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Coolant question

L

L.o.D.

Limp Gawd
Joined
Aug 1, 2007
Messages
191
Is there any cooling differences between the different brands for watercooling systems?
As in are there any that cool better than others?

I have no idea what coolant I currently have, but my temps now range from 30 to 40 on my OCed Q6600 now that it's getting into the summer weather.
 
Using the different brands of stuff in the exact same hardware I do not think there would be any great changes in temps. Few deg (2-3) C at most. Mainly depending on the amount of non-water ingredients are present. Water cools best, unless you have some super expensive exotic additive the rest is usually some kind of glycol to inhibit corrosion and bugs which reduce the cooling efficiency slightly.

The "best" non-super expensive non-exotic coolant you can run is 100% distilled water. Add a few drops of PT nuke to kill bugs if you like, but your existing coolant has killed anything that was going to live in there and if you do not contaminate the new water (dont spit in it :) ) draining and refilling with steam distilled water from the grocery store would provide the best cooling unless you spend a big fist of cash. Even then unless what is have is pure crap you likely will not see any significant change. There is no affordable "super" coolant or else we would all be using it and there would be no debate . Actually IMO distilled water is the "super" coolant. Adding anything else to the water without need just degrades the performance even if just slightly.

It is a real pain to drain and refill a system so my advice is to look to other solutions like a higher rpm fan, more rads etc. but all air and water cooling systems perform less well when the ambient room temp rises. Your CPU is rated to 100C. I don't see a problem.
 
I am using distilled water mixed with a colored coolant with PT nuke.
Can't remember which coolant I got.
I am currently using a dual rad with a pair of these.
 
BillParrish said:
Using the different brands of stuff in the exact same hardware I do not think there would be any great changes in temps. Few deg (2-3) C at most. Mainly depending on the amount of non-water ingredients are present. Water cools best, unless you have some super expensive exotic additive the rest is usually some kind of glycol to inhibit corrosion and bugs which reduce the cooling efficiency slightly.

The "best" non-super expensive non-exotic coolant you can run is 100% distilled water. Add a few drops of PT nuke to kill bugs if you like, but your existing coolant has killed anything that was going to live in there and if you do not contaminate the new water (dont spit in it :) ) draining and refilling with steam distilled water from the grocery store would provide the best cooling unless you spend a big fist of cash. Even then unless what is have is pure crap you likely will not see any significant change. There is no affordable "super" coolant or else we would all be using it and there would be no debate . Actually IMO distilled water is the "super" coolant. Adding anything else to the water without need just degrades the performance even if just slightly.

It is a real pain to drain and refill a system so my advice is to look to other solutions like a higher rpm fan, more rads etc. but all air and water cooling systems perform less well when the ambient room temp rises. Your CPU is rated to 100C. I don't see a problem.
Click to expand...
+1. Great advice
 
Colored coolants and lots of premixed coolants often require lots of extra maintenance as well. There is a very real chance of the dye separating from the coolant and clogging up your blocks and other equipment in the loop.

The best thing you can do is don't mix metals and then just use plain old distilled water.
 
I wanted the colored coolant to go with my UV blue fans that I already had.
I know there is a brand that keeps the color separate until you are ready to mix it.
Upon close look of my tubing, it seems there's a slight "something" inside the tubing but not enough to cause anything.
I have added a few more drops of PT Nuke earlier this year though.
 
I've been running a mixture of 10% Pentosin, 90% distilled water, a few drops of UV dye, and a few drops of dish soap in my loop for two consecutive years now.

As a coolant this mixture has worked great I think, but a few months back it started to get kind of nasty. The coolant itself looks clear, but all along the inside of the tubing and reservoir, there is residue built up. When I squeeze the tubing so the walls come together this residue comes off, and turns into small white particles.

So a couple questions: This residue that Im seeing after so long, will that appear in a loop after so long regardless of the mixture I use. IOW, is there a coolant/mixture that stays clear for two years at a time?

Second, I will be upgrading my rig now and redoing the loop, new blocks, res and tubing, but same two rads. Should I stick to the old mixture I used, or go for something new/better this time?

Thanks for all advice!
 
CC_Pirate said:
So a couple questions: This residue that Im seeing after so long, will that appear in a loop after so long regardless of the mixture I use. IOW, is there a coolant/mixture that stays clear for two years at a time?
Click to expand...
What tubing are you using? Some will leach plasticizers over time. Switching to a plasticizer free Tygon (or comparable) tubing would fix that.

Second, I will be upgrading my rig now and redoing the loop, new blocks, res and tubing, but same two rads. Should I stick to the old mixture I used, or go for something new/better this time?
Click to expand...

Distilled water + PT nuke or a small amount of silver is the best coolant and will prevent the growth of bacteria/algae. You don't need anything else unless you have mixed metals in your loop. I would use colored/UV reactive tubing rather than dyed coolant if possible.
 
DeathFromBelow said:
What tubing are you using? Some will leach plasticizers over time. Switching to a plasticizer free Tygon (or comparable) tubing would fix that.



Distilled water + PT nuke or a small amount of silver is the best coolant and will prevent the growth of bacteria/algae. You don't need anything else unless you have mixed metals in your loop. I would use colored/UV reactive tubing rather than dyed coolant if possible.
Click to expand...

Thanks. I'm using PVC tubing from McMaster. Do you think that is plasticizer free?

Edit: Will this PrimoChill Utopia additive do the trick btw? They are out of PT and I don't exactly see "silver" as an additive on thete.

Thanks!!
 
Cant say for sure but if is does it should be a very small amount because of:

For Use With
Air, Beverage, Food, Water

Specifications Met
United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

FDA Specification
CFR21 175.300

If I was not so lazy I would Google that FDA spec and likely learn more.
Curiosity got the most of me. OMG never-mind, decent electrical engineer but only made a C in chemistry. Made my brain hurt and without the rest of the spec it made little sense to me mainly because I am not sure exactly what the chemical name for a common plasticizer would be. But still IMO if the tubing if FDA food grade it is my guess it cant have too much crap leeching out of it and a whole hell of a lot less than something not Food Grade. Again IMO if I was looking for a moderate priced good tubing your choice would be high on my list.

http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2002/aprqtr/pdf/21cfr175.300.pdf


For the silver, go to a coin shop/flea market and find a Dime minted before 1965 (cheapest one they got) and drop a couple in the res. 90% silver. Hella cheaper than those coil things.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dime_(United_States_coin)
 
Last edited:
CC_Pirate said:
Thanks. I'm using PVC tubing from McMaster. Do you think that is plasticizer free?
Click to expand...

BillParrish said:
Cant say for sure but if is does it should be a very small amount because of:

For Use With
Air, Beverage, Food, Water

Specifications Met
United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

FDA Specification
CFR21 175.300
Click to expand...

That's a good question, plasticizer-free tubing is generally advertised as such, but the descriptions of the food grade tubing from Tygon and McMaster don't specifically list that as a feature.

The tubing you're using should be fine if you're using a good coolant. Plain distilled water with a couple drops of PT nuke or whatever shouldn't pull the plasticizers out of any tubing.

Edit: Will this PrimoChill Utopia additive do the trick btw? They are out of PT and I don't exactly see "silver" as an additive on thete.
Click to expand...

That should be fine. The silver dime trick BillParrish mentioned is good, or you can buy a silver kill coil like these:
http://www.petrastechshop.com/sikibyia.html
 
Thanks for all help guys. So using a mixture of pure Pentosin and distilled water is not optimal. Although cheap, as I already have the pentosin.

A lot of ppl are saying the Feser One Fluids are really good. They are UV reactive but supposedly dont use an UV dye that will create particles. Pricey (I will need more than one liter), but its an all in one solution tho. Any opinions on that?
 
RabidCicada said:
http://www.bit-tech.net/modding/2008/02/16/watercooling_fluid_shootout/1

Read up on that link to make an informed decision on your own :).

But in short Fezer One fluid looks pretty dependable and it's what I am using in my "just built yesterday" loop. I think it will be a good choice. The only tradeoff is really price which was fine with me.
Click to expand...

I am sorry but Bit-Tech needs to go back to the 4th grade, Water IS NOT conductive (when pure read:distilled)

I use distilled water with water wetter (10 drops per gallon) and it works perfect. my current system has been up for a year with no issues.

i have in the past used additives for UV as well as the feser fluid both clogged up my blocks after about 8 months.

I have all black tubing now, I did this to help prevent algae growth, so take that as you wish.
 
The one thing about "fluid conductivity" I think all of us can agree on (before this turns into yet another, well you guys know...)

The real trick is, no matter what you put in the loop, is to use good clamps/connectors whatever, careful workmanship in assembly procedures and leak test. If you do it right, the issue goes away. The point is there should never be a leak in the first place, really its not hard to prevent.

So using a mixture of pure Pentosin and distilled water is not optimal.
Click to expand...

I didn't follow the link so maybe that is where that came from. In my book it is unless you have something very very special going on. Petrosin is antifreeze which is some form of glycol and as far as I know will in any decent concentration with water (5% or greater ??? ) will; kill bugs, help prevent corrosion, provide some extra impeller bearing lubrication and if colored will even glow just a bit due to the UV leak detection properties. So while there is always room to discuss and debate, I personally have a hard time figuring (well more glowy - I can see that) out what else is really needed.
 
LibertySyclone said:
I am sorry but Bit-Tech needs to go back to the 4th grade, Water IS NOT conductive (when pure read:distilled)

<snip>
Click to expand...

That's not true at all. It will ionize and conduct electricity... although not much. But it could be enough to disrupt electronic devices which are sensitive to small changes in electrical charge.
 
Do you guys think that Pentosin can pull the plasticizers out of tubing? Doesn't pentosin just do a good job at preventing corrosion and algae? And will any water wetter be necessary if I go with only water and silver (or only water and pentosin for that matter)? Im thinking either the dish soap or the UV dye helped dirten up my coolant last time.
 
What about a water wetting agent? I used a couple drops of Dawn dish soap in my last loop, and I'm assuming it worked as a water wetter, but it produced a hell of a lot of bubbles and I'm thinking maybe it contributed to the introduction of those white particles I was seeing.

What do you suggest I use as a water wetter? I've heard good things about the Red Line product. Can I use this diesel version (since its blue ;)?: http://www.redlineoil.com/product.aspx?pid=75&pcid=10.
 
Similar properties and benefits to regular WaterWetter, but lacks rust and corrosion inhibitors

nope, use the pink stuff, and the red line product is exactly what we refer to when we say water wetter.
 
LibertySyclone said:
Similar properties and benefits to regular WaterWetter, but lacks rust and corrosion inhibitors

nope, use the pink stuff, and the red line product is exactly what we refer to when we say water wetter.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply. But I don't want pink in my loop! If my coolant is Pentosin and distilled water, won't the Pentosin prevent corrosion and rust? So I wouldn't need those properties from the Water Wetter?

Any other alternatives to Water Wetter?
 
You can try the stuff (forget the name as I don't use it) to prevent water spots in dishwashers, it is nothing but a water wetter / sheeting agent. Cascade make it, small bottle - grocery store next to dishwasher detergent.

Yes Petosin will help prevent corrosion if you are determined to use copper and alum in your loop. If your components are all copper or copper and nickel plated copper they will not corrode anyway. Rust is Iron. There should not be any iron/steel exposed in the loop. So yes, you kinda worded it backwards. I would have said " So water wetter does not provide any corrosion protection ? " and the answer is you are correct unless it is mixed formulated with something else water wetter just increases the "slipperyness" of water and typically doe not provide corrosion protection.

I strongly suggest you stick with distilled water and petrosin, and maybe dye. It is my opinion that trouble starts with " look at the gunk I found in my block !! " when all this stuff is mixed. At least mix it up in a clean gallon jug of distilled water and let it set for a week before you use it in the loop. Just adding stuff to a running loop when you dont know for sure it is compatible with whatever is in there is just asking for trouble. Water wetter is a waste of time IMO. On the other hand maybe you will discover the worlds best combination/concentration of ingredients.
 
BillParrish said:
You can try the stuff (forget the name as I don't use it) to prevent water spots in dishwashers, it is nothing but a water wetter / sheeting agent. Cascade make it, small bottle - grocery store next to dishwasher detergent.

Yes Petosin will help prevent corrosion if you are determined to use copper and alum in your loop. If your components are all copper or copper and nickel plated copper they will not corrode anyway. Rust is Iron. There should not be any iron/steel exposed in the loop. So yes, you kinda worded it backwards. I would have said " So water wetter does not provide any corrosion protection ? " and the answer is you are correct unless it is mixed formulated with something else water wetter just increases the "slipperyness" of water and typically doe not provide corrosion protection.

I strongly suggest you stick with distilled water and petrosin, and maybe dye. It is my opinion that trouble starts with " look at the gunk I found in my block !! " when all this stuff is mixed. At least mix it up in a clean gallon jug of distilled water and let it set for a week before you use it in the loop. Just adding stuff to a running loop when you dont know for sure it is compatible with whatever is in there is just asking for trouble. Water wetter is a waste of time IMO. On the other hand maybe you will discover the worlds best combination/concentration of ingredients.
Click to expand...

Haha, I understand what you're saying and appreciate the advice. I also believe in distilled water with pentosin, but I also believe that a water wetter is essential due to all the tight corners and turns inside blocks and especially radiators.

Is this what you were thinking of?: Cascade Crystal Clear Rinse

Furthermore, Red Line water wetter is designed to be mixed with an antifreeze such as Pentosin, and water. I find it hard to believe that these two won't like each other and separate.

But I don't know any of this, you guys do. I'm just drawing conclusion from what makes the most sense to me.

Thanks again!
 
Unless someone steps in here with a great reason not to, I will risk everything and try to invent the greatest coolant of all time: Pentosin blue with Diesel Water Wetter and distilled water. In UV reactive tubing.

Whohooo!
 
There are no rules, Pirates especially. We would still be in caves if some guy had not decided "screw this damp dark crap, I am outta here" while eveyone else yelled "No !! The bears will eat you". No records exist if he made it or not.
 
The trick here is to convince the other guys in the cave to go first so you can walk on by while the bears are busy snacking :)
 
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