Alphacool 4090 Reference block compatibility

titeywitey

New member
Regarding this waterblock:
I know that the other reference 4090 waterblock is compatible with PNY 4090s. I'm wondering if anyone has tried this one as well. The PNY isn't technically reference - it has an extra 1cm of PCB at the end of it. I believe if the inlet/outlet of the block does not overhang on the end, then I will be fine.
Alternatively, could someone take some pictures of the end of the block? Some shots at different angles to show how the front and back connect together?

Thanks all!
 

titeywitey

New member


For anyone else that has the same question, I think I found the answer in the diagrams/drawings

It looks like the inlet/outlet ports will slightly overhang the end of the reference pbc, meaning that it will not be compatible with the PNY pcb by default.
It looks like the overhang is very slight, so I'm playing with the idea of filing down the inlet/outlet to be flush with the pcb. If it turns out to be a much larger overhang than the pictures suggest though, I might just be SOL. I will update this post with progress and pictures if I do happen to tackle this.
 

Vanzin

Support
Staff member
Hi,

I am sorry. I have overread that it is the ES water block. This one is indeed not compatible with the PNX GPUs, since the PCB is longer and the terminal is in contact with the PCB and will bend the PCB
 

Indyz

New member
Im interested in the reference water block for my formd t1 as well but will there be one made compatable for the 4080 and 4070ti?
 

Thomas_S

... the nice marketing guy next door
Staff member
We already have reference coolers for 4080 & 4070Ti.


 

xepha20

New member
I was also really excited about this block, in particular the rear terminals for the incurrent and outcurrent plumbing; shopping for a 4090 to fit this block, but finding the inno3D blocks that are listed to be rare and expensive in the US. It says it's compatible with the reference design on the product page, but it seems like other reference cards (like the PNY cards) are actually too long. The compatibility table also notes the KFA2 GeForce RTX 4090 SG as an option--again not finding a lot of US/Canada buy links. Does anyone know of any alternatives? Is there a way to mod the block to have some kind of extended terminal so that the slightly longer reference cards from PNY fit?
 

Vanzin

Support
Staff member
HI,

we have following water blocks for the PNY GeForce RTX 4090 XLR8 Gaming Verto Epic-X RGB Triple Fan, 24GB GDDR6X, HDMI, 3x DP (VCG409024TFXXPB1) and PNY GeForce RTX 4090 XLR8 Gaming Verto Epic-X RGB Overclocked Triple Fan, 24GB GDDR6X, HDMI, 3x DP (VCG409024TFXXPB1-O) in our assortment.
https://www.alphacool.com/shop/graf...force-rtx-4090-reference-design-mit-backplate ( is fully covering the PCB of the slightly customized reference Layout)
https://www.alphacool.com/shop/aios...360mm-rtx-4090-reference-design-mit-backplate ( is not fully covering the slightly longer PCB)
https://www.alphacool.com/shop/graf...-acryl-gpx-n-rtx-4090-reference-mit-backplate ( is not fully covering the slightly longer PCB)

Please note that the ES Version is not compatible, due the longer PCB, is the terminal in contact with the PCB which will bend the PCB and damage the PCB.
 

TheWELD

New member
HI,

we have following water blocks for the PNY GeForce RTX 4090 XLR8 Gaming Verto Epic-X RGB Triple Fan, 24GB GDDR6X, HDMI, 3x DP (VCG409024TFXXPB1) and PNY GeForce RTX 4090 XLR8 Gaming Verto Epic-X RGB Overclocked Triple Fan, 24GB GDDR6X, HDMI, 3x DP (VCG409024TFXXPB1-O) in our assortment.
https://www.alphacool.com/shop/graf...force-rtx-4090-reference-design-mit-backplate ( is fully covering the PCB of the slightly customized reference Layout)
https://www.alphacool.com/shop/aios...360mm-rtx-4090-reference-design-mit-backplate ( is not fully covering the slightly longer PCB)
https://www.alphacool.com/shop/graf...-acryl-gpx-n-rtx-4090-reference-mit-backplate ( is not fully covering the slightly longer PCB)

Please note that the ES Version is not compatible, due the longer PCB, is the terminal in contact with the PCB which will bend the PCB and damage the PCB.
Hi Vanzin,
I did buy a Aurora (13429) for my 4090 XLR8 OC (VCG409024TFXXPB1-O). But it does not fit exactly.

1. when the 5 GPU screws are in then 4 of the 6 remaining PCB/backplate screw holes line up, a 5th barely but it works and the 6th is completely off. I did use all wiggle room I had of all other wholes before I made the pic of the 6th hole that doesn't line up!
The bracket also doesn't reach the hole and can not be attached!
DIY solution I see is to carefully dremel the hole open to the right without shredding contacts on the backside.

2. the Thermal pad stripes B seem to be at least 1mm too thin and don't touch at all!!!

Please advise!
Thank you so much in advance!

As you can imagine having a $2000 card in front of me like that is pretty frustrating :)


PS.: This is all about 4090 reference block compatibility and what made me buy one but if you think this is better suited for a different thread or even a new one do feel free to move or create one accordingly.
 

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Vanzin

Support
Staff member
Hi,

now to you xD

Unfortunately our Scans from the PCB or even the technical drawings we are receiving from the manufacturer have some tolerances. Therefore it will always happen that the stand offs are not sitting directly in the middle of a screw hole.

Try to align the GPU on the water block and put all screws inside and just screw them a few threads inside. Then fasten them. Sometimes it can happen, that when you fasten screw by screw that the PCB will misalign or move.

Regaerding the thermal pads which are placed on the coils it is very simple. Remove them xD

It seems that you received an water block from the first batch, where we have intended to place pads on the coils for some protection but they didn´t have any contact with the water block. You don´t want to cool the coils^^ Please check the updated manual directly on our website.
 

TheWELD

New member
Hi,

now to you xD

Unfortunately our Scans from the PCB or even the technical drawings we are receiving from the manufacturer have some tolerances. Therefore it will always happen that the stand offs are not sitting directly in the middle of a screw hole.

Try to align the GPU on the water block and put all screws inside and just screw them a few threads inside. Then fasten them. Sometimes it can happen, that when you fasten screw by screw that the PCB will misalign or move.

Regaerding the thermal pads which are placed on the coils it is very simple. Remove them xD

It seems that you received an water block from the first batch, where we have intended to place pads on the coils for some protection but they didn´t have any contact with the water block. You don´t want to cool the coils^^ Please check the updated manual directly on our website.
Thats exactly what I did, thats why I said "I used all wiggle room". when most are aligning then that last one is almost blocked completely even when all others are moved over to the other side as they can be. So I will have to drill a new hole into the PCB then.
(the attached pics show before I used 1mm more of the wiggle room, but wasn't enough either).
The extrusions of the waterblock would not even Allow as much room as the hole would need! So I must have gotten a bad prototype rather than a "just an old batch".
I'll try to fix it on my cost and risk.

RE the B pads, I guess I could just leave them in then. Except in order to drill the new hole I might want to consider to take the PCB off anyway.
Means I have to order new thermal paste as well :-/
 

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TheWELD

New member
This was truly a prototype that the Retailer sold me, there were scratches and fingerprints and what looked like small remains of thermal paste on the cooling block.

Little dentist mill...not pretty but worked.
Pretty sure I lost warranty on the card though :D

Of the VRM only MOSFETs have padding now, chokes and caps don't but I left that not-touching pad in there.
 

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TheWELD

New member
Well the worst that could have happen, happened. Card has GPU or VRAM issues and the warranty is gone because I made it fit that prototype cooling block. 2K out the window.
My last hope that the issues are cause also bc the prototype block isnt touching and cooling the way it should and I can fix it with a different cooler.
 

TheWELD

New member
@Vanzin:
Meanwhile I have met many people online with the same issue that one whole is not aligned and was milled with an offset.
Some people just leave a screw out and balance the card on its weight with a half lose bracket, some use double sided tape (which can obviously cause spacing issues and barely hold the bracket) and some build and print 3D clamps that press the block and PCB and backplate together in that corner.

This is clearly a failed construction for this product from alphacool that still got sold in masses.

My solution was to widen the hole on the PCB as you know. Unfortunately the card has VRAM issues and I RMAed the card, they might reject it because of it because I can't proof that the VRAM issue existed before the modification.
However, whether I get a replacement or have to spend another $2000 I would love to avoid drilling a hole into the PCB again.

Can you confirm that there are version of that product out there that are milled correctly?
And then hoping there are, could you help me RMA my incorrect one and get a correct replacement?
I will help you by attaching an illustration that should help checking visually if there are any correct products in existence.

Thank you very much in advance!

Regards,
WELD

P.S.: The block looks beautiful otherwise! :)
 

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Vanzin

Support
Staff member
HI,

as you can check in our PDF compatibility list are the PNY GPUs only visual approved. UNtil now we didn´t have any complaints about a hole thread on the PCB which is not aligned. Therefore we can´t say, if its only a small batch of these GPU´s or if all of them are affected. In this case we will remove the compatibility.
1683020923800.png
 

TheWELD

New member
Well you do call it compatible in this forum, so yeah there are incompatibility reports out there with the PNY.
Little surprised how this can even pass testing. And how exactly does a "visual confirmation" get assessed?
I think I visually demonstrated that it does not. Hope you can understand my frustration.
Hoping you do have a department that does compatibility testing, could you find out if there are other batches?
Visually having the upper and the lower hole lined up?
Though I suspect that the PNY card is different than regular PCBs, otherwise you would have people running in your doors with complaints.
So I guess I'm screwed (no pun intended)?
 

Eddy

Iceman
Staff member
A visual inspection is based on images. It is impossible to bring all graphics cards in all variants into the house to test them physically. We often get 3D data from the manufacturers on which we design coolers. Then it is physically tested by a printout of the 3D data of the PCB with a print of the cooler. Or later with a first real sample. Unfortunately, it is also sometimes the case that manufacturers change the revisions of their PCBs without making this official. And not infrequently without specifying a new PCB number, which makes accurate testing impossible, unless you put the cooler on it. But as I said, it's impossible to actually test every graphics card here on site. That's why we write "optically tested" and not physically. Then it is unfortunately sometimes so that a cooler does not fit. Therefore, the advice that you should first put the cooler on to see if it really fits. If it does not fit, it goes back and we delete the compatibility.
Otherwise, we would not be able to offer so many different models.
 

Foehammer

New member
So I purchased the same GPU because it was on the compatibility list at aquatuning - and I got the core block (13394) in July.
I have the exact same problem. The GPU is still on the list at aquatuning and as "visual" on your own list.

This is seriously disappointing, as I now either have to mutilate my expensive GPU or put it up for sale (at a serious loss obviously).
Please, AT LEAST remove it from your list - this card is not compatible with these blocks!
 
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