How frequently do you guys purge/clean your WC set ups?

[TheVrolok]

My first attempt at a WC loop has been running for about 8 months now. There's a bit of clouding but the tubing is still mostly clear and the 5.25" bay res is down maybe 1-2mm coolant. Should I be getting ready to empty/clean/refill it, or is it still good to go?

 

[WoodButcher]

I flush when I see crap. Anywhere from 6 months on but I have let a loop run for a year or more easy. You can run until you see a perfomance drop, I have yet to see a dirty loop cause damage to a pc but it may over work the pump if you let it go that far. (think how bad some fish tanks get!)

 

[smackababy]

I drain my loop about every 6 months. I take the day and do my HTPC and my main rig. Although, lately I've drained the main a few times because I am doing a refresh.

 

[TheVrolok]

Hmm.. sounds like I might be due. I just really don't have a few extra hours to take the time to properly disassemble/clean my system. Hmm. Maybe come this summer.

 

[aigomorla]

complete disassemble is not the same thing as a flush.

A flush is like an oil change.
You are getting rid of your old coolant, and replacing it with new.

Complete diassemble would be you relooping the entire rig up.

You dont really need to do a complete diassemble, however a flush is recomended every 6months to 1yr depending on your coolant and usage.

 

[TheVrolok]

complete disassemble is not the same thing as a flush.

A flush is like an oil change.
You are getting rid of your old coolant, and replacing it with new.

Complete diassemble would be you relooping the entire rig up.

You dont really need to do a complete diassemble, however a flush is recomended every 6months to 1yr depending on your coolant and usage.

If I can get away with just flushing then that's not too bad. Recommend running some clean dH2O through for a bit before readding coolant + any additives?

 

[Zebo]

When I rebuild about 1x a year. New video card and/or CPU.

But I have left loops closed for years with DI water and & swiftech additive no clouding or anything. Before, back in the day, the heater core days, I used antifreeze and it caused big problems. I have been watercooling since 1999 and with products they have today you should have no clouding.

 

[aigomorla]

If I can get away with just flushing then that's not too bad. Recommend running some clean dH2O through for a bit before readding coolant + any additives?

what i will do is empty the res out.

The fill, bleed, and empty right away again.
Fill and rebleed...

I repeat this about 2-3 times... and then on the 4th one, or when i notice no particles or anything stop coming out, or the water is just clear clean, then i do the final fill and bleed.

 

[Rubycon]

what i will do is empty the res out.

The fill, bleed, and empty right away again.
Fill and rebleed...

I repeat this about 2-3 times... and then on the 4th one, or when i notice no particles or anything stop coming out, or the water is just clear clean, then i do the final fill and bleed.

Why don't loops have filters for this kind of thing?
Every commercial product that I've used (high power amplifiers, lasers) that's watercooled has a very strong filtering system to keep the coolant debris free.

 

[Gillbot]

Why don't loops have filters for this kind of thing?
Every commercial product that I've used (high power amplifiers, lasers) that's watercooled has a very strong filtering system to keep the coolant debris free.

not to mention, if it's a sealed loop, where is this debris coming from?

 

[aigomorla]

Why don't loops have filters for this kind of thing?
Every commercial product that I've used (high power amplifiers, lasers) that's watercooled has a very strong filtering system to keep the coolant debris free.

cost of flow.. also the the long run, the cost isnt worth it.
You should be doing at least a flush.

not to mention, if it's a sealed loop, where is this debris coming from?

Aftermarket coolant.
Im not talking about just me... im using the average person.
Also who knows u might of missed something on the cleaning.

 

[Rubycon]

cost of flow.. also the the long run, the cost isnt worth it.
You should be doing at least a flush.



Aftermarket coolant.
Im not talking about just me... im using the average person.
Also who knows u might of missed something on the cleaning.

Flow should not be a problem with a properly sized filter though. The flow in computer water cooling systems is minuscule!

It would not matter anyways even if I could use water cooling - six months is a LONG time to go without changing out major components.

 

[Gillbot]

Flow should not be a problem with a properly sized filter though. The flow in computer water cooling systems is minuscule!

It would not matter anyways even if I could use water cooling - six months is a LONG time to go without changing out major components.

That's normally what happens to me. I swap parts so much, the loop never stays together long enough for it to matter.

 

[aigomorla]

It would not matter anyways even if I could use water cooling - six months is a LONG time to go without changing out major components.

LuLz...

<3 Koolance Quick Disconnects. ()

id think id die if i didnt have them.
Gillbot knows firsthand exactly how painful ATI has been to me lately.

:hmm:

 

[Gillbot]

LuLz...

<3 Koolance Quick Disconnects. ()

id think id die if i didnt have them.
Gillbot knows firsthand exactly how painful ATI has been to me lately.

:hmm:

ATI = Fail, ATI + Aigo + Xfire = UBERFAIL

 

[Rubycon]

Sad thing is I usually have to swap out parts because they get physically damaged. Yesterday a full 4U Xeon server that was loaded with 15K drives fell over. The box is fine but the bottom five hot swap trays are nearly impossible to pull out because something get bent in the fall. I'm afraid to turn it on.

 

[WoodButcher]

Sad thing is I usually have to swap out parts because they get physically damaged. Yesterday a full 4U Xeon server that was loaded with 15K drives fell over. The box is fine but the bottom five hot swap trays are nearly impossible to pull out because something get bent in the fall. I'm afraid to turn it on.

Can't you strap your PC down? or did someone forget to?

 

[Rubycon]

Can't you strap your PC down? or did someone forget to?

Yes everything is secure. This happens when I'm working on it. This is never a problem when docked/in port. Problem is I have to do something else and leave it. This time I thought for sure that I was going to be RIGHT back but one thing lead to another. Finally got back and found the box three feet from where I left it with the top on the floor, flipped over like someone picked it up and set it there! I could not help but laugh hysterically thinking that someone moved it but found the evidence of impact. Oh well - ship happens as we say.

From now on I'm just going to keep everything on the floor. At least the potential energy is lower.

 

[PsiStar]

hahaha ... actually I have done practical jokes on people in just that way

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

I'm still pushin clean distilled water; when the last time i have flushed my loop... :hmm:

 

[alyarb]

I just top off the coolant if it ever gets low. i don't change it. The other day I dismounted the radiator and took everything off and cleaned/vaccuumed/beat everything with a towel and compressed air. idle temps went from 61 to 48. that's just 3 years of dust, though. meh.

 

[LOUISSSSS]

i found oxidized black gunk inside of BOTH of my copper blocks after looking inside after 6 months. you should take a look...

find my thread on it here if u dont believe me..

 

[alyarb]

all my stuff is clear. my GPU block is gold-plated copper under acrylic. everything looks good? don't see any particles flowing (or maybe its just a uniform concentration at this point heh)

 

[skinnee]

not to mention, if it's a sealed loop, where is this debris coming from?

Lets not forget the Thermochill never ending flux in the loop either. :twisted:

 

[LOUISSSSS]

all my stuff is clear. my GPU block is gold-plated copper under acrylic. everything looks good? don't see any particles flowing (or maybe its just a uniform concentration at this point heh)

then ur good to go it looks like, really.