Alphacool VPP655 Pump Body
by Dark MantisThis is a very usefull piece of kit in as much as it acts as a replacement motor unit for anyone with a faulty Swiftech/Laing 655 pump or for people like myself who want to build a new pump with the EK pump head unit which gives greater versatility than the standard pump does. The EK pump block allows the use of different size and direction of connectors.
It comes as just a single unit of the pump body with cable attached and impeller in a plain box and packing. I was sorry to see that the cable whilst a good length wasn't braided. So that was my first job. I wa salso surprised that there was no replacement O-ring seal supplied. Considering the market this is aimed at I would have thought it would be a good idea as most people would need one. Luckilly if like me you are using the EK head then one is supplied in that kit.
The motor is a direct replacement for the previously mentioned units and so the specs are the same and it will work off an 8 - 24v DC supply and use a maximum of 37w although at the standeard 12v it will be rated at a more reasonable 24w. It has a selector dial on the rear which gives you the ability to control the power of the pump. It is marked from 1 to 5 and is continuously variable within that range. At top rate at 12v with zero head it is really powerful and will shift coolant at the rate of 1200 lph which is 20 lpm!
The motor is conected to the PSU via a standard molex connector. It is a very reliable and heavy duty pump built to withstand industrial applications. It features ceramic bearings giving it a working lifetime of roughly 50,000 hours which is equivalent to 5 years non stop running. There are no moving parts except the magnetically driven sperical impeller so less to go wrong.
The pump is a tried and tested device that is favoured among the water cooling fraternity because of it's power and reliability. At top revs it does vibrate a bit and if you wanted to use it at that speed permanently I would advise using a thick neoprene pad to reduce the transmitted vibrations through the mounting.
The finished build with the cable braided and EK pump head
There is no doubt that the pump is good as it has been well tested but it is nice to see that the motor is now available seperately and if it was not for the fact of the cable not being braided and no O-ring I would have to give it top marks as it is I award it 9/10.
Review sample supplied by CandC Central
http://www.candccentral.co.uk/
http://www.alphacool.com
