Been reading SPCR + forums for quite a while, but now it seems I have a problem I can't solve just by reading.
This is what I sent to (support at zalman dot co dot kr) hoping that they will reply.
I'm also hoping any of you can help me with this, except for the RMA issue, of course
Dear Zalman,
I apologize in advance for the length of this request, but the issue went through quite some lenghts already.
Please bear with me as I have a serious problem and the retailer here in Slovenia seems unwilling to help me further with this issue.
Last July I bought a Zalman Reserator 2 unit. I chose your product because I've been using Zalman air coolers for the last 6 years and have always been happy with them. The retailer was www dot mlacom dot si
The Reserator 2 unit also looked high quality as well as stylish which made me very happy installing it.
Initially I installed the system with only the CPU block, step by step as the manual instructed.
I had to destroy (cut) the degassing tube to get the quick coupling fittings, but otherwise had no problems.
After a week or so, the flow indicator started making noises (cricket-like sounds), but otherwise worked fine.
After another week, the unit began shutting itself down due to insufficient water flow.
I did all kinds of stuff to make it work including emptying the tubing and refilling it again. At this time I also did a little calculation of water flow in the system. There is some 0.1l of water in the tubing, maybe a bit more. It took the Reserator unit to fill the tubes some 20 seconds. A quick calculation shows that the water flow is: 0,15l * (60 sec / 20 sec ) * 60 min = 27 l/h, which isn't even 10% of the rated water flow of the pump in the unit.
I was forced to request service from the retailer. The unit was in service from the beginning of last august to mid september (more than a month). Finally the retailer decided to replace my unit with a new one. However, at that time, they refused to provide me with a new degassing tube and also gave me just about 1/4 of the coolant liquid. The head of service insisted that my original problems were due to using too much coolant and that 1/4 was plenty. Originally I mixed the coolant as instructed 1/4 with distilled water (1l of water + the entire flask of coolant).
Naturally, lacking the degassing tube, I had serious trouble installing the new unit. The pump is simply too weak to push the air through 2m of tubing. So, in the end I bought another water pump and added it into the loop (serially). That allowed me to properly degass the unit. I spent 3 hours degassing, turning the unit on its side as instructed and additionally making pauses for the air to settle. I stopped degassing when there were absolutely no air bubbles left.
I have additionally bought the ZM-GWB8800 GTS VGA water block and used the original VGA block to cool the chipset.
The new loop was setup like this: Reserator 2 --> CPU --> North bridge --> Additional pump --> VGA --> Reserator 2
I have tested the system and it worked fine. I could even disconnect the additional pump or the Reserator pump and each of the pumps was able to move the water fast enough for Reserator not to shut down with the warning tone. Again I calculated the water flow with both pumps working and this time it was some 60l / h. (The second pump is rated 360l/h)
The system worked fine for about two months, until december.
Then the unit again began shutting itself down because the flow indicator just stopped spinning, even though there was enough water flow in the system. In order to make the flow indicator start spinning again, I had to tap gently on the indicator glass window. Initially this worked fine, but during some 2 weeks, I had to tap harder and harder to make the indicator start spinning again. After these 2 weeks, the indicator won't start spinning no matter what I do.
Since the additional pump provides enough waterflow to cool the components, I just disconnected the Reserator unit so that it doesn't scream alarm all the time.
After reporting this again to the retailer, I also opened up the computer only to discover that since I disconnected the Reserator unit, some air started gathering in the tubing.
I have no idea how the air got to be there, but I can only see two reasons: either I failed degassing or the loop setup is such that the pumps "merge" the air which is in the water into bubbles.
Since I was unable to move the air out, I again emptied the tubing to refill it again.
Doing so I discovered that algae started growing in the water, which I attribute to insufficient quantity of coolant in the water. At least I believe that was algae as there was a thin slimy film on surface of the water in the glass. Similar film is also on the surface of the water in the reserator reservoir.
One other bit of information, before I move to questions: the Reserator unit is placed on top of the computer. The lowest / highest point of tubing have some 40cm of height difference.
Questions:
1. Why is the water flow so low, even with two pumps installed? Even the original Reserator pump should be able to fill the tubing in 2 seconds, if the rated flow is really 300l/h as I read in some forums.
2. Is it possible, that I received two faulty units in a row?
3. What else could I have done wrong?
4. Using 1,25l of cooling liquid only filled the reservoir in the unit some 2/3 if not less. Is this OK? How high should the cooling liquid reach in the reservoir?
5. How can I clean the algae from the system once this problem is resolved?
6. Also there were small grains of blue material in the water when I last emptied the tubing. Since I refilled the tubing it seems that the grains gave dissolved into the water again. What was that?
And most importantly: I currently have a disfunctional Zalman Reserator 2 unit. I believe it should be replaced, but I am not sure with what. This is the second unit and like the first, it failed quickly and (almost) completely. I already suggested the retailer that additional payment to get a more suitable replacement is not a problem for me, but I cannot just trash this unit and forget the 250€ (Reserator) + 70€ (VGA block) + a lot of my time - investment.
I would appreciate any help you can give me on the subject.
Thanks,
Jure