Foaming with water cooling

CoolJoe · 9 Oct 2013 at 10:07

Hi,

Does any one know of something I could use that is around the house to stop my loop foaming up.

I'm using my own formula of DI water from a battery shop, biocide, some food colouring and some Propylene Glycol. I read that Propylene Glycol is used in some anti-foaming formulas, but doesn't seem to be doing anything for me.

Some oil can work? but i guess would need to be clear and thin?

Thanks

Joe

ubersonic · 9 Oct 2013 at 10:57

Strange, combining a bunch of random chemicals and heating them shouldn't cause any issues :confused:

My advice would be to bin the formula and just use DI water and engine coolant (has biocide and corrosion inhibitor) in the colour of your choice. That or buy premixed Mayhems fluid in the colour of your choice.

CoolJoe · 9 Oct 2013 at 11:51

Mayhems pretty much has what I put in mine anyway

Staffy50 · 9 Oct 2013 at 12:38

CoolJoe said:
Mayhems pretty much has what I put in mine anyway

apart from it doesnt foam

CoolJoe · 9 Oct 2013 at 12:49

That's the secret ingredient!

andybird123 · 9 Oct 2013 at 13:14

how much PG are you adding?
also, you shouldn't need a biocide if you are putting enough PG in, it could well be the biocide reacting with something

Alz_D · 9 Oct 2013 at 13:20

ubersonic said:
Strange, combining a bunch of random chemicals and heating them shouldn't cause any issues

But yeah if you spend money on water cooling the safest option is to just buy some pre mix - removes the risk of using something that may cause damage and hopefully won't foam

I'm using Mayhems X1 and it's been problem free.

Flying_Hellfish · 9 Oct 2013 at 13:39

I've heard a drop of dishwashing fluid (fairy) may work.. but that can cause it's own issues..

I'd do as above, drain the loop at pop in some pre-mix.

Has the loop been fully bled? In what order is the loop?

CoolJoe · 9 Oct 2013 at 14:39

PG is around 120ml per 1 litre of the coolant.
I did actually put some glycerin in the mix to test different viscositys. Perhaps that was the mistake!

I do have some mayhems aurora, but half the fun was to make my own. I'm also trying to make my own refrigerated reservoir, still in early stages of that, but brings down the CPU temp a couple of degrees!

andybird123 · 9 Oct 2013 at 23:54

Iirc you need to run around 20% PG for best results
The glycerine probably won't have helped either, try flushing through with distilled water a couple times and try again

Catanonia · 10 Oct 2013 at 09:35

OMG, have u tried weeing into it, about the only thing you havent added.

seriously thou, Why mess around with your own chemicals when pre mix is safer and pretty cheap. Thing of the risks to the expensive kit you are taking for the sake of a few £££

Kei · 10 Oct 2013 at 11:01

If you use ethylene glycol instead of propylene glycol, you won't need to add a biocide as the toxicity of EG takes care of it. (just don't go tasting it) Simply using a mix of DI water and 15-20% car coolant works a treat as it has all the necessaries in it already. (red long life coolant seems to have a good reputation)

andybird123 · 11 Oct 2013 at 00:14

Kei said:
If you use ethylene glycol instead of propylene glycol, you won't need to add a biocide as the toxicity of EG takes care of it. (just don't go tasting it) Simply using a mix of DI water and 15-20% car coolant works a treat as it has all the necessaries in it already. (red long life coolant seems to have a good reputation)

I use Toyota red as it glows green under blue lights

CoolJoe · 12 Oct 2013 at 23:48

Ethylene glycol is more toxic that propylene glycol. I wanted something that were biodegradable. Plus I already have a load of PG.

I have a coolant basically identical to Mayhems Aurora now, but with a better PH level, lower conductivity and lower viscosity. Oh and much cheaper!