White stuff in coolant. Advice needed!

RyzenJunkie · 12 Jul 2019 at 19:12

Hi,

Just bought a watercooled pc for a steal (7920x, Asus rampage VI, 32gb ram, thetmaltake 360mm rad, pump and reservoir combo, thermaltake tower 900 etc).

Noticed that the reservoir looks to have a bit of white stuff in. Presume this means the coolant needs changing. Can't see that it has a drain port so may undo a bolt on the rad and drain it off there.

How do I clean it? Was thinking draining as much out as possible and then flushing it with distilled water but can't see anywhere that does distilled water for cheap.

Also any recommendations on what coolant to use?

Cheers

tyler_jrb · 12 Jul 2019 at 19:52

Usually a few cycles with distilled water or deionised left for an hour or so at a time will clean everything out.

Alternatively if you want to be sure you can use a cleaning kit such as the mayhems blits kit (part 2 NOT PART 1!) as part 1 is meant for rads only and will destroy all the seals etc.

Leave it running for up to 24hrs and it will clean any deposits from inside the loop, then just rinse a few times with deionised or distilled water and refill with coolant.

https://www.overclockers.co.uk/mayhems-blitz-basic-kit-wc-104-mh.html

Just for rinsing out then deionised is much cheaper and is perfectly fine if not better to use.

Its also best to drain at the lowest point making sure everything is well protected from spillage and if there is no drain valve it may be a good idea now to fit one as well as replace the tubing etc if its flexi.

EK cryofuel is good stuff, i use it and have had no problems.

RyzenJunkie · 12 Jul 2019 at 20:31

Cheers for that. The tubing in the front is hard tubing. The bottom tube going into the back (bottom of the rad is soft tubing. I'll get a drain valve put on it once I've drained it as want to keep it well maintained. How often do you need to change the fluid? Computer will be on for about 8hrs a day and then in sleep mode for the rest.

tyler_jrb · 12 Jul 2019 at 20:48

RyzenJunkie said:
Cheers for that. The tubing in the front is hard tubing. The bottom tube going into the back (bottom of the rad is soft tubing. I'll get a drain valve put on it once I've drained it as want to keep it well maintained. How often do you need to change the fluid? Computer will be on for about 8hrs a day and then in sleep mode for the rest.

Hard tubing is fine to leave as is, flexi if it looks fine then leave it unless its an easy swap. They tend to leach plasticiser over time. Use EKWB zmt if the previous owner hasn't already and it wont need changing again as this kind of tubing doesn't leach anything into the water and is maintainance free, lasts for years.

Around once a year is fine and will mean you can just do a quick rinse of distilled/deionised and refil with coolant. This is what i have done the past 5+ years and havent had any problems. I usually use a blitz kit if going with a color change as it gets everything out.

RyzenJunkie · 12 Jul 2019 at 20:52

I'm just going to buy a graphics card this week as it doesn't come with one. Won't be gaming on it so wanted a cheap amd card that I could put a block on and then watercool that just so it's quiet. Then was going to take everything out and redo the watercooling. Just never done it so don't want mess it up haha

MikeTimbers · 12 Jul 2019 at 21:51

have a look on the auction site for water-cooled cards. Older generations can be picked up quite cheaply. I got a 1070 Seahawk for £166!

RyzenJunkie · 12 Jul 2019 at 22:14

Crikey. Lucky you. I'm.after an AMD card actually as have lower dpc latency so I'm told.

RyzenJunkie · 14 Jul 2019 at 20:41

I've just got a graphics card and in the process of installing everything. Might sound stupid but are you supposed to see water moving? In the Res, it has the pipe coming down from the top and I can't see any movement and where the level sits at the top, I can't see that moving at all either?

LuckyBenski · 14 Jul 2019 at 23:16

What speed is the pump running at? Does it report an RPM (speed) value?

At slow speeds you may not see or hear any movement. I usually see a tiny bit of disturbance in the water's surface though, even at slowest speed.

Definitely confirm the pump is working at full speed and isn't stopping when slowed down too.

RyzenJunkie · 14 Jul 2019 at 23:45

I'm going to strip the sides off tomorrow and see where everything is connected to and also take some photos and will put them up

RyzenJunkie · 15 Jul 2019 at 20:54

I've just overclocked it to 4.4 and put 1.25v and the temps on r15 were late 80s. That's too high for a custom loop surely?

Going to drain it all and put new fluid in to see if it needs helps and can then turn the pump up if it's set low. Only issue is, it has no drain port.

It's in a thermaltake tower 900 and the 360mm tac is in the back with the tubing coming in and out at the bottom so going have to think of something.

MikeTimbers · 16 Jul 2019 at 10:25

You should be able to see the water move when you first turn on the pump. The pump should also probably vibrate when on that you should be able to feel. High 80s suggests the water isn't moving.

RyzenJunkie · 16 Jul 2019 at 10:32

Ok. I'm going to have to drain this and sort the pump out then. So drain, refill with deionised water and then see if the pump works. Its all only 8months old so can't see the pump being faulty.

RyzenJunkie · 16 Jul 2019 at 11:20

Excuse my ignorance but if I drain this all and remove the tubing, when i refit it isn't likely to leak is it, needing new tubing?

tyler_jrb · 16 Jul 2019 at 13:36

RyzenJunkie said:
Excuse my ignorance but if I drain this all and remove the tubing, when i refit it isn't likely to leak is it, needing new tubing?

Fit properly no. Just remove a piece of tube cut one exactly the same size and fit ensuring the compression fitting is as tight as you can get it by hand. Same idea with PETG tube just bend and cut to an identicle size as long as everything was sized properly in the first place etc. You want as much tubing on/in the fitting as possible.

You can do a basic leak test once you have finished just plug all the ports up and use a spare fitting with length of flexi pipe. Blow into the loop to build up some pressure and hold the end with your thumb. Listen for any leaks and after around a minute or so let go. If there is a leak there will be no pressure, or significantly less when you let go. Touch wood I’ve never had a leak yet on a new build/pipe change.

RyzenJunkie · 16 Jul 2019 at 13:57

I meant refit the original pipework. Also just had the glass off and the pump is definitely vibrating and if I touch the petg tubing I can feel the flow.

RyzenJunkie · 16 Jul 2019 at 14:08

This is the loop at the moment. Makes it hard to drain as the rad is upside down isn't it? Would have been better having the spare rad plug at the bottom so I could add a drain port?

RyzenJunkie · 16 Jul 2019 at 15:54

Where's the best place to drain as going have to unplug a tube. Both ones going back to the rad are flexible and have attachments going from hard tube fitting to soft fitting.

Also where is the best place to put a drain port once empty? Flip the rad the other way once empty and add a drain hose fitting with valve at the bottom (at the top currently)?

MikeTimbers · 17 Jul 2019 at 16:37

If the rad has flexible tubing, is it possible to disconnect it from the case and be able to get it over a bucket so you can undo the tubing?

Re-using tubing is not ideal because often the ends have stretched over barbs/connectors and may no longer give a tight connection.

If the pump is vibrating, then there must be some flow but it may not be very strong flow. Is the radiator clean? Is air going through it properly?

To be honest, it sounds like this whole system needs to be dismantled, cleaned and re-assembled.

RyzenJunkie · 17 Jul 2019 at 17:05

Yeah I'm thinking that too. I'm going to try and find a Waterblock for this MSI R9 290x and then do a full loop.