Condensation woes all of a sudden...

[Griffin]

Aaaaaaaargh!!!

After over 18 months of absolutely trouble free use of my P4 3.0Ghz @ 4.1, I am suddenly getting condensation from my Mach1!

It appears to be around the 1 inch collar where it joins the head.

Seal string around this ain't working, so am I to assume the head has busted?? ***The whole head seems cold to touch (where as it was very warm to touch until recently)***

I don't have enough seal string to strip it all down for re-assembly and everybody seems to have at least 3 days lead time on getting some more.

Any suggestions, or solving of similar experiences welcome.

I am concerned that this supposed 5+ year investment is far from it...

 

[standin wave]

I don't have enough seal string to strip it all down for re-assembly and everybody seems to have at least 3 days lead time on getting some more.

Seal string is same stuff they sell at B + Q. Will post link when I find it!

sw

 

[standin wave]

Courtesy of another member

It's sold at B & Q and its called "Homelux Flexible Self Adhesive Bath Sealing Strip 1.75m " link below

http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/produ...4554&paintCatId=

sw

"cheap as chips"

 

[Griffin]

Cheers buddy! It's off to B&Q

 

[ZaX]

The evap head is heated internally, you should find some wires running underneath the lagging on the thermal bus. These plug into the chip control unit, check their connection. Have you opened your Mach I prior to these problems?

 

[Griffin]

I haven't for a good six months (for cleaning)...but I will check the connection...that would definitely cause a prob! I'll try that before stripping it all down.

It's probably overdue a dustbust anyway.

Cheers for the heads-up.

 

[Arterion]

Seal string around this ain't working, so am I to assume the head has busted?? ***The whole head seems cold to touch (where as it was very warm to touch until recently)***

QUOTE]

Sorry to hijack the thread a bit, but do you mean that the head on a Mach I shouldn't be cold to touch?

 

[Griffin]

It should be quite warm to touch on the outside due to the heater element used to prevent condensation build up. As mine is now cold, I am getting condensation. Based on ZaX's reply I am going to check the heater connection tonight within the Mach1. I just hope it is the connection and not the element itself.

If yours is cold to touch when in use (which I believe you are implying?) then maybe your heater element isn't functioning/connected correctly?

This could explain a lot of other people's issues with condensation that are convinced their seals are truly air tight?

p.s. I stumbled across this forum after searching google for my problem, and it is proving to be a true gift from the gods already. Great source of info guys!!!

 

[tc_overclocker]

If after testing the connection it is correct and you suspect that the heater is infact gone, then you have a problem. There is no easy way to replace the heater...

... but there is a way around it ...

If the heater has died, this will be causing the build up of condensation on the entire head.... mostly on the top... around the collar as mentioned above. Now there is a way to stop the condensation building up and that is to insulate the whole head. This sounds a lot worse than it is.

Essentially the easiest way to do this would be to completely cover the head in a layer of Neoprene foam. This will stop air getting to the head... thus stopping condensation forming. This can be done by simply cutting five sheets of reasonably thick neoprene foam and covering the head.... holding it all inplace with some trusty electrical insulation tape

 

[Arterion]

Hmph So that means i have to open up the head?? How do I do this....and how do I tell if its the connection or the heating element which is screwed? This is a Mach I remember...

 

[ZaX]

As far as I know, you can't actually open up the evap head to check the heating element inside it, all you can do is check the connection of the wires which run through the thermal bus and plug into the chip control unit. If the heating element has burnt I wonder if it would be possible to buy a similar element and just stick it on the top of the evap head? Does someone have access to a rear heating element? so they could post up a model number or something so we could track down a similar unit. Or does anybody know the wattage of these heating elements?

 

[Griffin]

Checked the connections and all appear OK, therefore the heater element appears to have died.

I did notice that there are two thin red wires and a pair of joined thicker black wires coming from the head. I am guessing but would the two red wires be for the heater and the black for the temp probe?

It could be that part of the controller has died and not the heater element, which should be nothing that a soldering iron can't sort out.

I will try the neoprene solution, but this sounds a bit worrysome to me, need to wait a couple of days for some neoprene though!

Anybody have a complete wiring diagram for a mach1???

 

[tc_overclocker]

No no... you don't wana open the head... it's a lot more trouble than it's worth trust me

The only solution you have is to insulate the head itself

 

[[O-CuK]Marci]

Make sure every wire is in the controller properly... and if it's a MkI then go thru it's settings and ensure the whole controller is at it's factory default state. It only takes one setting to be wrong and all heaters will be turned off. It only takes one wire to not be sat properly in the controller terminal for all heaters to be off.

Yes, 2 reds are heater power, 2 blacks are temp probe.

Follow every wire back to the controller and ensure they're all in there properly, then run thru the settings.

Either way, loads of us used the MkI and MkII units for ages without heaters and without any condensation problems. Just overclock the chip so that the CPU generates enough heat to keep condensation at bay... ie: never let the cpu idle (which you shouldn't in a prommi anyway, the constant heating and cooling of the core reduces the tolerances of the cpu, hence it is best to use F@H or similar to keep the CPU permanently at 100% load)

 

[[O-CuK]Marci]

And the only similar heating element you'll generally find is behind a heated car wing mirror, and is far too big. Not managed to source anyone that does em in the size required with the holes required to clear the mounting points.

 

[[O-CuK]Marci]

And instead of neoprene for insulating head, use Armaflex tape... Sticky backed Neoprene. Looks much nicer than Neoprene and Electrical tape.

 

[Griffin]

I reset the settings in the control unit to factory default and checked all the wires, no joy. The heater, however, does function if I apply some voltage to the red wires with the unit off. I can only assume something has come undone within the control unit itself. I am a bit loathed to crack the control unit open (as the basic unit is working well) so for now I will accept the heater just ain't working.

That said I have just taken delivery of some 1/4 inch and 1/2 inch neoprene, so I will insulate the head. I tried locating some Aramaflex tape but couldn't find anybody that stocks it!

One advantage of the not using the heater will, I guess, be a lower case temp/lower fan speeds as that heater did kick up a fair amount of heat.

Thanks for all your help guys - my prommy WILL be well again at the weekend...

 

[fatty]

You can order the original spec heating element from the people who make them not sure of the cost but here is the link

http://www.sedesgroup.it/en/index.htm

they make the 12volt 7.2 watt heating pads for prommy kits

 

[Griffin]

Fitted lots of neoprene as air tight as possible, right down to board, using electrical tape pulled very tight, but couldn't get as much as I would like at the top of the head where it was needed most (a row of capacitors in the way - P4C800 deluxe) but plenty elsewhere. The neoprene was actually touching the capacitors at the top, which I think may have been the cause of my demise...

All seemed well over the whole weekend and then BOOM - my motherboard died taking the PSU with it! I won't repeat what I said at the time. A little condesation had formed around the capacitors at the top (they were stoney cold) and there we have it. I couldn't get any more neoprene between the head and those capacitors.

Needless to say, I had the last laugh, when I ripped out the prometeia and threw it out of the window! I didn't really.

But, well, bugga.

I may have one more go with my new mobo, when it arrives, using Armaflex tape if I can get some. Anybody know a stockist?

Then again I might just go and get a Vapochill LS and stick it on the credit card. ouch.

 

[ZaX]

Such casualties we bear, on this extreme path we have chosen. If it makes you feel any better I blew five motherboards recently , all because of a dodgy connection in a water chill relay switch. Each time I thought I had the problem pin pointed, bang, another motherboard dead. After that, I said to myself, no more modding and no more fiddling but after a while I just got itchy fingers again to start a new project . Take a little break for a while.