Need help choosing coolant for custom loop

[A Computer Guy]

Anyone ever tried isopropyl alcohol in the water to keep it sterile? as one doesn't really need to stop it freezing.

I always wondered is Cool Mint Listerine would work? At least it would smell great when it spills.

 

[ty_ger]

It's a bad idea to just use distilled water, you need something that can prevent carp from growing inside the loop.

Yeah, you need something to keep stuff from growing, but it also has to be carefully chosen. Remember when silver "kill coils" were a craze? And how bad that ended up being? And remember how bad PT Nuke ended up being? I think it killed his business in the process of all that fall-out.
And not just that, you need corrosion inhibitors because even if everything is the same type of metal and same type of plating, differences in alloys, and differences in hardness from machining, and anything -- even within the same block -- will act like a battery in presence of water. Galvanic corrosion.
Might as well make sure the coolant can't freeze while you are at it.
What do you have in the end? Your own concoction which you hope is safe, which costs almost as much as something produced and extensively tested by a company with a reputation behind it.

 

[Bobaganoosh]

I started with EK Cryofuel clear, but it was not performing well and my reservoir was showing quite a bit of residue from it. I did a mayhems part 1 flush of the whole system and switched over to Koolance 702. It's been great. I also use Koolance 702 at work for a variety of projects and it definitely has no issues at 2 years. I've only used clear, so I can't comment on the colors, but there are enough horror stories of colored coolants from every brand for me to stay away. I even went as bullet proof as I could on tubing and I just use the ZMT EPDM black rubber tubing (10/16mm). It's super easy to work with and very robust. It does look quite industrial, but I'm not a huge RGB person anyway and as an Engineer, I don't tend to mind something that looks more industrial anyway.

 

[ir_cow]

It's a bad idea to just use distilled water, you need something that can prevent carp from growing inside the loop.

Or just have a clean loop with high flow. Flush it ever year. Nothing grows inside mine. Wash your hands before assembly and don't use your mouth to move water.

 

[Outback Bronze]

Flush it ever year

I don't have to flush/touch my car coolant for years though. To each there own I suppose.

 

[Vya Domus]

Or just have a clean loop

There is no way you can be sure of that, it's not like everything is sterilized, there is no reason not to put some drops of biocide in there.

 

[thesmokingman]

I've been doing this over a decade, been thru the distilled, kill coil, biocide drops er what was that Petra's, then the EK fiasco? None of that shit worked, always got corroded blocks. The fancy labeled pc coolants still suck and are weak in my experience. Thus auto coolant mixed and I can forget about fluids.

To each his own, but I ain't buying straight distilled nonsense but it's your loop so all you.

 

[Outback Bronze]

I've been doing this over a decade

I'm almost over two now : )

 

[thesmokingman]

I'm almost over two now : )

I figured a decade is old enough lol.

 

[mx62]

Im running my second loop and always had a drop or two of dishwasher soap, prevents things from growing, and removes water tension, and its cheap

 

[Macro Device]

% of mix up to you.

Is 100% anti-freeze okay?

 

[Outback Bronze]

Is 100% anti-freeze okay?

Yep, I've used all different types of strengths over the years with different makes/models of soft tube and hardline no worries. The main one I use is 50/50.

I found the thicker varieties didn't like the pump as much. Got a mate that does say 20-30% and he's happy with that.

I generally use the 50/50 straight out of the bottle as it has a better reaction with my UV lights : )

 

[Macro Device]

Yep, I've used all different types of strengths over the years with different makes/models of soft tube and hardline no worries. The main one I use is 50/50.

I found the thicker varieties didn't like the pump as much. Got a mate that does say 20-30% and he's happy with that.

I generally use the 50/50 straight out of the bottle as it has a better reaction with my UV lights : )

View attachment 327220

Okay, thanks.

I'm not into liquid cooling at all and my systems never require anything more advanced than Gammaxx 300/basic 3-fan GPU cooler so I never bothered installing it but I've got anti-freeze I can use for basically free and since it's about 3 years I'm trying to find any use for it...

Maybe I could build some liquid cooled experimental PC going full-on anti-freeze? No way in hell do I need it but why not.

 

[Kapone33]

I use the Corsair liquid. It works and has the smell and feel of Anti Freeze. It is also the cheapest that I can find in Canada. Alphacool is better but also 2 to 3 times the cost.

 

[Outback Bronze]

but why not.

It's awesome fun! It's my favorite part of building PC's.

Start with a simple CPU block, Pump/Res, Rad using soft tube and compression fittings.

 

[Macro Device]

It's awesome fun! It's my favorite part of building PC's.

Start with a simple CPU block, Pump/Res, Rad using soft tube and compression fittings.

Is it possible to deal with an approximately 500 W system using a single 420 thicc radiator, anti-freeze and ambient temperature of about 15C/59F?

 

[Kapone33]

Is it possible to deal with an approximately 500 W system using a single 420 thicc radiator, anti-freeze and ambient temperature of about 15C/59F?

Yes

 

[Shrek]

Is 100% anti-freeze okay?

Low specific heat (2.4 J/gC) compared to water (4.2 J/gC) and the pure anti-freeze will be a lot more viscous than water;
but if the temperatures are acceptable, why not.

But not a thing to be done in a car.