My watercool Hk 3.0 has some black coating inside fins

engstrom0304 · 18 Dec 2009 at 13:19

When i opened up my hk 3.0, inside the fins, there is quite a lot of what looks like a black coating on the copper. Probably very thin. I tried cleaning with distilled, toohbrush and put it in white wine vinegar for an hour, then cleaned and another hour but still there.

Should i not worry?

DavyBoy · 18 Dec 2009 at 14:22

Can you take a picture of this?

I have the same block, and I opened mine when I first got it to give it a clean out, and mine didn't have a black coating inside...

JonJ678 · 18 Dec 2009 at 14:31

What are you using as coolant?

Is there aluminium anywhere in the loop?

engstrom0304 · 18 Dec 2009 at 14:40

I think it is oxidation, i put tap water through it whcih made the fins oxidise a little. ie copper oxide, apparently its not too big a deal though. Dont have a camera at the moment, but most of the fins have a large portion black.

Also the otherside, ie. bottom, hsa very slight oxidation, is it a problem, should i lap with 2500grit or somthing?

It is a brand new block, never used in a loop

engstrom0304 · 18 Dec 2009 at 15:06

ignore!

DavyBoy · 18 Dec 2009 at 15:10

Don't lap the HK3..

I tarnished the base of mine from handling it when I first got it, I just used some tomato ketchup to clean it up.

I remember reading that lapping the base of these blocks can worsen performance..

engstrom0304 · 18 Dec 2009 at 15:25

But 2500 grit is only thumb use, wont make it flatter etc just removew light scratches or this oxide layer. With the ketchup did you just smear it on and leave it? How long etc? Did you clean it with distilled or tap water? How did you dry it?
Thanks
Tim

Pneumonic · 18 Dec 2009 at 17:24

ketchup works wonders

depending on how bad I would leave it on for a couple of mins and then wash off with tap water.. I then use normal Heatsink cleaning product for a final clean

engstrom0304 · 18 Dec 2009 at 22:52

Pneumonic said:
ketchup works wonders

depending on how bad I would leave it on for a couple of mins and then wash off with tap water.. I then use normal Heatsink cleaning product for a final clean

Had a can of coke in the cupboard so left it in there before i went of to a xmas party, when i got back a few hours later, it was a hell of a lot better, ill leave it overnight.
In the morning ill porbably clean with distilled, then how should i dry?? Dont want it to oxidise again. I think i caused the blackness

Tim

DavyBoy · 19 Dec 2009 at 01:21

I left the ketchup on the base for about 20 minutes, and then used DI water and a soft bristle toothbrush to clean it up..

With my graphics card block, I used tap water the first time I cleaned it with ketchup, but when I checked the block the next day it was all tarnished again.. so I redone it, only this time I used the DI water, and it's been fine since..

I'm gonna look into getting my blocks plated, as that will stop the copper tarnishing like this, and it looks good to!!

engstrom0304 · 19 Dec 2009 at 11:31

DavyBoy said:
I left the ketchup on the base for about 20 minutes, and then used DI water and a soft bristle toothbrush to clean it up..

With my graphics card block, I used tap water the first time I cleaned it with ketchup, but when I checked the block the next day it was all tarnished again.. so I redone it, only this time I used the DI water, and it's been fine since..

I'm gonna look into getting my blocks plated, as that will stop the copper tarnishing like this, and it looks good to!!

Ye, How much is the plating usually do you know? I took it out the water, the copper was cleaner, still a bit of oxidation on the fins but who really cares

Its much better. Rinsed with deionised after.