EK stops Nickel-Plated Water Block Production

If you are the owner of an EK nickel plated waterblock, then please check your setup. TPU reports the following via rrtech:

Water-cooling major EK Waterblocks (EKWB) halted the production of nickel-plated copper water blocks. The company received several complaints from users about the nickel plating to be of substandard quality, and corroding away much faster. Nickel plating itself is supposed to work as a corrosion-resistant coating over copper. Nickel plating gives the surface of the block a chrome-like lustrous shine. EKWB, after conducting its own tests, blamed silver coils and copper sulphate additives, anti-algae agents used in public water supply. A weak defense, considering people use distilled water (battery water) in their loops, or coolants that are formulated to be less corrosive than tap water on metallic parts of the loop.

A RRTech forum member conducted a wide range of tests including microscopic imaging of a water block, revealing what he alleges to be substandard quality of nickel plating, rather than corrosion caused by bad coolant. Meanwhile, EKWB halted production and sales of nickel-plated copper water blocks.

In its latest statement, EKWB says: "As EK is looking for lasting solution for nickel plating issue (concerning corrosion because of silver coils and copper sulphate additive) we decided to halt sales of nickel plated products till solution is found and tested. Our resellers were advised to halt sales too. We cannot put users into position, that we replace products and corrosion starts again on new product. Hopefully we will find an answer and tested solution in short while. We will update you as soon as we have any news. However, If customer insists on buying EK nickel block, we offer a customer full 24 month warranty on material, manufacturing and corrosion."