WHAT IS THE BEST WATERCOOLING MIXTURE (DISTILLED H2O, WATERWETTER, ANTIFREEZE)

[dannybin1742]

what is the best coolant mixture for a watercooling sytem. i have redline water wetter, generic car antifreeze (ethylene glycol) and a gallon of distilled water.

what is the optimum ratio of each.

i need an answer interms of 1 gallon water to Xcups wetter to Xcups antifreeze

 

[MoMeanMugs]

For a gallon, I use 80% water, 20% antifreeze, and a capfull of water wetter. If you know basic math, you can figure it out.

 

[WarCon]

I have personally found antifreeze to increase my temps so I just leave it out of the mix. I use 1/50 water wetter to water. It performs the task you would use antifreeze for (antifungal, anticorrosion), or at least it appears to for me. No build up or corrosion for me so far (about a year with the same mixture).

 

[Lmandrake]

My experience with water wetter indicates that it does not do a very good job with preventing biological growth. Odd, since I think the stuff is toxic as hell, but true.

IMHO the best coolant is a mix of non-toxic RV or Boat drinking water system antifreeze and distilled H20. RV antifreeze stops biological growth, has corrosion inhibitors, is non-toxic and doesn't smell awful like water wetter...

 

[RagManX]

Originally posted by: WarCon
I have personally found antifreeze to increase my temps so I just leave it out of the mix. I use 1/50 water wetter to water. It performs the task you would use antifreeze for (antifungal, anticorrosion), or at least it appears to for me. No build up or corrosion for me so far (about a year with the same mixture).

Many people have had success, but it really is a hit or miss proposition. Water Wetter makes no claims to being a foreign growth inhibitor. The recommendation I have picked up from the hardforums is that you should either put a few drops of bleach or about 15-20% anti-freeze in to your solution to ensure minimal growth. Some people suggest anti-bacterial soap, but given that those soaps only claim to kill 99% you'll still have that 1% growing, and developing resistance. There are some anti-freezes available that are uncolored or red, so look around if you don't want to have green water flowing through your water cooling system.

RagManX

 

[dannybin1742]

so you're saying water wetter really does nothing? and i should just stick to antifreeze and water?

 

[RagManX]

Water wetter does do something - it increases the thermal transfer capabilities of the water, I believe (I'm not an expert, but I know a little, and have learned from others). It is good to have because it makes a water cooling rig perform better than it would with just distilled water. But it does not have anti-fungal or anti-bacterial claims associated with it, because that is not what it was designed to do.

RagManX

 

[dannybin1742]

so what have you guys been using and what are you temps with that coolant?

 

[WarCon]

I used this (Royal Purple's "Purple Ice") in my system first (ordered a small quantity with my watercooler from becooling). Maybe this stuff coated all my parts and is why I don't seem to be getting any algae or corrosion.

Not sure where to get it in quantity though, water wetter is easily found at lots of common automotive stores (and one bottle lasts forever) otherwise I would probably still be using Purple Ice.

 

[Big Lar]

Water wetter is a good product, but it only "refines" the water temp, if you will. A coupla table spoons of glycol mixed with distilled water is all that is needed to prevent corrosion, and no more than that, Unless of course you cool your water below freezing.

 

[mste456]

on my rig i use 1/4 water wetter and the rest distilled water. my temps on a xp1900 @ 1800mhz = 35°C (1.95 vcore)
i use an innovatek set2 cooling kit.

150 x 12

 

[dannybin1742]

thanks guys this has been a big help!!

 

[dajeepster]

I'm going to use that blue stuff(8oz) you put in waterbeds mixed with a gallon of distilled water. I'll let you know what happens when I get the time to finish this project up.

 

[brxndxn]

Anyone try 70% or 90% isopropyl rubbing alcohol? It has a much higher viscosity than water so it will flow better. Also, it has anti-corrosive properties 'built-in' and nothing can grow in it. Good luck trying to seal it, though, because it's a lot thinner than water - so it can get through the tiniest of cracks.

I once had a sample 'heat-sink' (It was more of a metal pole that you put in different temperatures of water).. but the company also makes heat sinks out of it. It is a hollow aluminum material with alcohol inside of it - it transmitted heat better than any other material I've ever seen... put it in hot coffee, you would instantly burn your fingers; put it in ice-cold water, your fingers would freeze

 

[dannybin1742]

where is this found?

 

[Blain]

Has anyone used Pro Blend's "40 Below" instead of Water Wetter?

 

[Technonut]

I used a mixture of distilled water, waterwetter, and antifreeze when I first started watercooling. I used a mix ratio per gallon found at some watercooling site, and it stained my tubing.

I have built a few watercooled rigs since, and have only used distilled water. I have a built in 1.5 gallon reservoir in my case bottom gear housing unit, and for months have had no biological growth or corrosion issues. The water is still clear. So is my tubing and waterblock inlet/outlet. I do not mix metals and use a Maze2 along with a Black Ice radiator. (I have a new BI Extreme to install later )

 

[Lizardman]

Anti freeze will not lower your temps but only raise them. Anti freeze makes it harder for water to boil that is why its used in cars. you should not use antifreeze in your computer cooling setup for any reason. Use distilled water and a water wetter. And a cap full of bleach to kill the nasty fungus.


If you dont believe me look here. HOW STUFF WORkS read it understand it

 

[dannybin1742]

dude, i totally understand that, anyone who has taken a college level chemistry course will understand that adding things to water will either lower or raise bp and mp. but what needs to be done is find somthing that will have no effect on the heat absorbtion but will make the water compeletly steril, and would not harm the silicon or metal in the system.

 

[FenrisUlf]

I've been running watercooling for about 4 years and have discovered a few things. My first rig used a tupperware container as a resivoir and I ran about 20% antifreeeze. The imperfect seal allowed a small amount of air leakage, and the semi-transparent plastic allowed in light. Combined with the warmth from the computer, after about six months I had a really neat science project living in my cooling system :Q. Since then I've been using an opaque resivoir and about 2oz of water wetter per gallon of distilled water. No biological growth or corrosion after 3 years on two different systems. As for using alcohol: It has a lower specific heat and density than water and therefore does not transfer heat as well, plus it evaporates much more readily necessitating a very good seal to the system. Also, isopropyl alcohol in high concentrations will eat through rubber - anyone with rubber seals will shortly have a serious problem. Plus, electricity + high airflow + flamable liquid = computer blowtorch. Water is a much more appropriate choice.

Additives to water WILL decrease its ability to transfer heat, but they do have a purpose. Antifreeze and Water Wetter do basically the same thing except WW is used in racing. The WW formula is less slippery on pavement, important in racing if someone develops a leak in their radiator or has an accident. Both have anti-corrosion inhibitors, a necessity even if you run distilled water. Also, the chemicals will retard the growth of biological organisms. Water wetter also contains an agent that breaks down the surface tension of water (additives in antifreeze are dependant on brand), thereby more easily dissipating bubbles. This is very important in hot auto engines where steam bubbles forming on hot parts can form a layer that prevents the coolant from getting to the metal. If you've got this situation in your computer, you have more serious issues to worry about than coolant mixture . However, this ability to break up bubbles will be a benefit in trying to bleed all the small bubbles out of your cooling system. The bubbles will have less tendency to stick to the walls and will be much smaller. I have found that WW will leave a pink stain on the inside of vinyl tubing after several months and leaves a slightly waxy residue when it evaporates. If you can live with the minor side effects, I recommend using some kind of additive, either about 20% antifreeze or just follow the recommendations on the WW bottle.

 

[h2sammo]

Water molecules H-bond to each others. H-bonding is one of the strongest intermolecular types of bonds, so it takes a more heat to brake this type of bond (that would be the case when water boils). This also means that water has a very high heat capacity, which means it can "ëat up" a lot of heat before changing its properties. Adding antifreeze (ethylene glycol), or water wetter, or any other alcohol based solution, will decrease the heat capacity of water. Molecules of the alcohol will "brake the H-bonded water lattice and will lower the "strentgh" or capacity of the water molecule lattice. This will result in a decrease in heat capacity.

However, adding antifreeze will keep your reservoir water from freezing, if you go below 0 C in water temps. It will also help keeping the water clean with its toxic preperties. It will kill bacteria, fungi and the like breeding in the water, on the walls of the radiator/waterblock. You dont want these creatures thriving in your system because they will build up on the walls of the mentioned parts and lower heat transfer between the moving liquid and the hot/cold metal. Water wetter has the same use, its an antibacterial solution. IT DOES NOT MAKE WATER STAY COOLER. That is a myth, if you can explain that one to me, you could proly win a Nobel Prize in Chemistry.

hope this helped.

 

[dannybin1742]

yeah true that..... how do you think dna strands in our bodies are bonded together...... no h-bonds, no life.......period....... thanks biochemistry degree

 

[SpinozaQ]

I think a case black light may reduce biologics. Someone should test this. I have a case black light, some silicon and some vinyl tubing. Some of that UV must get through and fry those suckers.

 

[Lizardman]

You are thinking of an ultra violet light. The only problem with this is that the buggyers can grow in places where the sun dont shine. LIke in your water block or in your rad.

 

[h2sammo]

i am not sure...actually i never thought about what species of microorganisms would be able to live and reproduce in side the rad or the water block.
one thing is for sure, no visible light (even though) black would be energetic enough to kill them. maybe if you go lower than blue, in the UV region, you might be able to fry them. but then again, these things mutate like crazy. in 2 days youd have a resistant species, invading your block, thriving in that UV light. lol
that brings up a good point. we might want to rotate the water wetter, cuz there will be species becoming resistant to the "same old kind", and they wont care one bit about your "weed killer". But then again, how many of us really care about all this stuff, unless you grow a forest down there in the radiator, and then you should through the darn thing away.

take care
brush your teeth