Is there a way to avoid this green/white build up?

[Pierre3400]

Hey guys.

I just ripped apart my main rig, for a rebuild, the loop as around 10 months old, but the fittings may have been around 18months.

All the fittings are EK nickle plated, push over type, where you clamp the hose.

I have found serveral fittings now, with a gree/white build up on it, the same build up, is found on my silver coils, with one silver coil even showing rust!

The loop has always been destilled water with kill-coils. The types are nice and clean on the inside, i cut one up. But i am worried about the rest.

Is there a way to avoid this? Why is it happening, the loop isnt THAT old, and i have replaced GPU's a few times over the last 10mins, so fluid has been replaced too.

 

[Witchdoctor]

Hmmm. not sure what is going on there

seems you have some foreign substance going on ?

possibly some dissimilar metals in the loop ?

what material are your blocks ?

If nickel plate look for some plating that may be failing ?

 

[Pierre3400]

Loop is copper and nickle plated.

Copper rads, Nickle fittings, copper CPU and GPU blocks.

Last time i looked at my D5, i also found surface spots of rust in it.

 

[Witchdoctor]

Could be it, typically when copper oxidizes it turns a lite shade of green

this can been seen on roofing and spouting applications where copper has been used

So guessing something is attacking the copper in the system

 

[ATMINSIDE]

Can you give a full parts list of the WC system? Include blocks/rads/fittings/kill coil/etc
Can you get a picture of the buildup?

 

[Pierre3400]

Could be it, typically when copper oxidizes it turns a lite shade of green

this can been seen on roofing and spouting applications where copper has been used

So guessing something is attacking the copper in the system

But what.. I followed all rules. I dont want my Alphacool rads to die on this account.

Im planning bitspower fittings next, maybe its down to those damn EK fittings and the nickle, i only see the attacks on the silver and nickle plated parts, oh, and the pump.

 

[Pierre3400]

Can you give a full parts list of the WC system? Include blocks/rads/fittings/kill coil/etc
Can you get a picture of the buildup?

Picture, yes, when i get home from work.

Loop in full.

XSPC Glass Res
Alphacool 480 Monsta
Alphacool 420 60mm thick
EK push over fittings and EK 45 and 90 degree bends
3x Heatkiller GPU blocks (copper and nylon)
Alphacool Nylon pump house for my D5 Laing D5 pump (Which i bought used, maybe the first owner used regular water?)
XSPC 13/16 white tubes
AquaComputers Temp sensor, which i believe is also nickleplated.

That should be the complete list.

 

[Witchdoctor]

if it is me, I do a full flush with unopened distilled water

Repeat fill / rinse run and drian 3x times

I use Nuke as directed on container, think it is 4 drops to each liter

1.5 years , no discoloration, no temp performance changes, not even a single degree

My thought is something was in one of your components from the factory or your distilled water was contaminated

But it is obvious you have something in the loop that is causing this corrosion

finding it is paramount

Plasticizer ?

 

[ATMINSIDE]

Only used part is the pump house?

 

[Pierre3400]

Only used part is the pump house?

No, Only used part is the D5 pump, rest is/was brand new. BUT, some of the parts came from my 600T.

Parts moved over from there were, Fittings, D5 pump (had EK D5 pump/res combo) CPU block, which actually is a rebuild, from the Plexi type to the Copper type.

But other than that, all is new, only component i dont know about is the D5, not a clue how it was run before i bought it.

As mentioned, i found surface rust in the D5 pump.

 

[ATMINSIDE]

It could be something from inside the D5. Did you flush it out before using?

 

[Pierre3400]

It could be something from inside the D5. Did you flush it out before using?

No, i only removed the pump from its house and mounted into the EK house at the time.

I am going to buy 2x new D5 pumps, PWM this time. Then buy another Alphacool house, and make a dual setup.

But when cleaning parts, flushing rads and so on, what is the best method to avoid all this crap? Distalled water and washing up soap? Destilled water?

Or should i just add "Nuke" what ever that is to the loop next time?

 

[ATMINSIDE]

See "Washing Procedures"
See "Preparation"

Those are from the WC stickies...

 

[Pierre3400]

See "Washing Procedures"
See "Preparation"

Those are from the WC stickies...

Thank you, how about a meyhems cleaning kit? Since i want to avoid at all costs removing my rads from the case. It was a big enough pain to get them in.

 

[ATMINSIDE]

Get the rads out.
You'll need to do the rad dance, as mentioned in the links.

 

[Pierre3400]

Torture.. Pure torture. thats 32 stupid little screws to undo, and just the bottom rad

 

[ATMINSIDE]

That's the life of custom water cooling.

 

[Pierre3400]

That aside, when i make my new loop, its going to be, distilled water, 3 kill-coils (silver) and a biocide, but which?

"Nuke" is not an option apparently.

These are going to be my options: http://www.candccentral.co.uk/other-coolants-and-additives/

 

[ATMINSIDE]

Just kill coil. Adding biocide is redundant and unnecessary.

 

[Pierre3400]

Well... that resulted in what i have now..