Used custom loop parts - Yay or Nay?

PizzaAtlas · January 15, 2023

So, TLDR; I'm working on converting my system to a custom water loop, and I'm really close but I still need some parts. I currently have a motherboard monoblock and a gpu block, but I still need the rest. I've had my eye on the radiators from Primochill for a while, but it seems they're ALWAYS out of stock. However, there's this listing on their site for a used one, which really entices me, but I'm a bit skeptical. https://www.primochill.com/collections/used-open-box/products/used-primochill-360mm-eximosx-ultra-radiator-2

There's no photos or guarantee of what condition it will be in, so that leaves me wondering- what should I actually be worried about, if anything? I haven't really heard anyone ever talk about it, but maybe I just haven't looked hard enough. Anyway, if any of you have experiences with used custom loop parts, either from Primochill or somewhere else, I wanna know. My main thoughts before hearing anything are:

1. If the person who used this before me was dumb and mixed metals, is that now my problem? How can I tell if that's the issue? Can I prevent it from being a problem?

2. How often do radiators end up completely banged up? Should I expect minor scratches or could it be completely dented?

3. If I need to spend more money to clean this thing up, does it make the discount for buying used not worth it?

4. Are radiators totally fine to buy used? Are any other parts safe?

If anyone has any sacred knowledge or if I'm just a big dumb dumb, please share your thoughts. Thanks!

alyen · January 15, 2023

Do you have a leak testing tool? You will only be limited to external examination, and what you can see under the ports. If the fins look horribly bent, I would stay away from it. You can ask the guy what coolant he used and how he cleaned/flushed it. There is very likely to be some corrosion or some build up you won't be see, but it may not noticeably affect performance. It's unlikely you will ever be able to clean it as it was new if it's used after a few months. I only bought a used aluminum radiator one time because it was really cheap and it was never really used.

I do look around on local Craigslist and Facebook Market Place, but most of the price people are asking for doesn't look reasonable for something used from my point of view.

thrasher_565 · January 15, 2023

buying used rads should be fine. blocks could be iffy. hard line fittings nop.

ChrisLoudon · January 19, 2023

On 1/15/2023 at 2:14 AM, PizzaAtlas said:

If anyone has any sacred knowledge or if I'm just a big dumb dumb, please share your thoughts. Thanks!

Hi buddy,

Its always a tricky one, especially with water cooling components.

In theory, these components should be as hardy as anything else in your PC. I've got pretty much all of my PCs water cooled and as you can see from my sig, I'm still rocking 8th gen Intel's so my fittings are pretty old but still performing perfectly.

If you are looking on the 2nd hand market, the 2 main points of failure to look out for (if you can / see photos) are the rubber O-rings inside hardline compression fittings as these are what keeps it water tight. If the previous user hasn't deburred his / her pipes before fitting then these can be damaged.

The other thing to look out for is on the rad, where the fans have been screwed in. Its not uncommon for there to be a few mm difference in thickness between fan manufactures and as I have found out a few times over the years, an extra turn or 2 is enough to push the screw into the rad and cause a leak.

C

Selle · January 19, 2023

My first water cooling loop was made up of only used parts. The second one everything except the blocks was used, but no parts was reused from the first one. I never had any issues

Mick Naughty · January 19, 2023

Prolly have bought 25 blocks, most used and even coming with cards. Had 3 dirty gpu blocks, cleaned them and they perform the same. Only got a few used rads and never had an issue. Half my pumps were used, one fried after a while which is common for its version. One has a rpm reporting issue. I'd do it again if need be. Fittings are the only things im iffy about. As I can't replace the orings on most and not knowing their age, it's a gamble. But thats only for rotary fittings and such.