Question about a watercooling radiator

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luckybanger7

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Jun 1, 2014
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Hello everyone!

I just made my first custom watercooling loop which i'm happy about :D.
Anyway i forgot to clean my parts before putting them in my loop.
My loop already ran for 1 hour and i didn't see any parts floating or stuff like that.
In this hour the flow is good.
Now my real question:
Is it nessecary to drain the whole loop and clean my parts? (Especialy the radiator)
If you need a part list i can give it to you. The most important things are that it is a cpu only loop a 240mm rad a pump and res combo.
Any help please?
Thanks in advance.
Yordi
 
Solution
rubix_1011
There is plenty of documentation on in the watercooling sticky on flushing components prior to first loop build. I am in agreement with 4ryan6 on this, flush the entire loop, even a quick rinse with a water/vinegar solution would be a good idea, just in case.

You really wouldn't see issues with coolant gelling if you weren't using coolant and just distilled water. Either way, it's always a very good idea to thoroughly rinse watercooling components if nothing more to ensure you don't get a metal or plastic burr from manufacturing caught in your pump impeller causing it to burn out.
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4Ryan6

4Ryan6

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I guess you'll have to wait for someone to come along that hasn't flushed their radiator as well but you are not guaranteed the same results.

Most radiator manufacturers in a Caution or the fine print advise you to flush the radiator before putting it into operation, WHY?

Simply because even if it is completely free of particle debris, it was solder assembled with acid flux!

If there is any acid flux residue in that radiator it could contaminate various coolants even possibly to the point of causing the coolant to gel, so why would you even take the chance?
 
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luckybanger7

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So if i got it correctly you would take it all apart?

 
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4Ryan6

4Ryan6

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I would never have assembled it without flushing the radiator, but in your situation Yes, I would take it apart, but now you need to flush everything, radiator, pump, reservoir, water blocks and tubing.

It is a lesson learned the hard way, but I promise you won't make this mistake again.



 
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luckybanger7

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But i don't quite understand what the acid can destroy...
And if the gel doesn't form now i guess it'll never form. Right? I haven't seen any kind of reactions yet.

As a quick sidenote:
Now that i can't use the water that was in there i need new water. I thought distilled water but then i need some anti-allegy stuff. I still have 400ml of ckc (some kind of waterloop filling water) so that has anti-allegy stuff in it i guess.
Can i just add the distilled water and be fine?
 
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4Ryan6

4Ryan6

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Acid can attack the seals inside the water blocks and the pump, the right concentration can even corrode or erode the copper cooling fins inside your water blocks, it can create problems with nickel plated water blocks as well.

It can do those things but there's no guarantee it will, or won't for that matter, but with the money you've invested in your water cooling do you really want to take the chance?

I would much rather be safe than sorry, and just because you do not see an instant problem doesn't mean it won't happen later.

The most immediate problem is leaks, but you resolve that by leak testing and assuring you have none before powering a system.

The long term problems are sometimes the worst of all as they tend to slowly destroy your cooling system from the inside.

Quick problems is small trash inside the radiator that partially or completely blocks the water flow through your cooling blocks, that trash will easily flow through your radiator reservoir and pump, but not through your water blocks.

Long term problems show up when you clean your system disassemble your cooling blocks and half of your cooling fins are eaten away.

It's your money and your setup, you can take whatever chances you want.

I'm outa here.
 
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luckybanger7

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Ok i got you clearly. I'm going to bleed it and get everything out.
What do you think is the best fluid to clean it?
And also if this is so important why didn't they give a warning paper with the rad etc. I had zero documentation with it except the installation of the cpu waterblock.
 
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rubix_1011

rubix_1011

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There is plenty of documentation on in the watercooling sticky on flushing components prior to first loop build. I am in agreement with 4ryan6 on this, flush the entire loop, even a quick rinse with a water/vinegar solution would be a good idea, just in case.

You really wouldn't see issues with coolant gelling if you weren't using coolant and just distilled water. Either way, it's always a very good idea to thoroughly rinse watercooling components if nothing more to ensure you don't get a metal or plastic burr from manufacturing caught in your pump impeller causing it to burn out.
 
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