strix 1080 waterblock

glytch5 · Nov 9, 2017

Guys... what do I do here:

I am finding Asus strix 1080 waterblocks are a little scarce.
My current options are:
EK... (expensive as all the others... and most likely will have to buy direct and wait a month, and will cost nearly 200$ after shipping)

Phanteks...on the more expensive side, and not as good in thermals, but it is RGB, and apparently a very nice block. (149$)

Thermaltake... Its thermaltake... I have had waaaaay too many defective products (139$)

and last but not least... there is a Barrow RGB block... (78$)

Anyone have experience with the barrow block? Is it going to be a complete piece of crap? I am starting to lean towards the phanteks... wish more EK blocks were in stock. The phanteks block right now on Amazon does not come in black which is irritating but hey, on the phanteks you can use your stock backplate.

krells · Nov 9, 2017

Are you in the US? If so performance-pcs has the EK blocks in stock.
http://www.performance-pcs.com/water-blocks-gpu/ek-fc1080-gtx-strix-nickel-plated-copper-water-block-with-acetal-top-for-asusr-design-geforcer-gtx-1080-strix.html

lumineZ · Nov 9, 2017

I would stick with EK and Phanteks.

glytch5 · Nov 9, 2017

I am in the US.
I have never bought from performance PCs before. The other thing with the EK block I forgot to mention is... there is no blackplate... I hear the backplate adds a significant amount of help to the thermals.

I have never owned anything EK lol.

krells · Nov 9, 2017

You can purchase a backplate for the EK block. If you scroll down the link it gives you the option to add both to the cart. I have ordered plenty of stuff from performance-pcs including my EK block and backplate for my 1080ti and haven't had any issues.

glytch5 · Nov 9, 2017

Yes but the back plate adds a considerable amount of money to the whole kit... it kinda makes the phanteks look a lot better right?
now your looking at 190 plus shipping/tax.

what is wrong with the barrow block? Anyone ever use one? I mean 78 bucks is a HUGE price difference.
I kinda get the feeling with EK they can charge whatever they want cuz they know people will buy it.

glytch5 · Nov 9, 2017

Also I wanted to ask... I think if I did decide to get the Barrow.. I would wan to take the acrylic cover off, and make sure to clean out the fins to be sure there is no manufacturing dust in there..
Is it generally an issue to pull apart a block?

glytch5 · Nov 9, 2017

I wanted to add there is one more option... I guess amazon has bitspower asus 1080 blocks in stock for the same price as the phanteks block... any reason to consider that over the rest?

lumineZ · Nov 14, 2017

No there is generally no issue to pull a GPU block apart, but pay close attention to the gasket when you put it back together.

Bitspower vs barrow vs phanteks.

If I could pick I would go:

1. Phanteks (it looks nicer if you ask me)
2. Bitspower (its bitspower)
3. Barrow (its a bitspower knockoff)

glytch5 · Nov 14, 2017

Thanks for that... I have the phanteks. Got it in today!
So first thing I notice is... there is some piece of metal and debris inside the block... I figured okay fine, lets take it apart and clean it out.

NOPE, it voids the warranty to open the block... I called Phanteks on the phone, they said go ahead and open it, we will honor the warranty since its their fault it had crap in it.

All went well.. but man getting that gasket back WOOOOOOOOWWW!!! What a major headache that was... took 4 hands to do it. Even then it took 3 tries.

The gasket was round, and not shaped like the outside of the block, so I had to use 8 fingers to hold it down on all the corners, than have someone set the acrylic on the block, and slowly move it over each corner to hold the gasket down... my gosh if only I knew. My head is throbbing right now from the process.

On a side note, it was very clean in there other than that bit of debris.

lumineZ · Nov 15, 2017

Hehehe yea the gasket can be a real pain to deal with

I always plug the waterblock into a make shift loop away from everything and let it run for 2-6 hours with the pump at full speed after taking it apart. Just to make sure the gasket is seated correct and no leak occurs.

Always leak test a block after you have taken them apart.

If you dont have parts or a way to make a spare test loop then just buy the fitting needed to use your kitchen or bathroom sink, shower etc. and use that.
Carefull with the waterpressure tho! depending on where you live in the world.
Here in my country (Norway) we have around 10 bar pressure. Way to high to run at full on a waterblock

glytch5 · Nov 15, 2017

ooooh man thats a good idea. I wanted to do that to flush out my last radiator as well... that would have worked well!
I am going to look into that!

lumineZ · Nov 15, 2017

I always clean my rads that way. Hot water and a good amount of pressure for high flow. Let it run for 20 - 30 min. Then I reverse the flow and do 10 - 20 min (maybe not needed but better to be safe than sorry)

Nice way to flush out gunk or if you have used the mayhem blitz kit.

glytch5 · Nov 15, 2017

So your saying the blitz kit works well? I was considering getting that.

lumineZ · Nov 15, 2017

I had 2 x Alphacool NexXxoS Monsta before and they where very very dirty... The blitz kit fixed that.

But now I use Hardwarelabs Black Ice Nemisis GTX rads and for them I dont see any difference since they came very clean.

So I would say it comes down to what kind of brand you are using for rads.

The 2 brands I can vouch for when it comes to being clean:

Hardwarelabs
Aquacomputer (no solder in the manufacturing process = no gunk)

glytch5 · Nov 15, 2017

Well I have 2 XSPC rads...
My RX series rad was squeaky clean... this EX rad was incredibly dirty..
XSPC told me they ultrasonically clean their radiators and you should not have to worry... glad I decided to run some water through the EX series. I would have had a little trouble.

lumineZ · Nov 16, 2017

Even if they send you a video with the radiator showing how they cleaned your radiator. Always and I do mean always clean it yourself. Mutch better to be safe than sorry.

Never used the XSPC rads but some friends of mine has, and they where pretty happy with them. Normaly they where clean with a couple that was dirty.

glytch5 · Nov 18, 2017

Thats a good point.
Thanks for that. I am thinking of buying a super cheap amazon 12 dollar pump just for leak testing.
So... I went to screw some fittings into the delrin phanteks block and OMG!!!! The fittings are all impossibly tight! Apparently i'm not the only one with this problem.
I went through all my fittings, and two of the exact same extensions fit differently. One perfect, one not even close.
Very odd... never experienced this.

lumineZ · Nov 18, 2017

brand of fittings?

glytch5 · Nov 18, 2017

Two identical bitspower fittings-one fits perfectone doens't. Both brand new.
I have tried Bitspower, Touchaqua, XSPC, Primochill old and new. and of course the phanteks.
One of my XSPC male to male fittings only threads in on one side haha. Very strange.

glytch5 · Nov 19, 2017

I set up the GPU block today...
Man the precious Phanteks Vitan O ring stop plugs both leaked! No matter how much I tightened them! lol

I put on regular cheap stop plugs and no problems.
Wanted to run this by you lumineZ, because this is my first block... I have bubbles on the top of the pathways on my GPU block... here is a google drive link... how the heck is air and water getting in there? I thought the whole point was to direct water! lol.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B0889u7QTNtkbHRzeWY0MjVHb0gtWTFjS1pOWUxOd0FyZ2hr

I got a couple random drips... i'm using UV coolant and searching in bitch black with a single UV light, and cannot seem to find where it they come from. Odd... I tightened everything on the block to be sure. Are those bubbles on the top of the raceways norm?

lumineZ · Nov 20, 2017

That is normal until you get all the air out of the system and that can take some time depending on how you have set your loop up. To speed it up you can adjust the pump speed up and down. Set to max for 5 - 10 min, then down to half RPM for 10 - 30 min. Then back up again. Then something in the middle

It will take time.

Now the bubbles that you see and that most people think " hey... they should not be there since there is no "waterway" there..." is pretty normal for most GPU blocks. And the reason is simple.
Do you have an gasket sealing that area away from the coolant? no you dont

So you will have some "leak" and air can get trapped for awhile. Once all air is bleed out + GPU block is saturated (if that is the correct word) then you will not see anything like that anymore.
Then again give it some time

Not un-normal for it to take a month or two

And since you also have the card standing with that raiser cable, it might take longer. If it is possible you can try and tilt the case back and forth + side to side.
Just keep in mind when you tilt or rock it you need to hold it in that posision for a few seconds.

Now the drips... That ofc shall not happen.
Have it stopped or have you found the leak?

glytch5 · Nov 20, 2017

I never found the last leak... no idea where that drip came from. Have not seen any since.
I think it might have been left over around the stop plug area that the bad Phanteks plug was screwed in that was leaking...perhaps after I gamed on it, the heating of the card made the drip more mobile.

Those bubbles I asked about are already gone! haha. they went away quick. Even faster than my reservoir bubbles do.

Thanks for all the help man. you are always good at this sort of thing.

lumineZ · Nov 20, 2017

Holy, now that was a quick bleed

Maybe keep a piece of paper around the area you have seen the water drop. Keep it there for 2-3 days and check regulary when the system is running and turned off.
I have had leaks that stopped once the system was turned on but came back once the system was turned off.
Most of the cases its an O-ring that is not seated correct in the fittings.

Or it can be as you say: A left over drop from a drain and refill.

Enjoy the system

glytch5 · Nov 20, 2017

Thanks man! I will try that.
The thermals on this block were not as good as I was hoping...
I mean, they have dropped significantly from the stock strix cooler but I was hoping to get that low 20s or 19 C area idle temp.
my card idles around 28. under full load it hits 45ish. It is the OC strix though... and I believe that one buts out a little more wattage than the standard one.

I have a XSPC RX 240, and an EX 240 in the loop with my ryzen 1700x at 1.26 vcore. I feel like I want a larger radiator on top.

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