AMDguy-- thanks for your 'funk/system cleaning' thread-- Now I have a question.

[grunjee]

AMDguy-- I really appreciate your above-mentioned thread. I'm getting my DD stuff tomorrow (according to UPS), this will be my first crack at watercooling.

I've been reading up on watercooling for the past couple months, and obviously contamination/corrosion are serious issues to consider. To prepare for this stuff, I'm going to use distilled water with water wetter.

My question is this. I bought a used rad off a guy, it came in the mail the other day. Copper tubing like most rad's. The thing is, it's got some buildup inside-- just like the kind of stuff you see on statues and such-- the green stuff. Sorry for sounding so ignorant... I don't know what it is or what it's called.

What is this stuff?... and will it be a bad idea for me to start up my system with that stuff lining the tubes? How should I clean it off if that's necessary?

Thanks a bunch.

[AMDGuy]

The green is likely some surface discoloration. If you leave copper out it turns. The statue of liberty was copper color when brand new, but now she's green. Same deal. You could try a very light mix of muriatic acid and water to clean it out, but I doubt it will effect temps much. I'd just run some hot water through it to clean it out and hook it up as is.

[grunjee]

Thanks for the reply-- I was worried that maybe it would cause huge problems and mess up my new stuff (MAZE2, Eheim, etc.)
Sounds like I can calm down...

[scap]

lemon jucis cleans up copper quite well just don't leave it in there too long

[Cu]

All you have to do is put your copper block in Coke! Yes you read that correctly, Coke will do the job. Old trick when I used to be a golf professional my golf club rep told me to soak my beryllium copper irons in Coke. Made them like brand new.

[Crazy Jayhawk]

Iron rusts reddish orange and copper rusts green. It's nothing to lose sleep over. Just give it a good Coke bath like Cu (Copper-Top? hehe) said and then clean it out thoroughly.

Coke may clean up your radiator but I doubt it'll help your temperatures. :p

[grunjee]

Sweet guys thanks for the advice... I'll go to the grocery store tomorrow and get some Coke. :)

[Owenator]

I agree Coke will clean the copper but one word of caution, dot leave it in to long. As a child we did a science experiment with Coke and a copper penny. You just open a bottle of Coke and drop a penny in. The next day the penny is shinny clean in a week or so, no more penny! I believe it's phosphoric acid that is in Coke. Just as the earlier post said about the lemon juice don't leave it in to long. I would also make sure you clean it out good because biological things like the sugar sometimes. Good luck!

O

[grunjee]

Ok, so how do I make sure I get rid of the sugar? Just rinse it good with water? Use rubbing alcohol?

[AMDGuy]

Originally posted by grunjee
Ok, so how do I make sure I get rid of the sugar? Just rinse it good with water? Use rubbing alcohol?

Good hot water should disolve any sugar. Just rinse it real good.

[grunjee]

Sweet man thanks.