Couple H2O questions.

[cmcquistion]

First off, I seem to be losing water in my sealed inline system. It's very slow, maybe a few milliliters a day. Don't have a leak anywhere that I can identify. Just opened my case today, for the first time in a month and noticed I had lost all the water in my fill tube and the water is milky because it has air in the system.

I added some water to the fill tube, so I know it will be ok, but, does anyone else have this problem of water mysteriously evaporating?

Secondly, my water is a little brownish. I use Water Wetter and distilled water, but it looks like I've got a little funk growing in there. Is there anything I can add to the water to kill that stuff off and clean the water, or do I need to drain the system entirely and start over?

If I do need to drain the system and redo it. Do I need to clean the system thoroughly? What can I use to clean it? I remember reading somewhere that some guy used CLR to clean his system, but I kinda want to know more about various methods and cleaning strategies.

 

[Rakk]

What metals does your system use? Ie what tubing does your radiator have and what is your block made from? The reason I ask is because you may have some corrosion as a result of using 2 different metals in your system (copper block with alu radiator for example). This can cause coolant to appear a yucky brown colour.

Also, even though you think you don't, you may have a small leak. A tiny drip in an area of your system that's warm will quickly evaporate.

In theory you shouldn't lose any noticable amount of water at all over a period of a month in a closed loop system so it must be going somewhere.

 

[cmcquistion]

Do you have a closed-loop system?

My system is all copper, so I don't think that is an issue.

 

[nikhsub1]

I agree, you MUST have a tiny leak somewhere - It is also easier for stuff to grow if there is a leak... In an airtight system no evaporation should occur, a leak is the ONLY answer.

 

[Rakk]

Aye, air in the system for any length of time would cause discoloration of the coolant.

If I were you I would remove the water cooling system from the PC and thoroughly leak test it in the bath or similar place.

 

[cmcquistion]

I previously ran the system with tap water and had problems with creppy crawlies. That's where I assume they got in the system to begin with. Now, there here, even though I drained and refilled the system with Distilled Water and Water Wetter.

EDIT: I think I found it. The intake of the pump is a little wet and slimy. I'll probably have to take it apart and redo it. I use an Eheim 1048. I replaced those crummy plastic intakes and outtakes with Brass hose barbs. Problem was, I think the pump was threaded with some kind of metric thread. The hose barbs were US thread, so they weren't a perfect fit, although very close. I used Teflon tape on them, but it didn't seal the intake too well, it seems.

 

[masitti]

I've heard that sometimes you can have air leaks - where air leaks in the setup but water doesn't come out.

If that is the case, your reservoir/t-line is trying to bubble it out while air keeps coming in, thus you start losing water.

 

[cmcquistion]

Well, I took the system out to the kitchen table for some further inspection. Turns out that the impeller shaft itself has a tiny leak, probably caused by me screwing in the brass hose barb. I'll get a clamp and some neoprene on it in a few days. Until then, I've got it wrapped in duct tape

 

[masitti]

Good to hear! Duct tape fixes ANYTHING!

 

[Daemonfly]

Could apply a bit of GOOP to the barb then screw it back in (gently ) should seal it up.

 

[cmcquistion]

Yeah, bit it's not leaking around the barb, it further down the impeller shaft.

 

[Rakk]

Glad you found the problem though it sounds a little nasty if the leak is in the shaft.

 

[cmcquistion]

Fortunately, Eheim sells replacement parts, so I think I can get another impeller assembly, if I can't fix this.