All the new toys arrived

[Attila the Bun]

and everything looks OK...

Except on the cpu's stock heat sink and fan. One of the copper tubes running from the the connecting plate to the fin array has, what appears to be, crush damage, nothing major, but it looks like someone was a bit heavy handed with a pair of pliers.

I checked the box and there is no external damage but there are some abrasions to the inside of the box where this tube was in contact with the cardboard. There is no visible physical damage to the cpu so I am wondering if I should go ahead with the build or should I be in contact with the e-tailer first thing Monday asking for a replacement.

[Attila the Bun]

The reason I asked this is I don't know if this "tube" is a tube. If they are solid copper rods then this damage should have no effect on it's heat transfer properties, but if it is a tube and the cooling is done by the movement of hot air to the fin array within the tube then this damage could (if sufficiently severe) restrict the airflow and therefore reduce the amount of cooling.

[lego batman]

I think they are tubes rather than rods.

Can you post a picture?

[Fuzzed_out]

Yeah they are tubes with liquid inside them, a picture would be great

[Queelis]

Mate, you're talking about a heatpipe. And if it's not crushed flat, I doubt it would have any impact on performance. Again, pics or it didn't happen

[Attila the Bun]

Thanks guys,

Picture to follow.

[kalniel]

If this is the usual pinched end to seal a pipe, I will point and laugh (in a friendly Hexus way, of course)

[Attila the Bun]

Hopefully this will work and 2 pics will appear





hmmm...no pics maybe hexus doesn't like the hosting.

Where do you folks usually host your pics when you post them here? Hexus doesn't like b3tards or visa versa.

AH HA there we go

kalniel...if it's as simple a mistake as that I will stand there accept all the laughter from everyone

[Pob255]

I'm guessing you've got a amd black edition cpu

Cooler looks like this

The copper bits are Heatpipes, a heat pipe is a sealed copper tube, inside there is small amount of fluid and ether a wick or the inside is textured/scored/powder coated.
A heat pipe works by the fluid being vaporised by the heat (absorbing it) traveling along the pipe and then recondenseing (releaseing the heat) the fluid is then drawn back along the pipe by cappilery action back to the hot end to start the cycle again.

Damage to the heat pipe can effect it's performance, a lot will depend on the form of wick/transport used and if pierced then the fluid escapes and the whole thing is renendered useless.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heat_pipe

Not knowing what form of wick is used inside the amd coolers, to be on the safe side I'd complain.

EDIT:

If this is the usual pinched end to seal a pipe, I will point and laugh (in a friendly Hexus way, of course)

Good point, if the damage is half way along the pipe then yes complain, but if it's the end, then no that's normal and how it should look.

[Pob255]

Hopefully this will work and 2 pics will appear

http://www.b3tards.com/u/d25f9350937...e_damage_1.jpg

http://www.b3tards.com/u/d25f9350937...e_damage_2.jpg

hmmm...no pics maybe hexus doesn't like the hosting.

Where do you folks usually host your pics when you post them here? Hexus doesn't like b3tards or visa versa.

kalniel...if it's as simple a mistake as that I will stand there accept all the laughter from everyone

Ok looking at thoes pic looks like it's half way along not the end seal.
I'd be fussy and complain

[Attila the Bun]

You can see the damage quite clearly in the 1st pic and I attempted to show that it has squashed the pipe slightly

[Attila the Bun]

Thanks Pob

Ok looking at thoes pic looks like it's half way along not the end seal.
I'd be fussy and complain

So you reckon this is a genuine enough case for an RMA?

I got it from Aria because they were doing it £18 cheaper than SCAN.

Anybody know what they are like with returns?

[stavroshamster]

Looks damaged to me, but I guess the question is whether you want to go through the hassle of sending it back, waiting for it to be checked, and then waiting for a replacement.

If it was me I'd just whack it in and see if it works okay (I would be surprised if it doesn't as the damage looks fairly minor) - if you are overclocking it might be an issue, but I would have thought you wouldn't be using a stock cooler then anyway? Worse case scenario is that it doesn't work properly, in which case you are perfectly entitled to send it back anyway.

[Attila the Bun]

Looks damaged to me, but I guess the question is whether you want to go through the hassle of sending it back, waiting for it to be checked, and then waiting for a replacement.

I have to say that the reason I'm asking is that I really don't want to send it back, nearly 8 hours I waited for City Link. I could of gone to work and done a full day. That said I don't what to risk the CPU if it doesn't work especially as the damage to the cooler is quite obvious and could, theoretically at least, invalidate any warranty claims.

And yes I was going to get a better cooler when I dabble in overclocking but I want to set up and get it all running properly first.

[stavroshamster]

It's not that obvious IMHO.

And I would be very surprised if it does have a noticeable effect, and even if it does the CPU is likely to heat up only very slowly if it's fitted which would give you plenty of time to monitor the temps in the BIOS and turn it off if things looked hairy.

But, obviously I am just saying what I would do in your situation, and it's ultimately your decision/risk.

[Attila the Bun]

It's not that obvious IMHO.

The picture doesn't really show the full effect. I noticed it very quickly last night in soft lamp light

But, obviously I am just saying what I would do in your situation, and it's ultimately your decision/risk.

I appreciate your input and had this not been my first full build I probably wouldn't even be asking this question. I would be doing exactly what you just said.

But a really good point here (that my girlfriend has just chipped in) is that I paid for an item that should be in perfect condition and it isn't. And under the sale of goods act I am entitled to an exchange regardless of the item's ability to carry out it's function.

So I think I will contact Aria on Monday as see what they have to say.

My OS isn't arriving until then or Tuesday anyway so although I'm itching to start I can wait a few more days.