Cooler Master AquaGate Viva

Installation

Without a doubt the Installation is an overly complicated palaver that took three of us to sit down and work out which holes, which screws, which way around things were meant to go. Eventually, and after blood, sweat and a few arguments we found the right components and installed the cooler the correct way around. There are literally so many options to support every kind of card hole orientation and case installation it becomes overly confusing with all the bits and bobs included.

Firstly we installed the AquaGate Viva on a BFGTech GeForce 7900 GT OC card. This required firstly screwing the metal plate to the cooling block, then matching up the metal plate with a set of regularly spaced free holes on the PCB. This was the hardest part, because of the multiple orientations the metal plate can be screwed to the cooling block, given the different ways of possible installation. If the tubes get in the way, keep turning the metal plate until it all fits.

After that’s screwed on, we used some of the long screws which are threaded at both ends. These are inserted from above the metal plate, through, and screwed in. Then the whole cooling block gets placed on top of the core and everything is them bolted down firmly. Since we used no springs, getting the core contact right, without cracking it required us to carefully judge and relentlessly check the contact whilst tightening the bolts with just our fingers.