DTek Core leaks! Ack!
 

I finally got the rest of my watercooling parts and spent a good amount of time measuring, cutting the hose, asmbling the whole thing, and my hands are really sensitive--dunno how many layers of dead skin was removed :p. when i started filling/bleeding the loop, i saw that water was coming out of the dtek pro core :cry:

has anyone else experienced this and if so, how fast is dtek on replacements? i'm now stuck on my laptop, which has pretty much nothing installed, until i can get a replacement core.

after my findings, i shot off an email to dtek last night. hopefully they'll respond soon.

[edit]
fixed. it seems like the fins of the pro core can soak up a lot of water (externally) which gave the impression of leakage. if you notice the same issues, fill up your rad with water to the barbs and let it dry overnight or longer then do the "shake test." another test suggested was plugging up one barb, attach a tube to the other, place the core and barbs under water, and blow into the tube. you should see air bubbles coming out of the rad, else it might be leak-free.

where exactly is your core leaking at? where the barbs are or is one of the channels broken?

it's coming out of the channels. barbs are fine.

were you careful when you screwed the long screws it comes with through the channels (to hold the fan on)? Or did you not use those at all?

yeah, i read an article that said to use a long screw driver to make an opening for the dtek shroud, so i did that. but i can shake the core and water drips from pretty much everywhere.

That doesn't sound very wise. What did the article say, specifically, and where is it?

RE
 

I believe he's referring to THIS page.


I believe the use of a screwdriver was intended to open up a couple fins. Applying pressure would surely cause a leak as per this quote

"To install the shroud and fan onto the core, I used a small, blunt rounded tool to open up the fins between the core tubes where the threaded rod will pass through. Avoid brute force to jam the threaded rod through as you could tear a fin from a tube and cause a leak. If you are going to use the threaded rods to fasten the core to the case, don’t rely on a 120mm fan hole pattern to drill the holes in the case."

A thing as easy as installing shrouds caused a leak for you.hmm
:shrug:

I wouldn't trust a systemcooling how to on anything other than throwing feces

But thats the one thing you are best at.

If it is comming from everywhere then it sounds like it wasn't soldered correctly either from the manufacturer or more likely who ever soldered the barbs in. Probably overheated it and melted the solder holding the top tank together with the channels.

Would be pretty difficult (with any common since what so ever) to damage the channels with the screw driver. And then you should be able to tell for sure that's were it is coming from.

me? Nah I am best at drinking beer and wasting time playing Diablo2 :)

I called up DTek and was told i'd get a replacement after sending the damaged core via RMA.

for the source of the leak, it didn't seem like only 2 places (ie: where the rods are) since i can shake the core (full while plugging the 2 barbs) and my hand would end up getting wet as well as droplets all over the sink.

For the replacement, what would you (everyone) suggest to do when mounting the shroud's rods?

hopefully the replacement will get shipped out tomorrow or wed as dtek is also in southern calif too.

I read the article:
I think that the author should have used the words "gently" a few times! Whatever tool is used, would have to be round, because a phillips screwdriver would certainly create a leak.

As I posted last week (?), my method was to leave the core untouched, run a zip tie through it to where the head of the zip tie remains pressed against the mount hole (case, shround,etc). Then, clip off the head of another zip tie, and lock the core into place.

One of our sponsors (Be Cooling) actually sells round mounting ties:
http://www.aquastealth.com/product.asp?0=207&1=238&3=84

Be kind to your core ;)

Thanks for the info bigben2k. I'll find some stuff to make a comparable mounting kit from Lowes as $9 shipped is a little steep for me.

GenGoku, I apologize if the image included in the review led to the misunderstanding and subsequent grief you experienced.

In regards to the plastic mounting ties suggested, try an automotive parts store or an auto transmission shop as those fasteners have been used to secure aftermarket transmission coolers to radiators for many years.

haha oops SCompRacer didn't know you worked for Systemcooling. Iassumed that it was something written by Bob Dyl or Se7en, hence the monkeys flinging feces comments.

and the saga continues

how is this for a much safer, all be it, not as shade-tree a method, of mounting the shroud.

http://www.procooling.com/articles/a...hrd-final2.jpg
http://www.procooling.com/articles/a...hrd-final3.jpg

no poking anything through cores or nothing....

That is a great method of mounting using the tanks Rotor.

http://home.comcast.net/~scompracer/.../radrearin.jpg

I sometimes use aluminum shrouds where the core simply slides in, no fasteners required. Some one side adhesive closed cell foam on the small flanges that retains the core insulates it from rub damage and vibration.

GenGoku, I see you had the core submerged in that bucket of water, are you positive it is not just water in-between the fins from that, now coming out when you shake the rad.

a sure fire way to test is to completely submerge the rad under water, (in a bathtub or whatever..) then, while having the one inlet sealed off, put some air pressure on the other side, blowing on it should suffice. then see if you can blow bubbles with it... If not, then the droplets you got from shaking, was just trapped water in the fins......

#Rotor, it was exactly that. btw, my water setup is finally complete.