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Pencil zinc'?

439 views 12 replies 3 participants last post by  apw63 
#1 ·
I'm wondering how well or not so well pencil Zinc's would work in a our water cooling loops. My boat must have at least 6 different types of metal in and around it. We use zinc on the shafts and pencil zinc's in the engine and heat exchangers. They seem to do well at keeping corrosion in check in a worse environment then our pc cooling loops.
 
#3 ·
You could do it. IMO seems like a whole lot more trouble than just adding corrosion inhibitor to your coolant. You would need to drill and tap each of your water blocks, RADs and what every else you think needs protection. Connected the blocks (cathode) electrically back to a bus or rectifier. Then to the zinc (anode) or what ever sacrificial metal you choose. Could be a cool project, have at it. I look forward to your results.
 
#4 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by apw63 View Post

You could do it. IMO seems like a whole lot more trouble than just adding corrosion inhibitor to your coolant. You would need to drill and tap each of your water blocks, RADs and what every else you think needs protection. Connected the blocks (cathode) electrically back to a bus or rectifier. Then to the zinc (anode) or what ever sacrificial metal you choose. Could be a cool project, have at it. I look forward to your results.
I'll give it a go have plenty of extra blocks and rads. Going to make some g1/4 pencil zinc's and just install them in the extra ports of the rads and gpu blocks. The cpu block would be the only one I would have to tap or maybe I could just use a t on the fittings going into the block? Does the zinc have to make contact with the metal of the block or just be close to it ? Do I even need to install zinc's in each of the block or would one in a loop do? I really don't think all the zinc's need to be bonded and ran to a bus? My heat exchangers zinc's on my boat aren't bonded and they have no problems zinc gets eaten up and just replace them. Closed loops just like in a pc. Anyone know what type of metal the d5 pump uses around the inlet and outlet of the pump looks to be aluminum? If it is aluminum wouldn't everyone that uses d5 pumps have aluminum in their loops?
 
#5 ·
One thing that might be a problem. As the zinc dissolves it has to go some where. You could be making yourself a large crude problem. If the crude settles out in the micro channels of your CPU block. This could create cooling issues. You will be adding to the conductivity of your coolant. If you have a leak this could be a problem. All coolant becomes conductive over time. I'm not so sure if your boat heat exchanges is a good example to put up against a pc cooling loop. They do essentially the something, but scale is a lot different. A boat motor coolant system can deal with crude/particles a lot easier than a pc cooling system. I will say that I don't know at what extent the zinc stays in solution.
 
#6 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by apw63 View Post

One thing that might be a problem. As the zinc dissolves it has to go some where. You could be making yourself a large crude problem. If the crude settles out in the micro channels of your CPU block. This could create cooling issues. You will be adding to the conductivity of your coolant. If you have a leak this could be a problem. All coolant becomes conductive over time. I'm not so sure if your boat heat exchanges is a good example to put up against a pc cooling loop. They do essentially the something, but scale is a lot different. A boat motor coolant system can deal with crude/particles a lot easier than a pc cooling system. I will say that I don't know at what extent the zinc stays in solution.
I was thinking the same thing. I use filters in my loops I'll install one in the test loop. This is just for fun not like I'll be testing in my main system. I actually can't wait to drain my main pc loops and see whats going on in there.
 
#7 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by geox19 View Post

Quote:
Originally Posted by apw63 View Post

I use filters in my loops .
Filters don't filter out ions and it's the metallic ions that makes the water becoming conductive.

But you're doing a way cool experiment anyway.
 
#8 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by billbartuska View Post

Filters don't filter out ions and it's the metallic ions that makes the water becoming conductive.

But you're doing a way cool experiment anyway.
The filters aren't to filter out ions lol it's to filter out any zinc that may come loose. Was responding to the Apw63 about the zinc maybe clogging the cpu block.
 
#9 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by geox19 View Post

Quote:
Originally Posted by billbartuska View Post

Filters don't filter out ions and it's the metallic ions that makes the water becoming conductive.

But you're doing a way cool experiment anyway.
The filters aren't to filter out ions lol it's to filter out any zinc that may come loose. Was responding to the Apw63 about the zinc maybe clogging the cpu block.
Yeah, the zink ions will plate out on the copper.
 
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#10 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by billbartuska View Post

Yeah, the zink ions will plate out on the copper.
This is very true hmmm. When I first started water cooling my pc's all I kept reading was just use distilled water and a biocide. funny thing is that's the only loop I ever had problems with corrosion. between the fittings and the pumps and all the other metals mixed in today's loops have fun trying not to use corrosion inhibitors.
 
#12 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by apw63 View Post

I think the worst metal in modern loops is the lead in the solder used in the RADs. With all the brass, copper and nickel, there really is not a huge corrosion issue. A little coolant additive and some periodic maintenance and have a great day. ?
Yep I hear ya I got that figured out not really the point of my post
smile.gif
 
#13 ·
Oh I know and I understand what you are trying to do. I'm all for experimentation. It's how tech moves foraward. With all the similar metals in the loop. The amount of corrosion will be minamal. How are you going to gauge the effectiveness of your protection? It may take a very long time to see any degradation of the zinc. Now if you where to use an aluminum RAD. You could see some faster results.
 
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