[rudevandal]

I want to flush out my WC system and add another rad but before I do that I want to make sure of a few things...

First, what is the best way to drain a reservoir loop? After a bit of trolling the only feasible method I found was to pull out the reservoir and just pour out the coolant into a bucket. Is that the best way?

Second, how should I flush out the old gunk from my hardware? I plan on replacing the tubing but before I do that should I refill my reservoir and run hot water through my rig? This is what I’m most concerned about. I’ve read stuff about using malt vinegar, hot water, and new coolant… no idea. What's the right answer?

Lastly, I plan on refilling my system with 90% distilled water + 10% hydrX. The previous FluidXP started getting a little weird so I’m done with the neat colors. Sound good?

Any tips? Suggestions? Ideas?
Thanks.



WC:
Swiftech MCR320 QP 3X120mm
Swiftech APOGEE™ GTX
Swiftech STEALTH Full coverage (x2)
MCP655™ 12 VDC Pump
Bay Res

[lokitexas]

I would take your inlet hose from your pump (easy access) pull it off and drain it into a bucket.

Also...use 100% distilled and a few drops of anti-algae (from a pet store). Hydrex will do the same thing as FluidXP. I think all additives are crap. They just are not worth it.

Give your rad, block a flushing with white vinigar. Let it soak in it for a few hours...then rinse. Toss the tubing get new ones.

[Nebulous]

Easiest way to drain the system is from the lowest part. OPull the pump out of the case and have a large bowl/bin ready. Remove the clamp and watch her flow, lol.


I had to redo my lines because of a chemical reaction which screwed up my parts. I took the pump and block completely apart ( save the rubber washers to one side) and place in a plastic tupperware bowl with boiling water. Let the parts sit for a while. No need for vinegar or anything. maybe a few drops of antibacterial dish soap. This is what i used and werked great!

For the rad you'll need a funnel. Get a folded towel and lay the rad on the towel in the tub. Tghis is the tricky part: pour boiling water down the funnel into the rad. You'll have to do this a few times to get all the gunk out.

Next drain and then flush evrything ( wb parts, pump parts and rad) with alcohol. Drain again and let it air dry. Reassemble the block and pump. remount the rad and start installing the new lines. Be sure when refilling to check for leaks. That's pretty much it.

I only use plain 'ol distilled water.

[Conumdrum]

If your replacing hose too take off all the blocks and open them up and check etc. rerinse the rad, open the pump etc. Clean it all out, it's solid preventative maintenance.

If the liquid is clean as a bell, maybe a great rinse is enuff. Don't hook it to house water pressure, did you see the fat rad someone had from doing that?

[voigts]

the best and most thorough way, especially if something got kind of funky, is to take the loop apart, take the blocks apart and clean them with toothbrush and dishwashing liquid or the like, replace the tubing, and flush the rad good with hot soapy water. Like it or not that is really the best way to do it. You can also use a coathanger or the like with a piece of soapy cloth to clean out the tubing if need be.

I am no fan of HydraX myself. it does nothing that can't be done much cheaper. Plain distilled water with a couple of drops of fish aquarium algaecide and 6-8 drops of alcohol-free povidone iodine will ensure you have no growth. If you have all copper/brass parts, that is all you need.

As far as draining goes, the best way to drain is to have a plan built into the loop when you lay it out. In your case, the pump inlet does look like the easiest candidate. I myself put a capped T fitting at the bottom of my loops. I use a rubber vacuum cap (auto parts store) to seal the opening with a clamp and then just remove it to drain. It gives better control of where the fluid goes when I drain the loop.

this is what it looked like on my last rig.



On my current one, I made made my own drain piece incorporated into a long sweep elbow.

[saxile]

hydrx is nothing but antifreeze... waste of time and money, only premix additive I've found worth while is primochill, but that's not even needed, like others have said, only needed thing is distilled water and biocide for a solid brass/cooper loop, but with a loop with alu and cu (which you have with the gtx block), about 30% antifreeze is needed to stop the metals from reacting. Cleaning wise like others have stated some soap and hot water for rad, and for blocks soap, hot water, toothbrush. Rad wise I really see no need to upgrade it, those rads work very well and can handle quiet the heatload.

Forgot to say, don't use biocide with antifreeze (I think that was Neb's problem).

[rudevandal]

Cool. Thanks guys for the tips especially about the fluid.

Originally Posted by saxile

Rad wise I really see no need to upgrade it, those rads work very well and can handle quiet the heatload.

I'm not replacing the rad but adding another smaller one. It couldn't hurt to get everything a little cooler.

[saxile]

ah, in that case I would put the small one after the cpu and the big one after the video cards, video will produce mor heat than cpu