Primochill Dye Bomb (FAIL)

[Sasqui]

In the process of moving my new 3750k to my watercooled case, I decided to strip the loop apart and clean it out. Last night, I dissasembled my 345 Koolance waterblock to see what it looked like. And it looked like HELL.

A few years back, I tried Primochill coolant with a UV "Dye Bomb". The UV effect lasted for about 3 weeks, so I opened the drain port to look at the fluid. Found accumulations of what looked like white paste, and about the same consistency as paste. Cleaned out as much as I could, but didn't clean anything else out, just flushed with distilled water and refilled with distilled water.

Last night, I found greenish gunk all over the pins inside the waterblock. Took about 30 min with a toothbrush and detergent to take it off. It kind of looked like this:


Image credit: http://www.overclock.net/t/638293/gold-dye-bomb

So next step is taking apart my 655 pump and seeing what that looks like inside. I'm pissed... lesson learned. I suspect the heat transfer capacity of the radiator is also dimished if the crap accumulated there, but really no chance of cleaning it, unless I can find a solvent.

Anyway, a heads up... stay away from Primochill (or at least the Dye/Paste Bomb)

[brandonwh64]

Distilled water only. I know people like these colors but they are more headache than good.

[Sinzia]

Originally Posted by brandonwh64

Distilled water only. I know people like these colors but they are more headache than good.

Agreed.

Did you have something for algae/bacteria growth? Silver kill coil, PTNuke, etc?

[Sasqui]

Originally Posted by Sinzia

Agreed.

Did you have something for algae/bacteria growth? Silver kill coil, PTNuke, etc?

No, the accretions are not biological, as far as I can tell. They're hard and a bitch to clean off. The waterblock is chrome plated on the inside, and I think the radiator is aluminum, but it may be copper, hence the green color (?). The color may be a by-product of the remainder fo the dye bomb.

It's either distilled water or Koolance fluid for me, I've had great experience with both in the past.

[bmaverick]

If you want a green color in the coolant, go WCing old school with Propylene "green color" glycol. The Sierra brand has always been the one of choice. It's not UV, but the green color will actually keep in the coolant and not your parts. Also, the stuff will lubricate the Laing pump nicely for years of trouble free operation too. The corrosion inhibitors will prevent the nasties in the loop as well.

About 10 to 15% is all it will need.

To clean the parts that have been gunked up, distilled vinegar works great! Even mix it up to flush through the loop.

[cadaveca]

Originally Posted by bmaverick

If you want a green color in the coolant, go WCing old school with Propylene "green color" glycol. The Sierra brand has always been the one of choice. It's not UV, but the green color will actually keep in the coolant and not your parts. Also, the stuff will lubricate the Laing pump nicely for years of trouble free operation too. The corrosion inhibitors will prevent the nasties in the loop as well.

About 10 to 15% is all it will need.

To clean the parts that have been gunked up, distilled vinegar works great! Even mix it up to flush through the loop.

Good tip. Most AIO coolers use Glycol, have mixed metals, and have no problems, either. I'll NEVER recommend distilled water alone.

I do not agree on the vinegar though, been a few users in the past that has issues after using vinegar.

I prefer Isopropyl to clean, or very weak citric acid.

[radrok]

I've always used Primochill Pure clear or the Aquacomputer fluid, never had an issue, most of the times colored coolant just isn't worth it.

Get colored tubing next time man, you don't deserve to deal with this kind of mess, no one does.

[fullinfusion]

Originally Posted by cadaveca

Good tip. Most AIO coolers use Glycol, have mixed metals, and have no problems, either. I'll NEVER recommend distilled water alone.

I do not agree on the vinegar though, been a few users in the past that has issues after using vinegar.

I prefer Isopropyl to clean, or very weak citric acid.

Why not use distilled water Dave? Am I missing out on something here?

Thats all I use and a real 1 gram square of .999 pure silver in the loop and I have no issues at all.

I had my loop apart a week or so ago and from looking inside the rad and fittings there is no build up at all of any sort.

[radrok]

Originally Posted by fullinfusion

Why not use distilled water Dave? Am I missing out on something here?

Thats all I use and a real 1 gram square of .999 pure silver in the loop and I have no issues at all.

I had my loop apart a week or so ago and from looking inside the rad and fittings there is no build up at all of any sort.

Do you have nickel in your loop? If the answer is yes then you shouldn't be using silver, it may cause problems.

[Sasqui]

Originally Posted by bmaverick

If you want a green color in the coolant, go WCing old school with Propylene "green color" glycol. The Sierra brand has always been the one of choice. It's not UV, but the green color will actually keep in the coolant and not your parts. Also, the stuff will lubricate the Laing pump nicely for years of trouble free operation too. The corrosion inhibitors will prevent the nasties in the loop as well.

About 10 to 15% is all it will need.

To clean the parts that have been gunked up, distilled vinegar works great! Even mix it up to flush through the loop.

I was even thinking the stuff I use in my boiler at home. It's also Propylene, but I think also has anti-microbial additives in addition to the anti-corrosives.

Originally Posted by radrok

I've always used Primochill Pure clear or the Aquacomputer fluid, never had an issue, most of the times colored coolant just isn't worth it.

Get colored tubing next time man, you don't deserve to deal with this kind of mess, no one does.

I did the Dye bomb about 4 years ago, the UV effect was pretty cool while it lasted, but could care less about coloring now. I want functionality.

[fullinfusion]

Originally Posted by radrok

Do you have nickel in your loop? If the answer is yes then you shouldn't be using silver, it may cause problems.

yup its nickel plated.

[radrok]

Originally Posted by Sasqui

I did the Dye bomb about 4 years ago, the UV effect was pretty cool while it lasted, but could care less about coloring now. I want functionality.

That may well be a plasticizer leach and old dye mix, could be interesting to get that analyzed.

[erocker]

Originally Posted by radrok

That may well be a plasticizer leach and old dye mix, could be interesting to get that analyzed.

Agreed. That's what it looks like to me.

[Sasqui]

Originally Posted by radrok

That may well be a plasticizer leach and old dye mix, could be interesting to get that analyzed.

Originally Posted by erocker

Agreed. That's what it looks like to me.

My assumption as well. The Dye Bomb started coagulating about a month after I added it. The residue was like a plastic white paste, and not water soluble. So if it is plasticizer, I have no idea what to use for a solvent.

Edit: My plan is to take the pump apart tonight, so I'll try to post pictures of that when it's opened before cleaning it.

[radrok]

Doesn't it come off with a toothbrush?

[newtekie1]

Originally Posted by bmaverick

go WCing old school with Propylene "green color" glycol

Ethylene Glycol is traditional green antifreeze, which is what most people use, Propylene Glycol is generally labeled as "Non-Toxic" or RV Antifreeze and is uaually pink. I use a 10% mix of Propylene Glycol when I run watercooling because it is safe for my animals if I ever spill any.

[Sasqui]

Originally Posted by radrok

Doesn't it come off with a toothbrush?

It took 30 minutes to clean the pins off the waterblock base, plus detergent and a sore arm! I think it was the mechanical action more than anything else.

My concern is a layer of the stuff is now in the radiator, acting as an insulator, but it's oversized in heat capacity, so I'm not too worried about it. The waterblock and pump are the priority I think.

Here's my case not long after adding the original dye, April 2009:

[Delta6326]

It's really to bad no company can come up with a product that can be used with Aluminum, copper and nickel while keeping all bacteria away and be able to be colored .

[cadaveca]

Originally Posted by fullinfusion

Why not use distilled water Dave? Am I missing out on something here?

Thats all I use and a real 1 gram square of .999 pure silver in the loop and I have no issues at all.

I had my loop apart a week or so ago and from looking inside the rad and fittings there is no build up at all of any sort.

It's all about the pH. Distilled water(well, most water), will change pH when exposed to air, absorbing CO2.

pH will also change when the water becomes ionized(which happens from movement).

Then, to start, most distilled water has a pH or 5.5-6.5, which makes it an acid.


Go ahead, pour that acid in your loop.





Or you can use an additive that'll balance the pH.

[Steevo]

Fleetguard CC2825 coolant, its blue, it has everything and is a 50/50 mix. Add 25% more distilled water and a couple drops of antibacterial dish soap as a wetting agent.


Its what I use and after a couple years my blocks were still sparkling clean, my tubes were still fine, and I get insane temperatures, the other night I opened the front door and my 5870 was 6C under full F@H load @ 1.3 volts and 1058Mhz core, and its AFTER my 1100T

[Sasqui]

Originally Posted by Steevo

Its what I use and after a couple years my blocks were still sparkling clean, my tubes were still fine

Look 3 posts up at the picture I posted. The tubes now have a white haze (so did the res, but I've cleaned that out too).

Tubes are Tygon, very soft and flexible, can't recall the specific type.

[Steevo]

Replace the tubing after you flush it all with radiator flush and hot water for 15 minutes. Or CLR and water run through it.





When its not running it turns back clear blue in a minute. I let the air circulate to let me know its flowing and the pump is working.

[Sasqui]

Originally Posted by Steevo

with radiator flush

Someone at work suggested that... guess I'll be swinging by an auto parts store or small-mart.

[MT Alex]

Originally Posted by radrok

Do you have nickel in your loop? If the answer is yes then you shouldn't be using silver, it may cause problems.

No, silver and nickel are galvanic and corrosion compatible, with only a .15 difference on the anodic index.

[fullinfusion]

Originally Posted by cadaveca

It's all about the pH. Distilled water(well, most water), will change pH when exposed to air, absorbing CO2.

pH will also change when the water becomes ionized(which happens from movement).

Then, to start, most distilled water has a pH or 5.5-6.5, which makes it an acid.


Go ahead, pour that acid in your loop.





Or you can use an additive that'll balance the pH.

Funny a dash of baking soda into the loop keeps my water @ 7.0

I've got a high end reef tank and water is what I gota know about and regularly test or I lose hundreds and hundreds or dollars in coral...

So yeah Ill add acid to my loop

@ Steevo, I took a single 120mm rad down to the local radiator shop that custom builds radiators/ repairs anything with fins.

was the best $15 bucks I ever spent. The cleaner they use is way better than store bought ones. The rad was just like new when the finished.

Just a thought.