Cleaning pump when changing loop

O

oneil

Limp Gawd
Joined
Jul 12, 2006
Messages
451
Cant believe how hard it is to find anything on these forums without the search function.. I've been looking for guides and videos on tearing out WC loops for replacement/etc. Generally, do they recommend running vinegar through the rad then flush it out with distilled water, but keeping irritants away from blocks as to save the coatings?

Isint it generally not recommended to pass vinegar through your pump as it's bad for the guts? Then how do I actually clean it, just cycle through a gallon of distilled water?

Essentially I'm going to take everything apart, put temporary tubing on the pieces, flush them out with vinegar, rinse with distilled, hook everything into a loop, pump distilled through it and when it's clear enough dip the intake and output tubes into a container of distilled and let it run for an hour or so. Will this sufficiently clean my pump, which has been running the same, uncleaned/changed water for the past year?

Yes, No, Maybe so?
 
Glad the XS search function still works, found this article here. No specific mention on cleaning the pump though :D

Also, I had a black tubing thread that must've gotten rick roll'd-back during forum maintenance. It had a link to where one could buy black tygon 1/2" ID that I'd love to get my hands on. Any idea?
 
I'd avoid using vinegar. Just use boiling water and find a cheap submersible pump and run it for an hour or two. I use the D-Tek db-1 pump, run the faucet w/ boiling water into a bucket in the sink, and submerge my pump into there. Just pump away into the new pump and let it sit for an hour.
 
I too lean towards just flushing it out with hot water, do you think there is gunk in there ?


Rads due to the manufacturing process can have crap in them new but pumps should be clean, unless you had some problem with the old loop the pump should still be pretty clean.
 
Didnt have any problems with any of the equipment, just figured the pump cant be squeeky clean after running that old loop for so long.

Ranker, I'm trying to avoid spending much more on equipment as this build has already run me quite a bit over budget. How cheap are we talking for these submersible pumps? I dont have any local retailers that sell WC stuff and ordering online for the sake of cleaning seems redundant....
 
oneil said:
Didnt have any problems with any of the equipment, just figured the pump cant be squeeky clean after running that old loop for so long.

Ranker, I'm trying to avoid spending much more on equipment as this build has already run me quite a bit over budget. How cheap are we talking for these submersible pumps? I dont have any local retailers that sell WC stuff and ordering online for the sake of cleaning seems redundant....
Click to expand...

$10 for a cheap aquarium pump at Petco.
 
I just redid my loop on Sunday morning. I used a little apple cider vinegar.

I have a DangerDen fill port that was disgustingly corroded. Put it in a little cup of vinegar and came back maybe 20 minutes later and cleaned it off almost effortlessly.

I just filled my Swiftech Apogee block with vinegar though, didn't take it apart and scrub it.

Same for my pump (MCP600, old school, but has great head ;) ) Filled it with some vinegar and rinsed it out a few minutes later.

If you use some antifreeze in your system you shouldn't even have much corrosion. I left my original coolant in my loop for 11 months and I only had noticeable corrosion on my FillPort.

I guess the difference here is that I replaced all my tubing as well, so I didn't have so much concern about running different fluids through my loop. I'd suggest replacing your tubing if you have enough spare. I replace mine (all the tubing) anytime I change a component in my loop.
 
Lets get a grip on reality here folks, he is asking about his pump. Most likely a plastic housing, plastic impeller, ceramic bearing, the only metal would be the tip of the shaft at the top of the impeller.

the vinegar, and "other" natural products mentioned are weak acids and the intent is to remove scale (mineral deposits from water - which if distilled water was used will not be there anyway) and corrosion from metal. Go read the cleaning instructions for your coffee maker if you don't believe me. But would not hurt the pump at all.

Some of the other suggestions make the cure worse than the disease.


Essentially I'm going to take everything apart, put temporary tubing on the pieces, flush them out with vinegar, rinse with distilled, hook everything into a loop, pump distilled through it and when it's clear enough dip the intake and output tubes into a container of distilled and let it run for an hour or so. Will this sufficiently clean my pump, which has been running the same, uncleaned/changed water for the past year?
Click to expand...

Good plan and you will end up cleaner than most new installs. Might want to do the rad first as that is most likely any where any gunk got trapped, fill with 1/2 water 1/2 vinegar and let sit while you disassemble and prepare the rest of the stuff, then empty it out and go with the plan.
 
BillParrish said:
[snip]

Good plan and you will end up cleaner than most new installs.
Click to expand...

Good, I'll pick up a bottle of white vinegar and a few gallons of distilled on my way home.

(I love making paint mockups :D)
mockuppy7.jpg


Run half a gallon of vinegar thru the loop initially then cycle the rest of the juice over and over for a little bit. Then pour half my distilled to rinse everything out and once more loop the cycle with the rest of the distilled.

Shweet, cant wait to get rid of that old case of mine..
 
Got it, thanks. Any particular disdain in regards to flushing the rad with a tap or garden hose for increased pressure, followed by copious amounts of distilled rinsing?
 
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