De-ionised water

[Vertigo]

After some distilled water to flush out a rad and local place has "de-ionised battery top-up water". This likely to be distilled also or should I keep looking?

 

[Cob]

Yeah it's basically the same stuff.

 

[Jokester]

It's basically the same thing so I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[MikeTAD]

Distilled water has had most of its impurities removed through distillation.
De-ionised water is water that has had its minerals removed.
So…either are good.

 

[1kiwi]

What additives do you need to add to prevent corrosion / damage?

 

[WJA96]

Distilled water<>Deionized water<>Demineralised water

Deionized will be fine, but be aware that there is the potential for corrosion with mixed metals in the loop (unlikely these days) so you could use an anti-corrosion agent. Also, unlike distilled water, which is basically non-conductive, deionised and demineralised water are slightly conductive, so be (even more) careful of spilling them on live electrics. And there is likely to be live micro-organisms in your deionised water, so a Biocide is a good idea too eg. PTNuke.

 

[mrthingyx]

Distilled water<>Deionized water<>Demineralised water

Deionized will be fine, but be aware that there is the potential for corrosion with mixed metals in the loop (unlikely these days) so you could use an anti-corrosion agent. Also, unlike distilled water, which is basically non-conductive, deionised and demineralised water are slightly conductive, so be (even more) careful of spilling them on live electrics. And there is likely to be live micro-organisms in your deionised water, so a Biocide is a good idea too eg. PTNuke.

Distilled water is only slightly conductive for the first few microseconds it is in the watercooling loop: as soon as it comes into contact with a metal of some description, that conductivity increases and carries on until it reaches an equilibrium of some description. As such, it makes little difference from where a watercooling loop starts.

OP: if you put some corrosion inhibitor of some description in the loop, you shouldn't have a problem.

 

[Vertigo]

Thanks guys. This is only for flushing, got some pre-mixed cooling fluid for use in the loop

 

[Arthalen]

Thanks guys. This is only for flushing, got some pre-mixed cooling fluid for use in the loop

Then De-Ionised is fine. As for flushing, I can highly recommend w3bbo's Radiator flushing guide (it was w3bbo I think - apologies if not ). This removed so much gunk from my radiator I was gobsmacked, and if I had done it when I first installed the radiator, I could have saved myself £20 for new tubing 6 months later

Edit: Post 939 .... must be an AMD day

 

[V|per]

Yup, it was w3bbo's guide... vinegar for flushing =)

 

[Jokester]

If it's a new PA rad, you can just use water.

 

[w3bbo]

Aye, Thermochill rads now use water based flux so hot water will work just as well, if not better on a new Thermochill rad.

 

[Vertigo]

Yup, it was w3bbo's guide... vinegar for flushing =)

Thanks but not going the vinegar route - there's a lot of debate and conflicting advice on this around the forums from what I can see.