner with the "beak" nozzle fitting. Great for sucking out droplets from delicate places in between IC pins and things. Have had boards that would not come back to life until taken to with the vacuum cleaner.

[pHaestus]

that's a good tip Cathar (the vacuum cleaner). Haven't heard that one before. Yea it was my fault as I tried to fix slow leak by tightening a little more rather than by removing and reapplying silicone.

Motherboard lives! I didn't try the NIC or the video card (it's a S3 Savage2000 so I dont really care too much). System is running now with the Dangerden RBX + default nozzle.

[Blackeagle]

Wow,

Glad to hear that it didn't do in your system pH.

The adventures in testing of PC water blocks! ! :dome:

Man it's going to be great to see the best numbers we've had in quite a while. You da man pH!

[j813]

That's Polycarbonate right?

[pHaestus]

I am done testing:

LR Cacade
Dangerden RBX

and halfway done with the Dtek Whitewater.

When I finish the Dtek block I'll post reviews of all three either at once or over the course of a week.

I am going to test two waterblocks next because they were sent to me long long ago:

Dangerden Maze4
Heatkiller 1.5 from watercool.de

Once I am done with those then you guys can pick the order! Other blocks I have here include:

LR whitewater (the original) :)
MCW5000-A (I lost the replacement springs Bill sent but should have new ones next week)
Joemac's Aquajoe block (waiting on AMD mounting hardware)
fixittt spir@l in both copper and aluminum (perhaps of interest as they are identical other than material but older blocks for sure)
Swiftech MCW462UH
Dangerden Maze3

Think that's about it for modern wbs and the last few are really more for comparison between what you may still be using and what is best available now.

[KnightElite]

What about the original White Water?

[nikhsub1]

pHaestus, you must test the original WW! People still speculate that the original may be better than D-Tek's. Would love to see how they stack up! On a side note, PLEASE leaktest the original WW. I removed the barbs to clean it, it was filthy! I sealed them up with silicone, but have not leaktested it so please do!

[pHaestus]

I use my video card to leaktest; when the screen goes all crazy I know I've sprung a leak :)

Yes I had forgotten to list the original WW when I first posted but I'll definitely be reviewing it. I also PMed #rotor to see if he'd like me to review one of his blocks.

Did this DTek WW come straight from DTek as a review sample, or was it just purchased regularly by you without their knowledge it would be reviewed? I ask because I've heard that the bases of these are often the performance problem and that they need lapping. That doesn't seem to be the case with this block though the base looks fine.

[KnightElite]

I vote for the LRWW original first.

[pHaestus]

okie dokie. I also PMed #rotor to see if I could borrow an AMD block for testing while I am at it. More interesting than the older blocks IMO

[pHaestus]

ugh I set up distributed folding last night on testbed and this am it was just a monitor that said "Monitor working check cable and computer". Tried several video cards and another CPU but no difference. Thinking maybe AGP port died after getting wet the other day. I am going to try and borrow a PCI video card from KE tonight or tomorrow and see if that solves problem. If not I'll verify TBred still works and then go pick up another motherboard. Meh.

[KnightElite]

PCI video card, eh....? I can't remember where I put that one that I had hanging around...

[pHaestus]

I really hope it solves problem.... I think I have an S3 Virge in the lunix box at work too I can go swap out tomorrow...

[Blackeagle]

For what this is worth,

I read in a thread at another site (extreme overclocking?), that D-Tek is doing a much better job now on the bases due to so many negative comments from customers and review sites. One of the guys in the thread had just gotten one and posted about his was to good to mess around with as it came to him.

And regardless of the improved lap job, I'd love to see the 2 versions of WW tested along side each other for easy & direct comparisson. Other small differances in D-Teks construction of the WW could affect performance as well, for good, as well as bad.

[nikhsub1]

...Did this DTek WW come straight from DTek as a review sample, or was it just purchased regularly by you without their knowledge it would be reviewed? I ask because I've heard that the bases of these are often the performance problem and that they need lapping. That doesn't seem to be the case with this block though the base looks fine.
FWIW, Danny and I are friends, no secret there. I told him I needed an al. WW, but not for what. He sent it to me. I originally sent the 2 blocks untouched to you the first time, the time they got returned to me... When I got them back, I opened them to inspect for damage. Both bases were fine, but tarnished. I gave each one about 1 minute on 800 grit just to clean them up. I myself did notice that the D-Tek base was good, Danny did tell me he is machine lapping them (as always) then finishing them up by hand.

[pHaestus]

Ok I finally got a PCI video card today. The motherboard must be at fault as I tried new: video card (AGP and PCI), RAM, CPU, PSU, and I pulled everything non-essential out. I am on the lookout for another Epox 8K3A, but if I can't find one I'll just pick up an A7N8X-X and see if that does the trick.

[pHaestus]

Ok it turns out KnightElite has an Epox 8K3A and was looking to upgrade to an NForce2. So within a week or so I should have replacement motherboard and be ready to get back to waterblock testing. Still have no idea what the problem was with the 8K3A, but it has had a long and storied career at 2.2Vcore, 2.9-3.0Vdimm, and could have just finally given up.

[#Rotor]

okie dokie. I also PMed #rotor to see if I could borrow an AMD block for testing while I am at it. More interesting than the older blocks IMO


YGPMB...

I just moved, from there my scarceness here.... Sowy!! :)

[KnightElite]

Just got new mobo... So testing can be resumed shortly.

[pHaestus]

EXCELLENT! Can I come by and get 8K3A tonight?

[KnightElite]

Absolutely. I will stop by your office to get my SLK947-U first, since it would be foolish not to use it at this juncture, even though uberWC box will be up soon.

[pHaestus]

New motherboard solved the problem. I booted the new motherboard with modified TBredB without issue. I'll mod the socket pins and then swap this mobo into the test system tomorrow. That means hopefully DTek Whitewater review will be finished Saturday. Joe is busy with the LAN party until Sunday and I fully expect to have 3 waterblock reviews for him to format when he's available Monday :)

[Blackeagle]

Great work pH! Will look forward to some good reading this coming week.