Galvanic corrosion/rust ?

CONSOLE_BUTCHER · 2 Dec 2018 at 11:11

I know what the term galvanic corrosion means, when two different metals are used in the same cooling loop it causes corrosion.

I havent experianced this before because the loop it has happened in, is my first build. So technically i have experianced it, if this is it.

The water has been in there for 2/3 years and has had 2 mayhems silver kill coils in the res and two different filters.

If you look closely at the filter before the flow indicator you can see dark specs, im guessing those are bits of metal left over from manufacturing that have been caught.

I think there is a bit of rust on the inside of one of my fittings aswell but, looking at these pictures, can anyone tell me wether this is corrosion or rust?

Im guessing that if it is either one of them then cleaning the block isnt an option and I should replace it and the fittings aswell (also an excuse to not address the build up around the gaskets)

What is it based on the pictures ?

Dirk Diggler · 2 Dec 2018 at 12:54

CONSOLE_BUTCHER said:
can anyone tell me wether this is corrosion or rust

Rust is corrosion, specifically corrosion of iron. Basically, it's not rust.

It looks pretty clean to me for a loop that's over 2 years in service.

Doug2507 · 2 Dec 2018 at 13:01

Just empty, flush (mayhems), refill. You can take the plexi off the block to clean and refit. Little compressed air for the rest of the case / rads not a bad idea.

MikeTimbers · 2 Dec 2018 at 13:53

Yes, you can absolutely clean blocks. Tooth paste (especially if it's a "whitening" kind) does a great job on cleaning blocks. For a loop that's been running for so long, it looks completely normal. Take it all apart, clean everything, re-build. Think of it as therapy

CONSOLE_BUTCHER · 17 Dec 2018 at 17:16

Thats what just came off the gasket after wiping it with some thinners. And after looking at my build log it turns out my loop has only been going for a year(derp) :rolleyes:

Doug2507 · 17 Dec 2018 at 18:03

After initial flush I only put in distilled water. Don't run with any inhibitor / coils etc. No gunk.

CONSOLE_BUTCHER · 17 Dec 2018 at 19:20

Doug2507 said:
After initial flush I only put in distilled water. Don't run with any inhibitor / coils etc. No gunk.

I need the coils because the rads and cpu block are brass/copper and the gpu block is nickle.

LuckyBenski · 19 Dec 2018 at 22:57

CONSOLE_BUTCHER said:
I need the coils because the rads and cpu block are brass/copper and the gpu block is nickle.

Surely a silver coil will just add one more different metal to aid corrsion?

Distracted · 20 Dec 2018 at 07:02

Silver coils are for killing growth, not inhibiting corrosion.

Silver coils plus nickel plated blocks are a bad combination and have been known to cause reactions between the metals.

Jonnybmac · 20 Dec 2018 at 16:27

Any two dissimilar metals that have contact with each other in combination with oxygen and an electrolyte will cause an anodic reaction if their potential voltages differ. The greater the difference of potential voltage the faster the reaction. You can use the galvanic series to determine how likely two metals will react.

VKleita · 21 Dec 2018 at 08:39

Yeah as said above Silver coil helps prevent bugs/mould and ENCOURAGES Corrosion to do so.
It has to be used in a very specific set up.

I have found in my five water systems I have built the two EK water block ones seems to show more issues with this sort of thing, possibly the the ultra thin plating?

Jonnybmac · 21 Dec 2018 at 12:19

You could attach a sacrificial anode to the outside and connect it up via a wire so that the system steals electrons from that piece of metal rather than the pipes. You would just attach a metal with a lower potential voltage.

I've never actually done this but studied it and was apparently common on ships and pipes submerged in water.

Distracted · 21 Dec 2018 at 17:55

Jonnybmac said:
You could attach a sacrificial anode to the outside and connect it up via a wire so that the system steals electrons from that piece of metal rather than the pipes. You would just attach a metal with a lower potential voltage.

I've never actually done this but studied it and was apparently common on ships and pipes submerged in water.

Yup.

Better yet, remove the two silver coils and make sure the loop has inhibitor and biocide, or use a premix with both. Problem solved.

EsaT · 21 Dec 2018 at 21:56

Distracted said:
Better yet, remove the two silver coils and make sure the loop has inhibitor and biocide, or use a premix with both. Problem solved.

Yeah, no sense to have more dissimilar metals than necessary in the loop.

CONSOLE_BUTCHER · 24 Dec 2018 at 13:27

Distracted said:
Yup.

Better yet, remove the two silver coils and make sure the loop has inhibitor and biocide, or use a premix with both. Problem solved.

Could you recommend a premix that would work with mayhems distilled water?

CONSOLE_BUTCHER · 24 Dec 2018 at 19:42

Distracted said:
Yup.

Better yet, remove the two silver coils and make sure the loop has inhibitor and biocide, or use a premix with both. Problem solved.

I have bought some mayhems x1 clear and some new tubing. I cleaned the gpu block and didnt get all of it off but most of it, maybe 95% lol. If i add the pre mix will the state of the loop stay as it is, will there be a chance of anymore corrosion?

Distracted · 24 Dec 2018 at 20:21

CONSOLE_BUTCHER said:
I have bought some mayhems x1 clear and some new tubing. I cleaned the gpu block and didnt get all of it off but most of it, maybe 95% lol. If i add the pre mix will the state of the loop stay as it is, will there be a chance of anymore corrosion?

Make sure you remove the silver coils. They will cause issues with nickle plated blocks as you have seen.
Clean up as best you can (toothpaste is good for this) and flush thoroughly to be sure the loop is clean.

Make sure you really flush the rad(s) completely. This is worth saying twice.

The x1 claims to protect against corrosion, scale and biological fouling of the loop so once everything is clean you should be set.

With the X1 i imagine everything should be good for a year or more depending on temps and sunlight etc.

CONSOLE_BUTCHER · 24 Dec 2018 at 20:30

Distracted said:
Make sure you remove the silver coils. They will cause issues with nickle plated blocks as you have seen.
Clean up as best you can (toothpaste is good for this) and flush thoroughly to be sure the loop is clean.

Make sure you really flush the rad(s) completely. This is worth saying twice.

The x1 claims to protect against corrosion, scale and biological fouling of the loop so once everything is clean you should be set.

With the X1 i imagine everything should be good for a year or more depending on temps and sunlight etc.

I have some mayhems blitz part 2 already mixed, it has been in a bottle in my room for about a year or so, i was planning on using that before using the x1, the bottle of the part 2 itself says to run it in the loop for 12 to 24 hours so i imagine that is enough for the cleaning. I already used my dedicated block cleaning solution(colgate whitening).

Distracted · 24 Dec 2018 at 22:40

CONSOLE_BUTCHER said:
I have some mayhems blitz part 2 already mixed, it has been in a bottle in my room for about a year or so, i was planning on using that before using the x1, the bottle of the part 2 itself says to run it in the loop for 12 to 24 hours so i imagine that is enough for the cleaning. I already used my dedicated block cleaning solution(colgate whitening).

I don't know how good it is but i also run blitz part 2 through my loop overnight before adding the solution.

CONSOLE_BUTCHER · 1 Jan 2019 at 22:09

Distracted said:
Yup.

Better yet, remove the two silver coils and make sure the loop has inhibitor and biocide, or use a premix with both. Problem solved.

Got the block “cleaned” and flushed the loop with part 2, also rinsed with mayhems h20 and after putting it back together it didnt look like anything was actually cleaned lol. The gunk is gone from the gasket atleast. Now I have the x1 clear in there, maybe it will keep it at the condition that its in and not make it any worse.