Slider46

I'm noticing that the tubing in the loops on my home PC and project PC are starting to get cloudy.

On my first PC I thought i was just the coolant until someone mentioned that it could be residue from inside the radiator or pump or something.

Now in my project PC's loop i'm starting to see the same thing.

I've used Primochill's PC ICE in both loops along with the included dye bombs. I'm using primochill 3/8" tubing as well.

I've read that a mixture of 10% vinegar and 90% distilled water run through the system for a few hours works to help clean the parts. Then a rinse with 100% distilled water then add coolant.

Is this a good idea? Are there any specific cleaners that I could use to help the cleaning process without damaging anything?

On another note: I know anything you put into a cooling system should be extremely clean (distilled/deionized/purified).

Is water from a Britta pitcher safe to use? I mean, it's filtered through carbon filters and I figure if it's clean enough for me to drink all the time then it shouldn't harm my cooling parts...??

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Vagrant Storm

short term...a britta picture would be fine, but there will be higher levels of acidic elemets floating in it because filtered will not be as good as distilled or RO water. Corosion will start to happen faster inside your waterblock and radiator...and possibly your pump depending on what you have.

As for cleaning...vinigar in any ammount will be fine. You don't need to get too crazy while measuring it. 10-40% vinegar is fine. After I clean a loop I will fill it with the distilled water let it run a bit and then I'll empty about half of it out and then put my additives in so i suppose I have a trace amount of vinegar in there but my Appogee, pump and bonnie rad is about three years old with no signs of corrosion or "floaties" sitting in my sediment trap so I am sure I am fine

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ira-k

Filtered water still has minerals in it, thats one of the main reasons we use distilled water is to prevent mineral buildup in the rad and blocks.

Thats what I use, 10% white vinegar and 90% distilled, run it for an hour or two, then do 2 or 3 rinse loops at least to get all the vinegar residue out, white vinegar can keep re-acting with the copper if you don't, rinse well several times and you'll have no problems..

Tubing will turn cloudy over time from water leeching into it, if its new tubing and you didn't clean your rad out well it might be from that.

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Slider46

Jeeze i really dont want to have to replace all the tubing! lol

Trying to fit Koolance tubing wrap on Primochill tubing is ridiculous! I've got tons of blisters! lol

I guess i'll have a go at cleaning it out and getting new coolant to replace it with...

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Vagrant Storm

or you could get some UV dye and some UV lights and the the foggy lines actually look better then clear ones since they reflect more of the UV light.

well...looks better in my opinion any way. Still doesn't look to nice with the power off though so I always clean it out

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Slider46

Yeah i've got one uv light and my coolant is supposed to be "UV Reactive Blue" but it's a pretty light blue. I've also only got on UV cathode so another one or two would help with the glowing effect.

I've also got a blue cathode at the bottom that isn't helping. I've dampened the blue color from that by cutting and fitting two paper covers to lower the amount of blue light that gets through.

So basically clean the system, new coolant, a little more dye and more UV lights and it should look decent.

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Slider46

I'm thinking of making my own blue-green coolant from FeserView UV dye and either distilled or de-ionized water.

Which should I go with? I'm thinking distilled will be easier to get (walmart here in the U.S.)

Should I add some sort of biocide?

Thanks!

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CL3P20

Distilled + antifreeze.. mix about 10:1 *Antifreeze does have anti-fungal properties to it.

I use, 10:1 mix+ a few drops of Radiator leak tester [toxic green UV].

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Slider46

Sweet!

So instead of spending $20 per 32oz bottle of coolant, I can make gallons of the stuff for the same cost!

Found some Feser UV dye on sale... $5.79

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dr4gon

yeah, get your own dye, or G10 Pentosin and some PT nuke (a must!)

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