Cleaning My Water Cooling Components

D

Decius

n00b
Joined
Oct 1, 2004
Messages
46
I need to clean some old water cooling parts that have been in the same loop for nearly two years. I'll be removing and replacing the tubing, and taking apart the blocks to clean them. Most of the gear is Danger Den, with the GPU blocks being NV78 models and the CPU block being a TDX. I also have a Danger Den Bayres, and I'm unsure of the pump or rad type.

Now I was looking for guides on how to do this, and came across this guide here. It just so happens I have a large amount of Hydrogen Peroxide. What I'm curious about is will the Hydrogen Peroxide damage the copper or acrylic used in these water blocks. I'm thinking about causing the copper to oxidize and the acrylic to crystallize.

Thanks as usual guys.
 
Decius said:
I need to clean some old water cooling parts that have been in the same loop for nearly two years. I'll be removing and replacing the tubing, and taking apart the blocks to clean them. Most of the gear is Danger Den, with the GPU blocks being NV78 models and the CPU block being a TDX. I also have a Danger Den Bayres, and I'm unsure of the pump or rad type.

Now I was looking for guides on how to do this, and came across this guide here. It just so happens I have a large amount of Hydrogen Peroxide. What I'm curious about is will the Hydrogen Peroxide damage the copper or acrylic used in these water blocks. I'm thinking about causing the copper to oxidize and the acrylic to crystallize.

Thanks as usual guys.
Click to expand...


To clean my loops I usually use white vinegar and boiling water for the rad. Make sure you flush it out completely to get any left over debris that could have accumulated inside.

I'd say replace the tubing... if it's on there for 2 years, it'll be almost impossible or otherwise way too cumbersome to get the stuff off..

Copper blocks with acrylic tops just use the regular alcohol to clean it (no not the kind you buy at the liquor store lol)... to clean off the copper you may have to lap the sink to get the clean copper look again, otherwise I wouldn't even bother. It stains because of the temperature and it's hard to get that off.

You can use a soft pipe cleaner if you want to get into some of the other areas but make sure its not too abrasive can scratch your components.
 
Yeah I've heard Vinegar and Ketchup are quite effective. I was planning on using them, but I would like to get rid of this Hydrogen Peroxide. Would it work as a cleaning agent or is the guy behind that guide I link to off his block (no pun intended)?
 
Do NOT use ANY ALCOHOL on a plastic piece. Lucite, Plexiglas, delrin etc.

It WILL crack.

Hydrogen peroxide is also a bad idea to use on copper. Why? It's an oxidizer... The exact thing you want to remove from your block: Cupric Oxide.
 
Arcygenical said:
Do NOT use ANY ALCOHOL on a plastic piece. Lucite, Plexiglas, delrin etc.

It WILL crack.
Click to expand...

Arcygenical is correct on not using this on the plastic, I was referring to the cleaning the copper block underneath. Sorry for the misunderstanding.
 
If you have an acrylic reservoir, use Pinesol. About 1-2 tablespoons per liter of water. Did a great job cleaning out my Swiftech MCRES-Micro.

-Mike.
 
shit now I need to figure out how to get rid of this hydrogen peroxide :( lol thanks guys
 
Do you have kids, or young siblings?

Hydrogen peroxide is good for cleaning cuts....
 
Hell, I've heard it was good for cleaning the bugs outa' the toilet bowl, just pour it in and flush :D

 
Wshmaster0 said:
To clean my loops I usually use white vinegar and boiling water for the rad. Make sure you flush it out completely to get any left over debris that could have accumulated inside.
Click to expand...

Edit: I re-read the FAQ

Now the FAQ says I can just skip the vinegar in this case. Could I use it anyhow for better cleaning? Also I was going to try to automate the cleaning a little more. Would this setup work or would this damage the pump? Here's a diagram of how I was thinking I could do this.

sink with water/vinagar ]------------[ pump ]-------------[ radiator ]-----------[ empty sink for drainage

Also what ratio of water/vinegar would be best?
 
A easier way would be to buy a cheap submersible pump, put it in a kettle, connect the radiator to the pump then let it run for 1-2 hours till it come clean (just replace the water once or twice to help).

Some people will tell you to use vineger to clean it but don't do this since it's pointless and this will tarnish copper if you let it sit for a bit.
Click to expand...

Yeah cheap submersible pump 20-30 bucks < white vinegar 6 bucks at most for a few bottles or one big jug.

I'm not really going to defend this point much. Some people use it some don't. Personally I use it. There's no 'tarnish' that I've seen (maybe due to the fact that you'll never see the inside of your radiator?).. My loop is crystal clear and theres never been any issues.

Method I use? I funnel the small amounts of vinegar into the radiator (not much is needed few cap fulls for a large radiator)... I funnel hot (not necessarily boiling) distilled water and then slosh it around... let it sit for 30 min then dump the water but I take a sample of it first using a water bottle to see if the water is cloudy. If it is then I do the process again till it's crystal clear.

I spent at most 10 bucks for buying like 6-7 gallons of distilled water and a few small bottles of vinegar.

To rinse out all the crap you don't need distilled... After taking a sample you can run it under tap.. it's not going to hurt your radiator. Once the radiator is running clear flushes THEN thoroughly run distilled through it to get all the metal contaminants and other stuff that tap water might have.

It's all time consuming but hey.. thats the responsibility you take up when you buy a w/c setup.
 
Cloud15x said:
Hydrogen peroxide is good for cleaning cuts....
Click to expand...

SolidBladez said:
^^ And ear infections. ;)
Click to expand...

jws2346 said:
Hell, I've heard it was good for cleaning the bugs outa' the toilet bowl, just pour it in and flush :D
Click to expand...

And just about anything that needs either oxygen, or disinfecting ;). Mix some into your water when you water a plant... Your plant will thank you.

Wshmaster0 said:
A easier way would be to buy a cheap submersible pump, put it in a kettle, connect the radiator to the pump then let it run for 1-2 hours till it come clean (just replace the water once or twice to help).

Some people will tell you to use vineger to clean it but don't do this since it's pointless and this will tarnish copper if you let it sit for a bit.
Click to expand...

Please show me a 20$ sub pump that can withstain 100c temperatures. Even 80c temperatures. I've not seen a pump rated for higher than 60c coolant temperature outside of very special applications.

Pure electrolytic copper will take *days* before it tarnishes in a 5% acetic acid solution.
 
Arcygenical said:
And just about anything that needs either oxygen, or disinfecting ;). Mix some into your water when you water a plant... Your plant will thank you.



Please show me a 20$ sub pump that can withstain 100c temperatures. Even 80c temperatures. I've not seen a pump rated for higher than 60c coolant temperature outside of very special applications.

Pure electrolytic copper will take *days* before it tarnishes in a 5% acetic acid solution.
Click to expand...


That's my point, there isn't one that will be a cheap solution so just stick with vinegar, some water and agitate it yourself.. It's not that difficult and I don't need to buy any pumps to help me do this.
 
I wasn't planning on bothering with a submersible pump. I was just going to use my existing pump with a hose in the sink. Hence the crude diagram in my post. Would the 100c temperature damage the pump?
 
Decius said:
I wasn't planning on bothering with a submersible pump. I was just going to use my existing pump with a hose in the sink. Hence the crude diagram in my post. Would the 100c temperature damage the pump?
Click to expand...

Yes. 100c will kill the pump.

Use vinegar.

Wshmaster0 said:
That's my point, there isn't one that will be a cheap solution so just stick with vinegar, some water and agitate it yourself.. It's not that difficult and I don't need to buy any pumps to help me do this.
Click to expand...


Yeah... duh... We're obviously on the same side on this issue, I was just being a bonehead :D.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top