Need a new (non-EK) coolant brand...

garyd9 · Jun 21, 2020

I've been using EK's cryofuel (translucent, not opaque) blue coolant for the past 3 years. 5 times in those 3 years, I've flushed the system with a gallon distilled water and refilled with new coolant. Today, I had to tear down my (monsoon) reservoir and I discovered what that stuff has been doing to my loop. I'll attach photos from the reservoir, and nearly all my (soft tubing) compression fittings look similar. The only thing I've found to clean it was to soak in vinegar for about an hour, and then scrub with a toothbrush.

So, I'll never use EK coolant again. Lesson learned. I'd yell at EK, but I'm sure it'd fall on deaf ears, or they'd say it's because I'm using a monsoon res, or a hwlabs rad, or whatever. I don't care anymore - I won't buy EK products again.

What I need is a different coolant brand that comes in clear (or translucent blues - I tend to favor that color) and is reliable for about 6 to 9 months at a time (and encrust itself to anything it touches.) I don't use silver in my loop (and I don't want to run pure distilled water.)

Is the "modwater" from modmymods any good? (https://modmymods.com/modmymods-modwater-pc-coolant-clear-1-liter-mod-0275.html)

Any other easy suggestions?

Thanks
Gary

ciarlatano · Jun 21, 2020

Mayhems X1. Tried, true and proven. You are going to get that answer from 90% of the experienced liquid coolers here, and with good reason.

BTW, the MMRS are great reservoirs, aren't they?

TK421 · Jun 21, 2020

ciarlatano said:
Mayhems X1. Tried, true and proven. You are going to get that answer from 90% of the experienced liquid coolers here, and with good reason.

BTW, the MMRS are great reservoirs, aren't they?

x1 clear?

just curious, how does the other colored stuff from mayhems perform

ttnuagmada · Jun 22, 2020

I tried the EK Cryofuel 2 different times. Both times the stuff eventually started caking up my loop after just a few weeks (could see the flowrate steadily drop). Switched to Mayhems X1 and haven't had a single issue since.

I'm using UV Blue.

garyd9 · Jun 22, 2020

The only mayhems X1 clear I can find on modmymods is a "V2 eco friendly" premix. Right now, I'm very hesitant to try a "v2", or "eco-friendly" or anything premixed and shipped across the Atlantic (or Pacific.) It's probably just me being paranoid, but after seeing the solid crud in my loop from the EK translucent coolant, I think a bit of paranoia is justified.

Is this "X1 V2 Eco" stuff the same stuff that is recommended?

apw63 · Jun 22, 2020

ciarlatano · Jun 22, 2020

garyd9 said:
The only mayhems X1 clear I can find on modmymods is a "V2 eco friendly" premix. Right now, I'm very hesitant to try a "v2", or "eco-friendly" or anything premixed and shipped across the Atlantic (or Pacific.) It's probably just me being paranoid, but after seeing the solid crud in my loop from the EK translucent coolant, I think a bit of paranoia is justified.

Is this "X1 V2 Eco" stuff the same stuff that is recommended?

X1 has been around a long time. It only stands to reason that there would be a V2 along the way given that Mayhems actually improves their products. And you have a right to be paranoid, EK sells a lot of garbage with no thought to the end user (except how to get more of their cash). But, Mayhems isn't EK.

https://www.overclock.net/forum/61-water-cooling/1286896-official-mayhems-users-club.html

Shawnb99 · Jun 22, 2020

Ek Cryofuel at it’s finest

ThrashZone · Jun 22, 2020

Hi,
Yeah I'm using that mods coolant atm on all my loops good stuff :thumb:
You get 1 free with discount code coolant

garyd9 · Jun 22, 2020

Didn't see the response on the mods coolant until after I ordered X1 clear concentrate from PPCS. I'll also pick up 2 gallons of distilled water locally. (1.5 gallons for flushing the loop repeatedly, and 0.5 gallons for mixing the concentrate.)
@ciarlatano - yes, I really love the MMRS res. I think my only real problem with it has been with the arrangement of using it as a D5 pump/res combo: You only get a single (outlet) port on the bottom, so you're forced to use the top of the res for an inlet. That results in splashing and/or air mixing in the res (unless you use a 3rd party inner tube, but that raises the top of the res too high for my mounting.) Even filling the res as full as possible still leaves a bit of air that gets mixed around (if the pump speed is high.)

It doesn't really cause a functional problem. It just disturbs my OCD to look at the res and see air bubbles swirling around the top. I suppose I could try to think of it as a flow indicator.

ciarlatano · Jun 22, 2020

garyd9 said:
Didn't see the response on the mods coolant until after I ordered X1 clear concentrate from PPCS. I'll also pick up 2 gallons of distilled water locally. (1.5 gallons for flushing the loop repeatedly, and 0.5 gallons for mixing the concentrate.)

@ciarlatano - yes, I really love the MMRS res. I think my only real problem with it has been with the arrangement of using it as a D5 pump/res combo: You only get a single (outlet) port on the bottom, so you're forced to use the top of the res for an inlet. That results in splashing and/or air mixing in the res (unless you use a 3rd party inner tube, but that raises the top of the res too high for my mounting.) Even filling the res as full as possible still leaves a bit of air that gets mixed around (if the pump speed is high.)

It doesn't really cause a functional problem. It just disturbs my OCD to look at the res and see air bubbles swirling around the top. I suppose I could try to think of it as a flow indicator.

I went with two tubes with my inlet on the center connector. No splashing or bubbles. That's what I love about the system, you can really configure it to do exactly what you need.

And when you posted about the X1, I immediately jumped on PPC thinking they had 100ml X1 clear in stock, but they only have the 250ml. I'm just going to have to bite the bullet and order the 250ml and store it properly for next year. Or....just go with Inhibitor+ and Biocide+, which is really what I should do....

newls1 · Jun 22, 2020

ciarlatano said:
Mayhems X1. Tried, true and proven. You are going to get that answer from 90% of the experienced liquid coolers here, and with good reason.

BTW, the MMRS are great reservoirs, aren't they?

This, and you can also try "Modmymods" own in house coolant, Using this new modmymods coolant in my 10900k PC ( https://modmymods.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=modwater ) and so far, very nice results.. exactly same as X1 for me and its currently buy 1 get 1 free.

garyd9 · Jun 23, 2020

ciarlatano said:
I went with two tubes with my inlet on the center connector. No splashing or bubbles. That's what I love about the system, you can really configure it to do exactly what you need.

And when you posted about the X1, I immediately jumped on PPC thinking they had 100ml X1 clear in stock, but they only have the 250ml. I'm just going to have to bite the bullet and order the 250ml and store it properly for next year. Or....just go with Inhibitor+ and Biocide+, which is really what I should do....

I don't have a "center." Because of how I have it all mounted, I only have vertical space for a single 100mm tube above the D5 pump. However, I have plans to separate the pump and res so I can use connections at the bottom for both in and out. (I have a cube case that mounts the m/b horizontally, and my pump/res is in the upper half currently.) Already have the caps and d5 top.. just waiting on new screws for the lower cap (because the pump cap screws are shorter than the normal cap screws.)

For the X1 clear, I bought the 250ml concentrate from PPCS (that I'd mix with distilled water.) Was that the wrong thing?

OrionBG · Jun 23, 2020

In my current system I'm using EK's CryoFuel Solid Purple and White coolants and for the time being there are no issues with them. Before that I've used EKs CryoFuel Clear for two systems and after more than an year of use without maintenance there were no issues at all. I'm not trying to defend EK but it really depends on the components you use. For instance soft tubing in most cases contributes to the coolant degrading faster than expected. Evan PETG in some cases may degrade a coolant. For my current loop I'm using Acrylic tubes so time will tell. Also Radiator pre-clean is very important. In one of my previous builds, I used Alphacool radiators without pre-cleaning them and although they looked clean, the liquid turned yellow-ish (was clear) after no more than 6 months. Fortunately for me the clean was very easy.
What I'm trying do say is don't always blame the coolant (whatever brand it may be) for every loop mishap, as there are many factors that can contribute to the decay of the liquid.

ciarlatano · Jun 23, 2020

OrionBG said:
In my current system I'm using EK's CryoFuel Solid Purple and White coolants and for the time being there are no issues with them. Before that I've used EKs CryoFuel Clear for two systems and after more than an year of use without maintenance there were no issues at all. I'm not trying to defend EK but it really depends on the components you use. For instance soft tubing in most cases contributes to the coolant degrading faster than expected. Evan PETG in some cases may degrade a coolant. For my current loop I'm using Acrylic tubes so time will tell. Also Radiator pre-clean is very important. In one of my previous builds, I used Alphacool radiators without pre-cleaning them and although they looked clean, the liquid turned yellow-ish (was clear) after no more than 6 months. Fortunately for me the clean was very easy.
What I'm trying do say is don't always blame the coolant (whatever brand it may be) for every loop mishap, as there are many factors that can contribute to the decay of the liquid.

My neighbor's 1974 Pinto didn't explode. Does this mean that the issue with the vehicle didn't exist?

I'm going to have to say that the number of "Cryofuel gunked up" reports with the builds all being different, and may times all EK, show far more than the "I use it and it's fine" posts. It's supposed to be fine, that should be the norm. Even a small percentage of people having the same issue is not acceptable, and Cryofuel seems to have a much worse track record than other name brand coolants.

ThrashZone · Jun 23, 2020

Hi,
Someones got to buy that ek crap so have all you want

ThrashZone · Jun 23, 2020

newls1 said:
This, and you can also try "Modmymods" own in house coolant, Using this new modmymods coolant in my 10900k PC ( https://modmymods.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=modwater ) and so far, very nice results.. exactly same as X1 for me and its currently buy 1 get 1 free.

Hi,
Yep good stuff too late though for the op.

Shawnb99 · Jun 23, 2020

OrionBG said:
In my current system I'm using EK's CryoFuel Solid Purple and White coolants and for the time being there are no issues with them. Before that I've used EKs CryoFuel Clear for two systems and after more than an year of use without maintenance there were no issues at all. I'm not trying to defend EK but it really depends on the components you use. For instance soft tubing in most cases contributes to the coolant degrading faster than expected. Evan PETG in some cases may degrade a coolant. For my current loop I'm using Acrylic tubes so time will tell. Also Radiator pre-clean is very important. In one of my previous builds, I used Alphacool radiators without pre-cleaning them and although they looked clean, the liquid turned yellow-ish (was clear) after no more than 6 months. Fortunately for me the clean was very easy.
What I'm trying do say is don't always blame the coolant (whatever brand it may be) for every loop mishap, as there are many factors that can contribute to the decay of the liquid.

Thanks but no thanks. I’ll always blame EK Cryofuel. It’s crap and nothing anyone will ever say will convince me otherwise.

Instead of blaming the coolant I should blame myself? You’re right I am at fault I bought that crap fluid.

ThrashZone · Jun 23, 2020

Shawnb99 said:
Thanks but no thanks. I’ll always blame EK Cryofuel. It’s crap and nothing anyone will ever say will convince me otherwise.

Instead of blaming the coolant I should blame myself? You’re right I am at fault I bought that crap fluid.

Hi,
Yeah dang what in the heck did you do for ek premix to turn into sludge lol

garyd9 · Jun 23, 2020

Simple solution for the EK coolant: I just won't use it anymore. If someone else doesn't have a problem and continues to use it, that's fine with me. If it's not my loop, it's really none of my concern.

Need a new (non-EK) coolant brand...

garyd9

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