What is the best thing to rinse out a brand new Radiator

Kaapstad

Kaapstad

Kaapstad

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As in the title, I have two new rads which need rinsing out.

What is the best to use, is ordinary tap water ok ?

And also how long do I need to rinse them for ?

Thanks.
 
I boil up the kettle pour in the water and let it sit for a while,rise and repeat then take my shower head off and run,repeat as many times as you like I had one rad with a lot of crap in it the shower took it out,then I use distilled and flush a few times.
 
You could make up a mix a weak solution of warm water and distilled vinegar[asda,etc] and fill the rad let it stand for a few minute's. Then rinse it out with water then rinse out with distilled water.

The vinegar will help clean the inside of the rad plus kill any aliens who have set up home.
 
clone said:
Google it .
Click to expand...

Let me guess your on about the acid content > Distilled Vinegar is sold at see below -

vinegar is usually sold at 5% acidity
5g acetic acid/100g water
100g water = 100ml = 0.1L

5g / 60.05g/mol acetic acid = 8.3x10^-2 moles or 8.3x10^-3 M

if this was completely dissociated (like a strong acid) the pH would be -log[8.3x10^-3] = 2.08

however Ka for acetic acid is 1.75x10^-5, so
[H+]^2 = (1.75x10^-5) x (8.3x10^-3) = 1.45x10^-7
[H+] = 3.8x10^-4
-log[H+] = 3.4

by definition it is not a strong acid because it does not dissociate completely, however the pH is low enough to make it taste good on french fries :)

Even used straight from the bottle l would not like to guess how long it would take to eat through the wall of a PC radiator.

So diluting it again would take even longer, so using it on a new radiator or sterilising parts from a loop effected by algae for a few minute's then flush out the rad or parts properly would not do any harm.

Don't forget its used for Human consumption on food > Fish & Chips, tasty.:)
 
Iirc the concern over vinegar is whether it'll attack flux. Acetic acid isn't going to eat copper, brass or solder at any significant rate and if the radiator is made well there shouldn't be much (any?) flux in the joint. If it's a bit badly made and relies on flux to stop leaks, and then you dissolve the flux, it'll leak.

A lot of if's there.

I've never rinsed out a radiator. I'll only start bothering once something goes wrong. Perhaps general crap in the loop would eventually break a pump, but I'm going on five years with the same pumps now and they seem to be running fine.
 
I filled my loop with Shell Battery Water ( demineralized water ), left it runing for a while watching if there is anything coming out, gave it a shake and when everything was ok, I emptied it. Everything works just fine without any magic methods.
I paid maybe 2£ for that water on gas station, I bet you guys paid much more for that vinegar :D
 
JonJ678 said:
Iirc the concern over vinegar is whether it'll attack flux. Acetic acid isn't going to eat copper, brass or solder at any significant rate and if the radiator is made well there shouldn't be much (any?) flux in the joint. If it's a bit badly made and relies on flux to stop leaks, and then you dissolve the flux, it'll leak.

A lot of if's there.

I've never rinsed out a radiator. I'll only start bothering once something goes wrong. Perhaps general crap in the loop would eventually break a pump, but I'm going on five years with the same pumps now and they seem to be running fine.
Click to expand...

It might leak eventually if its flux stopping it from leaking any way, so if using a vinegar solution reveals the weak spot leak before you install it in your PC can't be a bad thing.


Well most coolants are filtered before they fill a container any way, but if you have to reuse the coolant, filter it through a piece of double layered tights.
 
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