Cleaning a loop

snedie · 31 Dec 2011 at 18:29

My loop will be built next week, and some of the parts are pre-owned and need cleaning. The parts in question are pump, res, rad and one of my gpu blocks. Can I just use DI water for a day or so to flush the system, then drain and repeat the next day to grab anything left?

Or should I use a vinegar/water solution? (Wasn't sure how the pump would like it).

Cleeecooo · 31 Dec 2011 at 18:38

Use hot water, then rinse with DI

snedie · 31 Dec 2011 at 18:41

How hot?

Captain Chaos · 1 Jan 2012 at 14:24

very hot

Cleeecooo · 1 Jan 2012 at 16:41

Very very hot

red eye · 3 Jan 2012 at 23:09

boiling? without affecting cpu?

jonneymendoza · 4 Jan 2012 at 08:28

red eye said:
boiling? without affecting cpu?

clean it with some ferry liquid and a tooth brush

red eye · 4 Jan 2012 at 14:31

jonneymendoza said:
clean it with some ferry liquid and a tooth brush

but then I'd have to remove and dismantle the block, I was after how to flush the loop with it still attached to mobo.

Bubo · 4 Jan 2012 at 15:14

Flushing an existing loop on its own does bugger all if you ask me. Even with hot water it is not going to disolve any black oxide you may have on your blocks, and any solid particles which may be in there are still going to get stuck in the cpu block regardless, with the slight caveat that maybe if you flushed it in reverse it *might* dislodge some of the large bits which may have got stuck on one side of a jet plate for example, but I'm pretty sure it wouldn't get it spotless.

If you think your cpu block needs cleaning then there is no subsitute for dismantling and manually cleaning. And don't use any detergent either, especially if considering flushing.

jonneymendoza · 4 Jan 2012 at 15:26

red eye said:
but then I'd have to remove and dismantle the block, I was after how to flush the loop with it still attached to mobo.

Mate thats the only way to clean it out. u gotta open up the blocks and start scrubbing

red eye · 4 Jan 2012 at 16:45

right so clean the block every flush and replace fluid time, so where can I get a tub of thermal compound?

Cleeecooo · 4 Jan 2012 at 17:13

red eye said:
right so clean the block every flush and replace fluid time, so where can I get a tub of thermal compound?

Arctic cooling MX-4

Just search for it on the OcUK page

jonneymendoza · 4 Jan 2012 at 18:41

i wouldnt clean a block mate unless im using colored liquid. So long as u used clean di-ionalized water it wont mess up your blocks.

snedie · 5 Jan 2012 at 13:16

Only reason for cleaning was some of the stuff was second hand.

red eye · 5 Jan 2012 at 17:32

Cleeecooo said:
Arctic cooling MX-4

Just search for it on the OcUK page

I was thinking along the lines of 10g tub

red eye · 5 Jan 2012 at 17:35

jonneymendoza said:
i wouldnt clean a block mate unless im using colored liquid. So long as u used clean di-ionalized water it wont mess up your blocks.

I about to put my loop together lust contemplating on what coolant to use and the maintenance involved. The kit came with EK uv blue additive, im guessing anything with dye would need the block pulling apart for cleaning?