Waterchiller Disaster

[DocGolem]

Well not really a disaster, but a shortcoming.

I've had my chiller all ready for about 6 months and finally got the nuts to hook it up today. Everything went smooth and the insulation looks like it's going to hold up pretty good.

Before turning on the computer, we decided to turn on the pump before we turned on the computer itself for the foreseen reasons.

Anyways, I'm chilling a CPU and a GPU. The graphics block (DD Maze 4) has some weird barbs and they don't create too well of a seal. So I hooked up some hose clamps to it and tightened them down pretty well. Turns out that they weren't good enough or they weren't creating a perfect circuilar holding pattern because one of the sides started pushing out coolant shortly after turning on the pump. Luckily the computer wasn't turned on or plugged in.

So, there was/is a 60/40 mixture of antifreeze/distilled water on my motherboard and in the insulation around the GPU block. I'm going to end up taking off the GPU block and replacing all of the insulation to make it dry.

What should I do to make sure the motherboard is dry? I have it standing upright right now and have a box fan blowing on it. Is there any special chemical that will clean it up?

Once I get this thing going I'll make sure to post some benches and temps!

Thanks guys. :toast:

[Skip]

you should go to a home depot and buy the hose clamps that you use a socket wrench or a screwdriver to tighten, you can make those very tight and they will not leak one bit.

i would let the mobo dry for 24 hours, and maybe if you want direct a fan over it.

[DocGolem]

Ok thanks Skip. Turns out the hose clamps I used weren't supposed to be made that small and made the oval shape.

It's sitting with a fan over it right now and has been for a few hours. I'll make sure to let it sit for a long time before turning it on.

Good thing for leak tests.

[unixxx]

Before you use the motherboard I'd direct a blow drier under all of the larger ICs (like the Northbridge) and the CPU socket as these BGA compnents are all slightly raised off of the PCB. They're a perfect place for water to hang out. For smaller hose clamps you might want to check out USPlastic.com which stocks (for a higher price) versions meant specifically for rubber tubing: http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=usplastic&category%5Fname=2659&product%5Fid=8212

[skate2snow]

A air dryer works great.... Standing the air drying about 5 times on the same spot for 30seconds(making a rotation on the mobo), should dry what is left...

[Holst]

I leave my wet stuff in the central heating (airing) cupboard where the hot water boiler lives to make sure they are dry.

Ive only managed to get a motherboard wet once, and I wanted to get it 100% dry.

metal hoze clamps are useless if they are the wrong size as they will go oval and cause a leak.

I much prefer to use strong cable ties instead. These are more flexible than steel and give a more secure seal.

[DocGolem]

OK thanks for all of your suggestions guys. It's the next day and the motheboard is pretty dry. I don't know if there might be any residue from the antifreeze left on the motherboard and that may create a short or not.

Should I try some Isopropyl alky and see if that will clean it up? Or will the air be enough?

[TheTrebleKing]

clean it with alcohol, leave it to evaporate for a few hours, then put the mobo in the oven (sounds crazy) on a REALLY low heat, try not to go over 80C leave it for about an hour an should be all nice and dry.

i've tryed this myself on a mobo, and it worked again after, remember to use oven gloves or something when taking it out though.

what were you doing using water in your coolant anyway? lol

50% antifreeze and 50% denatured alcohol would be more suitable, and also NON-CONDUCTIVE so little spills wouldn't matter.

[dward3]

Use should buy a can of precision electronics cleaner from radio shack for your clean ups. :D