GPU Heatsink exploded/blew up

[Littleshop]

He was running the card 100% load 24/7, how does that warrant an RMA? No card that it used for bitcoin mining should be entitled for a "free" replacement. How many lies will you tell them to get a new free card?

That would be entitled to an RMA.  Pushing it past 100% (overclocking/overvolting) breaks the terms of the warranty.  Using it right up to the terms 100% does not. 

[akspa]

That's the first time I've ever seen heatpipes blow out. I work as a computer tech and see lots of nasty problems, but I've never seen anything like this.

[rograz]

That's the first time I've ever seen heatpipes blow out. I work as a computer tech and see lots of nasty problems, but I've never seen anything like this.

Normal heatpipes can't really expand the way a vapor-chamber can, they usually just crack at either end when pressure gets to high and whatever medium was inside them leaks out.

[middlemarkal]

That's the first time I've ever seen heatpipes blow out. I work as a computer tech and see lots of nasty problems, but I've never seen anything like this.

Normal heatpipes can't really expand the way a vapor-chamber can, they usually just crack at either end when pressure gets to high and whatever medium was inside them leaks out.

so the medium leaks out on your motherboard, nasty 

[FiatKiller]

I'll take two eggs over-easy please...

[Gator-hex]

He was running the card 100% load 24/7, how does that warrant an RMA? No card that it used for bitcoin mining should be entitled for a "free" replacement. How many lies will you tell them to get a new free card?

That would be entitled to an RMA.  Pushing it past 100% (overclocking/overvolting) breaks the terms of the warranty.  Using it right up to the terms 100% does not.  

Again, AMD ecourage overclocking in the Catalyst driver, see Performance > AMD Overdrive.
Not volt moding though. (I wouldn't mention that) 

[dogie]

Will people still please stop saying heatpipes contain water *sigh*

[dogie]

He was running the card 100% load 24/7, how does that warrant an RMA? No card that it used for bitcoin mining should be entitled for a "free" replacement. How many lies will you tell them to get a new free card?

That would be entitled to an RMA.  Pushing it past 100% (overclocking/overvolting) breaks the terms of the warranty.  Using it right up to the terms 100% does not. 

Overclocking doesn't with GPUs, overvolting DOES.

Again, why do you think overclocking is readily available in Catalyst, with no warnings about warranty?

[glendall]

Wow I never heard or seen this happen before.

Was it a Sapphire 7950 Vapour-X card?

[dogie]

I've seen one other case of this. The heatsink/card had been bent ever so slightly, but enough to segregate the vapour chamber into two areas. Most of the heat was being applied to one area, which lead to it ballooning. No idea how the bend was stronger than the material though.