Xigmatek HDT-S1283 Faulty?

[canthearyou]

I just finished mounting the bolt through assembly to the heatsink when I noticed something on the top fin. Next to the the middle heat pipe (blunt end) toward the middle of the fin top surface, there was a smear of what looked like lumpy vaseline. Across the other side another pipe (blunt end) had a little bit of similar material. The material went up to the pipe surround on the fin.

On the first pipe there is a small notch in the fin, which appears to be green down inside of it.

I looked at the foam the heatsink came in and in both notches designed to protect the tubes there is green residue.

Has anyone seen this before? Could one of the pipes be leaking or is this solder flux leftover from manufacturing or lubricant to easily fit the thing in the foam?

I can post a picture later.

http://picasaweb.google.com/steve.knobl ... 0775879138

[NeilBlanchard]

Hiya,

I have seen this, or heard of it before. I think you should email Xigmatek, and ask them what the green stuff might be?

[canthearyou]

I just did. Their site has a weird contact form. No support email listed.

Yeah, it is just a little green where the stuff got on the foam. Like it turned it.

If you look at the picture, the middle pipe on the right has a tiny hole next to it. The notch is outside in the vane, not on the pipe. It looks green down in there. The green may have come from copper.

I'm not sure what the pipes are filled with. It seems strange that it would be clear and jelly like.

[canthearyou]

I wiped off the material to get a better look at the metal. The notch turned out to be a fleck of green stuff and wiped right off with a q-tip. I hate this holding up my build.

Maybe I should go ahead or use the crossbow parts to install the Intel HSF while I'm waiting.

[canthearyou]

I googled heat pipe leaks and found

"Some are concerned about the possibility of the fluid leaking from the heat pipe into the electronics. The amount of fluid in a heat pipe of this diameter is less than 1cc. In a properly designed heat pipe, the water is totally contained within the capillary wick structure and is at less than 1 atmosphere of pressure. If the integrity of the heat pipe vessel were ever compromised, air would leak into the heat pipe instead of the water leaking out. Then the fluid would slowly vaporize as it reaches its atmospheric boiling point."
http://www.cheresources.com/htpipes.shtml

Experience of a possible leak.

http://www.nvnews.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=83301

Although this does not fit the physics model suggested by the article.

It is possible the vapor condensed once it was outside the pipe and hence the green residue on the foam.

Another sighting.

http://forums11.itrc.hp.com/service/for ... dId=533050

" In the case of heat pipes commonly used in PCs, the fluid is simply purified water, and the wicking medium is just copper braid, similar to that found in coax insulation, or, more closely, desoldering braid. "
http://www.overclockers.com/tips90/index03.asp

The fluid can be water, ammonia, acetone and methanol.

If I get hot under the collar I might try

http://www.newscientist.com/blog/invent ... iator.html

or for overclocking my brain.

[jhhoffma]

Experience of a possible leak.

http://www.nvnews.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=83301

That's most likely electrolyte from a bad capacitor in the PSU leaking down onto his GPU. It's not anything from a heatpipe. Way too much material.

I think your on to something with the condensation/oxidation of copper.

[canthearyou]

It could be weeks before the company responds. I have a stock Intel cooler and this one. If the fluid leaked, the worse thing is the heatsink may not be efficient at heat removal and have to be replaced after I install it. I've never removed heatsink compound so that creates some anxiety. It could just be some material from packing.

I think you are right about the material on that guy's card. It is too much and too thick.