Production Aquanaut Basic/Extreme - Ultra Low Profile CPU Block & Pump Mount Combo

[thelaughingman]

Pretty Aquanaut! except the ketch-up mustard cable of the pump. Damn Bitspower charging so much yet can't do all black cables! Unfortunately the pump heatsink is ~2-3mm too tall for the T1 in 3 slot mode. Oh and you can see the Alphacool TPV fitting clears the LPX RAM by ~1mm or so. Peachy!

So I swapped out the pump heatsink for a 5mm thick acrylic plate, no leaks whatsoever and clearance is super tight!

@Nouvolo now that I have installed Aquanaut, I share the same gripe about the thumbscrews, they are just the worst! I even dread the day I need to upgrade from 3900X to 5950X.

 

[PKAWA]

Okay so I received the aquanaut and put it together.
That all went fine, but now I can't install it on my Asus X570-i board because the supplied thumbscrews have a thread that's wider than the original screws.
So the screws won't screw into the backplate of the Asus.
I have the exact same screws, and board as thelaughingman, so what's going on?

 

[eedev]

And if you're curious: Against some reports I've read on reddit, the EK ddc heatsink is too tall for the T1 in 3-slot mode by about 3.5mm.
I'm debating if I can manage to sand it down by that amount just with sandpaper, but I'm likely just dropping it altogether since it seems like its not even necessary for the PWM versions of these pumps.

Hey mate! I did sand it down yesterday. I don't know if I sanded it down enough for it to fit right, but I aimed at the same height as the screws.
It was quite long, I even used my feet LOL.

You can see the process here: https://smallformfactor.net/forum/t...md-t1-watercooled-build-log.15416/post-228261

 

[thelaughingman]

Okay so I received the aquanaut and put it together.
That all went fine, but now I can't install it on my Asus X570-i board because the supplied thumbscrews have a thread that's wider than the original screws.
So the screws won't screw into the backplate of the Asus.
I have the exact same screws, and board as thelaughingman, so what's going on?

píc would be helpful

 

[PKAWA]

You're right, here you go:

 

[thelaughingman]

You're right, here you go:

that's unfortunate, mine just screw in normally no issue at all. maybe poor QC on the screws @Nouvolo ?

 

[PKAWA]

I was turning and turning the screw for like 5 minutes and couldn't get it in so took it from the motherboard to dry test it, and that's when I realised it's never going to happen with these screws....
I hope he has some with the narrower thread, that will fit

 

[Nouvolo]

I was turning and turning the screw for like 5 minutes and couldn't get it in so took it from the motherboard to dry test it, and that's when I realised it's never going to happen with these screws....
I hope he has some with the narrower thread, that will fit

Have you tried that "problem" screw, with the other 3 screw holes? It may be easier to install it with the thumb cap on, have more of a grip.

Got your email. As mentioned earlier in this thread, we don't discuss specific issues for individual's order. Will work this out with you by email.

 

[PKAWA]

It's not that it's a problem screw, it's that the specific problem of all these screws is that the thread of them is to big. Somehow i think the wrong ones have been send.
I've tried all of them and with the caps on too.
Okay, we'll handle it there no problem I'll wait for your mail.

 

[Torquednb]

Hi, just a headsup @Nouvolo today i received the Aquanaut (AM4) and i have the same problem as PKAWA, the bag containing the screw sas "platform: 20XX" so i think that's the problem. (the screws actually screw in fine on a 2011 mobo)
I will sort it out via email.

 

[PKAWA]

Hi, just a headsup @Nouvolo today i received the Aquanaut (AM4) and i have the same problem as PKAWA, the bag containing the screw sas "platform: 20XX" so i think that's the problem. (the screws actually screw in fine on a 2011 mobo)
I will sort it out via email.

Just checked the bag, and sure enough it says that on mine too

 

[Post-Newt]

Received mine.
1. I have a strix board and now it sounds like the mounting hardware won't fit. Will have to verify.
2. They forgot to include a jet plate with mine. (no big deal assuming I can get help tracking one down).
3. Holy crap the cooling plate is extremely susceptible to warping. Check this out. Tightened and then After loosening. People, this is a HUGE deal that will severely affect your cooling performance and possibly create a leak so make sure you're paying close attention to how much you tighten your cooling plate. This one is going to make me paranoid that I'll leave it too loose and then it will leak on me further down the road.

Edit: I'm wondering if my acrylic block is out of tolerance and the cooling plate susceptibility to warping is abnormal. My cooling plate bottoms out on it before the O-ring starts to compress. Either I have to warp the cooling plate in order to clamp the AM4 bracket or I unwarp the cooling plate and the AM4 bracket becomes slightly loose. Sent an email to Nouvolo and we'll see what happens!

 

[August]

Received mine.
1. I have a strix board and now it sounds like the mounting hardware won't fit. Will have to verify.
2. They forgot to include a jet plate with mine. (no big deal assuming I can get help tracking one down).
3. Holy crap the cooling plate is extremely susceptible to warping. Check this out. Tightened and then After loosening. People, this is a HUGE deal that will severely affect your cooling performance and possibly create a leak so make sure you're paying close attention to how much you tighten your cooling plate. This one is going to make me paranoid that I'll leave it too loose and then it will leak on me further down the road.

Edit: I'm wondering if my acrylic block is out of tolerance and the cooling plate susceptibility to warping is abnormal. My cooling plate bottoms out on it before the O-ring starts to compress. Either I have to warp the cooling plate in order to clamp the AM4 bracket or I unwarp the cooling plate and the AM4 bracket becomes slightly loose. Sent an email to Nouvolo and we'll see what happens!

Worth double-checking that you’re using the correct screws for each part! There are short and long counter-sunk machine screws, and it looks like you might have the short ones connecting the top and bottom acrylic pieces…

 

[Post-Newt]

Worth double-checking that you’re using the correct screws for each part! There are short and long counter-sunk machine screws, and it looks like you might have the short ones connecting the top and bottom acrylic pieces…

Confirmed shorts used for cooling plate to acrylic and longs for acrylic to acrylic.

 

[Post-Newt]

Just got my Aquanaut!

Looks solid:



Hope I built this correctly
Can't slap it on my CPU yet as I'm still waiting for my 5900X to arrive.

2 questions:

1. how tight is tight enough ? Currently I can wiggle the black part around a bit, is that a concern ?
2. I'm not sure, but what is the jet plate ? I don't think I'll be using it but it seems to be missing from the box. Or maybe I just don't know what it looks like. Sorry for the n00b question.

Sounds like you might be having the same issue as me. I don't think the back plate being loose is intended.

https://smallformfactor.net/forum/t...rofile-cpu-pump-water-block.13009/post-228359

 

[PKAWA]

Received mine.
1. I have a strix board and now it sounds like the mounting hardware won't fit. Will have to verify.
2. They forgot to include a jet plate with mine. (no big deal assuming I can get help tracking one down).
3. Holy crap the cooling plate is extremely susceptible to warping. Check this out. Tightened and then After loosening. People, this is a HUGE deal that will severely affect your cooling performance and possibly create a leak so make sure you're paying close attention to how much you tighten your cooling plate. This one is going to make me paranoid that I'll leave it too loose and then it will leak on me further down the road.

Edit: I'm wondering if my acrylic block is out of tolerance and the cooling plate susceptibility to warping is abnormal. My cooling plate bottoms out on it before the O-ring starts to compress. Either I have to warp the cooling plate in order to clamp the AM4 bracket or I unwarp the cooling plate and the AM4 bracket becomes slightly loose. Sent an email to Nouvolo and we'll see what happens!

I've put mine together and don't have this problem.
Is it possible that you have to turn the cooling plate 90 degrees for it to fit better?
Or that the O ring is installed incorrectly?
Some pics of the front would help.

 

[Post-Newt]

I've put mine together and don't have this problem.
Is it possible that you have to turn the cooling plate 90 degrees for it to fit better?
Or that the O ring is installed incorrectly?
Some pics of the front would help.

Would appreciate if you check this and let me know if you see anything that stands out. Tried rotating the cooling plate in all four configurations. I think the o-ring is installed correctly as shown in pics. I added a pic of the top w/out pump attached.

 

[August]

FWIW, I don't think (from a forces perspective) it really matters if the retention plate is snug between the layers. As long as it's pulling down on the coldplate, and the coldplate is compressing the o-ring against the acrylic, the two systems should cooperate.

Basically, the retention bracket, holds the coldplate against the IHS, and the screws compress the block against the cold plate… but the retention bracket doesn't care about anything "above" it in the assembly, so long as it can supply good contact.

It looks like you've tried assembling without the retention bracket—could you tell whether you were getting good compression? Could you slot one of the edges of the retention bracket in, after the coldplate was snug (like a playing card into a deck)?

 

[Post-Newt]

FWIW, I don't think (from a forces perspective) it really matters if the retention plate is snug between the layers. As long as it's pulling down on the coldplate, and the coldplate is compressing the o-ring against the acrylic, the two systems should cooperate.

Basically, the retention bracket, holds the coldplate against the IHS, and the screws compress the block against the cold plate… but the retention bracket doesn't care about anything "above" it in the assembly, so long as it can supply good contact.

It looks like you've tried assembling without the retention bracket—could you tell whether you were getting good compression? Could you slot one of the edges of the retention bracket in, after the coldplate was snug (like a playing card into a deck)?

Here's what "tight" looks like. Angle of the bracket gives you an idea of how loose the clearance is.

 

[Nouvolo]

One main point to take after recent posts, about the cold plate mounting. The water block only needs to be not leaking. All the discussion about how hard it has been tightened... I would ask, why not just tighten the screws enough so that there is no leak? That's just what you need right?

There will always be a slight gap between the cold plate and the acrylic block, for the o-ring to sit in between. The o-ring doesn't function if the groove is too deep and the cold plate just sits right against the water block...

In short, official advice/instruction: do not over tighten screws, they only need to be tight enough not to leak. Before anything first question to ask : is it leaking?

Aquanaut should be tested enough (by quantities sold), not to have systematic issues.