Damaged fins on radiator

BryceK

SFF Lingo Aficionado
Original poster
Dec 25, 2017
143
86
Hi all,

So im busy with setting up a test bench to test delitting on different 115x cpus with Thermal Grizzlys Conductenaut and the RocketCool custom Copper IHS.

Now for testing I bought a Asetek 545LC directly from their shop. But it has some damage to the fins in the rad. Now I don't know if this happens more often to rads, but would it effect preformance? Or should I send it back? (was $80 AIO + $22 dollars for the AM4 and 115x mount and $55 shipping to the Netherlands) als had to pay an additional €30,- in custom fees.


 

loader963

King of Cable Management
Jan 21, 2017
660
568
When I built my first custom loop, I had the same situation with one of my rads. I took a small, sharp knife and tried to bend them back the best I could and it turned out pretty good.

For no more than I can see, I don’t think it would affect it much, if at all. However, it does suck when you pay for new stuff to have these problems. I’d say follow your gut, if it’s gonna annoy you to keep it, send it back but if you can live with it, just roll with it.
 

AcquaCow

SFF Lingo Aficionado
Jul 14, 2017
113
84
Just use a pair of tweezers and align them back into place, takes about 10 seconds.

Be happy you only have ~9 rows of fins to manage... I have 38 on each of my cars...



They get hit by rocks/etc all the time and have to be straightened yearly.
 
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Josh | NFC

Not From Concentrate
NFC Systems
Jun 12, 2015
1,869
4,466
www.nfc-systems.com
Hi all,

So im busy with setting up a test bench to test delitting on different 115x cpus with Thermal Grizzlys Conductenaut and the RocketCool custom Copper IHS.

Now for testing I bought a Asetek 545LC directly from their shop. But it has some damage to the fins in the rad. Now I don't know if this happens more often to rads, but would it effect preformance? Or should I send it back? (was $80 AIO + $22 dollars for the AM4 and 115x mount and $55 shipping to the Netherlands) als had to pay an additional €30,- in custom fees.



As Aquacow said, this is completely normal, and it isn't even considered "damaged" by the manufacturer. If it bothers you straighten them up with a toothpick or pen or something. It won't hurt performance. Peace to you!
 

tinyitx

Shrink Ray Wielder
Jan 25, 2018
2,279
2,338
Bent fins only hinder the airflow over them and the cooling effectiveness is reduced.
By a rough conservative count, there are, say, 70x9=630 fins. Out of these, I count, say, 12-15 bent fins, whose effectiveness is reduced, say, by 50%. So, (15/630)*50% /100 = 1%. As already said, just use a little pair of tweezers or toothpick to straighten them. No problem.

However, I would ask you to run a longer-than-usual leak test. Bent fins might be caused by an object hitting the rad. And that might, by a very very small chance, damage the water channels. Even though there is no visual damage to the water channels, it is better to play safe than being sorry later.