Thermalright x120 cleaning tips?? Oxidized Aluminum

W

wuzupfoo

Limp Gawd
Joined
May 11, 2010
Messages
320
Sorry if its a dumb question but I have some oxidation on the fins any product out there that can clean this up??

I live beach adjacent so it seems the sea air is getting into my system! :mad:
 
I like the wd40 idea, thin light oil that should not greatly affect the cooling and provide some protection. Not too sure how well it will help clean but good thing to try first. Salt air is nasty, check your case for exposed raw metal and a little wd40 on those parts and a swipe with a rag would be a good idea. If the oxidation is heavy perhaps a fine sandpaper folded and slipped between the fins and a good dust off and then the wd40. Never had the issue so just kinda winging it. There is a product, or there used to be, for cleaning/polishing oxidation from alum screen doors sold at hardware stores. No clue if it is still available or even suited to getting where you need to get into but afterwards to protect I cannot offhand think of anything better than FaRKle0079;s WD40 suggestion.
 
wd 40 isn't a great idea unless you clean the heatsink afterwards with some kind of detergent, dust will stick like crazy to that thing if you don't clean the wd40 off afterwards. I live in a desert so it is dry and dusty, I'm not sure how much dust is where you live.
 
Thanks on WD40 tip I figured I would have to use some sort of solvent to get rid of it but I live in So Cal so the dust comment will definitely be relevant for me as well.. Im gonna go to home depot and see what they have.

One of my gearhead car guy friends suggested I have it painted after cleaning that way it protects the aluminum like they do on intercoolers on turboed cars... but I wasnt so sure about this.. esp. how it would affect thermal qualities. Also it would be a pain to try and get paint into the fins...

Bah! what a lame unexpected problem! spent a decent chunk of cash on this thing only to see it get mangled by the air!!
 
Paint would pretty much kill the performance. The dust thing is a valid point as well, just depends on your enviroment but nothing says you cant unscrew the heatsink every couple of months and lay it in the dishwasher with just a small amount of detergent (compared to the amount normally used for dishes).
 
wd 40 isn't a great idea unless you clean the heatsink afterwards with some kind of detergent, dust will stick like crazy to that thing if you don't clean the wd40 off afterwards. I live in a desert so it is dry and dusty, I'm not sure how much dust is where you live.
Click to expand...

I would imagine that the pipe cleaners/paper towel would remove most of the WD40 so that dust attraction wouldn't be a huge problem. I doubt the increase in dust would be significant as the stock fins will accumulate a fair amount on their own!

Although I've never had oxidation on any of my heatsinks, I think WD40 would work well since it's a water displacer (get it? Water Displacement #40). Even though the oil may contract dust, it's much easier to grab a can of compressed air to get rid of dust, than it is to go in and remove oxidation fin by fin.
 
FaRKle0079 said:
I would imagine that the pipe cleaners/paper towel would remove most of the WD40 so that dust attraction wouldn't be a huge problem. I doubt the increase in dust would be significant as the stock fins will accumulate a fair amount on their own!

Although I've never had oxidation on any of my heatsinks, I think WD40 would work well since it's a water displacer (get it? Water Displacement #40). Even though the oil may contract dust, it's much easier to grab a can of compressed air to get rid of dust, than it is to go in and remove oxidation fin by fin.
Click to expand...

Removing caked on dust mixed with oil is tough job especially when it is in between fins. That stuff is going to attract dust and when the heatsink heats up it is going to get caked on, it would be alot easier in the long run to use a detergent after using wd40, paper towels will get most but not all of it.
 
yeah im gonna have to decide what to do. thanks for the ideas. Im gonna try and leave the WD 40 on for a couple weeks and see how that goes. If it gets ridiculously dirty then I may have to go back to the drawing board.
 
WD40 is a horrible idea. WD40 does not inhibit corrosion, but rather allows it to be easily removed. If left on, it will only get worse. This is a misconception about WD40 that the company's website doesn't elude to, but anyone with practical experience with it will tell you.

For instance, people spray WD40 on door hinges that are rusting and squeeking thinking it will remove the rust, and it works for a bit, but then a month later, the rust has accelerated... the WD40 acting as a medium for cathodic and anodic transfer of ions, like water.

The only usual way I know of removing 'rust' on Aluminum is with a buffing compound and a buffer. OTOH, with how Aluminum corrodes (the layer that is formed protects the rest and is often intended), why would you seek to reverse this? It isnt like Copper or Iron when rusting in this respect.

http://www.process-cooling.com/Articles/Feature_Article/BNP_GUID_9-5-2006_A_10000000000000387227

I use Aluminum on purpose around saltwater, as yes, its surface layers will corrode and turn white, but the layer that forms is what protects the rest. If you reverse that or remove that layer, the corrosion will only have a new fresh layer to spread like weeds... in fact, thats exactly what I would compare it to; trying to prevent weeds in the lawn by removing the whole lawn and leaving nothing but top-soil... you just destroyed the lawn and left a weed-magnet in its place.

For what you want, maybe you should switch to copper. Copper can be dipped in tarn-x or brasso (dont try with Aluminum) and the corrosion reversed (almost perfectly). Otherwise, just let the Aluminum be. If you can, move it away from the sea-spray... my concern would be more with the traces on the PCB that are most likely corroding, and the copper in the PCI slots that will also turn to green goo if the environment is really that bad. I would suggest sealing the case and using an external radiator (they are usually coated) for cooling.
 
Oxidation = more surface area = more cooling? :)

Oh wait, Aluminum Oxide has bad thermal conductivity.
 
Luckily its such a thin layer, and with that surface layer, the aluminum under the surface is protected and remains a good thermal conductor.
 
I didn't have the exact model, but similar heatsinks like this. After awhile compressed air just wouldn't clean out the fine dust all over the fins.

I would then just take it out and use water, brushes, etc to clean everything out of the heatsink. Make sure it was good and dry and then put it all back together.

Acidic cleaners will take the oxidation off of the radiator fins, but the difference it makes in cooling is sure to be almost none. (IE letting the fins soak in a container of 50/50 water/simple green for several hours)

I have had all copper and a silver plated heatsink and the performance never changed when there was oxidation on the top levels. Dust was the only thing that ever hindered any cooling aspect of the heatsink.
 
IME, chemicals like Tarn-X and Brasso (acidic) are for brass, copper, silver, gold, and other similar metals. If you use them on Aluminum, you will only make it worse. Cu and Al are dielectrics... what works for many metals doesn't work for Al. IME, the only way to 'pretty up' Aluminum is to get out the buffer and buffer compound (how I turned my Lian-Li mobo tray into a mirror).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top