High Street Watercooling

Tenatious

Tenatious

Tenatious

Associate
Joined
14 Jan 2006
Posts
243
Hello,

So I'm getting a new motherboard and processor delivered today and therefore want to take the opportunity to take out the water cooling system and clean it up. Only problem is I have no coolant with me and I'm too impatient to wait!

So... I know I can use distilled water which I can pick up from a local Tesco, that's not a problem. What about kill coils or biocide etc? Are they really needed? Can I pick any of this stuff up off the high street as I don't think I live anywhere near a proper PC shop like OcUK.

I only as far as I know have the generally high street stores available to me.
 
In all honesty is there really any point in rushing a build? Take your time, get it done properly first time around

But if you cannot wait, distilled water will be fine for a little while & then drop your kill coil in when you get it. Failing that OCuk are very good for next day delivery ;)
 
Get the distilled water, get a bottle of engine coolant concentrate from a petrol station, mix them together (~10:90 in favour of the water), congratulations you now have a few litres of PC coolant.

It's always funny seeing people new to water cooling fret over this (no offence intended), how do people think we used to do it before companies like EK/Mayhems cashed in? :P

The only draw back is your basically limited to red, blue or sometimes yellow and green colours.
 
Personally, I would just use the diaonised for a day or two.... Then drain it and put in some mayhems pre mixed after.

You will know the system has been flushed out then and with premix you Dont have to worry about anything really!
 
You can use Dionised water from Tescos. Especially if its only for one day.
One of my machines cools with exactly that and has done for 3 years now.

Just don't rush on any of the other stuff.. my first watercooled build (I've done 4 now) I skimped on hoseclips and that was not pretty.
 
This what l use Deionized water + Mayhems XT-1 150ml Clear Coolant Concentrate £6.98 makes up to 3ltrs>50ml to 1 ltr of Deionized water.

More efficient heat transfer then vegetable extract
Easier to pump, especially at low temperatures.
Less volume for the same freeze protection.
Has been tested and classified as Non-Toxic by an EPA certified laboratory.
Additive has very little effect on heat transfer or antifreeze performance.
Readily biodegradable (90% over ten days) and will not remain in the environment or bio-accumulate.
Synergistic corrosion inhibitors to protect metals commonly found in such systems that contain mild & stainless steel, aluminium, copper, brass and cast iron and plated products.
Contains scale and biological inhibitors to help prevent fouling – thus promoting long operational life and high thermal efficiency.
Exhibits super-cooling characteristics and mixtures containing in excess of 50% by volume and they do not freeze solid.
Safe to use with Mayhems Dyes
Child Safty Cap fitted as standard
3 YEAR SHELF LIFE.

Use coloured tubing.
 
The loops already been running for 2 years but just felt it needed a clean out! Surprisingly it wasn't too bad. Only issue is I don't have a drain fitted so it's a hassle getting the fluid back out again if I stick distilled water in now and then in a few days was to want to put some Mayhems back in it (Which is what was in it before I just emptied it)

Decided to order some Mayhems from OC anyway. Needed some thermal paste and PC World don't stock it so that ruined my plans of doing it today. Also threw in the GTX 760 OC as well for good measure :P
 
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Used DI from tescos and order concentrate. When it arrives, drain a bit of the loop and add the concentrate.

Job done!

*oops, saw you ordered already. Mayhems is a good choice:)*
 
Yeah. Couldn't do a lot without the thermal paste :(

Going to run some de-ionised water through it for 24 hours cause I washed it with tap water and then drain it and add the coolant.

There's no harm in running it for 24 hours after using tap water is there? Or should I wash it all again with the de-ionised water first?
 
Yeah just wait and do it how you envisioned it in the first place, although getting some DI water would also allow you to flush the rad out of flux before plumbing it in!
 
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