Distilled water pump damage?

[Clovett]

The last of my parts will be here tomorrow and while I purchased an additive as per the Koolance 450 pump instructions, I would prefer to just run distilled water. I've read dozens of threads concerning plasticizer and additives.

But what about pump damage just running distilled water and some silver dimes? Shouldn't I worry about that?

 

[DaaG]

You shouldn't worry about that. But what you should worry about is that Koolance will not honor their warranty if their coolant is not used and/or if silver is used with any of their nickle plated water blocks.

 

[Clovett]

You shouldn't worry about that. But what you should worry about is that Koolance will not honor their warranty if their coolant is not used and/or if silver is used with any of their nickle plated water blocks.

Not worried about the water blocks as mine are Swiftech copper not nickel. As for the pump if it doesn't significantly reduce the life of the pump I could live with that.

 

[skorpien]

Pure distilled water with silver or another biocide is the best thing you can use for a pump. The reason Koolance suggests their additive is two fold; if you're using their nickel plated blocks as DaaG said it ensures they don't flake, and they want to be able to get more money out of you

 

[Clovett]

Pure distilled water with silver or another biocide is the best thing you can use for a pump. The reason Koolance suggests their additive is two fold; if you're using their nickel plated blocks as DaaG said it ensures they don't flake, and they want to be able to get more money out of you

I wasn't sure if it also acted as a lubricant.

I think I have access to a silver quarter and a sliver dime that are worthless except for the silver content. I'll drop the dime in the radiator and the quarter in the reservoir. Hopefully, that should be enough because I'm dying to put it all together this weekend and I don't want to wait for some silver coated radiator plugs.

 

[Supertrucker]

I wouldn't drop it in the radiator, one of two things could happen, it could block the waterflow and pop something in your loop, or rattle around and make noise. I would go with just the quarter in the res, and only if the outlet to the pump has no chance of being blocked by it.

 

[GTXJackBauer]

I wouldn't drop it in the radiator, one of two things could happen, it could block the waterflow and pop something in your loop, or rattle around and make noise.

I honestly would spend a couple bucks and buy a .999% silver coil. Distilled water + Kill coil is all you need. Not even sure how much silver those coins have.

If you're worried about plasticizer than make sure you're using Primochill's Advanced LRT tubing. Make sure you do your 6 month drain than refill the loop with fresh distilled liquid and your annual tear down. It will be good as new for the longest time.

As for the pump, the lubricant is the actual liquid. Without liquid in general there is no lubricant and the pump will just burn out. That is why we say don't run your pump dry and be careful when priming and bleeding the loop.

 

[Supertrucker]

If they are pre 1965 they are 90% silver, probably enough to get the job done. Would be better if you could flatten one out and make a strip of some kind. Some people have also had luck going to a fine jewellers shop where they do on site repairs, that could get you a silver strip without waiting on shipping.

 

[Clovett]

Thanks guys. The coin will be from the 40's so it's 90% silver and 10% copper. The 90%silver on the outside and the 10% copper on the inside. The silver is on the outside of the coin right so for all practical purposes it's .999 silver covering .999 copper. I can replace it later with something completely silver but really, the radiator is copper.

I'm not the least worried about plasticizer, I was just pointing out that the threads concerning additives all talk about that and never about possible pump damage. I am concerned about the buildup some people have experienced with additives plus distilled water is to easy to get rid of in a green way.

Good point about the radiator. I'll drop the coin in the reservoir and it should be enough. I'm not waiting any longer to put this thing together.

 

[GTXJackBauer]

I was just pointing out that the threads concerning additives all talk about that and never about possible pump damage. I am concerned about the buildup some people have experienced with additives plus distilled water is to easy to get rid of in a green way.

Too many variables in play. I've seen people blame the tubing when they had aluminum in the loop or used color fluids and waited at least 6 months or over a year to find out they had build up. If you use crappy tubing than you can get plasticize in your pump. It won't kill it, at least I don't think but it might look ugly. If you go silver and distilled, the only way your pump would go bad is if it ran dry or you got a bad pump from retail. You should still do the annual tear down. I've done it twice now and each time my pumps were good as new. (Knocks on wood lol)

Lastly, make sure you clean out all your parts and test them before you finalize them together.

 

[Clovett]

You should still do the annual tear down. I've done it twice now and each time my pumps were good as new. (Knocks on wood lol)

Lastly, make sure you clean out all your parts and test them before you finalize them together.

What is this annual tear down you refer to and what does it entail? I planned on changing the distilled water but that was about it.

 

[Supertrucker]

It is recommended that you do a water change every 6-12 months and a complete teardown, flush, and scrub every 12-18. That involves taking apart the blocks and scrubbing the microchannels with a toothbrush or the like.

Many people have gone much longer on clean distilled and silver without issue if they used good tubing. But the idea is that if you flush it every 6 and tear it down every 12 months you will be able to catch early signs of corrosion, build up, or nickel flaking before they become an issue. It becomes a much bigger issue if you run mixed metals that require inhibitors, or dyes.

 

[GTXJackBauer]

It is recommended that you do a water change every 6-12 months and a complete teardown, flush, and scrub every 12-18. That involves taking apart the blocks and scrubbing the microchannels with a toothbrush or the like.

Many people have gone much longer on clean distilled and silver without issue if they used good tubing. But the idea is that if you flush it every 6 and tear it down every 12 months you will be able to catch early signs of corrosion, build up, or nickel flaking before they become an issue. It becomes a much bigger issue if you run mixed metals that require inhibitors, or dyes.

Exactly!

 

[Clovett]

Crap my coin eludes me so I may have to build without it and order a coil. I assume it won't e an issue for a week running distilled water only?

 

[GTXJackBauer]

Crap my coin eludes me so I may have to build without it and order a coil. I assume it won't e an issue for a week running distilled water only?

I've heard of growth in a brand new loop in a matter of days. I guess it all depends on location etc. Do we have a growth expert here that can give more insight?

I personally would just grab a silver kill coil.

 

[skorpien]

If you can't wait for the delivery of the kill coil, see if you can go to a local jeweler and request some .999 silver as Supertrucker previously mentioned.

A week is plenty of time for biological growth to occur. It'll grow faster if exposed to sunlight, but even if it's kept in the shade, algae can still grow without a biocide in your loop.

 

[Clovett]

If you can't wait for the delivery of the kill coil, see if you can go to a local jeweler and request some .999 silver as Supertrucker previously mentioned.

A week is plenty of time for biological growth to occur. It'll grow faster if exposed to sunlight, but even if it's kept in the shade, algae can still grow without a biocide in your loop.

Got it! Friend of mine gave me a 1964 quarter. Should do the trick.

 

[Robert17]

Just for grins, the '64 quarter has a AgCu melt value of $3.62 which is cheaper than what you'd spend for a designer additive. Just be sure to wash the quarter with soap and water, rinse, then rinse with distilled water before adding it to the res.

 

[Clovett]

Just for grins, the '64 quarter has a AgCu melt value of $3.62 which is cheaper than what you'd spend for a designer additive. Just be sure to wash the quarter with soap and water, rinse, then rinse with distilled water before adding it to the res.

Thanks but it isn't about the money. In fact I have a bottle of Hydrx I purchased for this project. I purchased it based on the pump manufacturers recommendation. But if I can run with straight distilled water it makes swapping the coolant so green how can I pass that option up?

Plus it is supposed to cool better too? Double plus and if it leaked it wouldn't hurt my dogs and potentially does less damage to my system.

 

[bob4933]

Honestly, I don't understand why BLEACH isn't utilyzed more in these things. A few % of bleach will kill anything, and keep your lines clear.

I guess with colored tubing it can play a factor, but it really shouldn't be a big deal.