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Loop is frozen - What to do?
- Thread starter ziggo0
- Start date
- Joined
- Dec 25, 2004
ziggo0 said:
I would bring it in, let it thaw out completely. Then carefully check it for any leaks, swollen parts (from the ice expanding), and the run the pump for 24 hours and leak check it. I'd probably monitor it for the first half hour or so. If it survives that, then I would say you are probably ok. Your tubing should be ok, but the parts that would worry me are your blocks and your radiator.
- Joined
- Dec 14, 2004
- Location
- Charlotte, NC
Do you have a res or a t-line?
If you have a res with even a minimal amount of air in it you should be alright. The air would compress letting the water expand as it froze.
If you have any 90 degree bends or t-line parts you might want to double and triple check them for leaks. I think they would be the first ones to crap out.
If you have a res with even a minimal amount of air in it you should be alright. The air would compress letting the water expand as it froze.
If you have any 90 degree bends or t-line parts you might want to double and triple check them for leaks. I think they would be the first ones to crap out.
- Joined
- May 12, 2005
- Location
- Home... again
dont leave water cooled rig in car in sub zero weather
and
move south
and
move south
Now this definitely IS a reason to use antifreeze in your cooling loop...
Vinyl tubing, unlike house plumbing, expands and contracts, so I would imagine as long as you open up your system, i.e.t line or res, and let everything thaw out, you should be OK. But of course leaktest to make sure.
I'm already down south, but its cold enough today to freeze a comp...
Vinyl tubing, unlike house plumbing, expands and contracts, so I would imagine as long as you open up your system, i.e.t line or res, and let everything thaw out, you should be OK. But of course leaktest to make sure.
I'm already down south, but its cold enough today to freeze a comp...
- Joined
- Dec 26, 2004
darkcow said:
Anti-freeze isn't used as lubrication in WC loops, it's used as a corrosion inhibitor. You can run a WC loop straight-up distilled if all your parts are copper/brass/delrin.
satandole666 said:
I don't think it would work that way. The water would expand in the tubing as it froze - the expansion wouldn't happen just at the t-line or res, where there would be room for the expansion to occur. I would think that most types of tubing would accommodate a bit of stretching, however.
To the OP: I'd bring the system inside and let it thaw, carefully watching for condensation. It may be a good idea to cover up as much as possible with plastic, and have plenty of towels around. Place the computer as to direct potential spills away from components. You'll have to watch out for any cracks or leaks which may have developed while freezing, which will of course be nasty when the ice turns back to a fluid.
- Joined
- May 27, 2002
- Location
- Austin, TX
I'd definetly invest in some propylene glycol based antifreeze. Good corrosion inhibitor, and if you ever happen to leave it in the freezing cold, then there is another benefit.
- Joined
- May 1, 2006
- Location
- Virginia, USA
BillA said:
OP
- Joined
- Apr 27, 2004
- Thread Starter
- #12
satandole666 said:
Res. I think that is how it worked out.
voigts said:
I do, 90 distilled 10 antifreeze. The tubing didn't seem to stretch nor did anything break or leak.
aaronjb said:
I opened the case up and let it sit on its side so any water would just fall to the ground instead of falling on my pos mobo
- Joined
- Dec 14, 2006
In the mountains we like to drill holes into rock fill it with water, let if freeze and watch the rock crack in half. (we are talking about rocks the size of a car)
So as the water expands things start to crack.... I wonder if the same happend to some of your water blocks?
So as the water expands things start to crack.... I wonder if the same happend to some of your water blocks?
- Joined
- May 23, 2001
- Location
- Asteroid B-612
You're not going to see copper crack from the expansion of just a cubic inch of ice. The o-ring and top can give a bit anyways.Mycobacteria said:
OP
- Joined
- Apr 27, 2004
- Thread Starter
- #18
Mycobacteria said:
I highly dout that in my case there was any water in the block at the time. The way the case was laying in my car all the air was right in the block/tubes of the inlet and outlet of the block.
Captain Slug said:
It's been running fine for the past few hours, no leaks or nuttin! Guess its all ok now
- Joined
- Dec 14, 2004
- Location
- Charlotte, NC
aaronjb said:
I understand your explanation.
It depends on what is easier to do; stretch the tubing or compress the air.
I don't know the answer to this. I assumed it would be easier to compress the air. And the expansion wouldn't happen at just the t-line or the res, but in an effort to obtain equilibrium the more solid parts of the system (blocks, elbows, possibly tubing, etc) would resist the pressure forcing the freezing water elsewhere.
That's why I asked if he had a t-line or a res, because either setup with sufficient air in it would allow for a harmless expansion.
EDIT: BTW, you are a lucky SOB.
- Joined
- Dec 14, 2006
Lucky....
If its that cold where you live I would have just gone air and open some windows in the house.
When we split rocks with ice we are looking for gems and crystals (So yeah its a slow by rewarding form of "entertainment" it pays for my water cooled PC many times over BTW the ice is formed and the rocks are generally spilt in a matter of hours, faster than if we had to cut the rock by hand
I would wonder if you put water into a swiftec micro res and froze it, would the res crack? Or if you put water into one of those danger den GPU water blocks with the clear acryic top I wonder if that would crack? As you know you havent taken into account the fact that the water expands and the metals contracts so it works in against you if you know what I mean. I would expect a block to warp a little.
As ice in a bottle melts on your desk... is there not condensation that drips from the outside of the bottle and runs down to create a pool of water? When you de-frosted your PC did you encounter any of these problems?
If its that cold where you live I would have just gone air and open some windows in the house.
When we split rocks with ice we are looking for gems and crystals (So yeah its a slow by rewarding form of "entertainment" it pays for my water cooled PC many times over
BTW the ice is formed and the rocks are generally spilt in a matter of hours, faster than if we had to cut the rock by hand I would wonder if you put water into a swiftec micro res and froze it, would the res crack? Or if you put water into one of those danger den GPU water blocks with the clear acryic top I wonder if that would crack? As you know you havent taken into account the fact that the water expands and the metals contracts so it works in against you if you know what I mean. I would expect a block to warp a little.
As ice in a bottle melts on your desk... is there not condensation that drips from the outside of the bottle and runs down to create a pool of water? When you de-frosted your PC did you encounter any of these problems?
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