EK questions (however, I'm not support! :P )

[davido_labido]

Hey all.

I've recently been visiting the forums a little more than I have in the past few years, so I figured I would drop a post here and just say that if you have any questions regarding EKWB, you're more than welcome to drop a post here and I will do my best to help. If you weren't aware, I was Alphacool rep for 5 years and I've been with EKWB for the last 11 months.


However...

1) I am not support. I don't have access to support or ordering systems or customer accounts. So don't ask me things like 'when will my order arrive' or ' x is missing a screw' or 'Can you check my RMA?' as the answer will pretty much always be no. If you have these kinds of issues, please, first contact the store you purchased the product from, then if that doesn't work, contact support. If you STILL run into problems after that, then you can mention it to me and I will see what I can do, but CS and RMA are completely other departments where I have no real say .
2) Keep it civil. I don't have to be here and honestly, I will just delete the thread and dip if it just becomes a huge mess . Constructive criticism is perfectly fine and I welcome it (without seeing the issues, we can't fix them) but obviously just keep it constructive.
3) If you have any awesome builds you want to show off, post them here on the OcUK forums we actually also have a place you can share, aptly called Share your build that we would love to see your work also!
4) Where possible I will obviously use OcUK links for any product recommendations etc. Make sure you try and do this too please! If they don't have the product, use EKWB links, don't link competitors please, I don't want this thread to be deleted


Let's see how this goes

 

[woppy101]

i have a question, will EK be making a coldplate for a delidded 7000 series like they have for the 13900k?

 

[davido_labido]

i have a question, will EK be making a coldplate for a delidded 7000 series like they have for the 13900k?

we're looking at doing a Direct Die block for AMD yes. I'm not sure when it will be as we're looking into some teething problems with the Intel version at the moment, but once that is fixed, we're good to go on AMD version

 

[Haz123]

Hi davido , is nice of you to poke your head above the parapets in here. I have used a fair few EK products and I have a few constructive criticisms that you may want to pass onto your marketing/sales department.

First and most important is instruction manuals, print them and put them in the box. Having to download and instal a QRcode reader before I can see the instructions is very annoying and I am not totally sure about this but was annoying an EK customer their aim. After I realized I could not realisticly use my phone to see the instructions I had to get a laptop and look for the instructions with that. I would have massively preferred a printed manual I could have used instead. My previous gpu water block was from Phanteks and it had a printed manual and given a choice of 2 blocks I like equally in the future I am not buying EK because I know I will get a relevant manual with some competitor products.
The product in question was a 7900xtx ref waterblock. In the past I had installed a distro plate and the instructions for that were just laughably bad, I am looking at some of your distro plate instructions now and I can see they have improved so good job with that.
Second, label the bags so you know which screws are which , what mounting kit is what etc etc. Did not enjoy cutting the thermal pads to shape and the phanteks kit had pre cut memory pads so I would suggest this to the relevant person as well.

In general working with EK kit is tricky and annoying mainly for the 2 reasons I have noted above. The Phanteks and Corsair components I have used int he past had excellent clear printed instructions where as EK do not.

Your components look great and work really well, lots of things to be proud about your products.

 

[Jay-G25]

we're looking at doing a Direct Die block for AMD yes. I'm not sure when it will be as we're looking into some teething problems with the Intel version at the moment, but once that is fixed, we're good to go on AMD version

Any idea when the 13th gen direct die kits will be ready to go again ? I've got one on preorder and not heard anything about dispatch or delivery so assumed they were looking into the issue of it stripping the threads on the delid tool . Was planning to use a tiny bit of copper grease on the bolt top stop it eating away at the threads but obviously would rather the issue was solved so no need to do that

 

[Jay85]

Welcome Mr Alcock

 

[davido_labido]

Hi davido , is nice of you to poke your head above the parapets in here. I have used a fair few EK products and I have a few constructive criticisms that you may want to pass onto your marketing/sales department.

First and most important is instruction manuals, print them and put them in the box. Having to download and instal a QRcode reader before I can see the instructions is very annoying and I am not totally sure about this but was annoying an EK customer their aim. After I realized I could not realisticly use my phone to see the instructions I had to get a laptop and look for the instructions with that. I would have massively preferred a printed manual I could have used instead. My previous gpu water block was from Phanteks and it had a printed manual and given a choice of 2 blocks I like equally in the future I am not buying EK because I know I will get a relevant manual with some competitor products.
The product in question was a 7900xtx ref waterblock. In the past I had installed a distro plate and the instructions for that were just laughably bad, I am looking at some of your distro plate instructions now and I can see they have improved so good job with that.
Second, label the bags so you know which screws are which , what mounting kit is what etc etc. Did not enjoy cutting the thermal pads to shape and the phanteks kit had pre cut memory pads so I would suggest this to the relevant person as well.

In general working with EK kit is tricky and annoying mainly for the 2 reasons I have noted above. The Phanteks and Corsair components I have used int he past had excellent clear printed instructions where as EK do not.

Your components look great and work really well, lots of things to be proud about your products.

Pads have already started to be labelled and we're already looking at precut pads too, however, it likely won't be anytime soon that you will see that as we have a lot of pads already to get through.

As for the manual, they're also on the website so you don't have to use the QR code (also, you can usually just use your camera rather than downloading an app to scan the code). We likely won't go back to paper manuals as we're trying to reduce the amount of packaging and materials were using and just due to the type of industry it's part of, nearly everyone has either a smart phone, tablet, PC, laptop or a mixture of the above. We also can't update printed manuals, which we do somewhat often to make things clearer or to add a V2 etc. If we have 500 blocks ready with paper manuals inside, we would then have to open all the boxes to just change something, which would be far more time consuming and expensive.

 

[davido_labido]

Any idea when the 13th gen direct die kits will be ready to go again ? I've got one on preorder and not heard anything about dispatch or delivery so assumed they were looking into the issue of it stripping the threads on the delid tool . Was planning to use a tiny bit of copper grease on the bolt top stop it eating away at the threads but obviously would rather the issue was solved so no need to do that

Yeah, I believe at the moment we're looking into the issues with the DD blocks before shipping out more, it does seem like the thread issue on the delidding tool was only with the first batch (which, typically is the one that went to media) as we have been trying to replicate the issue and can't. We also haven't heard of anyone with the second batch have issues yet, but we're keeping an eye out on it.

 

[Evil-I]

Hi Davido,

Good of you to offer to chat to us. I'm a long time EK customer, I've bought more of your products than I care to mention and been very happy with them.

One thing I was wondering the other day is whether there is a list of the RGB LED details for your various products, specifically as I currently use SignalRGB to control my lighting as I was so fed up of running about 6 different manufacturers apps which were flakey resource hogs. Quite a few manufacturers products are baked into the software, but not yours. You can create custom LED strips etc, but it would be helpful to have accurate LED counts etc when doing ths. So please can you publish LED details, or even better collaborate with the folks at Signal RGB to get your products added in

Also please consider bringing back your classic rotary and angled fittings. I'm really not a fan of the quantum torque ones, just too bulky. Also maybe a female to female hardline 90 similar to the Barraow/ bitspower dual multilink. Then I could use glass tubing in my O11d xl with your pump/ distro plate.


Best,

E-I

 

[Mcnumpty2323]

i actually prefer the torque fittings
especially the 90 rotary
feels more solid and less play in it than the older ones

likewise i also use signalrgb
so yeah would be nice to see EK products integrated to it
though i guess ek have so many cpu,gpu blocks and distros
that it might be challenging for signalrgb guys to do them all
assuming the blocks/distros cant just report to the software hey i have X amount of leds in me

and always nice to see a company rep in here

 

[Evil-I]

i actually prefer the torque fittings
especially the 90 rotary
feels more solid and less play in it than the older ones

I guess its a mixture of things for me, I've got a load of the previous generation in both of my main rigs but as they are no longer available, any loop changes can be problematic without replacing all my fittings, and given I'm not a fan of the quantum torque rotaries etc I'd have to go with someone else... I'm actually using the Quantum torque hardline fittings, its just the angle and rotaries I don't like. Is there even a dual rotary in quantum torque?

 

[Mcnumpty2323]

I guess its a mixture of things for me, I've got a load of the previous generation in both of my main rigs but as they are no longer available, any loop changes can be problematic without replacing all my fittings, and given I'm not a fan of the quantum torque rotaries etc I'd have to go with someone else... I'm actually using the Quantum torque hardline fittings, its just the angle and rotaries I don't like. Is there even a dual rotary in quantum torque?

think i saw theyre releasing a dual rotary offset fitting
on pre order on ocuk last i looked
that might be useful
though if thats £24 just for 1
i wont be rushing out to buy a pair

 

[davido_labido]

Hi Davido,

Good of you to offer to chat to us. I'm a long time EK customer, I've bought more of your products than I care to mention and been very happy with them.

One thing I was wondering the other day is whether there is a list of the RGB LED details for your various products, specifically as I currently use SignalRGB to control my lighting as I was so fed up of running about 6 different manufacturers apps which were flakey resource hogs. Quite a few manufacturers products are baked into the software, but not yours. You can create custom LED strips etc, but it would be helpful to have accurate LED counts etc when doing ths. So please can you publish LED details, or even better collaborate with the folks at Signal RGB to get your products added in

Also please consider bringing back your classic rotary and angled fittings. I'm really not a fan of the quantum torque ones, just too bulky. Also maybe a female to female hardline 90 similar to the Barraow/ bitspower dual multilink. Then I could use glass tubing in my O11d xl with your pump/ distro plate.


Best,

E-I

I've never used SignalRGB but we can give them a shout. Most of our product pages have the number of LEDs on them (there are one or two that don't have them though, I know).
It wouldn't be too hard to provide this to SignalRGB if that is all required?
As for the fittings - we're likely not changing them back. It's just a case of the end of one product line and the beginning of the other. I actually love the Torque fittings (although I am not a fan of the 45 degree) but before I used them I didn't like them at all. I think they're one of the things you need to have in hand to appreciate.

 

[Mcnumpty2323]

yeah once you get the torque 90 rotary in your hands
you can feel a bit of weight to it
feels really solid
as it should think they were 9 quid each

@davido_labido
signalrgb is definitely worth a look
i have ek,lian li,corsair,phanteks and thermaltake rgb stuff in here
trying to use all their softwares together just conflicts
signalrgb is doing the whole lot

 

[haaammit]

Allo! I've got a fair few EKWB bits in my current, slowly progressing build and have a q about a couple of them. Is it possible to rotate the ekwb logo on the nickel D5 pump cover (this one) and the Velocity ARGB water block (this one) as in the new configuration I need to rotate the cpu block by 90° so the emblem will no longer face the "correct" way (it will be facing a different way to the M.2 drive heat sink under it (this one)) and I would prefer the hole on the cover to be facing to the side of my case, not the bottom (using a front distro plate (the Quantum Relection² O11D-EVO here)) and again, the logo will then be 90° wrong to the other emblems!
First world problems, ikr?
Hoping for a simple solution! Ta

 

[Evil-I]

As for the fittings - we're likely not changing them back. It's just a case of the end of one product line and the beginning of the other. I actually love the Torque fittings (although I am not a fan of the 45 degree) but before I used them I didn't like them at all. I think they're one of the things you need to have in hand to appreciate.

Hi Davido,

Understood. I have got some of the quantum torque fittings, both 45 and 90, so I have felt them in the flesh, they are just too bulky for my taste (and very expensive)... It's especially bad when trying to do things like have a 90 mid hardline tube if you don't want to bend. So going tube to tube at right angle, as far as I can tell with EK you'd end up using quantum torque 90 plus female to female gender changer and then 2 x quantum hardline fittings. trust me it looks a state... I tried it. Plus that would be the best part of £40-£50 for one right angle.

I ended up with a couple of barrow dual multilink fittings instead. They don't really match all my EK fittings very well, but I couldn't find a neat solution with your products. I'd typically just bend the tube in most of my builds, but in my o11d xl I was going for a very clean sharp look, so all straight/ paralell tube runs and fittings to the Quantum reflection D5 pump/ res distro plate. Longer term I'm aiming to change the PETG tube in this build to glass, hence why I don't want to have bends...

 

[Evil-I]

It's especially bad when trying to do things like have a 90 mid hardline tube if you don't want to bend. So going tube to tube at right angle, as far as I can tell with EK you'd end up using quantum torque 90 plus female to female gender changer and then 2 x quantum hardline fittings. trust me it looks a state... I tried it. Plus that would be the best part of £40-£50 for one right angle.

Just realised I could have used torque static 90 ff and then 2 x hardline fittings , but these seem in short supply and would be much more bulky overall than the barrow multilink fittings are.

 

[davido_labido]

Hi Davido,

Understood. I have got some of the quantum torque fittings, both 45 and 90, so I have felt them in the flesh, they are just too bulky for my taste (and very expensive)... It's especially bad when trying to do things like have a 90 mid hardline tube if you don't want to bend. So going tube to tube at right angle, as far as I can tell with EK you'd end up using quantum torque 90 plus female to female gender changer and then 2 x quantum hardline fittings. trust me it looks a state... I tried it. Plus that would be the best part of £40-£50 for one right angle.

I ended up with a couple of barrow dual multilink fittings instead. They don't really match all my EK fittings very well, but I couldn't find a neat solution with your products. I'd typically just bend the tube in most of my builds, but in my o11d xl I was going for a very clean sharp look, so all straight/ paralell tube runs and fittings to the Quantum reflection D5 pump/ res distro plate. Longer term I'm aiming to change the PETG tube in this build to glass, hence why I don't want to have bends...

in the o11 with reflection 2, you shouldn't need any fittings like that, you can use the push in fittings and a 90 at the bottom, same at the top (IIRC, you might need an extension) and then for CPU and GPU there are different configurations depending on what motherboard/GPU you're using. Obviously this is only with EKWB parts that are Matrix 7 compatible, but it is how they're so clean.

Allo! I've got a fair few EKWB bits in my current, slowly progressing build and have a q about a couple of them. Is it possible to rotate the ekwb logo on the nickel D5 pump cover (this one) and the Velocity ARGB water block (this one) as in the new configuration I need to rotate the cpu block by 90° so the emblem will no longer face the "correct" way (it will be facing a different way to the M.2 drive heat sink under it (this one)) and I would prefer the hole on the cover to be facing to the side of my case, not the bottom (using a front distro plate (the Quantum Relection² O11D-EVO here)) and again, the logo will then be 90° wrong to the other emblems!
First world problems, ikr?
Hoping for a simple solution! Ta

The only way to rotate them is to remove them (I use a craft knife blade) then turn the around then put them back on. you can bend them though, so be careful with them but I find it better than them being the wrong way

 

[haaammit]

The only way to rotate them is to remove them (I use a craft knife blade) then turn the around then put them back on. you can bend them though, so be careful with them but I find it better than them being the wrong way

okies - ty for the reply, I'll give it a go, gingerly....... Is it possible to buy replacements in case I mess one up? I've looked on the shop site but can't find any listed. Many thanks

 

[davido_labido]

okies - ty for the reply, I'll give it a go, gingerly....... Is it possible to buy replacements in case I mess one up? I've looked on the shop site but can't find any listed. Many thanks

I think I have a few spare I can help ya with if needed