These different messages about the gpu bracket for the 2080ti ftw3 hydro copper blocks makes no sense to me, several people say black side up others say black side down. Should be clarified as to the black side of the gpu bracket away from or towards the pcb.  Here was my experience, i installed 2 hydro copper blocks on 2 2080ti ftw3's and used the stock thermal pads that were on the block and i had the black side of the gpu bracket towards the pcb just as the directions showed, just seemed like common sense to me that the black padded side would go towards the pcb because of the circuitry that is there. I started up my sytem with no problems at all doing this way and my temps were fine good enough to get me to spot 22 in the hof time spy extreme statistics. Now after reading several of the posts where people said they were having heat issues this way they turned the gpu bracket over so the metal side was towards the pcb and circuitry and the padded black side was towards the water block. I decided just for kicks and giggles to teat down my system and turn the gpu bracket over so the metal side was towards the pcb circuitry. Now looking at this before and after there is no difference to what this could possible make as far as heat transfer because the water block does not even touch the gpu bracket which ever way its facing. I went ahead and put my system back together with the metal sides toward the pcb and my computer would not come on, or shall i say the monitor would not come on. I tried several times, unplugged the monitor, unplugged the power supply, held the power button 30 seconds retried nothing, nothing, nothing for the display. So i thought well the only thing i changed was the gpu bracket. So i drained the system and removed 1 card and then refilled the system and tried to boot twice and the display would still not come on, i removed that single card and put the other one back in and the same thing tried it twice and the display would not work. So i then pulled it out and put in a gtx 1060 and the system booted up fine and display was fine. So that pretty much told me it was a video card issue.  I took both 2080ti ftw3's apart and turned the gpu brackets back over the way they originally were with the black padded side towards the pcb reinstalled them filled the system with water booted the system and the first try everything was fine, boot up fine and display working fine. So my experience is leave the padded black side towards the pcb and circuitry like the directions show, cause like i said the waterblock doesnt even touch the gpu bracket in either direction if it did we would need thermal pads or paste on the gpu bracket as well. If the waterblock doesn't touch the gpu bracket how can making it one way or the other make any difference as far as temps, to me it can't. Why would you put a padded side towards the waterblock where there is no contact? why would you put a metal side towards the pcb and circuitry? Why would they put a padded side on the gpu bracket if they didn't want it to protect something?

If the bracket never touches the heat sync, what is the bracket for. It literally serves no purpose if that's the case.


I think the confusion lies in the fact there is a black side. When I looked at the bracket, I see a flat side and a side with 4 bumps that the screws thread into.

Those 4 bumps, if I remember correctly fit into the PCB board holes. Preventing the bracket from sliding around possibly shorting things out.

Now my guess is that its possible that some brackets have the wrong side black.

These are images of the contact pattern of my 2080 ti ftw3 with the hydro copper block installed exactly as the directions say with the gpu bracket installed with the black padded side towards the pcb and using the evga factory thermal strips, everything has made contact where it should and the cards work fine.

If the bracket direction does not matter cause either way it does not touch the block.

Why would anyone bother looking for another solution when simply flipping the block worked for at least 4 people.

I have mine the same way and my GPU temp in BFV are 42c on a 3440x1440 screen in ultra settings. I certainly have no plans to drain my loop when everything running beautifully.

I found this thread trying to fix an issue I was having.
I just installed a Hydro Copper on a 2080 TI XC. When I was done, I booted up my PC and I had nothing on my monitors. It was like my video card was dead. Not even the LED on the waterblock was working.
I had put that bracket with the metal side toward the PCB. After reading dwexpress' post, I tore my card down and put the bracket with the black side towards the PCB and it works now.
Apparently, there is something on the pcb that the bracket is shorting out, if the metal side is touching.

I am wondering if the tightness of the screws is making a difference, it seems to me with the metal side of the bracket  towards the pcb and the circuitry there if it really gets tight it could be shorting out and if the screws are not so tight might not be enough pressure to cause the short. The black padded side towards the pcb it doesn't matter how tight there shouldn't be the possibility of a short. Glad my post helped you @pestilent. 

I thought the same about how tight people are tightening the screws. I tightened the crap out of all the screws on my card, since the bracket is there to support and stiffen the PCB and the waterblock isn't being held on with the spring screws.
I ran my card on air for about a week to make sure I had a non artifacting card. I got the core clock at +115 and the memory at +950. Fire strike ultra would crash right away if I went much higher. With that OC on water, I'm getting 42C running Time Spy extreme stress test. Now that I have the card on water, I'll have to see if I can get any higher on the OC and I'll run Unigine or Kombuster for a couple hours to see where my temps will max out at.

I may get waterblock setup installed this weekend but the holidays have me busy though. I just have to figure out how to drain this since I didn't put on a drain port. My first watercooling system in about 10 years when my first one the pump died after a week and nearly killed my processor as it was brown around the socket but it ended up OK. I can play games at 145mhz core and 800mhz memory on aircooling and temps are around 64C core and memory hits around 76C but can bench at 165mhz core and 1000mhz memory for benchmarks. Much better than my first card which only does 95mhz core and 500mhz memory when gaming and 104mhz core and 900mhz memory for benches. The VF curve tuner goes to 182mhz core.

4STAR
I’m trying to figure out what your guys are talking about. The manual page isnt working. I don’t own this product yet, but I’m trying troubleshoot before I potentially buy. 
 
Would you owners buy this product again ?

See The EVGA HC Waterblock Manual for EVGA GeForce RTX (For Reference Only) (Non-FTW3)  Items 2 & 3
 
Yes and I have 2 of the EVGA Hydro Copper Water Blocks now.

bee144

4STAR
I’m trying to figure out what your guys are talking about. The manual page isnt working. I don’t own this product yet, but I’m trying troubleshoot before I potentially buy. 
 
Would you owners buy this product again ?

I had the most difficulty of anyone on this thread. It was way harder to install than previous EKWB blocks I’ve done.

I wanted the custom PCB and this is one of the only custom PCB cards that has a water block. No, I wouldn’t buy it again but I don’t think I buy anything else so I guess I would have to buy it again because it’s a unique product.

Maybe their Hybrid kit will be better produced?

Man, even in hindsight you wouldn't buy it again ? Knowing what you know now, what would of made it easier for you to install ?
 
Its available again now and I may just end up getting it because it might be to much of a hassle to sell it (ftw3) and get another card to get the block I want.

I have 2 of them and would use them again, they work great, follow directions and you'll be fine.

Correct me if im wrong and sorry for reviving an old thread here. But does the Black side not peel away and then get stuck with the washers onto the PCB?

Mine come slightly peeled up and i figured thats the way it had to go.