[SOLVED] AIO Liquid Cooler - can a dead/malfunctioning pump actually be repaired?

asot

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Apr 7, 2012
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Hi everyone,

My CPU temps were going crazy and after some internet troubleshooting I arrived to the conclusion that the AIO cooler pump was malfunctioning.

Some of the symptoms were:

  • Occasional grinding/shredding noise coming from the pump
  • Fan running at 100% in even the slightest CPU loads with temps reaching up to 90-100 C
  • Coolant pipes/cables barely getting warm

Notes:
  • Thermal paste was re-applied recently
  • CPU had no overclock, an I9 running at stock frequencies

I sent the AIO cooler for repair expecting to get a replacement as all the behavior pointed out to a malfunctioning pump. After 2 days they are sending it back to me claiming to have been "repaired". When I asked what kind of repair they did on it they said they "reconditioned the pump".

My question is quite simple - can broken AIO pumps be repaired/reconditioned just like that ? The problem I see here is that the pump was not replaced but reconditioned instead. My warranty expires in ~ 1 month so I'm worried they may have applied some kind of trick to get it working a bit longer before it finally breaks outside of the warranty period.

Thank you in advance!
 
Solution
It's possible, but it will depend a lot on the specific design of the pump and what went wrong. Many AIO's build up a slimy gunk inside the pump so they probably disassemble it, clean off the microfinning in the heat plate and then reassemble. Probably replace the impeller (the only moving part) and any bearings it might use (some use a floating impeller). Finishing up they'll make sure it's completely filled with fluid. But there's just not much more I think they can do.

I'd not expect it to last as long as brand new simply because I wouldn't trust the workmanship. But it's not likely they pulled any tricks. If they're going to do something they'll do it as right as they are capable simply because it costs them the same...the question...
It's possible, but it will depend a lot on the specific design of the pump and what went wrong. Many AIO's build up a slimy gunk inside the pump so they probably disassemble it, clean off the microfinning in the heat plate and then reassemble. Probably replace the impeller (the only moving part) and any bearings it might use (some use a floating impeller). Finishing up they'll make sure it's completely filled with fluid. But there's just not much more I think they can do.

I'd not expect it to last as long as brand new simply because I wouldn't trust the workmanship. But it's not likely they pulled any tricks. If they're going to do something they'll do it as right as they are capable simply because it costs them the same...the question is just how capable they are.
 
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Solution

asot

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Apr 7, 2012
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18,530
It's possible, but it will depend a lot on the specific design of the pump and what went wrong. Many AIO's build up a slimy gunk inside the pump so they probably disassemble it, clean off the microfinning in the heat plate and then reassemble. Probably replace the impeller (the only moving part) and any bearings it might use (some use a floating impeller). Finishing up they'll make sure it's completely filled with fluid. But there's just not much more I think they can do.

I'd not expect it to last as long as brand new simply because I wouldn't trust the workmanship. But it's not likely they pulled any tricks. If they're going to do something they'll do it as right as they are capable simply because it costs them the same...the question is just how capable they are.

Thank you very much for the explanation! You are awesome.

Have a nice day!