Aluminum isn't THAT much worse than copper. I'd say it is more about performance on a budget.
I still feel the biggest problem with these kits is that they are entry-level kits targeted at water-cooling newbies. The exact same people that don't know mixing copper and aluminum is a bad idea, and the people most likely to buy a copper accessory later on down the line.
As long as you use proper coolant there is no problem with mixing different metals, and EK says the included coolant does so. Plenty of different metals in a car's cooling system and they run fine for decades.
Mixing of certain metals doesn't present an issue given proper coolant. For instance copper, nickle, and brass can be used in a properly maintained loop without ill effect. However, having seen first hand many times the effects of galvanization in a mixed aluminum and copper loop despite the use of "proper" coolant, I can disprove your generically applicable statement (for aluminum/copper loops) by counterexample. Loops that I've replaced using several different coolants that claim to inhibit this effect (including EK coolant) all expressed the same galvanic corrosion damage to the aluminum parts. My clients heard statements similar to your and thought it would be fine. As my clients learned the hard way, having a "proper" coolant won't protect you. But you don't have to take my word on it. Here is what EK has to say about it: https://www.ekwb.com/blog/aluminium-vs-copper/
A few excerpts:
The rate of corrosion can be reduced almost to a halt by not mixing metals that are far away from each other on the Galvanic Series Chart AND by using anti-corrosive additives in coolants.
Bottom line, the horror stories you have heard about aluminum and corrosion will only occur in real life if you have mixed aluminum and copper or brass (or nickel plated version of both) parts in the same liquid cooling loop.
There are warning labels on all EK Fluid Gaming water blocks that warn the user about mixing liquid cooling parts. There is a big warning label when you open the kit box. There is also a label on your car which tells you which type of fuel it uses… and we still have people occasionally pouring petrol in their diesel cars. There is only so much we can do to educate and warn the users about the consequences of mixing different metal-based cooling parts.
Please don’t hesitate to share this blog post so that more people can learn about the issues that can occur if you don’t follow this simple rule: Don’t mix aluminum and copper (or brass) based liquid cooling products!
If the system is airtight. Yes, all the oxygen in the liquid will bond with the highest reductor (if I remember correctly). And it will do so with more enthusiasm if there is a noble metal electronically connected. But if no extra oxygen is added, the corrosion will stop. That's also why you shouldn't open your car's coolant tank. If you have a small leak and want to refill ones and a while, you're slowly eating all the aluminium parts away. And have a bad time.
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5 Comments
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LordanSS - Thursday, December 7, 2017 - link
Well... aluminum... =(Should still perform better than the air cooler but... this is more about "looks" than performance, I guess.
Wonder if they have that GPU block with a copper plate?
Lord of the Bored - Friday, December 8, 2017 - link
Aluminum isn't THAT much worse than copper. I'd say it is more about performance on a budget.I still feel the biggest problem with these kits is that they are entry-level kits targeted at water-cooling newbies. The exact same people that don't know mixing copper and aluminum is a bad idea, and the people most likely to buy a copper accessory later on down the line.
extide - Friday, December 8, 2017 - link
As long as you use proper coolant there is no problem with mixing different metals, and EK says the included coolant does so. Plenty of different metals in a car's cooling system and they run fine for decades.BurntMyBacon - Friday, December 8, 2017 - link
Mixing of certain metals doesn't present an issue given proper coolant. For instance copper, nickle, and brass can be used in a properly maintained loop without ill effect. However, having seen first hand many times the effects of galvanization in a mixed aluminum and copper loop despite the use of "proper" coolant, I can disprove your generically applicable statement (for aluminum/copper loops) by counterexample. Loops that I've replaced using several different coolants that claim to inhibit this effect (including EK coolant) all expressed the same galvanic corrosion damage to the aluminum parts. My clients heard statements similar to your and thought it would be fine. As my clients learned the hard way, having a "proper" coolant won't protect you. But you don't have to take my word on it. Here is what EK has to say about it:https://www.ekwb.com/blog/aluminium-vs-copper/
A few excerpts:
The rate of corrosion can be reduced almost to a halt by not mixing metals that are far away from each other on the Galvanic Series Chart AND by using anti-corrosive additives in coolants.
Bottom line, the horror stories you have heard about aluminum and corrosion will only occur in real life if you have mixed aluminum and copper or brass (or nickel plated version of both) parts in the same liquid cooling loop.
There are warning labels on all EK Fluid Gaming water blocks that warn the user about mixing liquid cooling parts. There is a big warning label when you open the kit box. There is also a label on your car which tells you which type of fuel it uses… and we still have people occasionally pouring petrol in their diesel cars. There is only so much we can do to educate and warn the users about the consequences of mixing different metal-based cooling parts.
Please don’t hesitate to share this blog post so that more people can learn about the issues that can occur if you don’t follow this simple rule: Don’t mix aluminum and copper (or brass) based liquid cooling products!
Foeketijn - Monday, December 11, 2017 - link
If the system is airtight. Yes, all the oxygen in the liquid will bond with the highest reductor (if I remember correctly). And it will do so with more enthusiasm if there is a noble metal electronically connected. But if no extra oxygen is added, the corrosion will stop. That's also why you shouldn't open your car's coolant tank. If you have a small leak and want to refill ones and a while, you're slowly eating all the aluminium parts away. And have a bad time.