Blue - green stuff inside a copper water block

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EricFX1984

[H]ard|Gawd
Joined
May 21, 2010
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not sure what it is but my buddy says he used bleach in his system :eek:

I know, I know... he is a moron!

anyways. I have tried to clean this stuff out, its stuck to the inside of the block

ideas?
 
I am thinking that I am kicking him out of the water cooling world. This guy has killed 4 rigs so far with water cooling.
 
EricFX1984 said:
no magic chemicals?
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I've heard good things about cleaning copper with vinegar. Not that I've ever tried it inside a water block...

The acetic acid in vinegar removes copper oxides. This can etch the metal depending on how much oxidization there is.
Blue - green stuff
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Copper oxides are green.

So try vinegar...
 
Green and blue is bad. Do you have a pix? It really sounds like corrosion, you don't happen to have aluminium in the loop do you?

Wes
 
I doubt the bleach had anything to do with the "blue-green stuff".

The system is probably depositing Copper-oxide precipitates.

You can take the block out, separate it, remove the rubber washer, and clean both surfaces with a dilute vinegar and distilled water mix, heat it if you wish. You can soak the surfaces for a few moments. The vinegar could tarnish the copper, so watch it.

Afterwords, scrub the surfaces with a toothbrush.

I'd also rinse out the radiator. I'm assuming the radiator isn't made of aluminum, if it is there is a chance that's where the precipitates originate.

When I change out my tubing once a year I use a dilute bleach and distilled water combination to clean all my blocks and radiator and then rinse big time with distilled water.
 
agree with above, bleach turns copper black. Green is copper oxidation (which also could be from bleach if he just used a tiny bit) but anyway. Tell him stop bleach. Clean it all out, and add a shot glass (about an oz maybe 2 oz's) of automotive antifreeze, the full strength stuff if you can find it or 4 oz of the 50/50 mix they sell these days. That should stop whatever is going on or slow it down to where its not an issue.

Bleach was probably an attempt to kill any bugs etc. The antifreeze will do that too. Distilled water (not deionized - distilled) from grocery store and a splash of antifreeze.
 
and add a shot glass (about an oz maybe 2 oz's) of automotive antifreeze, the full strength stuff if you can find it or 4 oz of the 50/50 mix they sell these days. That should stop whatever is going on or slow it down to where its not an issue
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That Swiftech solution, Hydrx I think they call it, is just antifreeze and a couple other minor additives.

As I understand it, It's also prety good stuff if you have a copper waterblock and an aluminum radiator. Reduces the aluminum deposits in the copper or vice-versa.

You can find Swiftech Hydrx for sale pretty cheap, but not nearly as cheap as a gallon of Xerex or Prestone.:cool:
 
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