Loop Flushing

[Gavster]

It`s time for a coolant change and as this is my first custom loop I`m seeking advise on how far I need to go with the flushing.

Do I need to totally dismantle and clean everything individually or will a simple flush through with de-ionised water suffice?

I was looking at the Mayhems Blitz kits but noticed it says not to be used on plated products and my blocks are nickel plated so I guess that rules that out.

What methods and products do you guys use?

 

[Audioboxer]

Drain fully and take everything apart for a clean. I'll bet you right now you'll have some fin clogging if this is your first ever drain (flux, bits of metal from rads, residue from pipe cutting/bending if you used hard pipe/etc).

If your loop ends up literally 99.5/100% clean from radiator crap at some point, then future drains end up being much easier. Especially if you're using plain water with biocide/inhibitor. I've seen people not drain for years on this and be as clean as day 1. Just need to keep topping up biocide/inhibitor with a few drops every 3~6 months. Usually this is on hard pipe though (such longevity), soft tubing can introduce plasticizer leaching issues over time.

Ignore blitz kits, won't be needed. Well, as long as you haven't used a coloured fluid which quite honestly, you shouldn't be. Never worth it other than for +rep pictures on the internet.

 

[Gavster]

Drain fully and take everything apart for a clean. I'll bet you right now you'll have some fin clogging if this is your first ever drain (flux, bits of metal from rads, residue from pipe cutting/bending if you used hard pipe/etc).

If your loop ends up literally 99.5/100% clean from radiator crap at some point, then future drains end up being much easier. Especially if you're using plain water with biocide/inhibitor. I've seen people not drain for years on this and be as clean as day 1. Just need to keep topping up biocide/inhibitor with a few drops every 3~6 months. Usually this is on hard pipe though (such longevity), soft tubing can introduce plasticizer leaching issues over time.

Ignore blitz kits, won't be needed. Well, as long as you haven't used a coloured fluid which quite honestly, you shouldn't be. Never worth it other than for +rep pictures on the internet.

Cheers Audioboxer, my loop has acrylic tubing and I use EK Cryofuel (acid green), it`s been drained and flushed once already when I went from 3080 to 3080ti, which was around 9 months ago but I didn`t strip it down, just a flush through and refill with new Cryofuel.

 

[Audioboxer]

Cheers Audioboxer, my loop has acrylic tubing and I use EK Cryofuel (acid green), it`s been drained and flushed once already when I went from 3080 to 3080ti, which was around 9 months ago but I didn`t strip it down, just a flush through and refill with new Cryofuel.

If you have a lot of sediment build up from the Cryofuel then it's possible your radiators could do with a Blitz. Though, spending a lot of time filling, shaking and cleaning them is the alternative to spending money. Don't put vinegar in your radiators like some suggest, just use warm water to shake and clear them out. Maybe at most a tiny drop of squeezy, but you have to make sure the rads are well flushed after such a move.

That's the problematic part of coloured liquid, it often leads to sediment of some kind. Opaque is just a disaster, the dyed fluids can sometimes be a bit better.

I, of course, don't want to tell you what to do, but if there is sediment build up from the green cryofuel I'd consider switching to good ole deionised car water out of Asda/Tesco at £1.50 for 2L and using some Mayhems biocide/inhibitor.

If there isn't sediment then a regular clean out with water before using your Cryofuel again might well be OK if you're willing to just keep an eye on it every 9 months or so.

tldr; Never use opaques, ymmv on dyes/dyed fluids.

 

[Gavster]

There doesn`t look to be any sediment at all in the reservoir, the Cryofuel was a solid green now it`s not so solid. the GPU fins don`t look any different than they did when swapped the GPU.
I`m potentially looking for a new case at the end of the year, when the new Lian Li 011D EVO comes out and depending on the performance of the next gen GPU`s I might swap that too, so that might be a good time for a thorough strip down and clean, though if I drain it now and do find sediment or some crap in the flushing water then I`l have to bite the bullet and do it all now.

 

[Audioboxer]

There doesn`t look to be any sediment at all in the reservoir, the Cryofuel was a solid green now it`s not so solid. the GPU fins don`t look any different than they did when swapped the GPU.
I`m potentially looking for a new case at the end of the year, when the new Lian Li 011D EVO comes out and depending on the performance of the next gen GPU`s I might swap that too, so that might be a good time for a thorough strip down and clean, though if I drain it now and do find sediment or some crap in the flushing water then I`l have to bite the bullet and do it all now.

Often isn't in the reservoir, or even blocks (if its fine sediment), it's the radiators that tend to get hit the hardest with the buildup. Opaque sediment goes literally everywhere lol, but as yours is dye/transparent unlikely to be as much and it will be finer if any.

GPU fins also tend to be quite broad, unless you've got a Corsair block. Their GPU fins can be as dense as CPU blocks lol. Check your CPU block fins if they are visible.

You're probably good to go, if any colours hold out OK, it tends to be dyes.

 

[Gavster]

Often isn't in the reservoir, or even blocks (if its fine sediment), it's the radiators that tend to get hit the hardest with the buildup. Opaque sediment goes literally everywhere lol, but as yours is dye/transparent unlikely to be as much and it will be finer if any.

GPU fins also tend to be quite broad, unless you've got a Corsair block. Their GPU fins can be as dense as CPU blocks lol. Check your CPU block fins if they are visible.

You're probably good to go, if any colours hold out OK, it tends to be dyes.

Thanks for your help Audioboxer.

 

[V F]

If you have a lot of sediment build up from the Cryofuel then it's possible your radiators could do with a Blitz. Though, spending a lot of time filling, shaking and cleaning them is the alternative to spending money. Don't put vinegar in your radiators like some suggest, just use warm water to shake and clear them out. Maybe at most a tiny drop of squeezy, but you have to make sure the rads are well flushed after such a move.

That's the problematic part of coloured liquid, it often leads to sediment of some kind. Opaque is just a disaster, the dyed fluids can sometimes be a bit better.

I, of course, don't want to tell you what to do, but if there is sediment build up from the green cryofuel I'd consider switching to good ole deionised car water out of Asda/Tesco at £1.50 for 2L and using some Mayhems biocide/inhibitor.

If there isn't sediment then a regular clean out with water before using your Cryofuel again might well be OK if you're willing to just keep an eye on it every 9 months or so.

tldr; Never use opaques, ymmv on dyes/dyed fluids.

Don't forget pH testers. A lot of people miss this part thinking their stuff is clean when the pH levels are off. Especially if they've been using strong cleaners.

 

[LuckyBenski]

Don't forget pH testers. A lot of people miss this part thinking their stuff is clean when the pH levels are off. Especially if they've been using strong cleaners.

Pretty sure this caught me out after cleaning some new rads. My clear coolant turned blue tinted, then aquamarine, then over a couple of years went blue then murky green. Alphacool said the coolant would turn blue if some of its anti-corrosive components reacted with other substances in the loop. Loop was fine for 3 years and spotless when I dismantled to clean, but obviously the fluid changing colour was a huge disappointment for my build.

Flush your stuff then flush it again!