Usually contamination / corrosion of the block is considered physical damage. While every situation is a case by case basis - depending on the severity of the damage everything is reviewed by our RMA team. We do not provide a cleaning repair option and all products need to be returned for RMA in factory condition. Feel free to send another email but make sure to send it to RMA@EVGA.com with some pictures so our team can re review. 

EVGATech_DanielM
Usually contamination / corrosion of the block is considered physical damage. While every situation is a case by case basis - depending on the severity of the damage everything is reviewed by our RMA team. We do not provide a cleaning repair option and all products need to be returned for RMA in factory condition. Feel free to send another email but make sure to send it to RMA@EVGA.com with some pictures so our team can re review. 

what is the official EVGA recommendation for remediation in cases of GPU block corrosion? it's not user serviceable, and doesn't look like it can be easily disassembled for user cleaning (no exposed screws to take it apart). So if you don't provide cleaning or RMA for this situation, what is the user supposed to do? buy a new GPU?

EVGATech_DanielM

gsrcrxsi

EVGATech_DanielM
Usually contamination / corrosion of the block is considered physical damage. While every situation is a case by case basis - depending on the severity of the damage everything is reviewed by our RMA team. We do not provide a cleaning repair option and all products need to be returned for RMA in factory condition. Feel free to send another email but make sure to send it to RMA@EVGA.com with some pictures so our team can re review. 

what is the official EVGA recommendation for remediation in cases of GPU block corrosion? it's not user serviceable, and doesn't look like it can be easily disassembled for user cleaning (no exposed screws to take it apart). So if you don't provide cleaning or RMA for this situation, what is the user supposed to do? buy a new GPU?

Well, some coolants will have additives that will react to the coating that is in the block and this is not exclusive to EVGA blocks. We recommend to always flush the loop from time to time but corrosion means something had contaminated it in which it reacted to the metals in the block. While we offer Hydro Coppers corrosion is not something that is fault of the block itself. 

That doesn't really answer the question.
 
What should the user do to clean out the corrosion once it's already there?
 
At what point and/or what evidence would be needed/satisfactory to call into question the manufacturing quality of the block itself for RMA? I've seen blocks corrode from use of just distilled water with no dissimilar metals present. Does EVGA provide a fluid recommendation to ensure warranty? It seems weird if you have this "some fluids cause problems but we can't name which ones and wont guarantee any fluid specifically" kind of policy. 

You can try to flush it with warm water and there are several system cleaning products on the market, check PPCS.  A big warning, check to make sure they are compatible with acrylic.  If in doubt, do not use. 
 
The proper way is to take the block apart and clean it.  A very soft baby's toothbrush works on the jets, just take your time.  You will never be able to clean the jets properly without disassembly.
 
I use Mayhems x1 clear and flush my systems every six months.  I never use dyes, learned that lesson many years ago.
 
Hope you can get the problem resolved.

Of course I mean distilled + inhibitor/additive. Not straight distilled. I was just pointing out that no colors or anything that would gunk up a system.

I guess my question becomes, if there are certain coolants that shouldnt be used with the GPU, shouldnt there be a list or something somewhere so we know?

There has to be some sort of guidelines that say what you can and cannot use with the card. How can someone be expected to know if there isnt any information. The manuals that can be found online (for these cards) dont even really say anything about watercooled cards. 

My RMA was denied and now my card is out of warranty. But i used the card as described and did not abuse it. I was always told EVGA had awesome warranty service and that was part of the reason that i purchased the extended warranty for this card but I am pretty much out of luck? 

gurule92
I guess my question becomes, if there are certain coolants that shouldnt be used with the GPU, shouldnt there be a list or something somewhere so we know?

There has to be some sort of guidelines that say what you can and cannot use with the card. How can someone be expected to know if there isnt any information. The manuals that can be found online (for these cards) dont even really say anything about watercooled cards. 

My RMA was denied and now my card is out of warranty. But i used the card as described and did not abuse it. I was always told EVGA had awesome warranty service and that was part of the reason that i purchased the extended warranty for this card but I am pretty much out of luck? 

It’s clear that EVGA will not give any official recommendations for fluids to use. They seem to want to keep that in their back pocket to be able to deny warranty claims saying “you used the wrong fluid”

ty_ger07
I wish I could see that picture for curiosity's sake.

I do too.  A macro shot of the block would be a good start.  As I mentioned above, if they have corrosion in their GPU block, then there is a good chance it is in the CPU block also.
 
 

Yep. Pretty snakey 🐍

typical corrosion & loss of plating .. it has happened to my EK blocks before
 
If there is not enough inhibitor in the coolant, corrosion may occur on the loop’s exposed metal components.
 
Curious, if the your coolant Mfg, will have anything to say ?  That is a lot of corrosion for 4 months of use; its possible they made a bad batch
 
Ready to try water cooling. Where to start? Library of links-basics to expert
 
 
LINK8-A
http://www.overclockers.com/pc-water-coolant-chemistry-part-i/
 
LINK8-B
http://www.overclockers.c...ant-chemistry-part-ii/
 
 
https://www.ekwb.com/guides/ --> Biocides one & How to clean

I have a similar issue but mine is definitely not as severe as this and is OUTSIDE of the sealed coolant area. I have oxidation/corrosion happening which looks to be due to a very small leak between the terminal block and the block itself. I opened a tech support request and they are having me send it in for inspection to verify it's not coolant caused. I had already been losing coolant in my reservoir from initial install when I was using only distilled but thought it was related to the system getting air bubbles out until I noticed it went down much more than made sense for that to be the case. I inspected the card and found the following:
 
Corrosion outside of the sealed area of the block:

 
Residue between the terminal and water block:

 
The inlet/outlet ports are clean and it only seems to be between the block.
 
Hopefully I don't get denied and invalidated, especially for the amount of money I spent on this. The card itself is still perfectly fine, I just wanted a block replacement.
 
Again, used distilled water initially (reservoir was depleting but nothing indicating a leak) then replaced with XSPC EC6 Clear so I could get microbial/corrosion inhibiting ingredients. It is non toxic and non-corrosive so I can't see the coolant being the cause here. Previously my experience with EVGA has been great, I have a Kingpin Hybrid that I had RMA'd same day due to a pump failure and had no issues, this I am now seriously concerned with.

austin86
 
That a odd one, I seen that happen a few times but not like that.  Un-platted/coated copper can discolor when exposed to warm damp air and more so when oils from ones skin gets on it. But that a little different looking then what Id expect.

It's pretty low humidity in here and there's no way it's from finger oils because I can't even touch that :D